Experienced editor

Christine Chelang’at Koech

Media and Communications Professional

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Phone: +254-***-******

Email: *******@*****.***

Professional Profile

I am a passionate, self-driven, focused, intuitive, highly resourceful, and dynamic editor with experience gained within a number of roles in the private sector, spanning over 19 years in Kenya and the US. My education in print and electronic journalism led to a career in content conceptualisation, direction, production, and marketing for niche markets; Areas of expertise include magazine and newspaper design, development and management; news and feature writing, media relations, copy and revise editing, digital content management, basic web design and development, strategic communications, brand management, project management, crisis management, strategic management and leadership, course development and instruction, and youth advocacy. Achievements include growing readership/traffic and revenue for products and helping them go beyond making the sale by creating relationships with the consumers of the content. I thrive in a creative and deadline-driven environment and I have established myself as a resourceful brand ambassador who knows how to reach my target audience. Career Highlights

• More than 19 years experience in the media and public information field (started as a student news reporter in 1999)

• Represented Kenya in 1995 (at age 15) at the African Girl Child Forum of the NGO and UN Conferences on Women which sparked my interest in women and gender issues. Incidentally, I have held several editorial positions, overseeing the production of publications that target women mad touching on gender issues

Skills in Detail

• Editorial – writing, proofreading, editing • Digital content creation and management (Drupal, Joomla, Wordpress) • Digital marketing and digital strategy • Web analytics (Google Analytics, Alexa) • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • Prepress – Page design and layout (MS Publisher, Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop, Freehand) • Web design and development

(Basic HTML) • Strategic management and leadership • Problem-solving and decision-making • Project management • Public relations and strategic communications • Customer service and relationship management • Telemarketing • Data Entry •Innovation and creativity •Multi-cultural awareness/sensitivity

Awards

● Newspaper with Best Fashion Segment, Kenya Fashion Awards, October 2017 Professional Certifications

● Introduction to E-Learning Theory and Practice (course development), Alison Certifications, May 2020

● Web Design and Development, Institute of Advanced Technology, February 2020 - Present

● Strategic Management and Leadership, Kenya Institute Of Management, November 2019 - February 2020

● Project Management: Advanced Concepts and Application - Preparation for PMP International Certification, Computer Pride/Project Management Institute, October 2019

● Web Design and Development: Institute for Advanced Technology - project pending Additional Training

● Media Management and Gender Balance: Women in News (WIN) 9-month Leadership Accelerator Programme for 2020 by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

● Digital Transformation: WAN-IFRA Women in News Digital ABC 2021 course: Module A Foundation of Digital training

● Documentary film production: BBC Women Behind the Camera training

● Africa Fact-Checking Alliance Newsroom Managers fellowship by Code4Africa, Deutsche Welle Akademie and UNESCO - August - December 2021 Education

● B.Sc Communication Studies: Print and Electronic Journalism, Liberty University - Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, Jan 1999 – May 2003

● Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Moi High School - Kabarak - Nakuru, Kenya, Jan 1994 – Nov 1997

● Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, St Xavier's Primary School - Nakuru, Kenya, May 1991- Jan 1993; Standard 3-6, Primary School, Loreto Convent Msongari - Nairobi, Kenya, May 1988 - April 1991; Standard 1-3, Primary School, St Xavier's Primary School

- Nakuru, Kenya, Jan 1986 - April 1988

Experience

Deputy Editor, Gender desk, Standard Group PLC, March 2021 - Present Highlights: Having taken up the role as one of two editors on the newly-formed desk, we embarked on creating a plan for the desk and writing proposals for the resources and platforms we need to be able to cover agenda-setting stories. Freelance Editorial Consultant, Various organisations, 2000 - Present Highlights: Have been lead editor on various projects from single stories and documents to books, corporate plans, and reports from various organisations. Section Editor, Standard Group Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Jul 2014 - March 2021 Eve magazine, weekly newsprint pullout (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: Oversaw the revamping of the magazine’s content, including the Fashion spread which won an award for Newspaper with the Best Fashion Segment at the Kenya Fashion Awards. Through inspiring, entertaining, informative, well-edited, and well-researched articles, attractive headlines, captions, kickers, and promos for the magazine, we established an unrivaled position in the marketplace as the number one pullout magazine for women. Commissioned work from, and managed a team of, over 30 content providers. Acted as the face of Eve magazine, working closely with Eve Digital, marketing, and corporate affairs to represent the brand positively and live the brand values.

Adjunct Faculty, Africa Digital Media Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 2019 - Current Instructing Sub-Editing and Feature Writing modules for third semester Journalism and Multimedia diploma and certificate students (2 hours a week) Highlights: Successfully recreated the curriculum materials for E-learning classes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and integrated technology into classroom instruction including video lectures, compelling presentations and online content. Advised and mentored students and engaged them with insightful and compelling classroom discussions of topics relevant to coursework.

Senior Sub Editor, Standard Digital, Standard Group Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Mar 2014 - Jun 2014

Standard Digital website, www.standarmedia.co.ke (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: Trained sub-editors in editorial standards and house style. Rewrote and repurposed content for various other products, ensuring active links and prompt upload of well-edited error-free, search-engine-optimized, clear, concise, accurate, fair, and balanced stories, photos, and videos. Monitored and anticipated user trends and produced reports using Google Analytics to indicate performance for the sites in terms of visits, unique users, bounce rate, page views, stickiness, and average time spent.

Sub Editor/Senior Sub Editor Standard Group Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Jul 2011 - Feb 2013 The County Weekly newspaper/County Life magazine (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: Volunteered to create and manage social media pages for the newspaper. Promoted to Senior Sub Editor in charge of the pullout magazine. Due to my interest and experience in digital content production, I was given the opportunity to work in the digital department when the publication was merged with the main paper.

Editorial Consultant/Production Editor, Carole Mandi Media, Nairobi, Kenya, May 2010 - Jul 2011

TRUE LOVE and DRUM Magazines, Supplements (full-time, contract position) Highlights: Made up the team that revived the magazines after they were off the press for months. Apart from writing entertaining cover stories and other features for the magazines, my roles included developing and coordinating timelines for the production of the magazine, ensuring the various components of the magazines and supplements were efficiently managed and matched set quality standards; liaising with fellow writers, photographers, fashion stylists, make-up artists and hairstylists in arranging photography sessions that offered maximum output at a minimal cost.

Digital Content Producer and Coordinator, East African Magazines Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, May 2008 - Mar 2010

TRUE LOVE and DRUM Online (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: Promoted to become one of the first few Digital Content Producers in the industry and placed in charge of sourcing contractors and leading them in establishing and managing the websites and SMS products of the various magazines within the company’s staple as well as increasing interactivity with our audience by engaging them on the various customer service interfaces including e-mail, SMS, social media and phone, and creating and implementing marketing plans and e-newsletter campaigns. Sourced content for the site and updated it using Drupal and Joomla (content management systems). Got some valuable training and mentorship from a special South African team from our parent company, the global internet group Naspers. Staff Writer/Senior Features Writer, East African Magazines Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Nov 2005

- May 2008

TRUE LOVE magazine, glossy, monthly, 25,000 print run (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: Promoted from Staff Writer to Senior Features Writer. Doubled as a features editor and sourced stories and artwork from contributors, organised photo shoots, and, from time to time, filled in as acting editor, enabling me to sharpen my editorial management, leadership, and public relations skills. Contacted and successfully Interviewed and profiled several hard-to-access public figures and high-level professionals. Sub-Editor, Estella Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Apr 2005 - Nov 2005 Baby & Moms Magazine, glossy, bi-monthly, 1,000 print run (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: I took this job in order to get my hands on a variety of roles, something I would not have experienced in a larger media house. Although my title was sub-editor, I was the only person in the editorial department. I designed the mast and template of the magazine, developed storylines, interviewed contacts, and wrote and edited stories before laying them out the pages. I also coordinated the timely printing of magazines at printers, organised and implemented photoshoots, and contracted photographers and styling teams for fashion pages, product shots, and illustrative photographs. I also took some photos using my basic photography skills.

Managing Editor, Afrilink Communications Ltd, Nairobi, Kenya, Nov 2004 - Apr 2005 Your Health! Magazine, Bi-monthly, 1,000 print run (full-time, permanent position) Highlights: After leaving the US to seek experience in the Kenyan market, I accepted this position because it would allow me to work on all aspects of a publication -- from editorial to design to marketing and advertising. As a one-woman show in the editorial department of the magazine, the position allowed me to do this and more. I even got some debt collection experience when pursuing payments from advertisers. Copy Editor, News and Features Desk, Freedom Communications, Kinston, North Carolina, USA, Nov 2003 - Jul 2004

The Kinston Free Press, a daily city newspaper, 50,000 print run (full-time permanent position) Highlights: Was part of the team of copy editors who won a North Carolina Press Association award for Design and Layout in 2003. Attended a newspaper design and informational graphics workshop by Tim Harrower, the renowned author of the Newspaper Designer’s Handbook. Met tight, daily deadlines for page layout and editing using QuarkXPress and Photoshop, created educational and eye-catching infographics for lead stories, designed news and feature pages, edited stories to set editorial standards.

Paste-up/Graphics Artist, The News & Advance, Lynchburg, Va., 2000-03 Daily city newspaper 100,000 print run/ Bright Services, Contract, part-time position Highlights: This was a 30-hour-a-week night job that I held alongside the scholarship position at the campus newspaper and part-time work assistance job at the campus admissions office at Liberty University. Apart from manually cutting and pasting up columns of copy using hot wax on paper grids for final check by section and copy editors before printing, I updated the daily weather page on the computer using Freehand, ACT Editorial, Adobe PhotoShop and QuarkXPress. Because of this, I was put in charge of layouts for comic and comic run-over/amusement pages using QuarkXPress, an opportunity that allowed me to gain some valuable experience in graphic design, page layout and pagination.This privilege also allowed me to interact freely with the editors and production staff and be mentored in copy editing and production.

Copy Editor, News & Features, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, May 2000 - Jan 2003

The Champion, weekly campus newspaper, 4,000 print run (part-time scholarship position) Highlights: Won the scholarship position in my first year as a journalism student following a successful time doing my practicum as a news reporter. As the only copy editor, my role was to edit and lay out all the pages in the newspaper. I also earned a weekly column on the commentary pages of the newspaper and continued to write news and take photographs for the paper. Being a university in the South, I was the only, and likely the first, black student to hold a scholarship position at the newspaper.

Reporter/Photographer/Commentary Writer, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, Jan 2000 - Jan 2003

Liberty Champion, the weekly campus newspaper, part-time practicum position Highlights: I quickly adapted to the news culture in the US and learned to write news and feature stories and commentary pieces first for my practicum and then as a staffer. I also did my basic photography practicum at the paper and then became a frequent contributor at the photo desk. Paid Summer Intern, Scott Insurance, Lynchburg, Virginia, May 2001 - Sep 2001 Employee-owned insurance company (full-time, contract position) Highlights: I applied and was hired for this position while I was a student at Liberty University. My goal was to gain some experience in operations and management. I was introduced to the world of insurance while working in the personal lines, bonds, and accounting departments and I gained some valuable experience in customer service, telemarketing, phone, and email etiquette, accounting, security, and public relations while manning the reception and switchboard.

Supervisor, Telemarketing/Data Entry, Liberty University Admissions Department, Lynchburg, Virginia, Jan 1999 – Nov 2003

(Part-time work-assistance position)

Highlights: This was a job that I worked on some nights and weekends and the proceeds went towards my college tuition. I had another part-time position to take care of my living expenses. It was tough juggling all these roles and going to school. However, the college recruitment, telemarketing, data entry, and fulfillment knowledge and experience I gained over the years is invaluable. I learned a lot about American geography, culture, and preferences, improved my typing speed to 40 words per minute, and also learned to speak clearly and deliberately on the phone. Because of my high recruitment numbers, I was placed in charge of a recruitment drive called College for A Weekend, and this sharpened my event planning and marketing skills. I also interacted closely with students with disabilities and international students from various counties. Upon graduation in May 2003, a full-time position in admissions administration pulled me through the job-hunting period.

Sports Editor, The Lighthouse, Moi High School Kabarak, 1996-1997

(High school publication, merit, volunteer position) Highlights: I supervised a team of sports writers, performed paste-up for sports pages, covered sports events in swimming, field hockey, basketball, soccer, rugby, and badminton. Volunteer

Co-founder and co-admin, Hello Mama Kenyan Moms, a Network for moms that currently has over 40,000 members on Facebook.

References

● Liko Agosta, CEO, Verviant Consultants: +254-***-******, *******@********.***

● Rehema Kahurananga, Head of Content, Kenya Airways: +254-***-******, *******@*****.***

● Catherine Wanjala, Nation Media Group: +254-***-****** ************@*****.***

● Prof Deborah Huff, Campus Newspaper Advisor, Liberty University: 1-434-***-****, ******@*******.***

● Mr Patrick Holmes, Publisher, The Kinston Free Press: 1- 252- 527-3191 *******@**********.***

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