Stephen Schenkenberg

August 2010 – July 2011 (1 year)

Produce high-quality communications work for a range of clients. Among my work:

• Redesign, rebuild, and relaunch the website of international photographer Michael Eastman
• Complete a dozen writing and reporting projects for the Saint Louis Art Museum
• Edit and re-conceptualize a suite of brochures and complete a 50-page Online Research & Discovery Report for architect Rocio Romero
• Complete a 2,500-word profile of a California mayor for Claremont McKenna College Magazine
• Edit and pitch a collection of interviews with the American writer William H. Gass

Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Writing and Editing industry

April 2007 – August 2010 (3 years 5 months)

Reporting to the publisher and overseeing a staff of six, I accomplished the following:

• Directed the development of each monthly issue of SLM (35,000 circulation)
• Conceived of and edited in-depth cover packages on education, sustainability, and more
• Wrote a monthly Editor’s Note to readers, as well as a range of stories long and short
• Recruited new contributors like William H. Gass, Kyle Beachy, and Michael Eastman
• Developed and monitored annual budgets for the magazine and website
• Managed and edited Stlmag.com (2 million annual page views)
• Launched, oversaw, and contributed to a suite of blogs on topics like food and culture
• Created and fed SLM’s social-media channels on Twitter and Flickr
• Launched and edited The Front Burner, a food and wine e-newsletter (17,000 subscribers)
• Launched and hosted SLM’s monthly podcast series with writers and editors
• Represented the company through TV and radio interviews, panels, and charity events

Of Note: Partnering with the company’s Art Director, I helped oversee SLM’s cover-to-cover redesign, a six-month project that debuted in April 2009 and earned a national award. I also oversaw the major relaunch of Stlmag.com in July 2010, managing the RFP process, shaping the new editorial structure, conceiving of and naming new modules, and more. Lastly, at the height of my Stlmag.com management in 2010, the site’s visitors and page views had grown by 22% and 33%, respectively, over the prior year.

Educational Institution; 51-200 employees; Higher Education industry

January 2007 – April 2007 (4 months)

For this $15-million-grant-funded improvement collaborative headquartered at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, I:

• Co-edited internal/external communications such as case studies, e-newsletters, journal articles, multimedia presentations, member toolkits, and content-flow for websites

Government Agency; 11-50 employees; Publishing industry

November 2005 – April 2007 (1 year 6 months)

With a part-time contract for this reputable press, I accomplished the following:

• Edited Finding Freedom: The Untold Story of Joshua Glover, Runaway Slave
• Edited They Came to Bowl: How Milwaukee Became America’s Tenpin Capital
• Edited Finding Josie

Of Note: For the first two of those books, I revised manuscripts in collaboration with the authors, led launch meetings with other staff members, procured high-quality images and corresponding permissions, procured blurbs, determined image placement and layout, and wrote jacket copy. For the third book, I worked only with the manuscript.

Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Writing and Editing industry

October 2005 – April 2007 (1 year 7 months)

Produced a range of communications materials for national clients. Among my accomplishments:

• Contributed freelance articles to The Believer, The Capital Times, Washington University
• Proofread quarterly Saint Louis Art Museum Magazine issues; wrote for its Annual Report
• Proofread course catalogs for New York University
• Wrote a new Case Statement and Corporate Pitch for the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation
• Collaborated on a major education grant for the Center of Creative Arts

Publishing industry

August 2003 – December 2005 (2 years 5 months)

As the first Book Editor for this monthly magazine, I:

• Wrote one to three reviews of literary fiction and cultural non-fiction per month
• Solicited and managed a team of freelance writers
• Interviewed well-known writers such as David Sedaris and Franz Wright

Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Museums and Institutions industry

May 2002 – October 2005 (3 years 6 months)

As the communications specialist for the Development and Campaign departments, I:

• Wrote applications for $1 million+ in grants and sponsorships from global corporations and prestigious institutions
• Wrote most of the Case Statement for the Museum’s $150 million capital campaign
• Wrote ‘From the Director’ letters for the Museum Magazine, and Annual Report reviews for Director and President
Directed year-long reaccreditation project (approved) in collaboration with all senior staff
• Copyedited and partially developmental-edited Saint Louis Art Museum Handbook of the Collection, working directly with curator-authors
• Serve by Director’s appointment on the Publications Committee, Magazine Editorial Board, and Web Group

Nonprofit; 51-200 employees; Nonprofit Organization Management industry

1999 – May 2002 (3 years)

As the director of all communications for this 180,000-member non-profit organization, I:

• Served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Magazine of Sigma Chi (55,000 circulation)
• Served as the first Web Editor of Sigmachi.org, a site for undergraduates, alumni, and parents
• Located and worked with hundreds of contributing writers, photographers, and illustrators
• Created and managed annual budget
• Managed four-person staff

Of Note: Above position was a promotion from Associate Editor and Managing Editor of The Magazine (1996 – 99).