Karri E. Christiansen

Current

• Contributing Writer at Sun-Times Media Group
• Writer/Editor at Bulldog News Services

Past

• contributing writer at Chicago Tribune
• Contributing Writer at Wednesday Journal, Inc.
• Regional Editor at Press-Republican Newspapers

• City reporter at Copley Newspapers
• county reporter at Press Publications

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2 more...

Education

• Northern Illinois University

Recommended

7 people have recommended Karri E.

Connections

32 connections

Industry

Newspapers

Websites

• My Blog

Karri E. Christiansen’s Summary

I have more than 20 years of experience in journalism, writing and reporting for everything from weekly community newspapers to daily newspapers, including the (Arlington Heights, IL) Daily Herald and the Chicago Tribune. I also have volunteered for various not-for-profit agencies, writing press releases, grant requests and proofreading newsletters.

My hope is to get back into freelancing, be it for newspapers, not-for-profit agencies or other publishing outlets. In the meantime, I am blogging every now and then at Bulldog News Services.

I'm always interested in new work opportunities.

Karri E. Christiansen’s Specialties:

As a reporter, I specialized in in-depth/investigative reporting. I won awards for a five-part series I wrote on heroin use among Naperville, IL, teenagers. I also wrote a series of articles regarding the attendance records of paid elected DuPage County officials that resulted in a change of roll-call procedures.

Karri E. Christiansen’s Experience

• Contributing Writer

  Sun-Times Media Group

  (Newspapers industry)

  January 2009 — Present (11 months)

  I currently am writing about the Kane County Board/Forest Preserve District, as well as local politics, features, general news.

• Writer/Editor

  Bulldog News Services

  (Internet industry)

  2007 — Present (2 years )

  I started this news/editorial commentary blog, available at http://www.bulldognewsservices.blogspot.com, in 2007 to continue writing about topics of interest to me, particularly politics. I also write and edit press releases for MOVES Dance Studio and the R.Ed.I Foundation. I always am looking for additional writing opportunities.

• contributing writer

  Chicago Tribune

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; TRB; Newspapers industry)

  2003 — 2005 (2 years )

  Freelance reporter covering city councils, writing features as needed.

• Contributing Writer

  Wednesday Journal, Inc.

  (Privately Held; Publishing industry)

  2002 — 2005 (3 years )

  I covered Riverside, IL, primarily education, but also wrote features, covered some village board and library board meetings.

• Regional Editor

  Press-Republican Newspapers

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Newspapers industry)

  March 1998 — February 1999 (1 year )

  I was responsible for editing what at the time were three family-owned newspapers, The St. Charles Republican, The Geneva Republican and The Batavia Republican, as well as for covering St. Charles, IL schools and police, Kane County (IL) government and city affairs.
  
  I also worked for The Batavia Republican from Aug. 1991 to Oct. 1993 as city editor, covering city politics, schools, police and the library and park districts

• City reporter

  Copley Newspapers

  (Newspapers industry)

  1994 — 1997 (3 years )

• county reporter

  Press Publications

  (Newspapers industry)

  1993 — 1995 (2 years )

  Covered the DuPage County Board and the DuPage County Forest Preserve District Board from the Press Room at the DuPage County facility in Winfield. Wrote a series of articles regarding the lack of attendance by the salaried board members, which eventually resulted in a change in roll-call procedures.

Karri E. Christiansen’s Education

• Northern Illinois University

  B.A. , degree in journalism, minor in psychology , 1987 — 1991

  Activities and Societies:

  Worked for the student newspaper, The Northern Star; was a member of Sigma Delta Chi.

Additional Information

Karri E. Christiansen’s Websites:

• My Blog

Karri E. Christiansen’s Interests:

news reporting (in-depth/investigative, politics, community journalism), politics, reading, camping, hiking, biking, activism, movies

Karri E. Christiansen’s Groups:

Chicago Headline Club

•    LinkEds & writers

Karri E. Christiansen’s Honors:

Illinois Press Association, First Place, In-depth/Investigative Reporting for a series on heroin use among Naperville teenagers; Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, In-depth/Investigative Reporting for a story linking politics to the local Kane County economy; IPA, First Place, Special Category, Education Reporting, for a series of reports regarding a school referendum campaign.

Karri E. Christiansen’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• reference requests
• getting back in touch