Résumé

Kate Martin’s résumé

Work experience

Skagit Valley Herald
Mount Vernon, Wash.

June 2010 to present
Government and politics reporter. Cover county government, politics and three cities in Skagit County, Wash.

September 2007 to June 2010
Education reporter. Cover K-college schools in Skagit County, Wash., which includes seven school districts from suburban to rural, Skagit Valley College, several private schools and preschools.

  • Wrote a weekly education focus feature package.
  • Covered seven school districts, Skagit Valley College, private schools and preschools in Skagit County.

Reporter-Herald
Loveland, Colo. September 2003 to June 2007
Larimer County and political reporter. Cover Larimer County, Colo. issues, from land use to health and human services. Also included surrounding counties and political races for the rural areas of the county. Created and maintained a vast source list for use in future stories.

  • Coordinated with the Web editor to create compelling online packages.
  • Participated in the redesign of the Reporter-Herald using Readership Institute data and suggestions.
  • Worked with Special Projects Editor Jason Hackett to produce weekly newsroom podcasts.

I started working with multimedia in March 2007 with the inception of the Reporter-Herald’s weekly podcasts (no longer in operation). I recorded audio and wrote scripts for more than 20 pieces for the online production. These podcasts were produced by then-Special Projects Editor Jason Hackett (listen to his audio reference for me, which he recorded in Summer 2007):

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Daily Press
Newport News, Va. July 2000 to August 2003
Freelance reporter

  • Covered the competitive sailboat racing circuit, adult club rugby and high school swimming.
  • Wrote weekly sports features and neighborhood profiles.

Education

College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. Class of 2000. B.A. Media Studies, news concentration.

Awards

2008
First place, General Excellence, SPJ Region 10, in a five-state region, staff-wide effort.

Honorable mention, comprehensive coverage, multiple days, SPJ Region 10, staff project Skagit Economy.

2007
First place, Recognizing excellence, Pioneer Newspapers, staff project Skagit Warming. This was an eight-part series that delved into how global warming will impact the community in the coming years (my contribution here).

Third place, environment and energy, SPJ Region 10, staff project Skagit Warming.

Second place, special section, Colorado SPJ, Making a Difference, staff project.

2006
First place agriculture story, Colorado Press Association, about a boy and his steer.

Third place, spot news, Colorado Press Association, with reporter Adrienne Hoenig, about a police chase after a bank robbery.

First place, spot news, Colorado Associated Press Reporters and Editors, with reporter Pamela Dickman, about a police standoff because a young marine didn’t want to go back to Iraq.

Second place, online special package, Colorado Associated Press Reporters and Editors, staff project, to memorialize the 30th anniversary of Colorado’s largest natural disaster, the Big Thompson Flood (my contribution here).

2005
Second place, “service to the first,” Colorado Press Association, staff project.

2004
Third place, general news, Colorado SPJ, for a story on a disagreement between a county commissioner and the county sheriff.

Honorable mention, feature story, National News Association, Facing West Nile.