resume from George White

George White 6321 Warner Drive, Los Angeles, Ca. 90048
Phone: (323) 935-6330 or (323) 253-4231
Email: geowhite@ucla.edu
QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

Communications strategist with experience as a producer of content for publications and websites, a record of success in media relations, website content management skills and expertise on issues related to health, education and economic development

- Cited as an innovative leader in communications management by Nonprofit Quarterly magazine
- Produced reports and media relations materials on corporate social responsibility initiatives
- On behalf of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, provided media relations services for nonprofit coalitions in six cities
- Managed a UCLA-based media institute that produced publications, website content and video on issues related health, communications and community development
- Produced reports on media trends and issues related to health and economic development for major institutions ¡V The California Wellness Foundation, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and Ford Foundation among them
- Advising university programs on digital journalism and online marketing
- On behalf of public school districts, producing and editing content for internal audiences, the public and the media

CURRENT AND RECENT COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

Writer/Media Outreach Strategist, The California Wellness Foundation ¡V July 2010 to Present
Contributor to the print and digital versions of the foundation¡¦s magazine and provider of media outreach services

Writer/Editor, Clark County School District ¡V October 2011 to Present
As a member of a consulting team that serves many school districts, editing digital research to produce a report that will enable school principals to share strategies for improving academic performance in Las Vegas schools

Website Developer, West African News-Media and Development Center (Benin) ¡V November 2009 to Present
On behalf of a journalism institute that also educates West Africans on matters relating to HIV-AIDS, developed plans for workshops on climate change and completing work on a website that will enable journalists, NGOs and medical professionals to share reports on issues related to sustainable development and health

Digital Media Advisor, UCLA Communications Board ¡V September 2008 to Present
Providing management oversight for journalism programs and online traffic-building initiatives at UCLA Student Media

Digital Instruction Advisor, African University College of Communications (Ghana) ¡V March-October 2009
Drafted a digital journalism curriculum and produced a directory of Web-based sources of information on health and development issues, a knowledge-sharing resource for journalists and NGOs

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Assistant Director and Editor, UCLA Center for Communications and Community ¡V September 2002-February 2009
Managed the center¡¦s media operations and provided communications services to nonprofit coalitions in six cities for The Annie E. Casey Foundation¡¦s Making Connections program, a capacity-building project the UCLA center successfully completed in 2009

Media Relations Management and Communications Capacity-Building
- Provided media relations training that enabled Casey-funded Making Connections (MC) coalitions to generate coverage of issues related to health, education and community development
- Helped MC coalitions create and promote strategic partnerships with other nonprofits and companies
- Cultivated relationships with journalists on behalf of members of MC coalitions
- Helped MC coalitions create and edit newsletters, magazines and content for websites and social media
- Provided communications training that enabled nonprofit executives to successfully engage journalists
- Helped MC coalitions produce press releases, op-eds and strategies that generated news coverage

Writing, Editing and Media Design Management
- Edited the UCLA center¡¦s C3 Online website, which includes digital technology tutorials and reports by scholars and journalists on media trends and issues related to health and community development in the U.S. and abroad
- Supervised the design of C3 Online, a site with data visualizations and graphic-driven tutorials
- Wrote C3 Online articles for a variety of audiences ¡V the general public, scholars, journalists and nonprofit leaders
- Edited Context, a thematic UCLA center periodical with editions devoted to topics such as health care, federal communications policy and the impact of digital technology on society
- Wrote a column on communications issues for Context and supervised creation of design elements and graphics
- Designed and edited marketing brochures for the UCLA center

PREVIOUS CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

Editor and Writer, Ford Foundation ¡V March-August 2002
As a consultant, wrote a report on community-media engagement projects initiated by more than 100 news organizations, a project organized by the Associated Press Managing Editors (APME) association

Fellow, Institute for Justice and Journalism, University of Southern California ¡V February-August 2001
Conducted research on news coverage issues and organized a town hall event on the coverage of economic development in Los Angeles, an event co-sponsored by four Los Angeles journalism associations

Writer and Media Relations Specialist, Ford Foundation ¡V April 1999-January 2001
Conducted research and wrote the ¡§Win-Win¡¨ booklet on corporate inner-city investment initiatives in the United States and helped prepare media kits for the foundation¡¦s Corporate Involvement Initiative

JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE

Reporter and Editor, Los Angeles Times ¡V February 1988-March 1999
- Edited essay contributions from community stakeholders for Platform, a weekly op-ed column
- Covered economic development and the health care, aerospace and retail industries
- Reported on global economic affairs for the business section

OTHER MAJOR COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS

The California Wellness Foundation ¡V Media Outreach
As a foundation-sponsored speaker at a journalism convention in San Diego, delivered a July 31, 2010 workshop address on how the media can develop community-based sources for stories on health issues

Health Policy Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies ¡V Health and Youth Development Writer
As a consultant, analyzed research papers that explored ways to improve the life prospects of young men of color and wrote ¡§A Way Out,¡¨ a 2006 public policy report

The California Wellness Foundation/UCLA Center for Communications and Community ¡V Event Organizer
Organized ¡§Gang Violence as a Public Health Issue,¡¨ a public forum co-sponsored by the UCLA center and four journalism associations (Sept. 13, 2003)

SKILLS

Website content management system skills; working knowledge of Photoshop and InDesign; contract and grant management expertise; news content audit experience; success as organizer of public events and speech-writing and research skills

AFFILIATIONS

- Board of advisors, L.A. bureau of Youth Radio, award-winning producer of news segments for NPR and the BBC
- Board of directors, Los Angeles Press Club, 2007-2010
- Associate, Communication Initiative Network, a global association that shares knowledge on development resources

AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

- Certificate of Appreciation award from the chancellor of UCLA in 2008 for service at the UCLA center
- 2006 Service Award from the Institute for the Advancement of Multicultural & Minority Medicine for media relations workshop presentations
- Cited as an innovative leader in communications management in the Fall 2005 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly
- Recognition plaque from the Los Angeles Times for contributions to team coverage of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, staff reporting that earned the 1995 Pulitzer for Spot News
- Recognition plaque from the Los Angeles Times for contributions to team coverage of the 1992 L.A. riots, staff reporting that earned the 1993 Pulitzer for Spot News
- 1992 Los Angeles Press Club award for ¡§Outstanding Dedication During the L.A. Riots¡¨

EDUCATION

Michigan State University M.A., History (Communications and Development)
Michigan State University B.A., Journalism and History (Honors College)