Fernanda Santos Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

I employ my multimedia, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and multi-functional talents and skills into the many things I do: writing; leadership; training on writing and leadership; consulting to media, nonprofit and trade organizations on storytelling and internal and external communication strategies. I work with authors to help them develop ideas for opinion/perspective pieces ahead of book launch, pitch those ideas and prepare for high-stakes interviews. I help companies and individuals frame their coverage and message to the new American mainstream, tailor their words and approaches to changing audiences, and bring awareness to perspectives that introduce fresh and necessary angles to the information they are sharing. I assist them in prioritizing budget decisions and matching ambitions to resources — and finding ways to grow their resources. Currently, I am:- editing a serial podcast on the intersection of gender and immigration detention and managing the team behind it;- shaping and editing a series of stories centered around the Latino experience and the 2024 elections;- creating a production management system and calendar, identifying opportunities to elevate the quality of the work by optimizing tasks assigned to contractors, and drafting and training an executive producer to take over day-to-day operations for a prolific independent journalist;- advising an author on writing and marketing of her soon-to-publish book;- developing and teaching webinars for a nonprofit trade association;- leading workshops on people management and leadership;- developing and delivering webinars and in-person sessions on storytelling.Intrigued? Interested? Reach out at fernanda@fernandasantos.com.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

My experience as a professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication has primed me to coach students and professionals in the conception and development of narrative stories for digital and audio platforms, a skill that has proven critical in the mentoring and growth of young and mid-career staff, in particular those from historically marginalized communities. I also use my abilities as a storyteller to deliver concise and compelling presentations to funders, boards of directors and general audiences about the work I do, how I lead and the value of supporting companies and products that represent communities of color. Some highlights:• Managed 10 teams of students in five years of teaching.• Guided students as they conceived, reported on and wrote/produced narrative and investigative digital stories, TV packages and podcasts.• Taught a series of workshops on narrative writing strategies to mid-career science journalists participating in a fellowship program offered by the Cronkite School and Mayo Clinic.• Currently teaching a group of international journalists from 11 different countries who are spending an academic year at the Cronkite School as part of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship.

New York, United States

During my time in the Southwest, I wrote periodical columns about the intersection of immigration, politics and public policy. • Winner of the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi Award for General Excellent in Column Writing, 2022.

New York, United States

I ran the talented teams behind Latino USA, In The Thick podcast and Latino Rebels. I resigned on Aug. 25, 2023 in hopes to save jobs during a devastating round of layoffs at Futuro Media.Some highlights from my year in the position:• I advocated — and won — pay parity among producers and editors.• I created a supervisory role that optimized the sharing of resources between Futuro’s flagship property, Latino USA, and its award-winning investigative unit.• I developed and supervised a plan for the year-long series of shows commemorating the 30 years of Latino USA, securing a partnership that guaranteed the company’s access to archival audio free of cost.• I empowered Latino USA producers to anchor the shows they produced while pushing them to embrace bolder ideas that speak to some of the most challenging issues of our times, such as gun violence, economic opportunity and public health.• I steered the revamping of In The Thick into a weekly political podcast, shaping its roundtable segment around a single topic to offer listeners more impactful conversations. • I embraced experimentation on Latino Rebels by focusing on quality over quantity. I’m especially proud of the witty TikToks and IG Lives, the unique angles and engaging guests featured on Latino Rebels Radio and the stellar coverage of climate justice in Puerto Rico.

New World Stages, Off Broadway, New York

I co-wrote a musical based on the life of an undocumented immigrant who played a key role in the political transformation of Arizona. My purpose was to present a topic that I reported on extensively and care about deeply in a different way. The musical had a successful run Off Broadway and hosted former President Barack Obama on its stage to celebrate 10 years of DACA.• Winner of the Gilberto Zaldívar HOLA Award for Outstanding Production (2022), given by the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

I am a groundbreaker and visionary. I was the first Brazilian hired as a staff writer at The New York Times, where I covered the world within New York and the U.S.-Mexico border beyond the strident political debates that define it. I let my unique perspective and cultural competency guide my storytelling. One of my editors said, by way of praising me, that I zag while everyone else is zigging. Jill Abramson, a former executive editor at The Times, called me "the bard of the Southwest." My story on the first year of freedom for a man who spent half of his life in prison for a rape and murder he did not commit led to changes in the way New York State compensates those who are wrongfully convicted and was nominated for a Livingston Award. My coverage of a wildfire that killed 19 firefighters from the same team prompted changes to the way wildland firefighters are trained and brought to the attention of Congress the need to reevaluate the pay and workload for these firefighters. While in Arizona, I was the first reporter for a national publication to expand the focus of stories to include the activism of young immigrants whose work in registering and mobilizing Latino voters played a big part in changing politics in the state.

Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan, published my first book, "The Fire Line: The Story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots," winner of the Western Writers of America 2017 Spur Award for Best First Nonfiction Book.

Bogotá, Colombia

During my fellowship, I reported on the reasons behind a 50-percent decline on the rate of violent crimes in Bogotá, Colombia.

New York, New York

Lawrence, Massachusetts

I covered breaking news and crime in the City of Lawrence, the first majority-minority city in New England.

Master Of Science (Ms), Print Journalism

M.S. in Print Journalism

Bachelor Of Applied Science (Basc), Social Communications

Bachelor's in sociology and social communications