Elissa Torres Email & Phone Number

California, United States

Santa Rosa, California, United States

In this position I help coordinate and discuss stories that appear online and in the daily paper. I am also in charge of the weekly Towns and Life section where I work one-on-one with freelancers, copy editors and photographers. My daily tasks include listen to story pitches, copy edit, headline writing, SEO, project management and I plan special sections for The Press Democrat. With special sections, I assign stories to freelancers, copy edit the content and get them ready for print and online. I also coordinate with the advertising and marketing department.My focus as an editor is to highlight BIPOC issues, stories and events in our community. As a manager my my main priority is listen to my team's needs and to ensure they are supported as much as possible.2021 Awards: First and fifth special section cover, California News Publishers Association. (This is for my 22 People to Watch 2022 special section cover for dailies: 50,001 & over, dailies: 15,001-50,000, dailies: 15,000 and under.) Fifth place for special section, California News Publishers Association. (This was for The Press Democrat Cookbook for dailies: 50,001 and over, dailies: 15,001 - 50,000, dailies: 15,000 and under.)2022: I was employee of the month in November. Celebrating Charles Schulz special section that I designed and helped plan will be a part of the Library of Congress' permanent print collection.2023: I was a California News Publishers Association judge for Coverage of the Environment for dailies: 15,000 and under. I judged the submissions for thoroughness of reporting; explanation of issues; graphics and relevance to readers. My September Latino Living cover won third place for special section cover (dailies 50,000 & over). The Press Democrat won general excellence, California News Publishers Association (dailies 15,001-50,000). I also gave a presentation at the 2023 ACP Spring National College Media Conference about what it's like being an editor and a woman of color.

Santa Rosa, Ca

My position at The Press Democrat includes designing and editing pages for our daily publication. I usually design the North Coast section of the paper, which contains all of our local stories and begins on A3. I am also one four designers who frequently design A1. Besides helping design the news section, one day a week I lend a hand in designing weekend features covers. My day-to-day tasks include copy editing stories, writing headlines, decks, tweaking caption information and cutting wire stories to fit the space allotted. My responsibilities also include working for our sister publications: the North Bay Business Journal, Petaluma Argus Courier and the Sonoma-Index Tribune. When needed, I pop around to our other publications when extra assistance is needed or someone is out sick. The Press Democrat won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting for our coverage on the October wildfires that swept through the community. I was a member of the newsroom during that time and not only accomplished my daily tasks, but I designed infographics and maps to help further illustrate the destructiveness of the fires.2019: Third Place for Inside page layout and design, California News Publishers Association. My designs for the Golden State Warriors' Last Roar at Oracle won the California Journalism Awards Print Contest. 2018: Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting, Pulitzer Prize presented by Columbia University. The Press Democrat staff won the award for our coverage of the 2017 Northern California wildfires. I created two print graphics.

Neptune, Nj

I was a Designer 3 at the Asbury Park Design Studio. My job includes designing special sections, posters, covers and inside pages for Gannett's 15 North East newspapers. I collaborate with editors from all around the East Coast to ensure workflow was on track, we made deadline and any design changes that needed to be tweaked, were made. I assist other designers with special projects as well as gave them feedback to help elevate their work. I also help teach new designers how to use our system and how to get comfortable with the entire Adobe Suite. During my final year at the Studio, I was asked to be a one of two designers that spearheaded the redesign of the Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We picked fonts, redesigned entire section fronts and planned inside pages to give the paper a more modern look.

Baltimore, Maryland Area

In this new position, my job is to lead the Baltimore Business Journal's design strategy for both the print and online editions. I am responsible for driving new and creative forms of story telling on all platforms. I work in concert with reporters, photographers and editors to create fresh and innovative pages. My responsibilities also include creating informational graphics and other eye catching design elements. I'm currently working using InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator to create the pages. The Baltimore Business Journal went through a redesign on January 17. Design consultant Mario Garcia has teamed up with our parent company, America City Business Journals to help launch each Business Journal's redesign. I learned the new Pinstripe model and used my creativity to create eye catching covers and cover stories.

San Francisco, California

As part of the Outreach Team, the main goal was to get people interested in saving the Redwoods through social media, contests and with our monthly newsletters. I worked on posting to social media; Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. I also worked with Google analytics to track which posts are generating the most traffic on each social media platform as well as getting people back to our site.I learned basic HTML and coding as well.Since I've been at Save the Redwoods:Increased Facebook traffic: 1,000+likesIncreased Twitter followers: 200+ followersStarted their Instagram: 220+followersKlout score: from 48 to 63

San Francisco, Ca

I designed our entire issue, depending on the week it could be 12, 16 or 20 pages. The paper included online teasers, pull out boxes, graphics and calendars. I also liked to change the layout of the front page for every issue. I also wrote a weekly column title Recycle After Reading. I used the knowledge I acquired from my environmental studies classes to write a column that discusses environmental issues in San Francisco. I have written about overpopulation, the harmful affects of birth control, environmental impacts of beef consumption and more. My main goals in writing the column was to not only educate myself but to educate the students of SF State on the impact they're having on Earth.On the lifestyle and culture blog for the Golden Gate Xpress, the Swamp, I co-wrote a column called Two Girls One Problem. The column topics range from discussing women's health issues to Nutella to rap videos. It's less serious but it's topics that are important to the SF State community.AWARDS: Pacemaker Award for Best Sports Page Design, National Scholastic Press Association (2013)

San Francisco, Ca

I created sports, campus and arts and entertainment pages using InDesign and Photoshop. I was allowed all the creative freedom that I could ask for. I also worked with a staff that was always honest when it came to my designs but wasn't afraid to pay compliments when it was deserved.

San Francisco, Ca

I helped layout pages including the local and arts and entertainment, food, wine and mixologist sections. This was the first time I was getting a feel for designing a paper with specific template. I was also exposed to some of the basics like using grids and using white space efficiently, which I had no real training on.

Gilroy, Ca

I came up with pitches, met deadlines, took pictures and edited stories. I covered everything from education in the community to dance competitions.

Gilroy, Ca

I was the editor-in-dhief of the Gilroy High School Free Press. I was in charge of overseeing the content we created, helping writers and editors come up with story ideas, laying out pages and editing content. It was here that got my first taste of AP Style, Photoshop and InDesign. In 2009, we won an award for general excellence from the Newspaper Pacemaker Award from the National Scholastic Press Association.This was the first leadership role that I have taken at a publication. I learned how to run a newsroom and produce content all at the same time.

Gilroy, Ca

I was the features editor of the Gilroy High Free Press where we printed 10 issues a year. I created content for the two pages I had in every edition. We wrote stories on upcoming plays, concerts and did profiles on students and staff members. I was also responsible for creating the pages, picking and editing pictures.I was also co-wrote a column called "He Said, She Said". My colleague and I wrote our opinions on various topics from the male and female perspective.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Journalism And Environmental Studies

Activities and Societies: Golden Gate XpressThe journalism and environmental studies classes I took throughout my four years at San.

Education record

Activities and Societies: Gilroy High School Free Press Editor-in-Chief, Gilroy High School Free Press Features Editor, Gilroy High School.

200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, Hatha Yoga

I received a 200 hour YTT certificate from East + West Yoga after completing the month-long program in Ubud, Bali. I learned postures.

30 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, Restorative Yoga

In this 30 HR YTT, I learned how to guide students into restorative postures to increase rest, relaxation and ease. I learned how to use.