Rebecca Bennett Email & Phone Number

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States

For PennLive and the Patriot-News, I write editorials as assigned and a monthly column, Across the Divide, which examines rural perspectives on issues facing Pennsylvania and the nation. I received a second-place Keystone award from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association in 2020 for editorials written for PennLive.

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States

I write a marketing blog (https://elynxx.com/blog/) about print management software, print-buying and trends in the print industry.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

I edit and write summaries of the world's most popular nonfiction books and articles for the website Shortform.com. Shortform's mission is to "make sense of the world’s information and make it actionable" through summaries that provide three levels of detail, plus exercises to help readers apply and remember the most important concepts.

New York, Ny

As editorial director for a national nonprofit investigative reporting website, I worked to improve the editorial structure, planning process, policies and lines of communication among editors, freelance and staff writers, designers, and administrative, social media and marketing staff in order to help whowhatwhy.org continue growing its audience and national reputation.This website takes on controversial topics not addressed by other media, and digs deep to uncover and name the people and institutions influencing events. In addition to producing rigorous investigative reporting, whowhatwhy.org seeks to further the long-term survival and betterment of the news industry as a whole.

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States

As editor/senior news director of the Public Opinion, led a newsroom of about 25 reporters, editors and photographers. Responsible for planning and directing local news coverage; analyzing and applying metrics; managing the newsroom budget; participating in development of new print and digital products; recruiting, hiring and training journalists; collaborating with various departments and other news properties; and through editorials, serving as the newspaper’s voice in the community.• Transformed newsroom culture from print-focused to web- and social media-focused. Restructured a downsized staff numerous times while continuously growing digital audience. Redefined Public Opinion’s mission and goals and used metrics to adjust coverage and measure progress.• Grew Public Opinion’s Facebook page from zero to 50,000 followers and developed additional pages and groups to provide platforms for niche content/audiences.• Planned, coordinated and implemented an award-winning joint-reporting project among three central Pennsylvania newspapers on Interstate 81’s impact on the economy of the counties it bisects, and its doubtful future with highway funding no longer available. • Served as the lead editor and coordinator of coverage by multiple news organizations in our company, of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, which entailed several weeks of events, exhibits and re-enactments that drew 100,000 people and put the community in the national spotlight.• As board president, led the Pennsylvania News Editors Association (PSNE) in transitioning from a print-focused to a multimedia organization providing training and support to local newsrooms evolving in a digital environment.

Kingston, Ri

Edited copy on a freelance basis for an academic journal produced at University of Rhode Island, as well as an academic research paper for a professor at the University of Oregon

* In the 1990s, taught journalism courses at Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA* Served as a contest judge for Pennsylvania School Press Association awards,and Scholastic and Collegiate Keystone Awards* Mentored several students in the Shippensburg University online Journalism Training Initiative, 2010* Hosted high school and college interns and job-shadow students at the Public Opinion* Gave an Elderhostel presentation on newspaper industry trends, and spoke to a high school civics class

Served three years as the No. 2 editor in a newsroom of about 40 journalists, leading staff to win state recognition as the top newspaper of it size for three consecutive years. Prior to that served the paper as city editor, news editor and editorial page editor.• Conceived, planned and produced an annual community magazine, which generated an initial $70,000 in unbudgeted revenue. Also developed a Sunday business section, and an annual business review.• Increased staff diversity by recruiting and mentoring journalists of color. Created training/recruitment program for copy editors, which were in short supply.• Led the paper’s award-winning coverage of an active shooter on campus. • Served more than six months as interim executive editor.

Media Fellowship For Mid-Career Journalists

Sanford Institute for Public Policy, media fellow

Ma, Journalism

Ba, Journalism