Résumé

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

[Please see her portfolio at https://www.clippings.me/michellecrouch]

Freelance Writer, 2006-present – Award-winning reporter who editors turn to when they need someone who can go deep and find something surprising or new on any subject. Report and write stories on health, personal finance, parenting and more for national and online publications. Regular contributor to the following publications:

• Reader’s Digest: Write several cover stories a year as a contributing editor, most recently “How to live long and prosper,” “Ways to survive your next trip to the hospital” and “Best and worst foods for your health.” Also authored hundreds of so-called “secrets” stories over the past decade covering subjects ranging from airline pilots to convicted burglars. Two favorites: “50 secrets a surgeon won’t tell you” and “50 secrets a waiter won’t tell you.”

• Scholastic: Write regularly for two classroom magazines about teen health issues such as alcohol poisoning, the dangers of caffeine and how to manage stress. Also write short profiles of inspiring teenagers.

• AARP: Write a health story at least once a month for AARP.org on topics ranging from how to fight your medical bill to the trend of refurbishing human organs for transplant. Also cover state news for North Carolina’s AARP Bulletin.

• Parents: Longtime contributor to this national parenting magazine. Often asked to put together complex packages with multiple sections, such as a back-to-school primer, a guide to keeping your child healthy through the winter or an insider’s guide to Disney.

• Pace Communications: Write articles about once a month for Wells Fargo publications on a range of complex personal finance issues. Have also written on personal finance for TIAA, Fidelity Charitable and WalMart World.

Other national credits include Prevention, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Parenting, Real Simple, The New York Times, American Baby, Fit Pregnancy, More, Mothering, USAA, CreditCards.com and whattoexpect.com.

The Charlotte Observer, 1999-2009

• Assistant Metro Editor: Supervised reporters, edited stories and oversaw all aspects of the newspaper’s local section. July 2006 – March 2009.

• Administrator of MomsCharlotte: Co-launched The Charlotte Observer’s website for moms. Helped design the site, managed freelance writers and helped grow site traffic to 40,00 page views a month. 2008-2009.

• Reporter: Consistently wrote high impact, front-page stories during eight years as a reporter and writer. Covered a variety of beats including city hall, higher education and growth and development. Investigated local animal shelters in an award-winning series that prompted change at the state and local level. Also uncovered the unethical activities of a suburban school board member that prompted his resignation. March 1999-April 2006.

The Philadelphia Inquirer   1997-1999

• Correspondent: Covered politics, development, crime and education in four municipalities in Philadelphia’s New Jersey suburbs.

Associated Press (Richmond, Va. bureau)  1996-1997

• General Assignment Reporter: Reported and edited print and broadcast stories.

 AWARDS

• Bronze Digital Health Information Award in 2020 for AARP.org article, “Coming back after a stroke.”
• Gold Digital Health Information Award in 2019 for AARP.org article, “Big news in transplanting imperfect organs.”
• Bronze National Health Information Award in 2015 for Parents article, “Great sleep for grown-ups”
• Collinswood Language Academy Volunteer of the Year, 2013-2014
• Silver National Health Information Award in 2010 for Parents article, “Whoops, we’re having a baby!” (On common birth control mistakes that will get you pregnant)
• Two Media Industry News awards in the how-to/instructional category for Parenting magazine articles: “Yes, you can sleep in” and “Camp Momawanda,” 2010
• North Carolina Press Association second place award for public service, 2003
• Genesis Award for best newspaper article or series of articles, 2003
• Green-Rossiter third place award for distinguished work in higher education, 2001
• Virginia Press Association First Place Award for General News Writing, 1995

VOLUNTEER WORK

Collinswood Language Academy PTA

Served in various roles at this K-8 public magnet school over the past decade, including PTA President in 2016-2017 and currently as vice president of communications. Accomplishments include:

• Led a successful, year-long lobbying effort to persuade the local school board and county commissioners to ask voters for the funds to build a new school for Collinswood
• Revamped the PTA’s marketing and communications strategy, redesigning the weekly email newsletter, creating a PTA Facebook page and launching a text messaging system.
• Initiated, developed and implemented several highly successful initiatives, including a Multicultural Potluck event that is now the most highly attended annual event at the school.
• Served on the School Leadership Team and worked with the principal to implement changes, including a rewrite of the field trip policy and new school marketing materials.
• Serve a reading buddy (since 2011), meeting with two students weekly to work on literacy

 “Vote Yes for Bonds” committee, 2017

• Member: Appointed by a school board member to serve on this committee charged with persuading voters to approve a record $922 million school bond referendum. Analyzed voter statistics, brainstormed strategy and helped build the campaign. Voters overwhelmingly approved the bond.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

• Majored in political science and American studies, graduated May 1996, cum laude.
• Completed Georgetown University’s Institute of Political Journalism summer program
• Served as editor in chief of Scholastic Magazine, the university’s weekly news and feature magazine.
• Summer internships at Time Magazine, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Arizona Republic