CLAIRE WALLACE
Engagement-focused journalist.
OBJECTIVE
I grew up in Deep East Texas, where local news sources are disappearing at alarming rates — and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I've hardly seen my own experiences reflected in East Texan news coverage. That's why I've found that the best journalism is dependent on engaging with communities to work towards solutions-based reporting. I am committed to ensuring accurate, diverse and polished audience-driven journalism that can give a voice to high-priority issues within communities.
I hope to work for a reporting outlet, contributing my community engagement know-how, reporting experience, and journalistic dedication to tell stories in innovative ways — while also advancing equitable reporting that effects change and highlights diverse perspectives.
MY EXPERIENCE
Roles & Responsibilities
DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER, TEGNA KYTX-CBS19
September 2020 - Present
Manages social media and audience engagement efforts as well as the digital homepage. Reports on breaking news for digital and prepares VOSOTS for our most-watched evening shows. Help to vet a story from a local teacher who exposed mishandling of the pandemic amid in-person schooling withing Tyler ISD. Delved into the local NAACP's efforts to register one-fourth of the Smith County jail's inmate population to vote in the 2020 election.
REPORTER, TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH
July 2020 - September 2020
Reported on local government and stories that could affect the community for decades to come, including coverage over the Black Lives Matter protests, refugees from Hurricane Laura and the economic and personal impact of COVID-19 on Tyler's citizens. My story on a new, woman-run Mexican restaurant that opened in northern Tyler was the first non-English story to rank in our daily top articles. An investigation I did into the 2020 census revealed that seven counties in our region could lose millions in federal funding if the 2020 census resulted in an undercount, directly affecting those "hardest-to-reach" categories — Black, Hispanic, low-income and rural.
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
June 2020 - Present
Reported on a contentious local constable race and the fight to change the name of high school, named after a Confederate general for The Tyler Loop. Because many local news sources don't dive into local candidates' backgrounds and platforms, I sat down with six candidates from our big-ticket local races to talk about their plan for our community, including the Matt Schaefer and Julie Gobble race for Texas House of Representatives District 6.
Created, designed and executed Instagram stories for National Public Radio and helps with audience and engagement strategies on their social media.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND ENGAGEMENT INTERN, NPR
January 2020 - June 2020
Responsible for learning social media strategies, audience engagement, analytics and running NPR social media accounts. In charge of NPR Interns' social media accounts, with more than 14,500 followers across two platforms. Increased engagement on both by over 50%. Helped with engagement projects and managed the audience response for The New Normal newsletter. Interviewed Korva Coleman for Facebook Headlines. Reported on Ash Wednesday on Capitol Hill with photographer Greg Miller. Worked extensively on election and coronavirus coverage. My internship was extended by eight weeks so I could continue supporting my team remotely. I designed and posted two of the three most-viewed stories on NPR’s Instagram, as well as started, created and designed a daily coronavirus story update which increased the completion rate to 70%, and used the story function to report on the Black Lives Matter and police brutality protests.
REPORTING FELLOW AND FREELANCER, THE TYLER LOOP
August 2018 - December 2019
Contributed reporting, production, and audience-engagement skills to this nationally recognized in-depth local journalism outlet. Went from freelancer to paid full-time summer reporting fellow. Led redesign and relaunch of the Loop's email newsletter that led to more than 1,000 new readers and a 20% increase in engagement. Developed audience-engagement strategies, reported stories, wrote for the newsletter, and helped organize live events, including a community forum on a major local school-board issue.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE PATRIOT TALON
January 2019 - December 2019
Head of all campus student media. Led total website redesign, overhauled social media strategy, increased student pickup rate by 30%, started community engagement efforts and designed and launched a popular weekly email newsletter with a 24% average open rate for 6,000 readers. Reported investigative stories on Student Government election interference, problems with scholarship distribution, and campus gun policy.
LAB TECHNICIAN, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER
August 2018 - December 2019
Oversaw usage of campus broadcast, audio, photography, and videography equipment. Involved in tutoring and testing efforts of students on all Adobe software, Final Cut Pro, Audacity, website builders, and equipment.
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For more information about my professional experience, please get in touch.
SKILLS
WRITING AND EDITING
I specialize in writing copy for print and digital news, as well as for social platforms. I have written articles for both national and local platforms and spearheaded copy for several national engagement projects. I am well-versed in AP style and consistently copy-edit stories that come across my desk.
ENGAGEMENT
Over my career, I have developed engagement strategies for several platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and redesigned and launched three newsletters. I believe that audience-driven engagement and response are imperative to journalism today, and cultivating the relationship between newsroom and audience is critical.
AUDIO-VISUALS
I'm well versed in both photography and videography, and have helped on several audio projects. I'm familiar with editing softwares like Adobe Photoshop and FinalCut. I have created documentaries and news packages, worked on a short film set, and curated a photostory about immigrants in East Texas.
EDUCATION
August 2015Â - December 2015
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER
- Cum Laude
- Social Media Director, Communication Club
- Honors Program Graduate
During the course of my college career, I won second place in the Honors Lyceum oral presentation for my work on a research project concerning the immigrant population in Tyler, was awarded the Editor-in-Chief of the university's campus newspaper, wrote extensively on communication health care needs for transgender patients, and maintained a 4.0 GPA in my major and minor.