Resume

Alexandra Le Tellier

letellier [dot] alexandra [at] gmail [dot] com

EXPERIENCE

LOS ANGELES TIMES, Los Angeles, CA | 4/09-Present

Senior Web Producer and Blogger, Opinion Pages (10/10-Present)

• Restructured Opinion Pages with reader engagement and usability as top priorities. Built easy-to-navigate landing pages that guide readers to new and curated content. Added info boxes: about us, stay connected, submission policies. Relaunched the Letters section as a readers’ opinion hub. Continue to create landing pages around special events, such as the 2012 presidential election, for readers seeking a comprehensive experience.

• Developed Opinion L.A. blog into an extension of the Opinion Pages and a place for conversation and debate with readers. Increased blog traffic by 337% in 2011 and have continued to build on that, even with a paywall put in place in 2012. Introduced recurring features and boosted number of daily posts. Integrated original video, audio, photo essays, reader voices and live coverage of events. Write on a variety of topics such as politics, entertainment, health, food and the economy. Work with writers on best practices and honing the technology.

• Initiate and produce web-only features such as video interviews, live web chats, timelines and photo essays.

• Build and program daily article pages: Source and caption photos and videos, add related links, write clickable headlines with SEO keywords. Refresh landing pages and modules with new content several times a day.

• Promote and social network content. Send new content to outside websites. Maintain Facebook and Twitter accounts. Doubled section’s social networking fan base by consistently promoting new content, engaging new followers and interacting with readers.

• Study traffic patterns, trending topics and breaking news to better react and cater to reader interest. Attend editorial board meetings. Stay current on web development and digital trends transforming the media landscape.

Deputy Editor, Brand X (4/09-10/10)

• Launched lifestyle weekly published within the Los Angeles Times newsroom. The mission: Stay ahead of the curve and curate next-generation ideas from the worlds of technology, business, lifestyle and entertainment.

• Developed a weekly workflow for 20 pages of articles and drafted an editorial calendar. Created system for planning and tracking content. Established production schedule and deadlines for all staff.

• Managed print production cycle. Planned and assigned content. Mapped content flow. Proofed pages for copy, headlines, captions, photos and design.

• Edited content. Worked with writers to develop stories, which also ran in the Calendar section. Sourced, edited, repackaged and reverse-published content from the Los Angeles Times to attract the 18-to-34 demographic – younger, edgier, visually-driven, and easily digestible without losing the heart of the story.

• Spearheaded special theme issues including Coachella, Gaming, Holiday Gift Guide, Sex & Dating.

• Wrote features on technology, design and nightlife; several stories also ran in Calendar section.

• Worked with marketing and sales on special events and product development.

• Oversaw editorial budget, processed invoices, and coordinated freelance contracts.

LOS ANGELES TIMES MEDIA GROUP, Los Angeles, CA | 4/07-4/09

Managing Editor and Bars & Clubs Editor, Metromix

• Worked closely with Editor in Chief to launch a personality-driven lifestyle website and weekly print product. Built infrastructure from scratch. Planned symbiotic workflow systems for print and web. Devised a style guide. Hired, trained and supervised 25+ contributing editors, producers, freelancers and interns. Within two months, launched website with 7,000 local venue listings, multimedia and feature content.

• Played integral role in development of web functionality. Tracked defects for debugging site. Suggested enhancements to improve user experience. Provided detailed outline for redeveloping blog design and functionality. Tested homepage and photo gallery redesigns.

• Edited Bars & Clubs section. Turned web section into most popular channel, accounting for approximately 25% of all site traffic. Planned, wrote and programmed content, with minimum of five new features per week. Ensured listings database was always up-to-date and accurate. Hosted and produced web videos.

• Programmed daily homepage and previewed all sections for quality. Tracked traffic to trace user interest and stickiness. Headed up social networking efforts. Monitored UGC. Proofread all print pages.

• Managed editorial budget and freelance billing.

MEDIANEWS GROUP, Los Angeles, CA | 11/03-4/07

Managing Editor, LA.com (4/06-4/07)

• Worked closely with Editor in Chief, Creative Director and technology department to relaunch LA.com with better functionality, design and content. Manually recategorized content to fit within new sections. Helped develop CMS.

• Developed new sections and editorial packages to increase traffic. Marketed content to other blogs and websites.

• Created tracking system to keep searchable content up-to-date. Ensured deadlines were met.

• Trained and supervised editors, writers, fact checkers, photographers and interns. Managed editorial budget.

• Programmed content. Tracked technological problems and provided periodic feedback.

• Was one of six people chosen to develop an online strategy for MediaNews Group’s nationwide news properties.

Nightlife and Music Editor, LA.com (11/03-4/07)

• Wrote or edited about ten articles per week. Put together a monthly e-newsletter. Blogged several times per day. Nightlife section named “Best of the Web” in 2004 by Forbes.

• Worked with Marketing Director to plan nightlife events and create marketing materials.

FREELANCE WRITER AND REPORTER, Los Angeles, CA | 9/03-4/07

People.com, Los Angeles Magazine, Variety, In Touch Weekly

• Covered red carpet events and interviewed celebrities; wrote lifestyle features about nightlife, beauty and fashion.

WEEKLY DIG, Boston, MA | 9/01-6/03

Listings Editor, Writer and Office Manager

• Redesigned calendar section and worked with IT department to develop online listings database. Collected and edited listings. Managed workflow and interns. Wrote articles about local restaurants, shops, events and media.

• Archived back issues, sent tear sheets to advertisers, billed clients, and managed office: phone, fax, mail.

EDUCATION

EMERSON COLLEGE, Boston, MA

B.A. 2002, Cum Laude. Major: Writing, Literature, and Publishing.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, New York, NY

Summer 2003. Columbia Publishing Course, an intensive six-week program covering book and magazine publishing.

SKILLS

• Proficient with PC and Mac. Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office, Photoshop, HTML, Omniture, multiple blogging platforms, content management systems and print publishing tools CCI and NewsGate. Have collaborated on developing three separate content management systems.

• Conversational French. Basic Spanish.

• Known as creative, communicative, enthusiastic, flexible, detail-oriented and organized. Editors have noted: “full of ideas,” “extraordinarily hardworking, smart and thoughtful, eager to please and easy to work with” and “ability to turn every obstacle on its head.”

References available on request.