Resume

USA Today Network: Multimedia content creator and newsroom leader in narrative writing, audio and video production and reader engagement. Published in Bucks County Courier Times in Levittown, The Intelligencer in Doylestown and other USA Today properties across Pennsylvania and the country.

Managed projects spotlighting stories of social justice issues and solutions-focused coverage of the opioid epidemic, earned Pennsylvania Media Association’s top awards in 2021, and launched the group’s first series of news podcasts, winning first-place audio journalism awards in 2020 and 2021. Managed a team of reporters in reader-engagement and social media strategies.

  • Coached interns/ new employees in video, podcast and advanced writing with an emphasis on telling inspiring stories that reflect underserved populations.
  • Lead photography and video coverage of 2020 presidential visits and elections.
  • Report, write and produce multimedia stories for news sites in Pennsylvania and across the country. Write and post enterprise/ investigative stories and develop new audiences through social media, video, podcasting and local coverage.
  • Winner of three 2021 Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Keystone Awards.
    • 1st place in Podcasting. (2020 & 2021)
    • 1st place in Video storytelling (2021)
    • 1st place in Consumer/Watchdog reporting (2021)
    • 2nd place in photography for News Event Photo entitled “Homeless in the suburbs.” (2020)
    • Honorable mention for Ongoing News Coverage for the Sean Kratz murder trial

The Morning Call: News/features reporter and content editor, managing a hyper local website. Shot and edited video for breaking stories and video features. Creator of one of the paper’s first man-on-the-street weekly video features called “Marion’s Open Mic.” Won 2010 spotlight award by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association for feature coverage, “A Love Story.”

The Charlotte Observer: Education, general assignment reporter, covering regional and state education and police news.

 Stars & Stripes: Bureau chief, reporter and photographer based in Heidelberg, Germany. Embedded with U.S. and international troops in Kosovo, Bosnia and Albania. Wrote about post-war reprisals on Serbs. Covered military/U.N. briefings. Filed stories and photos from hostile zones under daily deadlines. Traveled to Israel with U.S. troops during air raids in Iraq in 1999 and wrote about the U.S. air defense programs in the region.

The Miami Herald: Covered crime, local politics and community news.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

North Penn High School, Pennridge High School, 2010-2012: Taught American Literature/ World Literature for 10th-and 11th-graders.

Temple University, Adjunct Professor. Courses taught include:

Communications: Taught and developed curriculum for a class on basic writing, focusing on organization, voice, grammar, and editing skills, using creative classroom activities to make grammar interesting and accessible.
Public Affairs Reporting: Introduced students to public institutions covered in the media, taught investigative and research tools, public records laws and the importance of accuracy in storytelling.
Magazine Writing: Deconstructed articles, columns, poems and short stories to better understand the ingredients of a well-told story. Reviewed the importance of theme, voice, narrative structure, context, focus and supporting details.

EDUCATION:

Temple University:  M.L.A. Coursework focused on technological innovations and social trends in media.

University of Florida: B.S. in Journalism.

Delaware Valley College: Pennsylvania Level 1 Certification, English 7-12. I am also certified to teach history, 7-12.

OTHER WRITING AWARDS:

2019: Pennsylvania Keystone Award: First Place “State of Emergency” series.

2019: Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors Award: First Place “State of Emergency” series.

2018: Pennsylvania Keystone Award: 2nd place for a Sunday story on the gaps in the foster care system when it comes to caring for teens.

2018: PAPME/ Spotlight awards: First place for a joint-series on young victims of the opioid crisis.

2017Pennsylvania Keystone Awards: First Place for a series documenting the struggles facing those trying to rebuild their lives in addiction and the lack of accountability with recovery houses, “Recovery Road.”

2016: Pennsylvania Keystone Awards: First place for a series of stories highlighting the disparities in health care costs.

2015: Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors Award: First place for investigative journalism, “Hidden World, Hidden Victims,” a multimedia series documenting human trafficking in the suburbs.

2014: Pennsylvania Keystone Award: first place, and Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors Award, first place, “Heroin: It’s time for the talk.

2010: Pennsylvania Newspaper Association’s Spotlight Award, The Morning Call. “A Love Story.”

Several other awards, including three on “Burb’s Eye View” columns, given between 2004-2008, provided upon request.

Contact me at samkavit@temple.edu.