Curriculum Vitae

Deborah Howlett

EDUCATION

M.A. Liberal Studies, University of Delaware, 2024 (Expected)

B.S.  Journalism, University of Oregon,  June 1995

Knight Journalism Fellowship, University of Michigan, 1999-2000

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 2010-present

Part-time lecturer, School of Communication and Information.

Courses Taught:

Strategic Presentation Methods in Digital Media: Popular lecture and lab using web-based and multimedia presentation tools to connect with audiences and convey a desired message for social change organizations. Adopted by the University as a Core Learning Goal course and open to all students.

Capstone in Digital Communication, Information and Media: Course designed to facilitate the synthesis of student work in the minor program via a directed project.

Gender, Race, and Class in the Media: Explores content, treatment, and effects of women and minority group coverage in television, newspapers, magazines, popular music, and film.

News Media and Government in America: Examines relationship between media and institutions, and the processes through which people and societies make political choices.:

University of Pennsylvania, 2021-present

Instructor, Department of Urban Studies, part-time

Course taught:

Urban Journalism: Examines the state of journalism, with emphasis on how large papers are redefining themselves, and the news, in an area of dwindling readership and growing financial pressures. Includes ethics, online journalism, alternative sources of news, and reporting techniques.

University of Delaware, 2017-2020

Instructor, Department of English, full-time faculty position teaching journalism. Served as interim coordinator of the Journalism minor (2019-2020), Faculty advisor to The Review independent weekly student newspaper ( 2018-2020). Member of the Faculty Senate Committee on Faculty Welfare and Privileges (2018-2020). Interim internship coordinator (2017-18).

Courses Taught:

Journalism in a Free Society: Required initial course for journalism minor. (Responsible for redesign in Summer 2018 to meet University and College of Arts and Science breadth requirement Group B, history and cultural change.)

News Writing and Editing: Introductory course covering the essential elements of reporting and writing.

Reporting Practicum: Lab class aimed at developing writing and reporting skills, with the aim of being published in the weekly student newspaper.

Depth Reporting: Designed and taught upper-level seminar applying traditional investigative reporting techniques to digital data and public documents.

Sports Writing: Designed and taught upper-level course for Journalism minors.

Social Journalism & Start-ups: Designed and taught senior-level course examining the use of multimedia tools and social media platforms to create and publish a capstone entrepreneurial journalism project.

CERTIFICATIONS

Course Design Institute, Summer Institute on Teaching, Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning (Summer 2018)

College Media Association, Adviser Certification (Spring 2018)

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Non-binary gender representations in sports media
  • Social media platforms as news publishers
  • Low-cost digital media to enable local and small-scale publishers

PRESENTATIONS & PAPERS

Emerge NJ, Woodbridge, NJ, 2014-2017: Developed and presented a media relations curriculum for women considering running for elected office.

Anti-Poverty Network, Monroe, NJ, 2014-2015: Annual convention speaker, Social Media for Nonprofits

Sustainable Brands San Diego, CA, 2013: Start-up of the Year presenter, demonstrating and pitching the Amplification Project

Hack Jersey, Montclair, NJ, 2012: Co-organizer of an inaugural public data “hack-a-thon” for journalists and coders in cooperation with the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University. Hacker teams developed digital news stories from publicly available data.

Annie E. Casey Foundation, Denver, CO, 2012: Presenter for national communication training of state affiliates of KIDS COUNT program. Lectures: “Visualizing Data” and “How to Write for the Internet.”

Economic Analysis and Research Network, Milwaukee, WI, 2012: Annual convention program panelist discussing public tax incentives for corporations.

Appearances on the Today Show, CNN, C-SPAN, MSNBC, News12NJ Power and Politics, and NJ Now.

MEMBERSHIPS

  • National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, 1992-present
  • Online News Association, 2014-present
  • Investigative Reporters & Editors, 2017-present
  • American Federation of Teachers, 2010-present
  • NJ Society of Professional Journalists, 2023-present
  • US Lacrosse, 2012-2022
  • New Jersey Press Association, 2004-2008
  • New Jersey Legislative Correspondents Club, 2004-2008

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

The Daily Pennsylvanian 2020-2022

General Manager for the independent student newspaper at the University of Pennsylvania. Led the professional team and served as editorial advisor to the board of editors and staff of 200 student journalists.

dhMedia                                                                                                  2012-present

Communications consultancy focused on building multi-media and social media capacity in small non-profits. Clients included the Anti-Poverty Network of NJ, Emerge NJ, NJ State Bar Association, The Amplification Project, and Rutgers-Newark.

NJ Policy Perspective                                                                      2010-2012

Executive director of the leading tax, budget and social welfare policy think tank in the state capital. Responsible for fundraising; oversaw editorial production; managed a staff of seven.

State of New Jersey, Office of the Governor                       2008-2010

Directed communications for the governor’s office and all executive branch agencies, including overseeing each office of communications and the office of the press secretary during the Jon S. Corzine administration. Wrote and edited speeches, congressional testimony and news releases. Created the first social media accounts for a sitting governor in New Jersey on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Created the first in-house video production unit.

Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ)                                                             2004-2008

Senior reporter in the Statehouse bureau covering state government and politics.

USA Today                                                                                           1987-2004      

Chicago bureau chief for the largest general-circulation daily newspaper in the U.S. Previous roles included covering breaking news, politics, and the White House. Covered two Super Bowls, nine political conventions, four hurricanes, two earthquakes, the O.J. Simpson murder trial, the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, and the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Significant overseas assignments, including covering conflicts in Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Statesman-Journal (Salem, OR)                                               1984-1987

Hired as a sports reporter following a summer internship; moved to the education beat and then covered politics and government for the newspaper based in the state capital.

Oregon Daily Emerald (Eugene, OR)                                     1983-1984

Editor-in-Chief of the independent campus newspaper; responsible for all editorial content; managed a staff of 40 student journalists.

HONORS & AWARDS

Sustainable Brands Start-Up of the Year, Amplification Project, 2013: Co-founder of a digital start-up to “amplify” the messages of several nonprofit and social activist organizations using low-cost, emerging digital technology

American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award, 2006: Writer on a team that won the national news award for reporting on the effect of the USA PATRIOT Act five years after enactment.

SPJ/SDX Region IX “Rookie of the Year,” 1985: Portfolio of work in sports, education and politics

William Randolph Hearst Journalism Awards, Feature Writing, 1984: A five-part, datelined series describing the political, social, military, and economic climate in post-revolutionary Nicaragua under the Sandinista regime.

William Randolph Hearst Journalism Awards, Feature Writing, 1983: Story about University of Oregon President Paul Olum and distinguished biology professor Aaron Novick and their work together on the Manhattan Project, which helped develop an atomic bomb.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE

Hopewell Valley Lacrosse League, 2010-2019. Coach and president of a nine-member board that oversees a recreational youth sports program that teaches lacrosse to 200 boys and girls in grades K-8. Also coached at all levels.

EmergeNJ, 2013-2014. Vice President of the governing board for an organization that helps prepare women to run for elected office.

New Jersey Citizen Action, 2010-2012. Member of the board that advised the nonprofit organization on management.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

  • Microsoft systems, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Access
  • Mac systems, including iMovie, Garage Band, Numbers, Pages, and Keynote
  • WordPress
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Final Cut Pro
  • CMS systems, including Mail Chimp, BlackBaud, Constant Contact, VAN and Salsa
  • Social Media applications: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, You Tube, Vimeo, Google+, Twitch, Snapchat, TikTok, and Slack.
  • Open-source publishing and creative software, including GIMP, Audacity, Inkscape, Sound Cloud, Creative Commons
  • DSLR camera for video and still images
  • Canvas educational software