Caroline Liss
3581 Pacifica Lane, Elk Grove,CA
Summary
Veteran editor with years of experience working with writers, production team members and graphic designers to create first-rate content. Multi-talented professional with diverse skills in reporting, editing, headline writing, SEO, finding trending stories, and monitoring analytics to see which stories are attracting readers. Well-versed in the newspaper industry and style guidelines.
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
Work History
President and Chief Financial Officer
Great Timing Inc.
Elk Grove, California
06.2000 - Current
- Started and still run this online small business selling watches and other accessories as an entrepreneur, building it from the ground up. We have sold on Amazon for years.
- Cultivated relationships with suppliers and key clients to drive long-term business development.
- Addressed customer complaints quickly to drive satisfaction.
- Evaluated employee progress while identifying areas for additional coaching.
- Stayed current on industry trends and participated in professional development opportunities.
- Fostered relationships with customers to expand customer base and enhance loyalty and retention.
National Editor, Real-time Digital Team
McClatchy Co.
Sacramento, CA
02.2019 - 11.2025
- Guided reporters in story assignments, edited their work, fact-checked and approved stories for publication. I decided when stories published and where they appeared on McClatchy's websites.
- Edited as many as 10 stories each day on politics, crime, culture, health and other topics.
- Watched analytics to see how our work performed and helped with search engine optimization (SEO) to boost page views. I helped with aggregation from other news sources.
- Worked with reporters and our video team to oversee inclusion of visual elements that added depth to our stories and made them more appealing to encourage readers to click on them. I chose videos and photos to accompany stories, and I ensured photos followed standards and legal guidelines.
- Collaborated with writers to develop individual voice and hone unique writing style.
- Published pieces online and pitched for social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
- Found and developed trending story ideas for our team of more than two dozen writers.
- Wrote and edited eye-catching story headlines and summaries.
- Wrote a weekly newsletter highlighting our best work that would have national appeal for Facebook.
News Services (Wire) Editor
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, CA
06.1994 - 02.2019
- Chose and edited stories for the Bee and 28 other papers in the McClatchy chain, cutting them to fit the space so that they still made sense and read smoothly, while on deadline. I looked at hundreds of stories a day on all topics, including national, international, politics and health, and prioritized the top ones in numerical order for all the McClatchy papers.
- Rewrote, edited and proofread all stories prior to publication, chose photos to go with the articles, and wrote the captions and headlines. Worked with several different types of publishing software.
- Worked with other departments to develop stories and posted stories online at www.sacbee.com. I also used Google extensively to check facts in stories.
- Monitored social media, TV and websites to stay on top of the news. I pitched stories for the front page and presented the top choices at department head meetings.
- Answered calls from the public and handled reader complaints.
Assistant Metro Editor/Copy Desk Chief
Stockton Record
Stockton, CA
03.1989 - 06.1994
- Collaborated with writers on editing.
- Worked with graphic designers on visual elements, such as photos and charts, to improve page layouts, and handled photo assignments.
- Decided whether pieces were ready for publication and approved final versions.
- Managed reporters for the daily newspaper.
- Managed and hired copy editors for the daily newspaper.
- Handed out story assignments, directed content meetings and evaluated submitted pieces.
- Chose the stories that ran each day in the main news sections.
Copy Editor and Feature Writer
Sacramento Union
Sacramento, CA
11.1987 - 03.1989
- Proofread and reviewed all content for correct grammar and adherence to style.
- Collaborated with artists and photographers to execute successful content and to illustrate our work.
- Wrote original content for the daily newspaper.
- Laid out pages and incorporated graphic elements.
- Wrote headlines and captions.
Bureau Chief and Writer
Times Herald-Record
Middletown, NY
04.1986 - 08.1987
- Covered news events at various locations and wrote stories for the daily newspaper.
- Conducted interviews to obtain information and quotes for stories.
- Developed connections with public relations contacts, which provided sources for news stories.
- Participated in brainstorming sessions with colleagues and editors to develop informative content, including teases and promotions.
- Worked with photographers and graphic artists to produce visual elements for stories.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing
Georgia State University, Atlanta GA
Skills
- Copywriting and editing
- Headline writing
- SEO (search engine optimization)
- Data analytics and metrics
- Social media promotion
- Excellent communication skills
- Interviewing and researching
- Newsletter writing
Additional skills
Expert in AP style
Proficient in multiple publishing systems, including Cue, CCI and Atex
Proficient in Microsoft Office, Slack and G Suite apps, including Word, Google Docs and Google Sheets
Familiar with HTML
Familiar with photo editing programs such as PhotoShop and Paint
Timeline
National Editor, Real-time Digital Team
McClatchy Co.
02.2019 - 11.2025
President and Chief Financial Officer
Great Timing Inc.
06.2000 - Current
News Services (Wire) Editor
Sacramento Bee
06.1994 - 02.2019
Assistant Metro Editor/Copy Desk Chief
Stockton Record
03.1989 - 06.1994
Copy Editor and Feature Writer
Sacramento Union
11.1987 - 03.1989
Bureau Chief and Writer
Times Herald-Record
04.1986 - 08.1987
Bachelor of Arts - Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing
Georgia State University, Atlanta GA