Colette Bennett
Editor
Lawrenceville,GA
Summary
Accomplished editor and reporter with 8+ years of experience upholding editorial accuracy, AP Style adherence, and content integrity for high-visibility digital publications including CNN, HLN, Yahoo Finance, and more. Proven ability to verify facts across complex business, financial, and cultural topics under deadline pressure. Skilled at source verification, cross-referencing primary sources, and collaborating with writers to resolve discrepancies without disrupting workflow. Deeply committed to trustworthy journalism and mission-driven storytelling.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Commerce Editor
The Arena Group
Remote
08.2025 - Current
- Edited and refined content for clarity, coherence, and alignment with brand voice while adhering to AP Style standards.
- Mentored junior writers and editors in best practices for editing and content development.
- Implemented editorial guidelines to ensure consistency across all published materials.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality editorial work.
- Conducted market research to identify emerging trends, guiding editorial direction.
Freelance Reporter
TheStreet (The Arena Group)
Remote
04.2025 - 08.2025
- Produced 3–5 daily breaking news features on finance, retail, technology, and culture, including original reporting
- Independently verified all claims, dates, statistics, and source quotes in every article prior to publication
- Conducted in-depth research on financial markets and industry trends.
- Cross-referenced information with authoritative primary sources including SEC filings, corporate press releases, and government data to ensure accuracy.
- Consistently ranked among the website's top 5 writers, generating an average of 4 million pageviews monthly.
- Selected to contribute to TheStreet's inaugural print magazine (October 2025), reflecting trust in editorial rigor and accuracy.
Senior Content Editor
Playboy.com (Playboy)
Los Angeles, CA
04.2024 - 03.2025
- Increased website traffic 650% YoY through a collaborative content strategy—demonstrating the impact of credible, well-edited content.
- Reviewed all content for grammatical accuracy, factual consistency, and adherence to editorial guidelines before publication.
- Sourced and produced original interviews with persons of interest across fashion, music, literature and more
- Managed 2 junior writers and 2 freelancers, providing coaching on accuracy and style compliance.
- Coordinated cross-departmental initiatives to align marketing strategies with editorial goals.
- Managed editorial calendar, ensuring timely publication of high-quality articles.
Senior Editor, Trending
TheStreet (The Arena Group)
02.2022 - 04.2024
- Led a team of 6 full-time reporters covering current events and trending business news.
- Established editorial standards for a newly created content format, overseeing accuracy and style compliance. C
- Conducted daily editorial meetings, weekly 1:1s, and annual reviews.
- Implemented fact-checking and editing protocols for the trending team, building the department from the ground up with emphasis on accuracy and credibility.
- Trained reporters on research best practices, source verification, and AP Style guidelines; promoted a team member to assume editorial management.
- Achieved an average of 7.5 million pageviews monthly, exceeding traffic goals by 400% through consistent editorial quality.
Senior Producer (Contract)
Yahoo Finance
08.2021 - 02.2022
- Pitched and produced 5–10 news features weekly as part of a newly formed trending team
- Wrote and edited copy for The Yodel, Yahoo's flagship newsletter with 2.4 million readers—ensuring factual accuracy and stylistic consistency across every edition.
- Verified all facts, statistics, and sourced claims for a daily newsletter reaching 2.4 million readers, maintaining publication credibility.
- Increased open rate by 20% for Yahoo Life newsletter by executing a major editorial redesign—demonstrating the direct link between editorial quality and audience trust.
Senior Editor, Commerce
The Daily Dot
01.2017 - 08.2021
- Ensured all sponsored and editorial content met accuracy standards and editorial guidelines before distribution to newsletter audiences
- Led editorial team in producing high-quality content aligned with audience interests and brand voice.
- Mentored junior editors, providing feedback to improve writing skills and editorial judgment.
- Coordinated cross-functional initiatives with marketing and social media teams to optimize content distribution strategies.
- Produced and managed sponsored editorial content across 3 brand newsletters
- Developed email marketing templates (Welcome, Re-Engagement, Winback) to support audience communication strategy
- Played a key role in driving $1M YoY revenue for the newly formed ecommerce team through credible, well-edited content
Education
Coursework toward English Degree -
University of New Orleans
Skills
- Editorial: AP Stylebook
- Fact-Checking Protocols
- SEO Optimization
- Editorial Calendar Management
- Audience Analytics
- Editing and proofreading
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Google Workspace
- Google Analytics
- WordPress CMS
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Senior Writer, The Daily Dot
- Writer, HLNTV.com
- Freelance Writer, CNN
Timeline
Commerce Editor
The Arena Group
08.2025 - Current
Freelance Reporter
TheStreet (The Arena Group)
04.2025 - 08.2025
Senior Content Editor
Playboy.com (Playboy)
04.2024 - 03.2025
Senior Editor, Trending
TheStreet (The Arena Group)
02.2022 - 04.2024
Senior Producer (Contract)
Yahoo Finance
08.2021 - 02.2022
Senior Editor, Commerce
The Daily Dot
01.2017 - 08.2021
Coursework toward English Degree -
University of New Orleans