Valerie Latona
Editorial Director, Editor in Chief, Executive Editor
Westfield,NJ
Summary
Business-minded, people-friendly senior-level editor skilled in editorial vision and editorial strategy, research-driven articles and content, data-driven innovation and projects, SEO-driven social media content, collaboration with global team members.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder, Editorial Director
VL Health Media
Westfield, New Jersey
01.2011 - Current
- Created health and wellness media company, VL Health Media, specializing in editorial strategy and diversity of content for print and digital.
- Serve as editor in chief of award-winning disease education brand (Healthful Living), both print and digital.
- Strategize and develop content for tent cards, posters, and digital landing pages based on creative briefs from client accounts.
- Developing content and flow for award-winning augmented reality experiences with global team.
- Create SEO-driven social media content and visuals for top brands like Centrum and Caltrate.
- Blogging for brands including top brands including Centrum, parenting brand NUK, and more.
- Product development/strategy, press releases, and packaging to drive new business for clients.
- Research-driven, award-winning writer for magazines, books, brands, and websites.
Writer/Contributing Blogger
Huffington Post, Centrum, NUK, Prevention & More
Westfield, New Jersey
05.2011 - 10.2020
- Collaborated with content editors to plan post subjects and publishing schedules.
- Wrote research-driven health and parenting blogs.
- Created dynamic graphics to accompany blog posts.
- Implemented SEO strategies to optimize web content for search engines.
- Have also written/edited articles for Women’s Health, AARP.com, New You, Mother Earth Living, Yoga Journal, parenting magazine American Baby, Vegetarian Times, Weight Watchers, Woman’s Day, CosmoGirl!, TeenPeople, Whole Living, and Organic Style.
Advisor
Office Of Research On Women's Health At The NIH
Washington, District Of Columbia
02.2011 - 02.2015
- Appointed to four-year term to help communicate message of health to women nationwide at all stages of life—from youth through family planning and parenting to peri- and menopause.
- Met regularly with advisory panel of top doctors and researchers nationwide to encourage effective communication strategies.
- Assessed impact of health content/research in print and digital including websites and news sites.
Executive Editor
Women's Health
New York, New York
05.2013 - 08.2013
- Served as maternity fill-in for executive editor.
- Top edited health, wellness, and fitness news and articles for top active lifestyle magazine.
Vice President, Editor in Chief
Shape
New York, New York
10.2005 - 11.2010
- Served as business-minded chief editor of #1 fitness brand; managed and top edited print team and web team to follow SEO best practices.
- Managed operations and staff of 40+, created and managed budget reports, and established performance goals for department and provided methods for reaching milestones.
- Hired and managed employees to maximize productivity while training staff on best practices and protocols.
- Collaborated with senior management and sales and marketing departments to develop strategic initiatives, long term goals, and bottom line growth. Resulted in creating and launching brand extensions: fitness equipment, brand offshoots like Shape Bride, and mobile apps.
- Supported and encouraged editorial board to provide independent and objective advice, opinions and perspectives to enhance publication.
- Sustained and enhanced publication performance and fostered reliability, transparency, and fairness.
- Monitored industry trends, keeping current on latest changes and competition in industry.
- Oversaw, trained and developed writers and associates, assistants and junior editors to optimize production and quality of work. Created encouraging culture among employees.
- Top edited news items, evergreen articles, first-person essays, and longer articles.
- Ensured Shape’s 14 global editions around the world maintained U.S. branding identity and the right mix of content.
Deputy Editor, Group Beauty Director
Shape, Natural Health, Fit Pregnancy
New York, New York
05.2003 - 10.2005
- Prepared, rewrote, and edited pieces to improve readability and impact.
- Determined readiness of written pieces, made changes, and approved final versions for publication.
- Reviewed articles for grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, accuracy, and compliance with quality standards.
- Communicated directly with writers to collaboratively assess work and guide editorial improvements.
- Collaborated with ad sales and marketing to drive bottom line growth in beauty category.
Beauty Director
Shape
New York, New York
08.2000 - 05.2003
- Conceptualized, assigned, edited, and developed healthy beauty articles.
- Collaborated with ad sales and marketing to drive growth of beauty pages more than 150%, helping healthy beauty become top category of advertising.
- Served as Editor in Chief of Shape Ultimate Makeovers.
Senior Editor
Allure
New York, New York
10.1999 - 08.2000
- Guided and motivated staff to achieve demanding targets under tight deadlines.
- Trained contributors, editors, associates and designers on expectations, processes and organization style guidelines.
- Coordinated with writers to maintain consistent voice while removing grammar and content problems.
- Scheduled and attended meetings with design and production team.
Associate Editor
Harper's Bazaar
New York, New York
09.1997 - 10.1999
- Monitored breaking news for information on topics of interest to quickly assign to writers and staff.
- Responsible for editing beauty, plastic surgery, fitness, and health articles.
- Collaborated with junior staff, writers, editors, and creative team to create compelling content.
- Worked with graphic artists, post-production team members and other specialists to produce captivating and successful content.
- Interviewed sources and developed relationships with experts to obtain vital information for stories.
Associate Editor
American Health For Women
New York, New York
10.1996 - 09.1997
- Responsible for assigning, editing, and writing medical, fitness, nutrition, and psychology articles.
- Monitored breaking news for information on topics of interest to quickly assign coverage to writers.
- Worked with graphic artists, post-production team members and other specialists to produce captivating and successful content.
- Interviewed sources and developed relationships with experts to obtain vital information for stories.
Assistant, Associate Editor
American Baby/Healthy Kids
New York, New York
11.1993 - 10.1996
- Assigned and edited parenting articles.
- Researched and developed articles for parenting health news columns and feature stories for this magazine created in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Worked with independent medical review team to ensure parenting advice was accurate.
Education
Master of Arts - Journalism
New York University
New York, NYFellowship - Newswriting/Design
Poynter Institute For Media Studies
St. Petersburg, FLBachelor of Arts - History, Political Science
Canisius College
Buffalo, NYContinuing Education & Professional Studies - Digital Media, Content Creation, SEO-Driven Social
New York University
New York, NY05.2011
Skills
- Editorial Strategy
- Research-Driven Writing and Editing
- Content Management Systems
- Print and SEO-Driven Social Media
- SEO Best Practices
- Editorial Calendar
- Proofreading
- Headline Writing
- Story Packaging Skills
- Mentor/Coach to Junior Employees
Accomplishments
- Forty editorial and marketing awards for disease education print and digital content, including augmented reality experience.
- Eight journalism awards for book writing
- More than 90 independent editorial awards for excellence in journalism.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Executive Editor
Women's Health
05.2013 - 08.2013
Writer/Contributing Blogger
Huffington Post, Centrum, NUK, Prevention & More
05.2011 - 10.2020
Advisor
Office Of Research On Women's Health At The NIH
02.2011 - 02.2015
Founder, Editorial Director
VL Health Media
01.2011 - Current
Vice President, Editor in Chief
Shape
10.2005 - 11.2010
Deputy Editor, Group Beauty Director
Shape, Natural Health, Fit Pregnancy
05.2003 - 10.2005
Beauty Director
Shape
08.2000 - 05.2003
Senior Editor
Allure
10.1999 - 08.2000
Associate Editor
Harper's Bazaar
09.1997 - 10.1999
Associate Editor
American Health For Women
10.1996 - 09.1997
Assistant, Associate Editor
American Baby/Healthy Kids
11.1993 - 10.1996
Master of Arts - Journalism
New York University
Fellowship - Newswriting/Design
Poynter Institute For Media Studies
Bachelor of Arts - History, Political Science
Canisius College
Continuing Education & Professional Studies - Digital Media, Content Creation, SEO-Driven Social
New York University
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