Matthew P. Hilburn
Email: matt_hilburn (at) yahoo (dot) com
Download CV (Word)
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Web Writer/Editor, Broadcasting Board of Governors – 10/08 – present
Developed and launched a highly successful employee blog, which took the place of a moribund employee newsletter. It has been very well received and has become a major tool for management to communicate with employees and vice versa.
Developed and led project to redesign the agency’s public Web site to include a blog about events and news within the agency that would be of interest to an outside audience. I write for both blogs and do other duties such as write press releases, prepare talking points and remarks.
Founder, popular local news blog – 1/09 - present
Founded a very popular, local blog. Within several months, had broken several news stories and generated mentions in all the major Washington media, including a full profile by The Washington Post. The site is geared toward community building and user-generated content. The blog effected change in the Washington Metro system through the institution of a zero tolerance policy regarding texting while operating a bus, the removal of a deceptive ad campaign, and the vast improvement of Metro’s Twitter account. Built the site on Blogger and marketed predominately through Twitter. 1,500+ visitors per day and nearly 3,000 followers on Twitter. Check out the blog at http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com./ Also gained experience in SEO. To see, simply Google "unsuck."
Online Community Builder – ongoing
Since 1998, I have been the owner and operator of a large online community for graduates of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. The list has over 1,700 members. I have also built and operated an online community for my condominium association that has greatly enhanced communication among residents as well as resident-to-board communications.
Associate Editor, Seapower magazine – 10/05 – 11/08
Reported and wrote stories for a monthly glossy magazine covering the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Beats included the Marine Corps and Merchant Marine. Wrote stories which were widely read at the top levels of the military and industry. In addition to stories, I interviewed the commandant of the Marine Corps, the chief of naval operations, and the commander of Pacific Command. Also was responsible for editing stories by other staff members and freelancers.
Deputy News Editor, Navy Times (Gannett) – 12/02 – 10/05
Edited, reported and wrote articles for a weekly newspaper and daily Web site covering the U.S. Navy. Main responsibilities included gathering and editing in-house and wire copy, planning each week’s edition, assigning stories to reporters, working with the photo and art departments for graphic material, and reporting and writing stories.
Editor, AOL Local (Digital Cities) – 05/02 – 12/02
Created, edited and packaged content for six, Web-based, city-guide products. Managed a stable of freelancers and coordinated features and articles across all cities.
Full–time Freelancer, Madrid, Spain – 08/00 – 03/02
Ran a successful freelance career, the highlights of which included covering al–Qaida cells in Spain for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Inside Edition. Covered Basque terrorism for the Christian Science Monitor. Also wrote feature articles for the Washington Post and Men’s Journal. I also covered technology and business stories for Wired. Covered the DC sniper story for Spain’s leading men’s magazine, Interviu. Below is a complete list of media for which I worked.
Washington Post
USA Today
Wired News
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Inside Edition
Christian Science Monitor
Men’s Journal
Venture Reporter
CNN Traveler Magazine
Crain's Global Wireless News
Dotcom.com
Ericsson Magazine
Discovery.com
Hoovers.com
The Chicago Reader
Past Freelancing
Pacifica Radio
Kansai Time–Out
CD Now
All–Music Guide
Daily Yomiuri
Nihon Keizai Shimbun
MTV's Sonic Net
New Times' St. Louis Riverfront Times
Advertorial Copy Writer, Global Review – 5/01–12/01
Wrote “advertorial” text for the main supplier of newspaper supplements in the world. Focused predominately on business coverage. Copy has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, Forbes and BusinessWeek.
Senior Editor, Citysearch.com – 12/99 – 8/00
Launched and edited the entire editorial content of a comprehensive city guide. Wrote arts and entertainment/sports, news, concert previews, interviewed nationally recognized bands and artists, wrote restaurant reviews, assigned and edited freelance work, maintained a huge local portal and did some page design. Ran the site alone for seven months and during this period was responsible for a 200 percent increase in traffic. Much of my coverage of national music acts was syndicated throughout Citysearch’s entire network, which includes 77 cities, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Associate Content Producer, Citysearch.com – 6/99 – 12/99
Promoted to the senior position within six months.
City government beat reporter, The Columbia Missourian – 8/97 – 5/99
Covered the city politics of Columbia, Missouri for a 50,000-circulation daily.
Music Editor, Vox magazine – 12/98 – 5/99
Responsible for writing and editing all music page stories for Columbia, Missouri’s premiere alternative weekly. Worked with freelancers and assisted in page design using Quark Express.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
English Teacher, Jet Programme, Japan – 8/92 – 1/97
Worked in a Japanese public school as an English teacher. Selected as one of the best teachers on the program to run special summer courses.
Trainer, Bureau of Labor Statistics – 5/91 – 8/92
Developed economic statistics courses for economists from the former Iron Curtain.
Teaching Assistant, International School of Brussels, Belgium – 8/90 – 5/91
Worked in the special education unit of a large international private school.
EDUCATION
MA, Journalism, University of Missouri – Columbia, 1999
BA, Foreign Affairs and Economics, University of Virginia, 1990
INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES
In addition to having lived in Ecuador, Austria, Peru, Switzerland, Belgium and Japan, I have traveled all over Asia, Europe and Latin America. I speak Japanese and fluent Spanish