Writing, editing, content creation, and communications management
Click here for a PDF of my resume
CONTACT
Brooklyn, NY
(917) 478-8566
will.swarts@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/will-swarts
willswarts.com
PROFILE
Global communications leader offering deep experience with writing and editing for multiple publications and developing new editorial content. Audiences include national policymakers, C-Suite, and broad general readership. Creates successful public relations campaigns yielding top-tier media placements, op-eds and bylined executive communications. Global experience in China, East Asia and Europe. Will plan, create and manage compelling digital, social, broadcast, and print content to meet organizational demand, from Fortune 500 corporations to national nonprofits. .
CORE COMPETENCIES
Editing & Writing | Nonprofit | Communications | Leadership | Project Management | Investor Relations Strategic Planning | Social Media | Digital Journalism | Media Relations | Content Development & Management Publications | Brand Identity & Positioning | Marketing Communications | Ghostwriting | HTML | AP & Chicago Style
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Editor
Travelish.io | New York, NY | 7/2023 – present
- Planned content strategy, wrote and edited content for luxury culinary travel site, used AI applications to expand content volume. Editorial model aimed at rapid growth and content proliferation for a family of websites.
- Launch projected for September 2023.
Executive Editor
ICSC | New York, NY | 2/2022 – 10/2022
- Led relaunch of online publication to attract small business owners to ICSC, a 70,000-member trade association serving the commercial real estate and retail economic ecosystem. Oversaw all new content, site design and SEO strategy.
- Wrote feature stories on small business owners and edited content for daily news blog.
- Created programming for local and national ICSC events, developed small business audience to boost ICSC membership.
- Engaged members representing major commercial real estate companies, economic development officials and senior management to direct the evolving focus of the Small Business Center.
Editor
MDRC | New York, NY | 2019 – 2021
- Collaborated within a tight-knit, nimble team to prepare social and education policy research reports and publications for a nonpartisan social policy research nonprofit.
- Edited social policy research publications for policymakers, academic experts, and social service agency leaders, upholding rigorous academic standards.
- Wrote and edited communications policy briefs and reports circulated in US Congress.
- Worked directly with doctoral-level researchers, driving a pandemic era publication boom and supporting proposals for new projects, ultimately reversing emergency wage cuts and expanding the 2021 project roster.
- Achieved a dramatically accelerated publication rate (from 35 to 100+ annually) and maintained the accelerated schedule throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Developed editorial calendars spotlighting key issues and edited the InPractice blog to cultivate a consistent voice, receiving record high readership and numerous features in the top 10 publications of the year.
Social Media Editor
MS-IR LLC | New York, NY | 2016 – 2021
- Developed cohesive social media content and wrote press releases with dual listings on the Tel Aviv and Nasdaq stock exchanges, focused on investor relations support and securing conference invitations.
- Crafted social media content strategy, increasing cross-platform social media following 250% and contributing to fundraising efforts generating $12M in IPO and secondary offering capital.
- Created press release content and planned PR campaigns for the CEO’s personal media outreach, securing placements in Forbes, Benzinga, Seeking Alpha, and additional Israeli media outlets, including broadcast television.
Editorial & Media Relations Consultant
Freelance | New York, NY | 2016 – 2019
- Acted as Director of Media and Content for the Aspectus Group, securing 40 top-tier media placements (Barron’s, Financial Times, MarketWatch, Bloomberg) for fintech, investing, and blockchain clients, an increase of 250%, for 50M+ readers.
- Launched custom publishing projects for PrivCap, growing target audience while enhancing coverage 25%.
- Wrote 40-50 book reviews annually for Publishers Weekly, covering mystery and espionage fiction, nonfiction history, economics and public policy. Still a current contributor, and member of National Book Critics Circle since 2016.
- Drove brand initiatives and wrote case studies for Advent International, a $35B global private equity firm.
- Led media relations for The Resilience Advocacy Project, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit focused on racial equity issues.
Vice President, Thought Leadership
AlixPartners | New York, NY | 2015 – 2016
- Served on a collaborative marketing team of 15, working directly with senior consultants to refine global messaging around organizational restructuring and development, turnaround strategies, and enterprise improvement.
- Improved editorial content production 25% annually and bolstered social media and SEO content.
- Ghostwrote ~20 articles published in The Wall Street Journal, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, and the World Economic Forum Blog for senior partners.
- Collaborated directly with senior consultants, solicited case study topics, promoted retail survey results, and sought external media placements as part of marketing staff.
Senior Account Executive
MacMillan Communications | New York, NY | 2011 – 2015
- Built and nurtured key relationships with top-tier media contacts on behalf of Fortune 500 clients and leading financial services firms for a boutique PR agency.
- Pitched concepts and wrote press releases for major agency accounts, garnering regular placements in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CNBC, and the BBC.
- Increased coverage 148% for a top wealth management client while improving agency revenues 40% via targeted campaigns in 17 regional U.S. Bank markets.
Lead Markets Reporter
SmartMoney.com | New York, NY | 2005 – 2010
- Wrote real-time updates, weekly columns, and daily market coverage as well as delivered on-camera reports for a national investment news website.
- Developed high-value daily news content covering financial markets, sustaining current levels of web traffic despite economic downturn.
- Received 2 Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) General Excellence Awards.
Editor & Blogger
The Real Deal | New York, NY | 2004 – 2010
- Played a vital role in the successful launch of a startup real estate publication, directing a team of 11 freelancers, writing features, and leading a digital expansion into new markets.
- Spearheaded operations for the daily news blog, and assigned, edited, and rewrote contributor copy.
EDUCATION
Reed College, Portland, OR: Bachelor of Arts – American Studies
Global Village Language Institute, Beijing, China: Certificate in Beginning Chinese (Mandarin)
Carl Duisberg Centrum, Berlin, Germany: Certificate in Basic German
V O L U N T E E R I S M
Feed Flatbush and Brooklyn Book Bodega, Volunteer, 2020 – Present
78th Precinct Sports and Harlem Little League, Youth Baseball Coach, 2002 – Present
Reed College Alumni Board, Member, 2000 – 2015
LANGUAGES
English (Fluent) | French, Spanish (Conversational) | Mandarin Chinese & German (Basic)