Mary C. Curtis

mcurtis1@carolina.rr.com

 

 

Summary

Award-winning journalist and manager with extensive experience as a writer, editor and leader in a variety of media platforms.

 

Current

 

 

Recent accomplishments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professional

experience

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Contributor: AOL’s PoliticsDaily.com; Nieman Watchdog Project political and media blog; NPR’s “The Takeaway” and “Studio 360”

 

Weekly commentator: Fox News Rising on Fox Television in Charlotte, N.C.

 

 

“The Final Four of Everything” (Simon & Schuster 2009), “Mary” chapter

 

Political commentary for 2008 election coverage, from Democratic and Republican debates in South Carolina through the N.C. and S.C. primaries, the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and the election and inauguration

 

2008 2nd place Green Eyeshade Award for political reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists

 

The Washington Post, “The Loud Silence of Feminists” op-ed, June 2008, which generated more than 1,400 comments

 

Reporting and commentary venues include: The Charlotte Observer, Essence.com, The Root.com, Ebony/Jet, CNN American Morning, MSNBC, BBC World News, Air America, WVON radio in Chicago

Cover story on the President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, “Heart & Soul” magazine, February/March 2009. Appeared on “Matt & Perri” radio show on WVON in Chicago to discuss.

National Public Radio: “All Things Considered,” “Tell Me More,” commentary; “News & Notes” blog

Nieman Watchdog, Website and blog, contributor

 

Creative Loafing alternative newspapers, blog contributor

2006 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University

2008, Harvard Law School panel, “Will the 2008 Campaign Pave a Path Toward Inclusive Politics?: America’s Leading Journalists Discuss Race, Ethnicity, Age, Gender and Division”

 

2008 1st place, National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence contest, “50 years after Integration”

 

2008 3rd place, American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors writing contest, serious commentary

 

2008 McClatchy President’s Award, for contribution to Observer’s coverage of the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools

 

2008 One of Charlotte’s “Women Who Rock,” named by Creative Loafing alternative weekly and Sol Kitchen concert promotions

 

 

 

Columnist: National/local/political

January 2007-October 2008  The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte NC, syndicated on McClatchy-Tribune wire service

 

Dance writer/critic

 

August-October 2008 The Charlotte Observer

 

January 2009: “Connections” guest, ETV (South Carolina PBS station), on topic of re-evaluating your job skills

2008-present: Print, Internet and film writing and consulting with the Women’s Inter-cultural Exchange, Charlotte-based nonprofit that advocates with the civic and corporate structure for full empowerment of women of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds

Executive Features Editor/columnist

1994-2007 The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC

§  Guide the development of lifestyle and arts sections, including creation of Faith & Values, Garden and E&T entertainment tab

§  Write two weekly columns for Sunday and Thursday feature front pages

§  Syndicate one column a week through McClatchy-Tribune wire

§  Hire and develop reporters and editors at the Observer

 

Editing

1985-1994 The New York Times, New York, NY

§  1993-94 Deputy Education Editor

§  1991-93 Home Section editor

§  1989-91 Editor, The Living Arts (national edition)

§  1988-89  Deputy Editor, The Living Arts (on team that created the section)

§  1987-88 Copy Editor, Style

§  1985-87 Copy Editor/on-duty Sunday editor, Culture

 

Features editor for Arts and Entertainment

1983-1985  The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD

§  Responsible for arts and entertainment news throughout the paper

§  Supervise arts and entertainment staff

 

Copy editor

1981-1983  The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ

§  Editing stories on universal desk

§  Part-time  editor for entertainment sections

§  Write features, book and record reviews

 

Independent writer/editor

1977-1981  Hartford, CT

Awards                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other media appearances

 

2007 1st place, commentary (over 100,000 circulation), Chuck Stone Salute to Excellence Award, National Association of Black Journalists Region III

 

2005 1st place, Carmage Walls commentary award, Southern Newspaper Publishers Association

 

2004 Thomas Wolfe Award, for “My Rebel Journey,” an examination of Confederate heritage groups

 

2004 1st place, commentary (over 150,000 circulation) National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence contest

 

71st annual National Headliner Awards, 2nd place, special or feature columns on one subject (Faith and Values)

 

1st (2000) and 2nd (2003) North Carolina Press Association writing contest, serious column category

 

2nd (1995), 3rd (2001) and honorable mention (2004) American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors writing contest, serious column category

 

2004 Inducted into the Hall of Fame, Region IV National Association of Black Journalists

 

2002 Green Eyeshade Award from Society of Professional Journalists, 1st  place for cultural criticism

 

 “The Season’s Curmudgeon Sees the Light”  essay in Prentice Hall text

2004 “Mike Collins” show on WFAE-FM, NPR, discuss column on County Commissioner Bill James’ comments on urban black schools

 

2004 Jaye Delai radio morning show, WBAV-FM, discuss column on parents who tiptoe around teens

 

2004 Subject of  “Pride” magazine cover story on women in media

 

2004, 2005 “My Favorite Books” at Charlotte Public Library, National Library Week

 

Education

Fordham University, New York, NY

§  Bachelor of Arts, Communications, summa cum laude

§  Honors program

 

Teaching

 

 

2008, keynote speaker at journalism boot camp, North Carolina A&T State University

2006 Nieman Narrative Conference presenter, 2006

Maynard Institute Media Academy, as a mentor

Maynard Institute Editing Program, faculty editor for six years

 

2006 Nieman Program for College Journalists, presenter

 

Guest speaker at Duke University, Davidson College, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belmont Abbey, Winthrop University

 

 

 

 

Memberships

National Society of Newspaper Columnists

Trotter Group of  African American columnists

Society of Professional Journalists

National Association of Black Journalists

 

Formerly, American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors, served on the board as diversity chair, chose diversity fellows for AASFE conference

 

Community Associations

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Academic Internship Program, Executive Board member

 

Peace Journeys, a program of the Charlotte Coalition for Social Justice

for teens to address race relations

 

St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Charlotte, lector, Eucharistic Minister, Room in the Inn food ministry

 

Operation School Bell (the signature national philanthropic program for Assistance League) which provides school clothes to children in need

 

Tutoring at McClintock Middle School in Charlotte

 

References

References are available on request.