Resume

Experience

2014 to present Editor of New Orleans Bride Magazine, New Orleans Homes Magazine, Acadiana Profile and Louisiana Life; writer of the Bon Vivant blog; co-writer and editor of the Let Them Eat Cake wedding blog; editor “Craft: The Eat Fit Guide to Zero Proof Cocktails,” (published November 2022), The Essential Louisiana Cookbook and The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook, by Stanley Dry; contributing author,  “Cherchez la Femme: New Orleans Women,” and Essential New Orleans: 15 Places We Love; co-host of “The Wediquette: A Let Them Eat Cake Podcast,”; board member and past president of the Press Club of New Orleans; founder of Louisiana Media Literacy Now; and board member of Society of Professional Journalists.

2012 to 2014 Freelance lifestyle reporter, photo stylist and fine art photographer and editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Houston Brides Magazine.

  • Set the editorial schedule, write and report, manage production, oversee and assist with design (using InDesign) and layout; coordinate with editors, production and design staff in Atlanta and Chicago; as well as assign and edit all stories, photography and design assignments to writer for Modern Luxury Houston Brides Magazine.
  • Write about design, style, arts and entertainment for various print and online daily newspapers.
  • Work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, The Houston Chronicle and The Austin American-Statesman, as well as magazines including Houston Magazine and Austin Monthly and online publications around the globe, such as Reuters in Australia, the United Kingdom and India.
  • Blogging and social media.
  • Photograph images to accompany pieces for print and online publications.
  • Coordinate and style photo shoots.
  • Write and deliver speeches and presentations on topics including design, style, trends, journalism and social media.
  • Edit and ghost write for bloggers, columnists and authors.

2011-2012 Senior features reporter covering interior design and style for The Houston Chronicle and contributing writer for Gloss magazine.

  • Generate story ideas, write, research and conduct interviews for features, blurbs, bi-monthly column, daily Design Houston blog.
  • Engage in social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Google + and LinkedIn.
  • Photograph products and interiors for articles and online products, as well as schedule photo shoots, scout locations, gather goods for product spreads and photo shoots, style photo shoots and gather images.

2009-2011 Managing editor of the Texas Catholic Herald, Houston, Texas

  • Set the editorial schedule, write and report, manage production (and coordinate with print house) and oversee and assist with design (using InDesign) and layout, as well as assign and edit all stories, photography and design assignments to staff and freelancers.
  • Oversee redesign of the publication and website (launching February 2011) and develop, execute and manage blogging, multi-media and social media strategy and operations (launching Spring 2011).
  • Train and manage reporters, designers, copy editors, freelancers and interns.

2008-2009 Press Secretary to Texas First Lady Anita Perry

  • Coordinate and promote interviews, as well as video, imagery and all other media related to the First Lady and her projects via traditional and social media, including Facebook, Twitter, blogging and other Web-based and multimedia.
  • Organize and promote press conferences and major announcements.
  • Write speeches, press materials, blog, scripts and Web copy.
  • Photograph events for in-house and online archives, data basis and other multimedia projects.
  • Create and supervise all written materials generated by the Office of the First Lady or outside entities using the name or likeness of the First Lady.
  • Create and implement yearly media strategy.

2005-2008 Features reporter and columnist at The Austin American-Statesman, contributing writer for its magazine, Glossy and co-assigning editor for the Glossy Homes section of Glossy, Austin, Texas.

  • Generate story ideas, write, research and conduct interviews for features, blurbs, bi-monthly column, daily Design Notebook blog and weekly Style Minute video.
  • Editor of Season for Caring, the paper’s charity campaign. Duties were to determine editorial schedule, assign and edit
  • Report as needed for other newsroom departments and sections, including A1, Metro and Real Estate sections.
  • Develop editorial schedule, generate story ideas, write and assign for the Glossy Homes section of Glossy magazine (an exclusive, glossy, full-color broadsheet publication).
  • Photo styling and coordination of photo shoots.

Education      

Northern Kentucky University

B.A., Art (Photography)/Area of Concentration English (Writing)

Continuing education

Poynter Institute (newspaper reporting, writing and editing)

University of Texas (Newswriting, magazine writing and headline writing continuing education classes)

Awards

International and Regional Magazine Association editing, writing, photography and multi-year Magazine of the Year award winner; Press Club of New Orleans writing, editing and mulit-year lifestyle blog of the year award winner; Texas Press Association writing and photography award winner; Winner of various juried art exhibitions for showing of fine art photography.

Contact Melanie Warner Spencer at penfemme@gmail.com