Metropolitan Editor, Houston Chronicle. Supervised a staff of 51 at the ninth-largest newspaper in the United States. The paper, founded in 1901, had a daily circulation of more than 500,000 and a Sunday circulation of nearly 700,000. December 2006 to August 2007.
Mexico/Border Editor, the Houston Chronicle. Spearheaded coverage of Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico border and immigration issues. Edited a series of articles called “Who Really Runs Mexico?” which the Hearst Corp. recognized as being among its newspapers’ best work in 2006 and was included in the Chronicle’s Pulitzer Prize contest entries. Coordinated newspaper’s coverage of massive immigrant protests that erupted in Houston and other cities during the spring and summer of 2006. September 2005 to December 2006.
Foreign Correspondent, The Dallas Morning News, Mexico City and Havana. Chased breaking news and enterprise stories throughout Latin America, reporting from such countries as Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Went to Afghanistan after 9/11 and covered the U.S. invasion and battles between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban. Coordinated the newspaper’s coverage of Pope John Paul II’s visits to Cuba, Mexico and the Middle East. Helped organize the Dallas Morning News’ “Cuba in Evolution” conference, which brought the top U.S. and Cuban diplomats together in a public forum for the first time in nearly 40 years in September 1998. Led or co-authored five Pulitzer Prize entries. September 1993 to September 2005.
Reporter, The Orange County Register, Santa Ana, California. Did a four-month investigation of teen-age drinking in Tijuana, Mexico. The project, called “Blood Border,” led to crackdowns on both sides of the border, public awareness campaigns and sobriety checkpoints. Developed and wrote a series of stories documenting the failure of U.S. immigration reform policies. The judge of a 13-state writing contest called it “great writing, wonderful reporting, important information that was easily understood.” Helped report and write a four-part series on fraud and abuse in the Social Security Administration in Southern California, prompting congressional, federal and local investigations. Each of these three projects were Pulitzer Prize entries. November 1990 to September 1993.
Reporter, The Miami Herald, Hollywood, Florida. Covered crime, government and general assignment duties. Wrote Page 1 investigative story and follow-ups that shut down a fraudulent employment agency. Broke story about a dangerous county target range, leading to thousands of dollars in safety improvements. July 1987 to November 1990.
Reporter, The Fort Myers News-Press, Fort Myers, Florida. Broke a story about a Mafia-linked developer accused of running a swampland scam. July 1986 to July 1987.
Reporter, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida. Traveled to Colombia to write about a volcano eruption and mudslide that killed more than 25,000 people in the town of Armero. Wrote Page 1 breaking story about attempted coup by renegade Gen. Frank Vargas in Quito, Ecuador. February 1986 to June 1986.
Reporter, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Fort Collins, Colorado. May 1983 to February 1986. Investigated a string of murders committed by Marion “Mad Dog” Pruett. Interviewed the convicted killer on Death Row in Mississippi.
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