Andrew Gillfillan

• Lead editorial strategy and daily operations for a multi-platform newsroom at a Big Ten university serving Michigan’s Capital Region and six Mid-Michigan counties • Increased WKAR.org traffic by 300% through SEO optimization, digital-first publishing strategy, improved metadata architecture, and search-driven topic planning • Strengthened market differentiation by elevating enterprise, accountability, and explanatory reporting focused on high-impact regional issues • Conceived, branded, designed, and launched a forward-looking Sunday civic newsletter in a three-week build cycle, building full visual identity in Canva and engineering modular Mailchimp architecture to support scalable weekly production • Grew newsletter subscriber base 63% in 21 days, increasing from 954 to 1,554 subscribers through independent grassroots marketing and direct community outreach, sustaining 50%+ open rates and 8%+ click-through rates • Built a repeatable newsroom planning system integrating newsletter production into editorial workflow, shifting coverage from reactive reporting to proactive, forward-focused impact journalism • Led newsroom-wide enterprise initiatives, including Michigan’s Mall Meltdown and Michigan’s Data Center Divide, creating dedicated digital hubs that distinguish coverage from commercial competitors • Integrated cross-platform distribution strategy across radio, digital, newsletter, and social channels to expand reach and deepen audience engagement • Expanded student reporting pipeline to 200+ stories annually in partnership with Michigan State University, strengthening workforce development and local coverage depth

• Expanded WKAR News’ internship and student contributor pipeline through daily hands-on coaching and one-on-one mentorship aligned with professional newsroom standards • Integrated Michigan State University journalism students into WKAR’s broadcast and digital coverage, maintaining editorial rigor while preparing early-career reporters for real-world newsroom expectations • Guest lecturer in MSU’s TV News Producing and Reporting course, teaching editorial judgment, rundown construction, story framing, and multi-platform execution • Volunteer mentor for MSU’s Focal Point newscast, working with students before and during live tapings to strengthen production standards and deadline performance • Partner with Capital News Service faculty to elevate classroom reporting onto WKAR platforms, strengthening workforce development and local coverage depth

• Took a professional pause to serve as primary caregiver for an immediate family member during a serious illness. • Maintained engagement with journalism, digital strategy, and industry developments. Returned to full-time newsroom leadership with clarity and focus.

• Senior newsroom leader in a Top-15 television market, helping oversee a 100+ employee, multi-platform operation in one of the busiest and most competitive breaking news/weather markets in the country • Assisted in execution of an “impact-first” editorial filter that shifted coverage away from Miami commodity crime-and-press-release stories, helping drive the 11 p.m. newscast to #1 in the market • Directed the weather department’s focus on high-impact, disruptive-weather storytelling and helped launch a new hyper-local weather brand in the South Florida market. • Played a central role in wall-to-wall hurricane coverage (Ian, Nicole), coordinating reporters, meteorologists, producers, and digital teams under extreme deadline pressure • Led the launch of the 24-hour CBS News Miami streaming channel, building staffing models, workflows, unique programming, and created daily editorial execution and workflow • Fueled a culture of strong storytelling by coaching anchors/reporters to craft original, meaningful storylines that connected deeply with audiences • Recruited, hired, and onboarded 50+ journalists in one year, rapidly rebuilding newsroom capacity and depth

• Executive Producer in a Top-10 television market, leading editorial execution for Today in the Bay, a flagship weekday newscast • Managed large editorial teams responsible for daily live production in one of NBC’s most competitive local newsrooms • Directed extended, multi-platform coverage of historic California wildfires, coordinating field crews, newsroom operations, and digital execution • Reimagined morning news programming during the COVID-19 pandemic as audience habits shifted, maintaining relevance and momentum • Designed and oversaw the launch of OTT programming on Apple TV and Roku, expanding audience reach and supporting emerging revenue strategies