mary whiteside

I moved quickly from from guest host to main producer and host of Just Country, a weekly radio show of recordings and live performances. The show highlighted a blend of country music, ranging from traditional roots to modern, often organized by theme. Duties included selecting, introducing and playing recordings; interviewing performers; and organizing live performances.As main producer, I coordinated schedule of as many as four hosts. Show ranged from one hour to three days.

Directed online operations of newspaper, including advertising and editorial operations in partnership with state/national affiliate; plus marketing sites for nine newspapers and four events.

Produce 24 special sections annually, weekly People section, daily local news pages

Edit local content, write headlines and design pages for Local News and Features department

I was the wedding planner, which included making hats, sash, ensuring food served, etc.

After developing a gopher site and then a web site for the local Girl Scout organization I designed and led a series of classes for staff and volunteer adults on using the Internet effectively to communicate and meet program requirements. I expanded the offerings to girls, including hosting international online chats and exchanges and badge workshops. As a certified Girl Scout trainer, I now help adults learn more about the Girl Scout program. Roles include class trainer, developing specialty trainings, updating home study classes and preliminary work for online, interactive instruction. In addition, I created multimedia presentations tracing the development of one of the council's camps.

* The Genesee Free-Net is a community-based computer network offering free and low-cost access to the Internet. * Developed campaign to raise $100,000 from 1,000 people * Orchestrated efforts to put non-profits online * Taught workshops on online skills, created web pages * Developed first editions of community links

A one-day celebration of music reflecting the heritage of many transplants in Flint, Michigan, grew to an annual three-day music-craft-dance celebration and yearlong education program and concert schedule funded by grants, corporate sponsorships, donations and gate revenue. One of my favorite activities was developing and hosting a grant-funded 3-day conference for organizers of traditional music events in Michigan. I attended the first festival, co-hosted the live broadcasting of the second festival and rapidly moved into bigger roles that included managing volunteers, fund-raising, grant-writing, hiring musicians and organizing festivals, concerts, dances, workshops, races, music competitions, and specialty events for local governments and businesses (including Six Flags AutoWorld.)

* Directed suburban bureau operation, production of weekly People section. * Launched first electronic archive for newspaper * Developed newsroom training program * Organized annual journalism workshop for minority high school students .. Produced community events on behalf of newspaper

* Direct coverage for 96 governmental units outside the city of Flint in an eight-county region * Supervise 14 staff reporters, 32 free-lancers. * Designed local news pages, edited local copy and wrote headlines from 1986-88

I am on a buyout-funded sabbatical - exploring journalism's challenges of the future of news, building community, storytelling and Internet magic. The right brain is getting a workout with exploration of fiber, glass, wire and beads - hands-on and via the computer. Front and center is my daughter's battle against breast cancer. I continue several journalism and online projects, including maintaining several web sites, ghost blogging and organizing programs. I am teaching Girl Scout classes and administering the international WAGGGS-L listserv (Internet mailing list). I am evaluating computer programs, editing books and websites and matching grants to non-profits. I am leading workshops for journalists, including coaching writers, connecting with readers online, using the Internet and your computer on your beat, unlock the mysteries of data with mapping and other tools, and using sound effectively. And I blog, Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed and use other web sites and tools to stay current.

Activities and Societies: Editor of State News, a broadsheet newspaper that averaged 20 pages in its Monday-Friday editions. Worked at pizza shop, can factory, book store and did free-lance writing and editing to pay the bills during college.