Laura Fitzgerald

About

I began my career in newspaper journalism, where I developed writing, research, communication, relationship-building, and time management skills. I expanded my knowledge and experience to digital marketing through an intensive boot camp in Digital Marketing through Michigan State University, which I completed in spring 2023. I then gained web content management, web design, and project management experience through my role as a web content manager at Detroit Public Schools Community District. Currently, I own my own freelance copywriting and content creation business under the name Fitzgerald Creative Services, LLC. I am a freelance writer and content creator with several regional clients in Southeast Michigan.

Experience

• Freelance Copywriter and Content Creator · Fitzgerald Creative Services, LLC09-01-2024

  Owner and sole employee of Fitzgerald Creative Services, LLC, a freelance copywriting and content creation brand. Sources clients for copywriting projects for websites, news, blogs, social media and other digital content. Provides website design and creation using a CMS. Also provides digital marketing services, including paid search advertising, SEO, social media paid and organic advertising and content marketing strategy.

• Web Content Manager · Detroit Public Schools Community District01-01-2023 – 09-01-2024

  Manages, edits and updates information using SharePoint on internal news and informational sites known as the “Hub” and “Student Hub,” sharing important institutional knowledge across a school district with more than 5,000 staff and nearly 50,000 students. Gathered ideas, conducted reporting and wrote rich, people-centered stories on staff, students and programs for internal and external audiences. Managed Office 365 Groups and Teams in Azure. Supported Central Office and school-based staff with creating content across SharePoint, Teams and Groups. Developed a form and process to solicit story ideas from district staff for the Hub. Expanded district storytelling capabilities for internal and external audiences. Assisted specialized team in creating news and informational SharePoint site for all Central Office staff.

• Digital Journalist · The Times Herald | Gannett09-01-2019 – 12-01-2022

  Generated ideas, conducted original reporting and wrote stories around business, public safety, crime, criminal justice issues, education, and other topics for publication in print and at thetimesherald.com, a local newspaper covering St. Clair and Sanilac counties, Mich. Used communication skills to develop relationships with sources for generation and story development. Used research and critical thinking skills to gather information and package it into engaging and compelling new stories. Published online using a content management system. Published content in a fast-paced news environment, often juggling multiple stories and deadlines. Posted to personal and professional social media accounts to promote stories. Collaborated with a six-person news team to write stories, as well as with a staff photographer to plan and execute photo assignments. Won second place from the Michigan Press Association in March 2022 for the story: “This Is my home: 98-year-old World War II, Korean and Vietnam veteran returns to Port Huron” in the features category for daily class B newspapers. Published between five and 10 stories each week, resulting in the publications of thousands of stories over more than three years.

• Content Specialist · Harbin Equestrian01-01-2021

  Develops content marketing plan for Harbin Equestrian, an equestrian training program based in Ira Township, Mich. Takes photos and videos and posts to Facebook and TikTok once a week, promoting Harbin Equestrian brand and business goals. Updates website using WordPress with business updates.

• General Assignment Reporter · Wallkill Valley Times05-01-2018 – 09-01-2019

  Generated story ideas, conducted original reporting and wrote between six and eight stories each week for a weekly community newspaper in the Hudson Valley of New York that published in print and online at timeshudsonvalley.com/wallkill-valley-times. Created and managed Walke valley times Twitter and Instagram creating between two and three post each week for each site to promote the newspapers brand. Took original photos and created videos for online publication. Published hundreds of stories over 15 months.

• Videographer · The Confucius Institute at Miami University01-01-2017 – 05-01-2018

  Attended and took video of events, synthesizing clips into videos for publication using Adobe Premiere.

Education

• Miami UniversityBachelor’s Degree, Journalism
• Michigan State UniversityCertificate of Completion, Digital Marketing

Similar talent on Pangea

Gaonou L.Director of Social Media at Michigan State UniversityLansing, MISabah B.Your Marketing SaviorAnn Arbor, MIAinslie L.Freelance social media marketing specialist, skilled in strategy, content creation, and campaign optimization to boost brand visibility and engagementFort Myers, FLKKatie W.Storyteller, Bibliophile, & Lifelong Learner