Jerilyn Forsythe
Digital Editor, Writer & Communications Specialist
A Welcome Note
Thanks for dropping in! Are you looking for a freelance editor, writer, or communications consultant? Send me a message on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Want to know more about me? Read on.
I'm an experienced writer and communications strategist who, after two-plus years of living nomadically, is happily based in St. Petersburg (Florida, that is). I currently work as a Senior Digital Editor in the tech industry, but will always be a journalist at heart. In my spare time, I continue to freelance—including as the managing editor for Harbor Bluffs Living, a neighborhood magazine—and am always seeking out new professional opportunities and relationships.
My career began after I graduated with a master’s degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 2012. After working as an intern for publications in Washington D.C. and Chicago, I moved to Colorado, where I would spent more than six years working as a digital editor for the Mile High City's award-winning magazine, 5280. Though my position evolved significantly over the years, in its last iteration, I produced an award-nominated daily newsletter, co-directed 5280.com’s editorial strategy, and managed junior employees and the digital internship program. Notably, a personal essay I wrote titled “My Father’s Final Gift,” was part of a feature that won an Ellie, the industry’s highest honor, from the American Society of Magazine Editors.
I left Colorado and 5280 in 2019 to pursue a digital-nomad kind of lifestyle. I'll let you guess how that turned out (spoiler alert: with a last-minute flight to my mom's house in mid-March 2020). But the decision to leave the Mountain West was a fortuitous and perfectly timed one. It led me, however unwillingly, to Florida, where I spent precious time with family, hanging on the beach, and nurturing a freelance career (which sure beats numerous alternatives). Actually, it wasn’t so bad. I continued to be a nomad, with a sort of COVID-19 flavor: Rather than booking back-to-back flights, I took many road trips, lived out of more Airbnbs than I count and, after getting vaccinated, spent summer 2021 traveling Mexico.
These days, I’m just as interested in putting down roots as I am branching out. In my free time, you’ll find me spending time outdoors (on water, foot, or horseback), practicing my Spanish, planning my next trip and, of course, putting pen to paper.
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Jerilyn Forsythe's Resumé
Work Experience
Editorial and Communications Manager, Palo Alto Networks
April 2021 - Present
As Editorial and Communications manager of Palo Alto Networks' LIVEcommunity platform, I develop and maintain editorial standards and strategy; stay abreast of news, trends, and advancements in cybersecurity; manage the team's communications and outreach plans; nurture community engagement among all global audiences and stakeholders; implement and oversee SEO best practices; and support all of the company's digital-first and community-forward initiatives.
Freelancer, Jerilyn Forsythe LLC
September 2019 - Present
As a versatile and digitally savvy freelancer, I wear many hats. Recent projects include SEO-focused copywriting, digital production and content strategy, feature writing, communications consulting, and newsletter creation.
Digital Associate Editor, 5280
May 2015 - August 2019
A senior editor on the digital team, I co-directed 5280.com's editorial strategy. I assigned, edited, and published anywhere from 10 to 20 articles a week, acting as gatekeeper for the website's standards of excellence with a meticulous eye for tone, content, style, readability, SEO, and accuracy. I also produced an award-nominated daily newsletter with 20,000-plus engaged subscribers; managed two junior staffers as well as the department's intern program; and wrote a personal essay that helped win a National Magazine award—the highest in the industry.
Digital Assistant Editor, 5280
May 2013 - May 2015
The founder of 5280 Publishing's editorial social media strategy, I managed the company's Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Vimeo and Youtube. These platforms would go on to collect a cumulative following in the hundreds of thousands. In addition to managing 5280.com's daily editorial calendar, I also shot, produced, and edited dozens of videos. When a department head took a months-long leave of absence, I successfully stepped into the leadership role, including overseeing budgetary and managerial operations.
Digital-Editorial Intern, 5280
January 2013 - May 2013
As an intern, I completed any project thrown my way with precision and pep. I wrote articles for print and digital publication, fact-checked longform features, shot and edited video, helped manage 5280's nascent social media presence, and more.
Health and Social Issues Reporter, Cronkite News Service
A beat reporter on Capitol Hill, I attended press conferences and bureaucratic meetings, developed inside sources, and interviewed state and national officials such as senators, representatives, and federal employees. I wrote about complex issues such as the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid on a regular basis, and excelled in translating jargon into interesting and digestible information for the public.
May 2012 - August 2012
Education
Master's in Mass Communication
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Completed three semesters of bootcamp-style courses in print, digital, and broadcast journalism
Specialized in print and digital media tracks, which included learning HTML, newspaper- and magazine-style writing, copy editing, journalism ethics, in-depth reporting skills, video production, and Adobe Creative Suite
Bachelor's in Political Science
Arizona State University
Double minored in Justice Studies and African American Studies
Member of Phi Alpha Delta (a pre-law fraternity) and the Womyn's Coalition
Interned for Gina's Team, a nonprofit organization that works on prison reform in the state of Arizona. Received rare access to film and publish video from inside the prison