Colette M. Connolly Phone: 914.584.2406
1 Vincent Road, 1A Email: coletteconnolly@optonline.net
Bronxville, NY 10708 Website: www.connwrite.net
______________________________________________________________________
AREAS OF EXPERTISE: Media Relations, Press Releases, Newsletter and Web Site
Writing, Scriptwriting, Editing.
OBJECTIVE: Detail-oriented, fast-paced writer and editor dedicated to the completion
of accurate and professional-looking assignments.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
• Achievement-oriented, conscientious worker who has worked in the newspaper
industry and in public relations.
• Seasoned writer with 15 years’ experience writing hard news and feature-related
stories for magazines, newspapers and Web sites.
• Successfully honed a freelance career while working part-time and raising two
children. My by-line has appeared in the following newspapers and Web sites:
The Danbury NewsTimes, The Journal News, the WomaNews section of The
Chicago Tribune, The Irish Emigrant, Connecticut Family Magazine, The
Riverdale Press, the Westchester County Business Journal, Westchester Family
Magazine, the National Safety Council’s newsletters, Today’s Supervisor and
Today’s Worker, Travellady.com, Suite 101.com, and eHow.com.
• Honed valuable relationships with various clients, assisting them with their public
relations efforts and with other relevant projects.
• Winner of prestigious awards from the New York State and National School
Public Relations Association for outstanding quality and achievement in the
production of school publications.
• Successfully established valuable relationships with the local media.
• Coordinated responses to media requests for information and publicity.
WORK HISTORY:
October 2006 to Present: Connolly Communications
Connolly Communications offers copywriting services to meet the needs of both small
and large businesses. An engaging, readable writing style makes press releases,
newsletters, web site content, product brochures, and direct mail pieces stand out from
the rest.
January 2002 to Present: Public Relations Specialist, Southern Westchester Board
of Cooperative Educational Services
Serves as a writer, editor and photographer of various school district newsletters as well
as publications pertaining to the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational
Services. Also handles an annual budget newsletter, an annual report and a school

calendar for one of Westchester County’s highest-performing school districts. Writes
press releases and works collaboratively with the local media to promote events and
initiatives in the schools and in various departments of SWBOCES.
January 1998 – December 2001: School Communications Specialist,
Putnam/Northern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Contributed to several BOCES newsletters, both as a photographer and as a writer.
Worked with the local media to promote PNWBOCES programs and events, and
provided public relations services to local school districts under contract with
PNWBOCES.
October 1994 to October 1995: Reporter, The Rivertowns Enterprise, Hastings, NY.
Covered several “beats,” including local schools and village government. Also wrote
human interest features, and learned to cultivate both official and non-official sources in
order to generate additional weekly assignments.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE
Editor-in-Chief, The Reporter’s Impact, Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, 1992-93.
Successfully managed the Mercy College student newspaper, The Reporter’s Impact, on
a monthly basis by generating and assigning story ideas to approximately 14 reporters.
Six issues were published under my supervision. Performed copy editing and
proofreading tasks on all copy and supervised and took part in the production process.
AWARDS:
Mercy College Quill Award for Excellence in Journalism, 1992, 1993, 1994.
Mercy College Award for Outstanding Alumnus in Journalism, 1997.
Listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, 1994.
New York State Public Relations Association, Award of Merit--Photograph, 2003
New York State Public Relations Association, Award of Honor--Newsletter, 2003
National School Public Relations Association, Award of Merit--Newsletter, 2006
EDUCATION:
B.S. Journalism, August 1994: Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Graduated summa cum laude, 3.9 cumulative index/4.0 major index
RELEVANT SKILLS:
Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word and Microsoft Publisher applications;
Adobe Photoshop; at ease with Web 2.0 applications.