1. Laura A. Emerick
(312) 912-1201 (cell)
(312) 294-3094 (office)
EXPERIENCE:
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association
Aug. 2013-present: Digital content editor. Launched new online multimedia
publication, CSO Sounds & Stories, dedicated to promoting activities and
achievements of the CSO, regarded as “The World’s Greatest Orchestra.”
Manage, edit and write for the site, which also showcases audio and video
components; oversee and edit work of outside contributors; work with
outside developers on site improvements; manage annual freelance budget.
Also work with CSO marketing department and social media manager to
leverage site’s content.
Chicago Sun-Times
1994-April 2013: Primary editor for film critic Roger Ebert.
2007-2013: Movies section editor. Launched new weekly broadsheet section
devoted to film coverage and designed to showcase reviews, essays, features
and interviews by the Sun-Times’ acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert.
2006-2013: arts editor. Coordinated all classical music, pop music and movie
coverage, with special emphasis on classical music after retirement of staff
critic.Continued as primary editor for film critic Roger Ebert. While he was
out on medical leave, I supervised all movie coverage by our replacement
team, including columnists Richard Roeper, Bill Zwecker and contributor Jim
Emerson (then editor of rogerebert.com).
2005-2003: Sunday Showcase editor. Asked to revamp weekly broadsheet
section, culminating in yearlong redesign process. Continued as Ebert’s editor
as well as movies and classical music editor.
1997-2013: Latin music/culture writer. Launched new beat, writing features
and reviews about Spanish-language artists/musicians and issues/trends.
(One of the first English-language publications, outside major Hispanic hubs
of Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Texas, to introduce such coverage.)
1997-2006: theater editor. Coordinated all theater assignments, including the
supervision of a team of freelance reviewers, while theater critic Hedy Weiss
was on a yearlong leave of absence in 1997.

2. 1994-2006: assistant features editor. Served as an assignment/line editor of a
30-person features department in developing and coordinating
arts/entertainment coverage, with special emphasis on the areas of movies,
pop and classical music. Named as editor for film critic Roger Ebert.
1994-1985: Sunday arts section editor. Supervised and coordinated all
arts/entertainment coverage for weekly tabloid and later, broadsheet section.
1984-1983: assistant features copy desk chief. Worked as slot editor and
helped supervise a 12-person desk working on daily/weekly feature sections.
Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism
1999: Taught graduate-level course in arts writing and reporting.
1995: Taught graduate-level course in copy editing.
EDUCATION
Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind. Bachelor of arts degree, magna cum
laude and Phi Beta Kappa, double major in journalism and geography
(environmental studies). Honored by IU Hispanic student association as the
year’s top-ranking Latino graduate. Completed post-graduate courses in
German at the City Colleges of Chicago and fine arts photography at the
School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Selected for the 2011 and 2008 USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism
Project, the 2007 Moving Image Institute in Film Criticism and Feature
Writing, the 2006 NEA Arts Journalism Fellowship in Classical Music, and
1998 American Association of Sunday and Features Editors Diversity
Fellowship. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Blue Key and Mortar Board national
honors societies. Regional finalist for Rhodes and Marshall scholarships.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Three-term member of the IU School of Journalism Alumni Board, including
one three-year term as the School of Journalism’s representative on the
Indiana University Alumni Association’s Executive Council. Member of the
National Arts Journalism Project and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.
PUBLICATIONS
More than 1,200 articles, most written for the Chicago Sun-Times (articles
from 1992 to present available on Nexis.com database). Also have written for
the Chicago Tribune, rogerebert.com, Latina magazine, Reed-Elsevier and
assorted trade publications.