Rhett Wilkinson resume
RHETT WILKINSON
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EDUCATION
BS journalism & area certificate, Utah State University
EXPERIENCE
Development & Communications Associate, Project Vote Smart
Self-made Utah Trump resistance reporter
Communications associate, Alliance for a Better Utah
Signature gatherer, Count My Vote
Staff member, Mike Weinholtz for Governor
Staff member, Gary Herbert for Governor
Campaign manager, Michele Weeks for State Senate
Congressional intern, Congressman Rob Bishop
Campaign manager, Jake Garn for Kaysville City Council
Campaign manager, Bruce Davis for Layton City Council
Business, features & sports contributor, Deseret News
• Wrote perhaps the first story about contemporary Utah Transit Authority issues
• Feature, commentary, report featured in USA Today, ESPN, Pew Forum, respectively
• Published in print at least weekly, online multiple times per week
• Gameday coverage of Utah Jazz; University of Utah, BYU, USU athletics
Contributor, Utah Policy Daily
• Wrote stories on Mia Love-Jim Matheson race (first such report in media), perception of Sen. Mike Lee following his leading role in the federal gov’t shutdown, party caucuses, local gov’t races, more
• Created databases of state’s top 1,000 and 5,000 industry leaders for seminars, newsletters
Editorial intern, City Weekly
• Features on Utah-BYU rivalry resuming, major recycling effort in Utah
• Opinions featured in weekly box where staff gives input on public affairs
Reporter, Rocket-Miner
• Sweetwater County School District No. 2 stories included district administration circulating a flier about closing a school, city building a facility for a company before each voted to do it; board dispute with the teacher association, teachers’ fear of retaliation from superintendent, the meeting between the board and administration begging legal questions on the board’s end; why city brands itself as it does
• City stories included the City of Green River having lined up a plant with a company before even voting on it; why the City of Green River’s liquor ordinance was less restrictive than state law, as they can’t do, according to the city’s own attorney; that a cell-tower ordinance would allow the city to build on any commercial or residential property without approval
• I was called out in board and council meetings for each government (unfortunately, once was slanderous), so that signaled that I was doing my job well
Co-founder & managing editor, Aggie BluePrint
• Created first Utah State University student magazine in recruiting staff of two dozen
• Posted links to stories on website to social media daily; national grant for consecutive print issues
USU athletics correspondent, Standard-Examiner
• I was the beat writer for Div. I football & basketball programs as an undergraduate
• Approximately six dozen stories published; clean copy on tight deadlines
• Tweeted at least a half-dozen updates each quarter; notified on social media channels about updates
Summit, the LDS church saying nothing on the congressional GOP’s efforts on tax reform (they said they would)
Temporary editor, Philipsburg Mail
• Twelve stories per week on county, town government affairs to features about musicians, bike trail builders
• Laid out six or more pages per week of 20-page weekly
• Trained in photography, photos I took were used nearly every issue
Staff writer & senior writer, Utah Statesman
• Led in stories being an editor’s pick in 2010-11 school year
Reporter, Valley Journals
• Wrote 10 stories per week – city council reports, features, sports and more
• Stories included those on South Jordan and Herriman, Utah city affairs that have been in the news since 2015: South Jordan mayor’s creating divisions; alleged bribe in South Jordan race; Herriman reservoir problems; and more
Screenwriter & other positions, “Before Your Time” theatrical film
HONORS & AWARDS: 12 Society of Professional Journalists or Religion Newswriters Association awards over just four years; SPJ judge; featured in “Liberalis” magazine, on KSJD radio; Div. I athlete
RHETT WILKINSON
------------ · ------------
EDUCATION
BS journalism & area certificate, Utah State University
EXPERIENCE
Development & Communications Associate, Project Vote Smart
Self-made Utah Trump resistance reporter
Communications associate, Alliance for a Better Utah
Signature gatherer, Count My Vote
Staff member, Mike Weinholtz for Governor
Staff member, Gary Herbert for Governor
Campaign manager, Michele Weeks for State Senate
Congressional intern, Congressman Rob Bishop
Campaign manager, Jake Garn for Kaysville City Council
Campaign manager, Bruce Davis for Layton City Council
Business, features & sports contributor, Deseret News
• Wrote perhaps the first story about contemporary Utah Transit Authority issues
• Feature, commentary, report featured in USA Today, ESPN, Pew Forum, respectively
• Published in print at least weekly, online multiple times per week
• Gameday coverage of Utah Jazz; University of Utah, BYU, USU athletics
Contributor, Utah Policy Daily
• Wrote stories on Mia Love-Jim Matheson race (first such report in media), perception of Sen. Mike Lee following his leading role in the federal gov’t shutdown, party caucuses, local gov’t races, more
• Created databases of state’s top 1,000 and 5,000 industry leaders for seminars, newsletters
Editorial intern, City Weekly
• Features on Utah-BYU rivalry resuming, major recycling effort in Utah
• Opinions featured in weekly box where staff gives input on public affairs
Reporter, Rocket-Miner
• Sweetwater County School District No. 2 stories included district administration circulating a flier about closing a school, city building a facility for a company before each voted to do it; board dispute with the teacher association, teachers’ fear of retaliation from superintendent, the meeting between the board and administration begging legal questions on the board’s end; why city brands itself as it does
• City stories included the City of Green River having lined up a plant with a company before even voting on it; why the City of Green River’s liquor ordinance was less restrictive than state law, as they can’t do, according to the city’s own attorney; that a cell-tower ordinance would allow the city to build on any commercial or residential property without approval
• I was called out in board and council meetings for each government (unfortunately, once was slanderous), so that signaled that I was doing my job well
Co-founder & managing editor, Aggie BluePrint
• Created first Utah State University student magazine in recruiting staff of two dozen
• Posted links to stories on website to social media daily; national grant for consecutive print issues
USU athletics correspondent, Standard-Examiner
• I was the beat writer for Div. I football & basketball programs as an undergraduate
• Approximately six dozen stories published; clean copy on tight deadlines
• Tweeted at least a half-dozen updates each quarter; notified on social media channels about updates
Summit, the LDS church saying nothing on the congressional GOP’s efforts on tax reform (they said they would)
Temporary editor, Philipsburg Mail
• Twelve stories per week on county, town government affairs to features about musicians, bike trail builders
• Laid out six or more pages per week of 20-page weekly
• Trained in photography, photos I took were used nearly every issue
Staff writer & senior writer, Utah Statesman
• Led in stories being an editor’s pick in 2010-11 school year
Reporter, Valley Journals
• Wrote 10 stories per week – city council reports, features, sports and more
• Stories included those on South Jordan and Herriman, Utah city affairs that have been in the news since 2015: South Jordan mayor’s creating divisions; alleged bribe in South Jordan race; Herriman reservoir problems; and more
Screenwriter & other positions, “Before Your Time” theatrical film
HONORS & AWARDS: 12 Society of Professional Journalists or Religion Newswriters Association awards over just four years; SPJ judge; featured in “Liberalis” magazine, on KSJD radio; Div. I athlete