Karen Grigsby
Smyrna
Summary
Meticulous and thoughtful copy editor with more than 25 years of experience. Dedicated to helping newsrooms and organizations best tell their stories through clear and compelling content.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Digital content manager and copy editor
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
01.2024 - Current
- Update and manage multiple department websites
- Lead department’s ADA website compliance efforts
- Write in-depth articles about the department’s initiatives as well as monthly unemployment news releases
- Copy edit additional news releases, emails, and department communications
Freelance copy editor
NerdWallet
10.2023 - Current
- Fact-check articles about travel rewards
- Upload articles to WordPress
Assigning editor
The Penny Hoarder
08.2022 - 08.2023
- Worked with writers and other editors to develop articles on ways to make and save money
- Edited stories and newsletters for accuracy, wrote headlines and optimized stories using SEO best practices
- Launched and temporarily led a universal copy desk for another part of the parent company
Editor
Main Street Nashville
02.2021 - 07.2022
- Served as news editor before being promoted to editor
- Developed story ideas and coached five reporters
- Edited stories for accuracy, clarity and fairness
- Created social media posts, managed the website, and researched and wrote a look-back piece
Copy editor and digital producer
The Tennessean
07.2002 - 09.2020
- Served as the go-to copy editor on all special sections, watchdog investigations and sensitive stories
- Edited stories and wrote headlines for print and online for six daily publications
- Optimized stories for online, wrote stories using the newspaper archives and created social videos
- Served as night editor from 2008 to 2012, supervising a staff of 12 to 15 copy editors
Adjunct professor of editing
Middle Tennessee State University
01.2019 - 05.2019
Copy editor and page designer
The Naples Daily News
12.1999 - 07.2002
Reporter and copy editor
The News-Enterprise in Elizabethtown, Ky.
01.1999 - 11.1999
Education
Bachelor of Arts - print journalism
Western Kentucky University
12-1998
Skills
- Copy editing
- Associated Press style
- Search engine optimization
- WordPress, Adobe Experience Manager
- Website accessibility compliance
- Adobe Analytics
- Attention to detail
- Critical thinking
Affiliations
ACES: The Society for Editing
References
- Tiffany Wendeln Connors, senior managing editor, The Penny Hoarder, 212-361-9602
- Maria De Varenne, senior partner, FINN Partners, 615-651-2088
Awards
- Headline Writer of the Year, ACES: The Society for Editing, 2022
- First place, headline writing, Tennessee Press Association, 2015 and 2017
- Pulitzer Prize finalist for contribution to The Tennessean’s 2010 flood coverage
Timeline
Digital content manager and copy editor
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
01.2024 - Current
Freelance copy editor
NerdWallet
10.2023 - Current
Assigning editor
The Penny Hoarder
08.2022 - 08.2023
Editor
Main Street Nashville
02.2021 - 07.2022
Adjunct professor of editing
Middle Tennessee State University
01.2019 - 05.2019
Copy editor and digital producer
The Tennessean
07.2002 - 09.2020
Copy editor and page designer
The Naples Daily News
12.1999 - 07.2002
Reporter and copy editor
The News-Enterprise in Elizabethtown, Ky.
01.1999 - 11.1999
Bachelor of Arts - print journalism
Western Kentucky University