Q. MCELROY RESUME: My Digital Media Experience, Leadership And Background

I am a Digital Media leader rooted in ethical journalism and data-driven decisions. I started as a copyeditor and content editor before attaining multiple leadership roles. For me, collaboration and communication are critical to success.

REVIEW DETAILS BELOW OR DOWNLOAD THE PDF

I’ve created strategies to help dozens of brands grow audiences using content optimization, affiliate partnerships, newsletters, social media, SEO and YouTube.

For instance, I led CMG’s partnership with LiftIgniter, a content personalization tool, which helped TV stations gain nearly 1 million monthly incremental views. The brands also saw up to 400% increase in click-through rate, while meeting our RPM-based business goals.

At CMG-Ohio, digital visits grew nearly 20% year-over-year under my guidance, and our media websites won several prestigious awards.

EXPERTISE

• LEADERSHIP
• COMMUNICATION
• AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
• DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGY
• DATA ANALYSIS
• CONTENT OPTIMIZATION
• CONTENT CREATION
• EDITING

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Digital Strategy Consultant

Remote | July 2020 – Current

• Poynter (March 2022-Current): Instructor, 1-1 coach for Lead With Influence
• AZPBS.org (July-Dec. 2020): Executed strategic plans for metrics/dashboards, site management, workflow and structure; also coached digital leadership

Director, Audience Development

Cox Media Group Corporate HQ | Atlanta, GA | April 2018 – November 2019

• Optimized affiliate partnerships, such as the email acquisition tool Digioh, which led to 20,000 new subscribers and a conversion rate 2X the average
• Engaged audiences through newsletters, mobile channels, SEO, social media and audience platforms such as YouTube and Reddit
• Documented and trained on best practices to develop digital audiences

Director, Engagement & Optimization

Cox Media Group Corporate HQ | Atlanta, GA | February 2017 – April 2018

• Worked with experimental audience developers called “growth hackers”
• Led “evergreen” project to create customized SEO-optimized content for 10 TV markets; grew incremental traffic 4% to 70% and Google SERP rankings
• Conducted vendor experiments and analyses with revenue-based goals that led to the adoption of new tools and practices
• Facilitated training for analytics tools (Chartbeat and CrowdTangle) and digital strategies (mobile push alerts)

Sr. Director, Digital Strategy & Performance

Cox Media Group-Ohio | Dayton, OH | September 2011 – February 2017

• Created and implemented multi-brand strategy that helped generate 165M annual visits and 10.4M video views, which translated to 43% growth
• Managed cross-functional team of 30, with three director-level direct reports
• Developed data-based best practices for content creation and display
• Collaborated with Sales on sponsorships, native advertising and other campaigns that helped gain $1.4M revenue growth
• Established effective processes for mobile content/apps, social media, SEO, research/metrics, digital product development, innovation and technology
• Launched several new products, including Dayton.com and the K99 radio app, partly by leading millennial brainstorms and community hackathons
• Coached employees to promotions; 25% of my team – including me – consistently tapped as “high potential”
• Created a new digital-first department from inception, including creating new roles, job descriptions, incentive plans and digital simulations for hiring

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES

Multiple companies | Variety of locations

• Served as AJC.com’s Opinion/Insight Manager April 2009-2011, when I managed the digital transition of 16 columnists/bloggers by devising aggressive content strategies to increase blog views up to 250% YoY
• Served as AJC.com’s Sr. Manager of Planning 2008-2009, when I created coverage plans for major news/entertainment events and collaborated with multiple departments to leverage resources and resolve problems quickly
• Additional AJC roles included Copy Editor, accessAtlanta Editor and Nightlife/Pop Music Editor
• Completed multiple internships including the Dow Jones Copy Editing Internship (The Standard Times, New Bedford, MA); Editorial Intern, Essence Magazine (NYC); and Editorial Intern, Arthritis Today Magazine (Atlanta)
• Avid traveler and mentor/coach to digital media leaders
• I manage a growing online resell business and am a Georgia Notary Public

EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• A.B. | Journalism, University of Georgia
• Poynter-NABJ Leadership Academy
• The Diverse Future Leadership Program
• Emerging Leader Program, University of Dayton
• Powermind Fellowship, NAA
• American Press Institute
• International Women’s Media Institute (Chicago)

IN THE NEWS

ONA20 Conference: Facilitator of “…Reimagining Remote Work Culture” session

APME NewsTrain: Presenter of “Mobile Storytelling” journalism training

NetNewsCheck: Featured in “WHIO Dominates Dayton Ohio’s Social Media”

ASSOCIATIONS

Online News Association

National Association of Black Journalists

Motherless Daughters Foundation (Non-Profit), Volunteer

CONTACT INFO

Email: qmcelroy@gmail.com

Also: Linkedin.com/in/qmcelroy