Resume

Megan Rubiner Zinn

mrzinn88 at gmail dot com
Twitter: @mrzinn and @HistoryOnWry

I write, I edit, and I research. Humor, history, bios, university communications, marketing and development copy, headlines, social media posts, and essays. I love to put words together and find the best way to communicate an idea or tell a story. I can adopt any voice and engage various target audiences. For me, the thrill of writing is to explore the topic, dig out an irresistible story, and find just the right words to make it not only understandable, but also compelling and indelible.

My broad experience makes me versatile and great at cocktail parties: masters in American Studies, writer, folk music publicist, Smithsonian intern, university advisor and instructor, social media maven, history geek, synagogue vice-president, pie-maker.

Experience

Freelance Writer and Editor

Clients include:

University of Massachusetts Amherst (1999-present): Writing and editing content for publications, e-blasts, and websites targeted to prospective and current students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff; writing case statements, newsletter articles, marketing materials, and acknowledgement letters for development campaigns. Campus clients have included Student Affairs, University Advancement, University Relations, the Graduate School, the College of Education, and the College of Information and Computer Science.

Smith College School for Social Work (2014-present): Writing articles and content for the SCSSW website and articles for InDepth, the school’s alumni magazine.

Greenfield Community College (2020-present): Writing college press releases as well as profiles of students, faculty, alumni, and academic programs for college marketing.

University of Michigan (2017-present): Writing feature articles and donor profiles for the psychology department newsletters.

Knock Knock (2011-present): Writing content for a publisher of witty and wry books.

PaintBox Theatre (2014-2018): Leading marketing campaigns for children’s theater company.

Gina-Louise Sciarra Mayoral Campaign, Northampton, MA (2021): Co-managed social media strategy and created social media content.

David Narkewicz Mayoral Campaign, Northampton, MA (2011, 2013, 2017): Wrote press releases, e-blasts, and Facebook content; edited print and digital collateral.

Loyola Marymount University School of Film & Television (2013): Wrote content for the college’s website, promoting undergraduate and graduate programs to prospective students.

Massachusetts Sesquicentennial Commission of the American Civil War (2012): Researched and wrote content for the Massachusetts Civil War website.

Massachusetts Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (2008): Researched and wrote content for Massachusetts’ Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission website.

Director of Publicity, Red House Records (1994-1998):
(staff position)
Coordinated publicity strategy for independent record company; established national reputation for label; wrote and edited marketing materials; secured coverage on National Public Radio and in Rolling Stone, People, Musician, and the New York Times; contributed to label’s first Grammy Award, for Rambling Jack Elliott’s 1995 album South Coast.

Writing Samples

Four-legged Colleagues: Alums Embrace Animal-Assisted Therapy, InDepth Magazine, Smith College School for Social Work

Racial Justice and Youth Voices at Heart of Research and Scholarship, UMass Amherst College of Education website

Alum Plays Key Role in Covid-19 Testing and Vaccinations, Greenfield Community College website

CICS Alumni are Broadening Access to Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital, Significant Bits Newsletter, Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences

Publications

Our Precious Pooper: A Brutally Honest Journal of Baby’s First Few Years

Essays have appeared in the New York Times, Different Leaf, Cognoscenti, Salon, Jezebel, DAME, Grown & Flown, The Haven, and The Establishment.

Education

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
M.A. in American Studies

University of Michigan,
Residential College, Ann Arbor
B.A. in English and Social Science