Rachel Hale

Experience

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  U.S. Figure Skating Association

  Jan 2017 - Mar 2020

  Seven Bridges Ice Arena Figure Skating Coach

  As a Seven Bridges Ice Arena coach, I created lesson plans for skaters age 3 through 12, worked with adapted skating classes, and helped with events like the holiday ice show and spring ice show.

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  Naperville North High School

  Jan 2018 - Aug 2020

  Throughout my time as Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper, I found that the most important articles I wrote were those that resonated with the people around me. As an upperclassmen, I discussed racism in “Changing racism starts with us,” the staff editorial I wrote after a racist Buffalo Wild Wings encounter occurred within my town, and led coverage of a District lawsuit over wrongful suicide in a series of breaking articles. Later that year, I used my background in this topic to write a New York Times Letter to the Editor, “The Crisis in Youth Suicide.” In multiple cases, we were the first Chicago newspaper to break a story, as was the case when I saw a crash on my drive home from school and wrote “Naperville North student, other bystanders pull man out of fiery crash.” Throughout the pandemic, I adjusted our content to reach more viewers across social media, filming new “Heads up Huskies” informational briefs and sending out daily COVID-10 newsletters to inform our community. Show less

  • North Star Editor-in-Chief

    May 2019 - Aug 2020

  • North Star Managing Editor

    May 2018 - May 2019

  • North Star Staff Writer

    Jan 2018 - May 2018
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  Color of Music Collective

  Aug 2020 - Nov 2020

  Graphic Designer

  Color of Music Collective is an up and coming organization that works to bring LGBTQ+ and POC voices to light in the music industry. I create graphics for social media that highlight up and coming artists and events.

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  MODA Magazine

  Sept 2020 - Jun 2023

  Led pitch process and edited 200+ stories in culture section for content, AP style, proximity to campusCovered arts and culture beat for 20 editions; story topics include: music history, body image, psychedelic usage. Designed editorial photo shoots including outfit selection, modeling, and color arrangement Assisted Culture Editor in guiding section meetings, pitch process, and editing. Wrote about politics, activism, and social culture in a way that pertained to UW Madison's student body.

  • Culture Editor

    Jun 2021 - Jun 2023

  • Culture Editorial Assistant

    Sept 2020 - May 2021
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  University of Wisconsin Hillel Foundation

  Jan 2021 - May 2022

  Student Participant: Kol Yisrael, Social Justice, Shabbat Hosting Lab fellowships

  Shabbat Hosting Lab (senior year): participated in 10-week cohort learning fellowship that explored the history and traditions of Shabbat. Learned from historical texts and designed and executed Shabbat dinner events where I worked to facilitate a table experience as a host.Kol Yisrael course (sophomore year): focused on Israel’s minority groups in 6 week cohort: Holocaust survivors, Mizrachim, Ethiopians, Russians, Arab-Israelis, and Druze; gave class commencement speech at graduation.Social Justice course (freshman year): participated in 10-week seminar discussing Jewish texts through the lens of race, gender, and income. Show less

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  Sifting & Winnowing Foundation

  Jan 2021 - May 2021

  Policy Memorandum Writer

  As a participant of the 2021 UW-Madison Spring Ideas Conference, I headed a public policy memorandum "Comprehensive Antisemitism Education required to combat rising Hate" for publication in Sifting and Winnowing, the Wisconsin Undergraduate Journal of Law, Political Science and Public Policy. I also attended panels on Public Policy in Research, Election Security and Reform, and Crisis Management and COVID-19.

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  The Forward

  May 2021 - Apr 2022

  Following summer 2021 internship, continued contributing to The Forward as a freelance writer. Covered university campus beat, zionism and free speech, Russia and Ukraine, Olympics Communicated with team of 17 reporters at America’s oldest Jewish publication to report 30 stories on college campus beat. Tracked trends of shifting support for Israel and covered universities’ departmental statements on Israel and Gaza. Continued freelance work and published 6 stories including on the Russia-Ukraine war’s impact on the Jewish diaspora, a profile with Olympian Jason Brown and breaking incidents of antisemitism at Indiana and the Ohio University.

  • Freelance Writer

    Sept 2021 - Apr 2022

  • News Intern

    May 2021 - Aug 2021
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  Chi Omega Fraternity, Nu Chapter

  Oct 2021 - May 2024

  Active Member- Fundraise for Make-A-Wish- Fundraise for Dane County Boys and Girls Club through Humorology group- Attend weekly chapter meetings Educated Chi Omega Bu's new pledge class on history and traditions of Chi Omega. Met with regional and national Chi Omega facilitators. Coordinated bid day theme and events as well as owl pal dates and initiation.

  • Member

    Oct 2020 - May 2024

  • New Member Educator

    Oct 2021 - Aug 2022
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  The Daily Cardinal

  Dec 2021 - May 2024

  Develop stories on state politics beat in a key swing state. Coverage included reporting on Jill Biden’s visit to Madison from the presidential motorcade and delving into an explainer on efforts to impeach Janet Protasiewicz. Reported 3 stories from the first presidential debate in Milwaukee, which included speaking with Moms for Liberty national founders and covering protests and events at bars around the city. Contributed seven pieces between January and April of 2022 about student life at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from COVID-19 testing protocol to how the pandemic is impacting students studying abroad.

  • Senior State News and Campus Reporter

    Aug 2023 - May 2024

  • Campus News Writer

    Dec 2021 - Aug 2023
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  The Times of Israel

  Jun 2022 - Aug 2022

  Social Media Intern

  Worked between Tel Aviv and ToI’s office in Jerusalem. Posted content to ToI’s audiences of 1.1 million followers on Facebook and 83.8 thousand followers on Instagram. Managed ToI’s socials included choosing which stories to push out, publishing breaking news alerts, creating social media posting schedules, and writing captions for social media posts.Some areas of growth on ToI’s platforms during my internship include:Introducing a linkinbio that increases engagement from photos to articles on the siteBoosted account engagement by 22.4% on InstagramBoosted accounts reached by 13.8% on InstagramIntroduced slider posts on InstagramPitched new content regarding Instagram Tik Tok, Telegram, and graphic designSat in on editorial pitch meetings, created a staff social media handles spreadsheet to tag staff accounts in content, and had the chance to attend and post live converge from a July ToI@10 live event, “Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: Myth-busting the Holy City’s Destructions.” Show less

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  UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication

  Sept 2022 - Dec 2022

  Content Writing Intern

  Create digital content that highlights journalism courses, faculty, and alumni for school’s website and social media. Also promote and attend events for the J-school and communicate with professors, alumni, and community members

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  Miami Design District

  Sept 2022 - now

  Writer

  Write pieces covering art and fashion news in Miami's Design District for The District Blog, the online sector of Design District Magazine, the leading destination for the best of Miami's art, design, culture, food and fashion.

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  Madison Commons

  Sept 2022 - Dec 2022

  Writer

  Wrote feature stories on the arts and culture beat for the Madison Commons, Dane County's student-led news source.

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  CET Academic Programs

  Jan 2023 - May 2023

  Student

  Took classes in Italian and European Politics, Florence History, Italian Culture, and Italian language.

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  POLITICO

  May 2023 - Jun 2023

  Journalism Institute Participant

  Participated and heard from reporters and newsroom leaders in 27 panels. Shadowed POLITICO’s The Long Game newsletter; contributed reporting and received edits from editors. Wrote Q and A on sustainable fashion that headed the July 19th version of The Long Game.

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  Wisconsin Watch

  Jun 2023 - Jun 2024

  Investigative Reporting Intern

  Led two-month investigation into Moms for Liberty picked up by 2 TV stations and 7 newspapers around the state and reported in-depth portrait of postpartum Medicaid in Wisconsin. Contributed fact-checking, sourcing and reporting to 11 policy-driven stories in “Unhealthy Wisconsin” series. Provide Gigafact fact checks, including correcting a false claim viewed over 2 million times on Twitter from a campus protest.

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  Curb Magazine

  Sept 2023 - Dec 2023

  Copy Editor

  Selected as one of 25 students on 2023 team, which produced an annual magazine entirely created and funded by students. Edited features, multimedia and business content, produced copy for various products and wrote headlines and captions. Contributed four-page spread story and original photographs of a barbershop in Milwaukee reducing racial health disparities through a wellness clinic.

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  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

  May 2024 - now

  State Government and Politics Intern

  Produced daily political coverage of statewide races and the presidential election from a key swing stateAttended political events, press conferences, and hearings to report breaking news

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  Association of Health Care Journalists

  Jun 2024 - now

  Wisconsin Health Journalism Fellow

  1 of 10 journalists selected to take part in the Wisconsin Health Journalism FellowshipAttend 2024 Health Journalism Conference in New York City June 6-9Continue participating in AHCJ’s Mentorship Program and other cohort experiences through December