MARTIN RICARD
510-432-5481 | mkricard@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/martinricard
Savvy communications professional with more than 10 years of media experience across the
journalism, public relations and social media industries. Proven ability to combine very traditional
but essential journalism skills with mastery of multimedia. Expertise in developing creative
communications strategies that grow audiences and provide new narratives for communities
desperate for quality and accuracy. Skills include:
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Strategic communications planning
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Database management
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Media relations
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Video production
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Web design
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Graphic design
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Social media
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Community organizing
EXPERIENCE
OAKLAND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, OAKLAND, CA
Communications Specialist
2012-2014
Hired to develop a communications strategy and infrastructure to amplify the organizing
messages of OCO and PICO. Produced written and visual content related to Web and email
communications. Also wrote press releases and manage media strategy to build out the
organization’s public narrative. Managed website and online organizing for nonprofit. Managed
social media operations for nonprofit.
Key Contributions:
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Doubled e-newsletter subscribers within a year by streamlining all of the organization’s
previously disjointed contacts
Successfully organized Facebook ad campaign that generated 483 new Likes and
reached over 22,000 people.
Redesigned OCO’s website to give the organization a more modern, robust design and
saved the organization $1,000 in the process.
Created strategic communications plan for OCO and six other PICO organizations to
standardize all media relations operations.
Responsible for getting more than 12 stories about OCO in the news media.
MARTIN RICARD — PAGE 3
510-432-5481 | mkricard@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/martinricard
PATCH.COM, SAN BRUNO, CA
Local Editor
2010-2012
Recruited to run a local news site for an AOL startup company. Provided an invaluable source of
trusted information to improve people’s lives, reinventing community journalism in San Bruno.
Continually increased number of followers and user engagement with the site, generating an
average of 5,000 to 10,000 UVs a month and gaining more than 800 Facebook fans within two
years.
Key Contributions:
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Served as the site’s main reporter, social media guru and blogger manager.
Managed, directed and motivated a team of freelancers and managed a budget.
Led the coverage for San Bruno’s biggest disaster in its history—the 2010 PG&E pipeline
explosion—which gained an overall excellence award from the regional press club.
TAVIS SMILEY GROUP, LOS ANGELES, CA
Web Content Editor
2011-2012
Joined team to create an interactive website that allowed people throughout the country to build
discussions around Tavis Smiley Reports' “Too Important to Fail” PBS primetime special, which
put a spotlight on how America could advance the well-being of African American youth with
better education.
Key Contributions:
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Researched, wrote and developed the content plan for TooImportanttoFail.com.
Monitored site traffic, managed user comments, edited and uploaded clips, and
developed weekly traffic reports.
Grew the site’s Facebook page to more than 500 Likes in six months.
WASHINGTON POST, WASHINGTON, DC
Reporter
2009
Hired as part of an exclusive group of emerging journalists to gain experience in a large-market
media outlet and to work with the famous City Desk.
Key Contributions:
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Wrote more than 25 general assignment, development and transportation stories,
including a front-page story
OAKLAND NORTH, BERKELEY, CA
Reporter/Editor
2008-2010
Co-founded a hyperlocal news site for the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Provided
innovative and accurate coverage to an area that had been historically neglected by the news
media.
Key Contributions:
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Produced and edited more than 20 stories that expanded the news coverage for North
Oakland.
MARTIN RICARD — PAGE 3
510-432-5481 | mkricard@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/martinricard
EDUCATION
Master of Journalism. May 2010
B.A. History, 2004
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Fellow, Winter 2006
FREEDOM FORUM DIVERSITY INSTITUTE
REFERENCES
Ron Snyder, Former Executive Director, Oakland Community Organizations, 510 205-5555,
oakcomorg@aol.com
Roberta Furger, Director of Organizing and Policy, PICO California, 916-396-9988,
roberta@picocalifornia.org
Kamika Dunlap, Project Manger/Community Relations, A Squared Ventures, 510-282-7321,
kamikadunlap@gmail.com