Cecilia M. Fernandez
1801 Water Ridge Drive ? Weston, FL 33326 ? (954) 249-7251 ? fernandezcm@bellsouth.net
Bilingual, Emmy Nominated, versatile communicator in both print and broadcast media with three decades of experience as writer, reporter, producer, and anchor, excelling in interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills. Published literature and composition professor. Problem solver. Creative thinker.
_________________________PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE______________________________
Independent Writer -Producer-Promoter-Voice Over Talent 2008 – present
Print and Video: news reports, feature articles, corporate communications, medical writing.
Finalist: 2011 Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Book Prize, Nonfiction Category
______________________________ MEDICAL SALES EXPERIENCE_________________________
Merck & Co., Inc, Hialeah, FL 1999 – 2008
Senior Professional Sales Representative
Top sales performer: Winner of the 2005 Director’s Award (top 25% in the nation), the 2004 and 2002 Vice President’s Club Awards (top 10% in the nation), rep trainer and interviewer.
______________________________JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE_____________________________
ACJ Communications, Inc., Miami, FL 1992 – 1999
Producer / Promoter
Reported, wrote, anchored, produced and sold television and radio reports for international, national and local broadcast companies such as NBC News Channel, Telemundo Productions, Inc., The Public Broadcasting System, WLTV, and WCIX-TV, including hourly news briefs and medical segments.
• Received an Emmy nomination for Medical Reporting from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 1994.
• Facilitated journalism and writing workshops at Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade colleges.
• Presented original literary critical research papers at Emory University, Hofstra University, and Florida State University, 1996; Awarded a Fellowship for Independent Summer Study by the National Endowment for the Humanities, 1997
WSCV-TV, Hialeah, FL 1990 – 1992
Reporter – Political Correspondent
Reported, wrote and produced daily news stories, specializing in political coverage. Covered the Florida State Legislature, the National Democratic Convention, local and presidential elections, Operation Desert Storm, Hurricane Andrew, the drug trafficking trial of Panamanian dictator Noriega and the **** trial of William Kennedy Smith. Substituted anchor for the six o’clock news.
WPBT-TV, Miami, FL 1988 – 1990
Senior Producer – Reporter
Supervised a staff of reporters, producers, photographers, editors and graphic artists in the weekly production of Camera 2, a regional news-magazine program, elevating the viewership ratings from 1 to 7.
Anchored and produced live political forums and weekly talk shows such as Issues in the Media.
Cecilia M. Fernandez 954) 249-7251 Page 2
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WSVN-TV, Miami, FL 1984 – 1988
Reporter
Reported, wrote and produced daily news stories, and special reports on topics such as teenage *******, immigration issues, hostage situations, drug raids, hurricanes, and local elections.
• Anchored and produced Impacto, a weekly Hispanic public affairs program with live audience.
• Substitute anchor on morning and noon newscasts.
• Received the Otto Sirgo Award for Reporting: Association of International Critics, 1986.
The Associated Press Broadcast Services, Washington, DC 1983 – 1984
Writer – Producer
Wrote and produced radio newscasts featuring the hour’s major breaking and developing national and international news stories.
The Nightly Business Report, WPBT-TV, Miami, FL 1980 – 1983
Reporter – Field Producer
Reported and produced news and in-depth reports on the major economic and business stories of the day for broadcast in more than 300 markets nationwide.
• Supervised associate producers on special assignment and worked with national correspondents in developing and executing business news stories.
• Received Dartmouth University’s Champion Tuck Award: Honorable Mention for Television, and the Scripps-Howard Award: News Writer of the Month.
The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA 1978 – 1980
Reporter
Reported and wrote news and feature stories including the national stories of the Nicaraguan Sandinista Movement, the double ****** of Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the People’s Temple mass *******, and follow-ups to the kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst.
The Stockton Record, Stockton, CA 1976 – 1978
Reporter
Reported and wrote general assignment news and feature stories, focusing on education and the once-ignored Mexican-American community, giving it voice for the first time in the newspaper’s history.
____________________________________EDUCATION______________________________________
Florida International University, Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing Miami, FL
University of Miami, Master of Arts English Literature Coral Gables, FL
Teaching Assistantship and Full-Tuition Scholarship
University of California, Bachelor of Arts Journalism Berkeley, CA