Writer, Producer, Editor, Story Consultant
As the head of podcasting for AL.com, John is responsible for developing and producing podcasts and video series across the AL.com newsroom, including the flagship daily news podcast “Down in Alabama.”
John developed and launched “Beat Everyone,” an Alabama football podcast which reached #12 on the Apple Podcast charts for all football podcasts. John has developed and produced four narrative series for AL.com and Reckon, including the Murrow Award-winning series, “Unjustifiable.” John is responsible for assembling each team of hosts, producers, sound designers, editors, composers, and artists to build the podcast from start to finish. John joins reporters in the field to conduct interviews, works with them to storyboard, write and edit scripts, works with sound engineers to ensure that the team’s vision for the podcast is fully realized. John also plans and coordinates marketing and promotion for the launch of each series.
John co-founded the Reckon News brand which began as a social vertical for AL.com before spinning off into its own presence with 30+ reporters around the nation. At its peak, Reckon had 250,000 subscribers across its suite of newsletters. Reckon secured major grants from the Google News Initiative, Facebook, the Solutions Journalism Network and others.
As an editor at Reckon, John oversaw a team of reporters, columnists, videographers and social strategists to produce investigative news, essays and analysis. The team launched video series, podcasts and newsletters, and earned premier national awards, including a Pulitzer Prize. John was the host of the Reckon Interview podcast. He also planned and executed multiple live events including two gubernatorial debates.
John joined Alabama Media Group in 2015 as an editorial writer and managed guest opinion prior to spearheading the launch of Reckon. John is a two-time winner of the International News Media Association’s award for Best of Video, a winner of the Green Eyeshade Award for Best Editorial Writing in the Southeast and a finalist for the Scripps Howard Award for Opinion Writing.
He helps readers and listeners understand big picture ideas through historical analysis, policy deep dives and conversation.
Head of Podcasting, Alabama Media Group
2024 – Current
Responsible for developing and producing podcasts and video series across the AL.com newsroom, including our flagship daily news podcast “Down in Alabama.”
Developed and launched “Beat Everyone,” an Alabama football podcast that reached #12 on the Apple Podcast charts for all football podcasts.
Co-created and executive-produced “American Shrapnel,” a forthcoming podcast and video documentary series about the radicalization of serial bomber Eric Robert Rudolph.
Responsible for every aspect of podcasting including development, production, editing, set design, training and development, marketing and outreach.
Freelance Producer
2022 – Current
Developed, pitched, produced and wrote ten episodes of the hit CNN series, "Downside Up," hosted by Chris Cillizza.
Developed, pitched, produced and wrote ten episodes for the inaugural season of Downside Up, CNN series hosted by Chris Cillizza.
Developed a podcast on cybersecurity with Pod People and former New York Times reporter.
Consulted on the hit podcasts, "The Mayor of Maple Ave." and "Father Wants Us Dead."
Produce Cube Show, an independent college football podcast hosted by ESPN analyst Cole Cubelic.
Co-Founder, Reckon
2017 – 2024
Led a team of reporters, columnists, videographers and social strategists to produce investigative news coverage and to launch video series, podcasts and newsletters. Four members of our original team won Pulitzer Prizes. The team grew to more than 30 reporters in 14 cities around the country. We grew a subscriber base of 250,000 readers across our newsletters.
Reckon secured major grants from the Google News Initiative, Facebook, the International Center for Journalists, the Solutions Journalism Network and others.
Wrote and produced national award-winning pieces across print, video and audio, including the contribution of additional reporting and video production to a 2021 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting winning investigation of police dog violence.
Launched Reckon Radio, our podcasting arm, with a narrative series about a secret society at the University of Alabama. In just three years, we built an audio team that had produced four narrative series, including “Unjustifiable,” the winner of the 2021 National Murrow Award for Best Podcast. I was responsible for building the production team, script development and supervision, audio editing, as well as marketing and publicity.
Produced and hosted the six seasons of the Reckon Interview, a weekly longform interview series.
Coordinated the collection and publication of 200 guest essays from women all across Alabama in response to the state’s passage of the nation’s strictest abortion law. In just 72 hours, we solicited, edited, built social cards, and published all 200 submissions – the first time the Birmingham News’ print edition had ever been entirely dedicated to women’s voices.
Planned and executed multiple live events including two gubernatorial debates.
Producer, Writer, Chasing Corruption
2018
Developed, produced and co-wrote two seasons of Chasing Corruption, a Reckon video series highlighting the importance of local journalism commissioned by Facebook for its Watch platform. After the success of season one, Facebook renewed the show for a second season. The series was recognized as Best in North America at the Global Media Awards
Editorial Writer, Opinions Editor, AL.com
2015 – Current
Lead writer for all of AL.com and Birmingham News editorials, including the institutional response to the allegations against Roy Moore which was read more than 500,000 times and was published above the fold in our print editions and recognized with multiple awards and honors.
Responsible for a team of in-house columnists and soliciting guest opinions. While I was their editor, our columnists secured Pulitzer Prizes for Commentary, a MOLLY Award and a Walker Stone prize, among others.
Represented the brand on panels and speaking engagements as well as TV and radio appearances, including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and NPR.
Account Executive, Text100 (Now Archetype)
2013 – 2014
Primarily servicing the Cisco and Jive Software accounts across multiple business units, I specialized in B2B technology communications strategy. My responsibilities included media relations, messaging and platform development, strategic counsel and content creation, including the creation and implementation of a messaging platform for Cisco’s Senior Vice President, Security Business Group, focused on the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape.
Content & Experience Strategist, Seven Design
2012-2013
With Seven Design, I managed copywriting, content development, social media and engagement strategy. I also oversaw the firm’s new business outreach, producing and conducting new business proposals and client presentations. I planned and coordinated logistics for Visa’s annual Financial Literacy & Education Summit, cohosted with the Chicago Federal Reserve.
Assistant Account Executive, VOX Global
2011 – 2012
As part of the Financial Services team, I coordinated issue advocacy campaigns, provided strategic political insight for corporate philanthropy, provided analysis for complex data systems, and delivered daily media and issues analyses to inform clients of financial trends. I consulted on an advocacy campaign to delay debit interchange regulation—hailed by Politico and The Hill as the year’s largest legislative policy campaign.