Print This Page
Resumé
JILL MILLER ZIMON
________________________________________________________________________________
e jillzimon@mac.com
EXPERIENCE
Contributing Editor, BlogHer.com, September-November 2008; June 2009-present
- Write, edit and post bi-monthly column about politics for a community of more than ten million readers.
- Wrote original content about the presidential elections.
Political Analyst, 2005-present
- Analyze and assess local, regional and national events, new media and politics. Appearances include CNN, BBC, Radio Ulster, Third Rail Radio, Feagler & Friends, Capitol Square (Ohio) and WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas weekly regional round-up. Profiled for this work by Cleveland Jewish News (2006).
- During the 2008 general presidential election: sole Ohio contributor to Newsweek.com’s The Ruckus, a site that aggregated news and opinion from seven to nine blogs based throughout the country.
- Serve as keynote speaker or panelist at engagements such as American Association of Political Consultants Academic Outreach Conference, Society of Professional Journalists annual conference, Summit County Children and Family Leadership Exchange Media Day and Case Western Reserve University’s Collaboration Summit among others.
- Maintain nationally noted Ohio-based political blog, Writes Like She Talks (July 2005-present).
- Co-blog on The Moderate Voice, also a participant in Newsweek.com’s The Ruckus
Columnist, Contributing Editor, Writer, Cleveland Family, 2004-present
- Research and write column for +85,000 circulation family magazine publisher in Northeastern Ohio. Personal essay column about parenting has won two gold (2004, 2005) and one bronze medal (2007) from the largest national organization for regional parenting publications.
- Feature article topics have included a three-part series on education testing since No Child Left Behind, contributions of art education, summer camp options, independent private schools and the openings of the Ideas Center at Playhouse Square and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Freelance Writer, 2002-present
- Author of articles, op-eds and essays on topics including but not limited to: current affairs, the law, religion, mental health, health care, aging, parenting, writing and general interest.
- Reported on Cleveland Democratic primary debate for Newsweek.com’s The Ruckus participant, The Moderate Voice.
- Published in The Plain Dealer, The Sun Newspapers, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, Quill, ASU Magazine, Suburban Focus, AmeriKidz and other print and online markets.
Blogger, Wide Open, for Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer, 2007
- Assisted in the creation of start-up online media venture initiated by The Plain Dealer in conjunction with cleveland.com.
- Debated politics with partisan thinkers in an online forum through written entries posted several times a day.
- Moderated and engaged in reader-initiated conversation via blog-based comment system.
Storyteller, KnowlegdeWorks Foundation, 2004-2006
- Interviewed, observed, explored and narrated story about the personal impact on teachers, administrators, students, parents and community at a high school affected by the Ohio High School Transformation Initiative, a program supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that promotes the conversion of large urban high schools into several small schools.
- Publication for 2005-2006 academic year received 2007 Silver Award for Excellence in Communications from the Council on Foundations.
Ombudsman; Director of Risk Management, Bellefaire JCB, Shaker Heights, Ohio 1992 – 2000
- Authored memos and briefs for children and family mental health agency that served 6000+ clients annually.
- Wrote or modified contracts with county entities, insurance companies and managed care corporations.
- Wrote and instructed mental health professionals’ in-service training on the topics of duty to warn, legal liability, testifying in court, duty to report.
- Conducted legal and social work triage with clinicians on individual cases in order to secure placement as requested and needed for each child.
- As Ombudsman, nominated for Peter F. Drucker Award in Nonprofit Innovation.
Principal Investigator, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio 1989 – 1995
- Authored grant-winning application for the research, development and training of pediatric health care professionals to identify, assess and intervene on behalf of domestic violence victims.
- Co-authored and taught instruction manual for pediatric health care professionals.
- Wrote progress reports for funding agent.
Kronenberg & Kronenberg, 1991-1995
- Researched, wrote and helped process legal documents pursuant to workload as a law clerk and, after passing the Ohio bar exam, as Of Counsel for small law firm.
- Practice areas included domestic relations, child custody and visitation, and probate.
Yale University Development Office, New Haven, CT 1985 – 1988
- Designed and wrote presentations on trends in corporate and foundation giving.
- Supervised and edited research of Corporate and Foundation Relations staff.
- Wrote biographical, financial and personal histories of Major Gifts prospects.
- Progressed from Researcher in Major Gifts to Director of Research in Corporate and Foundation Relations.
Sherut La’am, 1984-1985
- Participated in year-long volunteer program based in Israel. Attended ulpan (language institute) on Moshav Bar Giora and worked in Levi Eshkol School in Bet Shemesh.
- Worked in the gan (nursery or pre-school) at Kibbutz Gezer.
EDUCATION
- Marcus Leadership Institute, 2006 (B’nai Jeshurun)
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 1992 JD/MSSA (law and social work)
- Georgetown University, College of Arts and Sciences, 1984 Bachelors of Arts, Government and Sociology
HONORS and AWARDS (partial)
2009 Journalist of the Month (Women’s eNews, 3/09)
2008 Most Influential Person in Pepper Pike, Ohio, Sun Newspapers (Chagrin Sun, 1/09)
2008 WE Magazine’s 101 Women to Watch This Fall
2007 Bronze Medal, 35-54K circulation, Parenting Publications of America, Column: Humor
2005 Gold Medal, 35-54K circulation, Parenting Publications of America, Personal Essay
2004 Gold Medal, 55K and up circulation, Parenting Publications of America, Personal Essay
BOARDS, MEMBERSHIPS and LICENSES (partial)
- Trustee, American Jewish Committee (2009-2012)
- Trustee, B’nai Jeshurun Congregation (2006-2009)
- Member, Media Bloggers Association through co-blogger status at The Moderate Voice (2007-present)
- Member, Pepper Pike Democratic Club (2007-present)
- Member, Society of Professional Journalists Cleveland Pro Chapter (2003-present; Board, 2007)
- Member, Poets’ & Writers’ League of Greater Cleveland (2003-present)
- Board Member, Orange Parents Education Network (2000-2006)
- Member, Ohio Bar (admitted November 1992; inactive status since 2005)
- Ohio Licensed Social Worker (1992-2004)
ENGAGEMENTS (partial)
2009 Press, Politics Online Conference
2009 Panelist, Fem2pt0, Working Women and Policy, Washington, D.C.
2009 Speaker, Children and Family Leadership Exchange Media Day, Summit County
2008 Panelist, Ohio Election Summit, presented by NYU’s Brennan Justice Center
2008 Blogger, NPR Election Night Blogger War Room
2008 Speaker, BlogHer Annual Conference, Race and Gender
2008 Speaker, Annual Ohio Women’s Business Conference & Expo
2008 Panelist, Collaboration Symposium, Case Western Reserve University
2008 White House Project Ohio Go Run! Speaker, Attendee
2008 Press corps, WAM!2008 (Women, Action and the Media), at MIT
2008 Press corps, Democratic Primary Debate, Cleveland State University
2008 Speaker, RootscampOH
2007 Keynote panelist, American Association of Political Consultants Academic Outreach, University of Akron, Bliss Institute of Applied Politics
2007 Speaker, Youngstown Press Day
2007 Speaker, RootscampOH
2005 Speaker, Society of Professional Journalists Annual Conference, The Business of Freelancing

