Annette KURA Cardwell

415-652-1455 | acardwell415@gmail.com

                               

SUMMARY

I am a proven editorial and content leader with 15+ years of experience creating strategies that build audiences, grow brand awareness, and generate revenue. I have a strong passion for smart storytelling, rooted in data and tailored to be effective across diverse distribution channels. With a background in product management, I'm the left brain connection between Content and Product teams, helping them understand each other and work better together.

EXPERIENCE

May 2016-present – Vice President, Content

Brit + Co, San Francisco, CA

  • Lead 12-person editorial team and content strategy for this women’s lifestyle media company with over 8 million monthly uniques and 124 million monthly reach across all channels.

  • Grew organic Google SEO traffic 68% in aggressive traffic diversification project, which allowed us to reduce paid marketing spend by 70%.

  • Aligned video content operation with direct sales opportunity and search strategy to improve overall results, including a 315% lift in O&O video views with an SEO-focused video project

  • Improved content output efficiency through data-driven operational changes, and headed up new teams and processes to expand into Snapchat Discover and new affiliate content partnerships.

  • Key editorial stakeholder who wrote requirements, collaborated on sprint planning, and co-authored QA testing plan for product and engineering teams on CMS and new feature development.

  • Helped drive 55% higher revenue per sale by working closely with sales team on a client-focused editorial calendar built on our core brand strengths, higher-quality premier products, and data insights.

  • Organized content plan and coordinated booking for Brit + Co live events like Create Good and Re:Make.

Nov. 2012-Apr. 2016 – Content Director

FANDOM (Wikia), San Francisco, CA

  • Led 7-person editorial and 6-person UGC content teams for FANDOM by Wikia, a global entertainment media network with over 200 million monthly uniques and over 400,000 fan communities.

  • Founding member of editorial team who created the content workflow, style guide, and cross-functional processes for FANDOM.

  • Key editorial stakeholder who wrote requirements, collaborated on sprint planning, and co-authored QA testing plan for product and engineering teams on CMS and new feature development.

  • Worked closely with with Sales Development to develop editorial calendar and guidelines for content sponsorships and custom native campaigns.

 

April 2011-Nov. 2012 – Director, Digital

Future US, South San Francisco, CA

  • Led a digital expansion strategy for the print gaming and craft brands of this UK-based publishing company.

  • Managed editorial, video, and social teams on day-to-day output of online and mobile content for three print and three online properties.

  • Built centralized short-form video team and strategy that’s shown growth in video views 15% in 2 months of existence and helped anchor key sales programs

Oct. 2007-April 2011 – Director, Yahoo! Shine

Yahoo!, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA                         

  • Led Yahoo! Shine women’s media brand within Yahoo!, growing it from #7 to #2 in the Lifestyle/ Women’s category in Comscore in the first four months. Shine’s revenue grew 40% YoY in 2010 following 34% growth in 2009.

  • Managed content and social strategy that created search-friendly, timely original blog posts, encouraged social distribution, and built a vibrant community.

  • Worked closely with sales and sales development teams to launch a slate of sponsored programs ranging from seasonal events to $1MM+ custom sponsorships.

  • Brokered and managed content-sharing partnerships with major publishers including Conde Nast, Hearst, Rodale, and Meredith. Renegotiated licensing deals to content-for-traffic only to reduce licensing costs.

  • Developed editorial and community-building strategies for launch of Yahoo! Shine, the first audience-centric property in Yahoo!’s history.

  • Set requirements for editorial or UGC feature development and prioritized editorial and UGC bugs with product and development team.

Nov. 2005-Sept. 2007 – Managing Editor, Yahoo! Tech

Yahoo!, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA                        

  • Set editorial strategy for new Tech channel within Yahoo! Media Group, including development of original and partner content, user-generated reviews, and editorial promotion plan.

  • Worked closely with product and engineering teams to develop requirements for publishing tools, metrics reporting, and product database.

  • Recruited, hired, organized, and trained a staff of bloggers. Increased visibility and performance of blogs through search-engine optimization and viral best practices.

Sept. 2002-Nov. 2005 – Product Manager; Special Packages & Front Page Editor

CNET Networks, San Francisco, CA

EDUCATION

Boston University, College of Communication

Bachelor of Science; Major: Journalism