SYDNEY M. HARPEr
EDUCATION
University of Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh, PA
Graduated: May 2017
GPA: 3.79/4.0
Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude
Major: Political Science | Digital Media Studies
WORK EXPERIENCE
The New York Times (NYT) - Washington, D.C.
December 2019 - Present
Producer - The Daily and The Latest
Work with the outstanding team behind The Daily, a daily documentary podcast and radio show focused on tapping into the expertise of NYT reporters, and diving deep into understanding the news and the human stories that help to explain it. I help script 2-ways between guests and the host, Michael Barbaro, pull relevant archival tape for episodes, pre-interview reporters, cut and edit audio, and ensure quality episodes come together on a wide array of subjects including the war in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the first American city to pass a reparations plan for Black Americans, the historic protests in Belarus in summer 2020, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6th.
Produce The Latest, a breaking news show initially created to provide listeners with informative and thoughtful updates during the first U.S. impeachment trial of President Trump. Once the trial ended, The Latest pivoted and became a show about the big moments that need short and well-reported episodes hosted by the top-notch reporters found in the Times newsroom.
Produce segments of the NYT Audio property Still Processing, a show hosted by two NYT culture writers, Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris. I worked with the Senior Producer to cut together segments of the show, from listener call-in collages to regular segments of the show.
National Public Radio (NPR) - Washington, D.C.
April 2018 – December 2019
Production Assistant - Morning Edition
Produced Up First, NPR’s daily morning news podcast that reaches millions of listeners each week. As the sole producer on the pod, I was responsible for making sure that all the sound in the show was timely, meaningful, and of a quality that met NPR broadcast standards. Every day, the show was taped live at 5 AM where I then polished it, refined it, edited it with the editor and hosts, and then mixed it to NPR standards on a crash deadline for publish at 6 AM.
Closely monitored domestic and international news to pitch creative angles for NPR coverage of the day's top stories; identified under-covered conversations to help NPR stay on top of developing threads and cover emerging stories
Produced audio for air using broadcast recording equipment and studios to tape conversations under varying recording conditions (2-ways, remote guests, remote hosts, 3-ways, Facetime, Skype, Comrex, Report It, etc.)
Coordinated with editors to book guests for the shows; write scripts for interviews on topics ranging from books and movies to breaking news stories, ensuring well-researched and accurate broadcast copy gets delivered to hosts
National Public Radio (NPR)- Washington, D.C.
January 2018-April 2018
Intern and News Assistant - Weekend All Things Considered
Exercised editorial judgement to research and pitched timely news segments in daily meetings with show staff and show host, Michel Martin; worked during shows to support the host by running scripts and troubleshooting with producers as events occur and news breaks
Produced host/guest interviews from pitch to broadcast; edited reporter pieces for air, pulling together ambient sound, voice tracks, and interview soundbites in a packaged piece for NPR’s flagship evening show
Worked closely with editors and producers to coordinate logistics for weekly national broadcast; corresponded with NPR member stations across the country to collect tape, and worked to schedule interviews with high profile guests including U.S. senators, representatives and former international heads of state
FleishmanHillard- Washington, D.C.
June 2017- January 2018
Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellow
Provided coordination between clients, brands, and celebrities; corresponded with media contacts and outside vendors to secure placements for large corporate clients in regional papers and national outlets including USA Today
Developed deliverables, managed daily client-facing responsibilities, contributed strategy ideas and provided daily support to client teams including Google, AARP, The International SPY Museum, GM and PwC
Conducted research on clients, companies, industry news and various subjects that became research briefs, presentations, and informational materials for high-level executives and consumer audiences
SKILLS
Audio editing on ProTools and other multi-track DAW, recording, and mixing with industry-grade studios, soundboards and recording equipment
Working with teams to deliver daily, accurate, and highly-produced content on deadline
Problem-solving, adapting to new environments and performing in high-pressure situations
Adobe Creative Suite products, including Premiere Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects
Conducting thorough research and distilling information into well-written and thoughtful scripts and briefing materials