I’m a writer, editor and communications professional based in Greater Boston.
I’m in the process of giving this website some updates, so please excuse the appearance while I renovate.
I’ve spent most of my 25-year career in nonprofit leadership, journalism, copywriting and editing, marketing, fundraising, digital content and community engagement. I hold a master’s degree in media and communications from City St George’s, University of London (formerly City, University of London).
As a writer, editor and storyteller, I’ve worked with organizations such as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the city of Somerville and EF Education First.
I recently served as director of communications for the Right Question Institute, an educational nonprofit that teaches students and adults how to ask better questions — a key skill for learning and life. I built an integrated communications and marketing operation from scratch to support programs, partnerships, fundraising and earned revenue.
I enjoy blending big-picture thinking with hands-on execution to help organizations think broadly about goals, explain why their work matters and engage the many audiences that need to coalesce for their organization to thrive.
Much of my previous experience has been in community journalism, where I was able to immerse myself in local communities and tell stories of tangible meaning to people. I served as editor of the Somerville Patch news website — covering the most densely populated city in New England — and I’ve been a staff writer and correspondent for a handful of community newspapers throughout Greater Boston.
My career began at ABC News in New York, and I’ve also had the opportunity to cover stories such as the James “Whitey” Bulger trial, the Boston Marathon bombings and the landmark constitutional convention in 2005 that affirmed the rights of same-sex couples to marry in Massachusetts.
My experience as a community journalist shapes how I approach communications: Put the reader first. Ask the “dumb” questions. Stay curious. Strive to make complex issues understandable. Explain how people are affected.
I’m drawn to work that makes a positive contribution to society, especially in and around the areas of education, public service, culture, history, art, preservation, conservation and civic engagement.
I lived in Switzerland for three years and spent another three in London, where I volunteered once a week with the British Red Cross Refugee Support Service. At EF Education I had the pleasure of collaborating with colleagues from around the world to promote educational programs that draw students from 40 different countries.
My work has appeared in Somerville Patch, Huffington Post, AOL.com, Teaching Channel, South End News, Bay Windows, Allston-Brighton TAB, Dover-Sherborn Press, Inside Lincoln Park, Inside, bostonherald.com and artandculture.com — among others.
Chris Orchard 