Binghamton University

Framingham State University

Award-winning journalist and data scientist, now newly retired. Happily embarking on my next chapter.

Still ❤️ R after all these years. Author of Practical R for Mass Communication and Journalism. Code for fun. Enthusiastically exploring generative AI, both as an end user and for creating apps. Learning Python.
Can't imagine life without writing.
Passionate about vibrant aging.
Long-time journalist. Started my career in local news, followed first by business writing & editing and then many years in tech journalism. Moved into a hybrid data science / tech journalism role in 2017.
Data journalism rocks.
Received an ASBPE national gold award for impact/investigative online excellence and two ASBPE national golds for best how-to article (see 2014 and 2017 winners). Named the Digital Analytics Association's top practitioner in 2021 for work analyzing data at my job and in my community; and winner of the Jesse H. Neal award in 2023 for best instructional content.
Eagerly exploring my next chapter after (voluntarily!) retiring from full-time work in July 2024.
Enjoy photography and digital dark room, travel, running, learning American Sign Language, meditation, nature walks, crocheting, reading, and of course spending time with family and friends.
I hold an Extra-class ham radio license and was honored by the Association of Radio Amateurs of Bosnia & Herzegovina "for extraordinary contribution to transmitting humanitarian messages of the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina" during the 1992-95 war.

None

Retired

Analyzed data and trends at multiple websites around the world, including traffic trends and visitor value. Developed interactive apps making analytics more accessible to writers, editors, and business executives. Wrote articles  on subjects such as generative AI and the R programming language. Created tools making it easier for editors to prepare complex data for interactive viewing on the Web, saving hours of editor time. Fanatic about automating drudge work, freeing up staff time for more high-value work -- and boosting team morale.

Foundry

Director, Editorial Data & Analytics

Write how-to and news articles on subjects such as R, Microsoft Power BI, and creating Amazon Alexa skills. Report on and analyze data for 10 US Web sites, advising management on effectiveness of various content strategies. Develop interactive tools to make analytics more accessible to writers, editors, and executives. Also code tools making it easier for editors to prepare complex data for interactive viewing on the Web, saving hours of editor time. Fanatic about automating drudge work, freeing up staff time for more high-value work -- and boosting team morale.

IDG (International Data Group)

Director, Editorial Data and Analytics

"Sharon leads the charge for Computerworld in online innovation and editorial productivity,"​ according to Computerworld's editor in chief. 

* Team with colleagues on data journalism projects, taking on tasks ranging from data cleaning, analysis, and presentation to writing and editing. 
* Covers data analysis tools, including how-to articles and screencasts. 
* Create R scripts that automate the display of data on Computerworld.com and sister IDGE sites.
* Teach data journalism skills both internally and to the broader journalism community, including workshops for Boston University, Investigative Reporters & Editors, and the American Society of Business Press Editors.
* Play a key role for  IDG analytics in the U.S., coordinating editorial requirements for analytics and providing a vast array of analytics reporting and analysis using Omniture, Google Analytics, Pares.ly, Brightcove and R.

Computerworld

Executive Editor, Online and Data Analytics

Oversaw day-to-day online content issues on the site, working with other editors to help conceive, edit, package, and promote stories and other content. Led internal training in online issues. Served as liaison with design, production, and other departments.

Worked with features and news editors on data-driven projects.

Coded department tools, from simple scripts to complex production platforms. These include a story coding tool, which editors say has saved hours of time by automating basic production tasks, and a database-driven story planning system that tracks stories from idea to editing, packaging, design, and posting. The story tracker includes auto e-mail notifications and html packaging aids and is used across 5 business units on 3 continents at IDG.

Conducted data analysis on site traffic patterns using Omniture, Google Analytics, and home-brewed R scripts to extract meaningful information from raw site data. Named editorial point person for analytics across IDG Enterprise, providing training to editorial staff at multiple business units. 

Started as a reporter covering security and government issues.

Sharon Machlis