About

My project

Facebook            Twitter           LinkedIn

Tracey Porpora is an award‑winning journalist, editor, author, and educator with more than 30 years of experience telling stories that shape communities and spark change. She currently serves as News Manager of the People, Advocacy & Voices team at SILive.com/Advance Local, where she leads editorial strategy, mentors reporters, and drives impactful coverage centered on social issues, community voices, and public interest journalism.

Her reporting has earned some of the industry’s highest honors, including Journalist of the Year from the Newswomen’s Club of New York for her Hurricane Sandy coverage, as well as multiple awards from the New York Press Club, the Newswomen’s Club of New York, and the New York News Publishers Association for her work on LGBTQ+ advocacy, historical preservation, and community reporting.

Tracey is also the author of The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language and has spent more than 25 years teaching journalism, communications, media literacy, and public relations at St. John’s University, the College of Staten Island, Kean University, and Seton Hall University. She has guided dozens of students into internships and full‑time roles at major media organizations and was honored with St. John’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award in 2022.

In addition to her newsroom leadership, Tracey built a successful 15‑year freelance career writing for national magazines, major metropolitan newspapers, and digital publications. Her work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal’s Managing Your Career, Ladies’ Home Journal Online, Time Out New York Kids, Bridal Guide, and many others.

Whether reporting from the field, shaping newsroom coverage, or teaching the next generation of storytellers, Tracey remains committed to journalism that informs, empowers, and elevates the communities she serves.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • 30+ years reporting, editing, and producing award‑winning journalism across digital, print, and multimedia platforms.
  • Named Journalist of the Year, Newswomen’s Club of New York, for Hurricane Sandy coverage.
  • Earned multiple 2023–2025 awards from the New York Press Club, Newswomen’s Club of NY, and NYNPA for LGBTQ+ advocacy, community reporting, and historical preservation coverage.
  • 15+ years successful freelance career for national magazines, major metro newspapers, and digital outlets.
  • Author of The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language (Atlantic Publishing, 2010).
  • 25 years as Adjunct Professor of Journalism/Communications/Public Relations at St. John’s University; recipient of the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award (2022).
  • Internship Director, Staten Island Advance/SILive.com.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Advance Local / SILive.com / Staten Island Advance

News Manager, People, Advocacy & Voices Team (2026–present)

  • Lead editorial strategy for community‑driven and human‑interest coverage.
  • Oversee Opinion content, including podcasts; guide stories from pitch to publication.
  • Manage reporters, freelancers, and interns; mentor staff; develop narrative and investigative work.
  • Drive digital growth through audience‑focused content and analytics.

Internship Director (2025–present)

  • Recruit, train, and supervise interns; teach reporting and writing; assign and edit stories.

News Manager, Public Interest & Advocacy Team (2021–present)

  • Managed political and investigative reporters; launched major enterprise series.
  • Assigned, edited, and published daily and long‑form stories; continued writing original reporting.

Weekend Editor / Web Producer / Manager (2016–2021)

  • Oversaw all weekend news operations, staff, and digital publishing.
  • Managed homepage, social media, analytics, and multimedia content.

Business & Real Estate Reporter (2012–2021)

  • Produced up to five daily stories; wrote weekly “New Businesses in Focus” column.
  • Shot and edited video; covered residential, commercial, and industrial real estate.
  • Built strong audience engagement through verified social channels.

ADJUNCT TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Kean University (2024–present)

  • Teach speech communication, public speaking, and group communication within sustainability/civic engagement cohorts.

College of Staten Island, CUNY (1999–2001; 2010–2011; 2026–present)

  • Teach media literacy, English composition, reading, and remedial English.

St. John’s University (1998–2024)

  • Taught Print & Digital Journalism, Crime Reporting, Interviewing, Magazine Journalism, Mass Communications, PR, Online News, and Copywriting.

Seton Hall University (2000–2002)

  • Taught business writing in the Corporate Communications graduate program.

FREELANCE & EDITORIAL WORK

  • About.com (NYT Company), Part‑Time Editor (2016–2017): Edited ~40 stories/week; optimized SEO; refreshed legacy content.
  • About.com Working Mother (2010–2013): Wrote and HTML‑coded monthly expert columns.
  • Industry Magazine, Local Editor (2009–2012): Assigned, wrote, and edited business features.
  • The Star‑Ledger/NJ Local News Service (2000–2012): Regular contributor covering business, real estate, parenting, education, fashion, tech, finance, health, and bridal.
  • Complete Woman Magazine, Contributing Editor (2005–2011): Wrote relationship, self‑help, human‑interest, and celebrity features.
  • Additional bylines: Ladies Home Journal Online, Bridal Guide, Contemporary Bride, SAVVYMISS.com, Time Out NY Kids, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal’s Managing Your Career, Big Apple Parent, and more.

Staten Island Advance (1992–1999)

  • Reporter, Bureau Chief, Columnist; led South Shore Bureau; wrote weekly “The South Shore” column.

EDUCATION

  • Hunter College — M.A., Media Communications, cum laude
  • St. John’s University — B.S., Communications, magna cum laude

AWARDS

  • Distinguished Community Reporting, City of Yes Project — NYNPA (2025)
  • Feature Reporting, “Rebuilding Sandy Ground” — NY Press Club (2024)
  • Front Page Award, Local Reporting — Newswomen’s Club of NY (2023)
  • Excellence in Community Service — NYNPA (2023)
  • Distinguished Business Reporting — NYNPA (2023)
  • Distinguished Beat Reporting, NY Wheel — NYNPA (2019)
  • Journalist of the Year — Newswomen’s Club of NY (2013)
  • Spot News Reporting, Eric Garner Grand Jury — AP Team Coverage (2015)
  • Deadline Club Award, Spot News — SPJ (1997)