Sajedah Al-Khzaleh

Experience & Selected Work

American Medical Association/JAMA Network

Communications Specialist II | 2025–Present

I support communications, programs, and cross-functional projects across JAMA Network Publishing, translating organizational priorities into clear internal communications, engaging employee audiences, and helping teams move initiatives from planning through execution.

ALL-STAFF COMMUNICATIONS: Internal Communications & Event Strategy

Lead communications and coordination for recurring JAMA Network Publishing all-staff forums, partnering with publishing leadership and subject-matter experts to develop programming that informs employees, reinforces organizational priorities, and strengthens connection across teams.

  • Coordinate 12+ all-staff forums annually across in-person and virtual formats.
  • Develop agendas, presentation materials, speaker communications, Q&A processes, and meeting follow-up.
  • Partner with leadership and subject-matter experts to translate business updates and organizational priorities into engaging employee communications.
  • Develop an editorial calendar and content-gathering process to improve consistency and cross-team participation.
  • Manage meeting logistics, technology coordination, and communications before and after each forum.

Selected presentation materials, run-of-shows, email communications, and event strategy examples are available upon request.

JAMA NETWORK PUBLISHING NEWSLETTERS: Editorial Strategy & Employee Communications

Develop and manage recurring internal communications for JAMA Network Publishing, translating organizational updates, project milestones, employee resources, and business initiatives into accessible, audience-focused content.

  • Produce and coordinate 12 monthly internal newsletters annually.
  • Partner with contributors across Publishing to identify and develop stories, announcements, milestones, and employee resources.
  • Develop content-gathering forms and processes to streamline information collection across teams.
  • Use employee engagement and content feedback to inform future communications and editorial planning.

Selected internal newsletter issues, content-gathering forms, and editorial planning materials are available upon request.

    CROSS-FUNCTIONAL PROJECTS: Communications & Project Support

    Support cross-functional and high-profile projects across editorial, production, technology, product, and business operations teams, providing communications and project coordination from planning through execution.

    • Coordinate stakeholders, timelines, communications, documentation, and deliverables across projects.
    • Develop presentations, project materials, SOPs, and internal resources to support implementation and decision-making.
    • Translate complex operational and organizational changes into clear, audience-focused communications.
    • Track project dependencies, follow-up needs, and key deliverables to help teams maintain momentum.
    • Develop a monthly project update deck for leadership meetings, surfacing project progress, upcoming milestones, and potential blockers.
    • Completed projects include: JAMA Summit Scale Up Project, Modify Open Access Licensing Project, For The Media Replatform Project, and Return-to-Office Project.

    Selected project materials, including project charters, closeout documentation, project decks, communications, and supporting resources, are available upon request.

    PUBLISHING RESOURCES: SharePoint & Information Management

    Support the organization and maintenance of JAMA Network Publishing's internal digital resources, helping employees find information, tools, project materials, and organizational resources more easily.

    • Conduct quarterly content reviews and cleanup across multiple SharePoint sites.
    • Organize and update resources to improve navigation, accessibility, and usability.
    • Support the development and maintenance of SOPs, organizational resources, and other internal documentation.
    • Partner with stakeholders to identify outdated, duplicative, or missing content and determine opportunities for improvement.

    Selected SOPs, resource documentation, and information-management materials are available upon request.

    Scripps News/The E.W. Scripps Company

    Content Partnerships Specialist | 2020–2024

    Facilitated the exchange of resources, content, and ideas across 61 television stations and Court TV. Led cross-functional projects spanning live coverage, content strategy, production, and distribution.

    2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Live Coverage Coordination & Strategic Execution

    Led live bookings for Scripps News national correspondents covering the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns on election night, alongside station correspondents covering local races across the Scripps network.

    • Coordinated logistics and coverage plans leading up to airtime.
    • Served as the primary contact for field crews, managers, and newsrooms.
    • Monitored rundowns and resolved technical issues in real time.

    More examples of live political coverage are available here.

    2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE: Live Coverage Coordination & Special Projects Production

    Coordinated live eclipse coverage across 10 Scripps local stations, managing feeds, station participation, and special coverage for Scripps News.

    • Secured exclusive live coverage and reporting from multiple markets.
    • Coordinated eight live feeds through IndyHub and facilitated station-to-station live sharing.
    • Expanded Scripps News' live coverage footprint through cross-network collaboration.

    Christina Hartman, VP and Head of Scripps News, commended the project, stating, “Our coverage plans got ink from TVNewser — props to Sajedah Al-khzaleh and Doug Iten at the desk for the excellent work of coordinating hits and coverage from across our local footprint.”

    DOOMSDAY CULT MOM TRIAL : Cross-Platform Collaboration & Coverage Planning

    Led the first-ever trial collaboration between Scripps News, Court TV, and local stations for the six-week Lori Daybell trial.

    • Managed content strategy and production across multiple teams.
    • Coordinated Court TV correspondents and Scripps News editors.
    • Oversaw production and distribution of 50+ stories across Scripps stations and ION Television.

    Elizabeth Gold, former Director of Content Partnerships, commended the collaboration, stating, "Your contributions to the Lori Daybell trial collaboration have been invaluable."

    More examples of live coverage coordinated across Scripps News and Court TV are available here.

    HOLIDAY FINANCIAL SERIES: Content Strategy, Production & Distribution

    Pitched and led a holiday financial series in partnership with Scripps News, WTKR, WFTS, and the streaming team.

    • Developed the series in response to a content gap and audience interest in economic topics.
    • Led story development, planning meetings, script reviews, and deadline tracking.
    • Produced 10 stories that generated 90+ downloads across the Scripps network.

    CLASSROOM CONTROVERSIES: Research & Segment Development

    Pitched and produced a segment examining the intersection of politics and education.

    • Researched key markets and secured local station participation.
    • Coordinated reporting teams to ensure consistent storytelling.
    • Placed the segment on The National Report.

    2024 SPORTS COLLABORATIONS: Event Planning & Live Coverage Coordination

    Coordinated Scripps News coverage of major 2024 sporting events, including:

    • Super Bowl LVIII: Managed live coverage from Las Vegas with KTNV and Scripps News.
    • NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Coordinated coverage with KNXV and WRTV.
    • Kentucky Derby: Arranged preview live shots with WLEX.

    More Scripps News collaborations are available here.

    WBBM-TV/CBS News Chicago

    Field Producer & Assignment Editor| 2018–2020

    Managed daily assignments, breaking news coverage, field logistics, and story development across digital, social, and broadcast platforms. Built relationships with sources and coordinated reporters, photographers, and newsroom teams under tight deadlines.

    DOCTOR SEEKS GLOBAL ATTENTION FOR SUFFERING IN SYRIA: Language & Reporting

    Translated and voiced Arabic interviews for a segment on the Syrian conflict, helping bring an international perspective and human-centered storytelling to the station's coverage.

    INSIDE MIND OF MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING 5 PEOPLE: Producing & Investigation

    Pitched and assisted in producing an exclusive CBS2 investigation into a Cook County murder case. Secured and transcribed police documents, including handwritten letters from the accused translated from Polish.

    City Bureau

    Reporting Fellow | 2018

    Published reporting on civic issues including prison reform and social justice for City Bureau, Chicago Magazine, and South Side Weekly. Worked directly with community members to ensure their perspectives were accurately and authentically represented.

    Chicago Magazine •

    Lawmakers Expand Rehabilitation Services to People Who've Committed Violent Crimes

    Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill this week that will allow people who've committed certain violent crimes to access court programs that substitute rehabilitation services for prison sentences, a move that advocates say will help reduce the state prison population, decrease crime, and save money.
    SB3388 will allow Adult Redeploy Illinois, a state-funded probation program previously limited to those who'd committed nonviolent offenses like drunken driving and drug possession, to serve those convict...
    South Side Weekly •

    Class X: Who Gets a Second Chance in Our Criminal Justice System?

    Illinois has been making moves toward reducing incarceration, but there is a large group of people who are being left behind. People like twenty-one-year-old Joe Montgomery, who have been sentenced with Class X felonies, make up almost a third of Illinois’ prison population, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Some say these individuals who need the most help are instead left with few options but prison. City Bureau reporters Sajedah Al-khzaleh and Bia Medious spoke with Montgom...

    Additional Video Production

    Grandstand Sox-Chicago | Video Marketing

    Scripted and voiced Grandstand Sox-Chicago's first promotional video, highlighting the company's heritage, family-first values, and Chicago roots.

    Omar | 2018 Crystal Pillar Emmy Award Winner

    Produced and directed this short documentary about my relationship with my twin brother. Through intimate storytelling, the film explores family, identity, and the different experiences that shaped us growing up together. The documentary received a 2018 Crystal Pillar Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Chicago/Midwest Chapter.