Resume

I’m always looking for new opportunities. Email me at roland@rolandli.me. References available upon request.

EXPERIENCE
Reporter, San Francisco Business Times
January 2015 – Present

I cover real estate and economic development in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the strongest job creation centers in the world, but also a region grappling with affordability and transit concerns. My stories include a profile of a grassroots pro-density group and a report on rare new market-rate housing projects in Oakland. I also take photos and shoot videos.

Freelance Reporter
September 2012 – January 2015

My work has been published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, New York Observer, Curbed NY, Interview Magazine, Capital New York and Narratively.

Reporter, International Business Times
October 2011 – October 2012

I covered corporations including Boeing Co., Time Warner Inc. and News Corp. I regularly published reports on macroeconomic data ranging from U.S. housing to emerging markets. I interviewed a variety of sources, including analysts, architects and game developers. I also took photos and produced videos with IBTimes TV.

Reporter, Real Estate Weekly
July 2010 – September 2011

I wrote about all aspects of commercial and residential real estate, reporting around five stories each week. I redesigned the newspaper’s website, its Twitter page, Facebook page, monitored site traffic and implemented online advertising.

Freelance Reporter, New York Press, The West Side Spirit, Our Town, the Epoch Times
May 2010 – September 2011

I covered local New York news, including Riverside Center and preservation in Chinatown. I talked to community board members, local residents and developers.

Contributor, The Huffington Post
July 2010 – August 2010

I was a blogger and photographer at the Huffington Post’s NYC Beat music vertical, covering summer music concerts.

Freelance Reporter, The New York Observer
September 2009 – July 2010

I contributed weekly to the Commercial Observer, writing cover features on New York’s infrastructure, retail, law and construction sectors. I also wrote the Lease Beat section and covered news at Observer.com.

Publicity Director, DJ, Newscaster, WNYU 89.1 FM
April 2008 – September 2009

I engineered a weekly two-hour radio show, wrote and reported news updates. I ran the station’s publicity operations for two semesters, working with media sources, venues and staff.

Canvasser, Trainer, NYPIRG
May 2009 – August 2009

I was a door-to-door fundraiser for the New York State non-profit group. I trained new employees on canvassing techniques. In my best night, I raised over $700.

Intern, The Brooklyn Paper
February 2009 – May 2009

I reported on local businesses, including the opening of Littlefield, a concert venue in Gowanus, as well as transit and human interest stories.

Staff Writer, Washington Square News
January 2007 – February 2009

My first reporting experience. I wrote features, album reviews and covered the CMJ Music Marathon for the music section.

Intern, Research Assistant, The Real Deal
September 2008 – January 2009

I compiled commercial deals, broker moves and market listings for the monthly print magazine. I also and contributed research for the 2009 Data Book.

Intern, Astralwerks Records
May 2008 – August 2008

I assisted the record label’s publicist by organizing archives, compiling press coverage of bands including Hot Chip, We Are Scientists and the Kooks and packaging CDs.

Writer, Wireless Bollinger
November 2007 – May 2008

I was responsible for weekly album reviews, interviews and concert reviews for the Australian music website. I had the pleasure of interview Geoff Barrow from Portishead.

Owner, ÜberDrivel
June 2006 – Present

I created a music blog shortly after graduating from high school. It has been on hiatus since April 2011. I wrote and produced all content and have an advertising partnership with Mog Music Network. My posts were syndicated by sites including BrooklynVegan, VH1, the Hype Machine and Elbo.ws. The site has over 425,000 page views and 240,000 unique visitors since Google Analytics began tracking in March 2007.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, History, New York University
September 2006 – May 2010

High School Diploma, Mamaroneck High School
September 2002 – July 2006

SKILLS
I have been reporting and writing regularly for nearly six years. I am fluent in social media, HTML, audio production and image editing. I have on-camera video experience and live radio experience. I regularly conduct research through academic studies, analyst reports, SEC filings, New York’s ACRIS property reports and DOB permits. I am conversational in Mandarin Chinese.