ALESSANDRA FORESTO

New York, NY • ale.foresto @ gmail.com 

POPSUGAR, Vox Media 

Executive Director of Operations
January 2022 - Present

  • Own production, newsroom operations, and resource management for POPSUGAR, creating high-performance and efficient editorial systems and ensuring projects are appropriately staffed, funded, and resourced across the editorial, social, distribution, creative and video teams.

  • Own the brand’s operating budget, including headcount allocation, tool and vendor management, freelance operations, and cost-saving initiatives.

  • Oversee all audience growth initiatives, including audience development, SEO, social distribution and newsletter teams. 

  • Run all affiliate commerce operations and strategy, including management of multimillion-dollar flat fee, editorial inclusion, and GMV partnerships.

  • Establish the brand’s analytics-driven content strategy, including setting traffic, engagement, and output goals for the newsroom.

  • Guide the Vox Media engineering and product teams through a multi-year CMS and front-end transition for POPSUGAR, prioritizing streamlined content creation workflows, SEO referral growth, loyal reader retention and recirculation, user experience, and brand impact.

  • Develop and lead POPSUGAR’s talent recruitment strategy, ensuring roles are quickly filled with industry-leading talent and upholding commitment to an equitable and unbiased hiring process.

  • Collaborate with Head of Content to direct editorial strategy across the brand, driving brand clarity and identity, comScore growth and revenue.

  • Led the integration of POPSUGAR into Vox Media, guaranteeing fast and efficient mergers across legal, finance, marketing, and HR best practices.

POPSUGAR, Group Nine Media

Deputy Editor
August 2020 - December 2021

  • Developed and executed content strategy (in partnership with President, General Manager and Executive Editor), leading the editorial team to create engaging, service-driven, viral content for 300 million monthly readers.

  • Managed the copy team, guaranteeing correction-free content across the .com, socials, newsletters, and YouTube. 

  • Established and strengthened centralized processes and strategy across the editorial department, including legal-compliant photo guidelines, tagging rules, and growth-focused SEO planning.

  • Spearheaded DEI+ initiatives through leadership in POPSUGAR’s Representation Steering Committee and Group Nine Media’s IDEA Council’s Career Committee, as well as supervision of a revamp of the brand’s style guidelines that focused on inclusive language and newsroom practices.

Editorial Operations Director
January 2019 - July 2020

  • Partnered with consumer marketing and sales teams to lead operations and execution for sold editorial destinations.

  • Acted as the liaison between edit and product teams, creating CMS tools and unique solutions to drive audience growth.

  • Managed PS Fitness, including content strategy and day-to-day operations with a strong focus on SEO, leading to a 50% increase in audience.

POPSUGAR

Director, POPSUGAR Voices
October 2017 - December 2019

  • Evaluated traffic data to direct editorial strategy for POPSUGAR’s contributor network, including monitoring ROI and reallocating resources as needed.

  • Managed six editors who oversaw all freelance content for PS, producing 400-600 monthly pieces responsible for over 25% of SEO referrals to the site.

  • Guided product team to build innovative tools for our exclusive contributor platform to increase output and reduce inefficiencies. 

  • Forecasted contributor budget, and managed payment approvals and contract creation, working with finance, legal and operations.

Content Director, POPSUGAR Family
January 2017 - October 2017

  • Guided editorial strategy for PS Family, leveraging metrics to guide compelling trending and evergreen content, SEO tactics, and social programming.

  • Enhanced and streamlined processes to increase productivity, and developed editorial partnerships to drive traffic and brand exposure.

  • Engineered large monetizable tentpoles and long-form features to increase brand impressions and secure revenue.

Founding Editor / Senior Editor / Content Director, POPSUGAR Latina
April 2015 - October 2017

  • Launched PS Latina, creating an editorial voice, content calendars and tentpoles, social media and audience growth strategies, and efficient workflows.

  • Increased the brand’s Latinx comScore from 800K to 6.7 million Hispanic multi-platform unique visitors.

  • Secured and managed editorial partnerships to significantly increase traffic, including social sharing programs with Latinx media, and recruitment of celebrity contributors with large social followings to build brand awareness.

  • Ideated revenue-driving destinations, including the brand’s first identity-driven destination for Latinx Heritage Month package, featuring exclusive essays by A-list celebrities.

  • Closely supported the branded content team in creating advertising packages and content for the multicultural market.

Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health, American Media

Beauty Editor
September 2013 - March 2015

  • Led the redesign and rebranding of the beauty pages on both titles, partnering with ad sales, design, marketing, and photo departments. 

  • Packaged and edited up to 20 monthly pages, including service-oriented tips and news, and features.

  • Attended sale pitches and cultivated relationships with advertisers in the beauty industry.

O, the Oprah Magazine, Hearst Magazines

Assistant Beauty Editor / Associate Beauty Editor
June 2009- August 2013

  • Wrote and edited 10+ pages a month including news items, award-winning reported features, and Oprah’s Favorite Things.

  • Produced beauty photo shoots from casting to concept in close partnership with the photo and art departments.

FREELANCE: Dr. Oz The Good Life, Martha Stewart Living, The Knot, Birchbox, Women’s Health, Parents Latina, CosmoGirl.com, SELF, and more

AWARDS: 2016 The Fragrance Foundation Award for Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage - Article for Dr. Oz The Good Life’s “Oooh...I Love That Scent” • 2014 National Magazine Awards in Leisure Interests for O, the Oprah Magazine’s “Hair Extravaganza”

EDUCATION: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY • Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Studies and Political Sciences • Full-tuition scholarship arranged by the Fulbright Commission • Magna Cum Laude • Phi Beta Kappa