My name is Mike D’Avria and I specialize in video production, photography, web design, and the written word. I am also the president of Charlotte Information Strategists — a multimedia marketing and strategy firm in Charlotte, N.C. Here is a link to my professional Resumé.
I graduated from Indiana University at Bloomington in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from the Ernie Pyle School of Journalism — which is consistently ranked as one of the best Journalism Schools in the nation. I also graduated with a Concentration in Broadcast News and Television Production, and a Minor in Film Studies and Communications. While at Indiana University, I wrote weekly Opinion columns for the Indiana Daily Student, was an Editor for the weekly entertainment insert, the IDS Weekend, hosted my own radio show on WIUS 1570 AM and was a producer of WTIU News Forum, a student-run television show on the local PBS affiliate. I also completed internships at The Parkersburg News and Sentinel, a daily newspaper in Parkersburg, W. Va., and WTAP News, the local NBC television affiliate in Parkersburg.
After graduating from Indiana University, I worked as a Full-time Reporter for the Athens Banner-Herald in Athens, Ga. During my two-year employment with this daily newspaper, I wrote nearly 400 articles with approximately 120 of these articles appearing on page 1A.
While working as a reporter, I volunteered with the YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta working with teenagers. Finding a newfound passion, I took a break from writing to work full-time with this non-profit organization. After spending a year working with the YMCA in Atlanta, I was offered the opportunity to create Teen programming and design a Teen Center at the Morrison Family YMCA in Charlotte, N.C.
During my five-year stint with the YMCA, my passion for writing never left. The choice to leave the YMCA was not an easy one, but the decision to start my own business was too exciting to pass up.
I was in business for myself for two years creating videos for many small and medium-sized business in Charlotte — as well as several non-profits — and was a successful freelance writer. I had regular gigs with the travel website HelloCharlotte, the music promotion site SoManyMP3s, and the comedy news site Splitsider. I also co-founded the website CampLeadership.org — an idea sharing site for professionals in the summer camp industry — and became a highly sought camp trainer and speaker. I continued working for myself until being approached by Social TV startup OtherScreen to be their Content and Community Manager.
I could not pass up the chance to work with a technology start-up, especially one founded by people who had a history of success in the software industry. OtherScreen was a unique business as we created the ability for people to answer prediction and trivia questions while watching live sporting events, reality series, political debates, and award shows on their mobile devices in real time. During most of the events, I was the person asking these questions in real time. I had numerous other duties with this company that are just too infinite to name. I didn’t write the software code, and I didn’t sell the product, but I took care of many of the other aspects of the company.
As with many start-ups, OtherScreen came to a close as we discovered that the concept was impressive to many people, but an impressive concept doesn’t always equate to a successful business. I am also proud to say that our investors received a lot of their money back as we decided to close up shop as soon as we figured out what the future of OtherScreen had in store. We did not waste their money fighting an unwinnable battle.
After this decision was made, I created CharlotteIS so businesses in Charlotte could take advantage of the amazing freelance opportunities there are in this incredible city — both for the creatives doing the work and for those wishing to hire them.
Please feel free to peruse the other parts of the website and do not hesitate to contact me by phone (704.614.2208), by email (Mike@MikeDavria.com), or by Twitter (@MikeDavria).