Overview
Through his company, Penny Press Digital LLC, Mike teaches digital tools in newsrooms all over the world. He also lectures and presents at national, regional and local conferences and consults with universities. Besides in-person trainings, he also does remote trainings and builds online training video platforms like this one he did for the Gannett USA Today Network. (Now password protected)

As newsrooms reduce travel costs, fewer staffers are sent to conferences to learn new skills. Mike’s trainings come to you — either in-person or remotely — so you can train dozens of staffers at once. One-on-one and project counseling also is available.

Participants typically get handouts, quick-reference training videos, examples and practical exercises when they leave the training. They also can ask Mike for help beyond the session if the media outlet negotiates a flat rate.

For a sample of Mike’s online trainings, check out the videos on his Journalist’s Toolbox YouTube channel.

Topics Covered
Mike can tailor the training to fit your needs and time availability. Remote trainings are best at 60-90 minutes and if you need more time, it can be spread over multiple days or even weeks. His flexible teaching schedule allows for morning, afternoon, evening and weekend training sessions.

Mike also can survey your staff to see what needs they have, or work directly with top editors to design a custom program for your newsroom(s). He covers a wide array of topics, including:

• AI tools and workflow, including legal and ethics issues
• AI trends and hands-on labs
• Data visualization software and techniques
• Basic spreadsheet and database work
• Finding a story in data
• How to compile and analyze website and social media metrics
• Basic and advanced search and reporting tools (how to search the deep web, etc.)
• Productivity tools and managing your digital workflow
• Mobile reporting tools and apps
• How to shoot photos and video on a smartphone
• Writing and editing for the web and web production
• Copy editing tools that can be implemented on deadline
• How to use the Google Earth Suite (Pro, Timelapse, Studio) and other satellite imagery toolsOrganization Training and Consulting Partners

USA Today
Gannett USA Today Network
Online News Association
RTDNA
WebMD
National Association of Bar Executives (NABE)
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times
San Francisco Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
Cincinnati Enquirer
Detroit Free Press
Detroit News
Louisville Courier-Journal
San Antonio Express-News
Lee Enterprises annual trainings (2016-22)
Hearst Community and Hearst Connecticut
Scripps TV stations (2022)
Report for America (2021-24)
Center for Cooperative Media
The Associated Press (Des Moines and Minneapolis)
Crain’s Chicago Business
Tallahassee Democrat
Pensacola News Journal
Columbus Dispatch
Cleveland Plain-Dealer
Toledo Blade and Akron Beacon Journal
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Nashville Tennesseean
Omaha World-Herald
Des Moines Register
Las Vegas Review Journal
Fresno Bee
Wired magazine
Scripps
Minnesota Public Radio
Colorado Public Radio
WFAE-Charlotte
WBUR-Boston
WGN-TV, Chicago
WTTW-Chicago
NBC 5-Chicago
CBS 2 Chicago
ABC 7 Chicago
WBEZ-Chicago
WCPO-Cincinnati

Conferences and Journalism Organizations

NICAR 2017, 2019-22 Mobile and Other Data Tools
Mobile Me & You Conference, 2018-22
Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN)
International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Media Party (2023)
New York Press Association (2020 and 2024)
New England Newspaper and Press Association (2024)
Association of Women in Sports Media (2021 and 2022)
APSE National Conference (2017-present)
APSE West Regional Conference-Las Vegas 2019
APME NewsTrain trainer 2019, Milwaukee
APME National Conference 2016, Philadelphia
Associated Collegiate Press (Washington, D.C., 2016 and 2021 virtual)
Association of Alternative News Media (Austin, Texas, and Washington DC)
Association of Area Business Publishers (summer 2023)
AEJMC 2017 (Google seminar) and 2022 (mobile and Google tools)
AEJMC Future of Student Media panel (2013)
AEJMC Best of the Web panel (2013)BEA Conference: Digital Journalism (2016-24; fall 2020 and 2022 conferences)
Alliance of Area Business Publishers conference (2023)
Broadcast Education Association (BEA), (2017-2024)
College Media Advisers (CMA) Spring 2024 conference
SPJ National Conference-Mobile Tools Workshop (2017-21)
World Chicago: Journalists from the Republic of Georgia and Egypt (2017-24)
National Press Foundation
Mid-America Press Institute (2016-present; five trainings)
Tri-States Newspaper Conference 2021 (Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota)
Wisconsin Newspaper Association Convention (2018 and 2019)}
Ohio News Media Association (2017-2020)
Virginia Press Association (2022-24)
Illinois Press Association
Indiana Broadcasters Association
Iowa Newspaper Foundation
City Bureau
JEA/NSPA Conference (2019, 2020 virtual, 2022 in-person)
National Association of Bar Executives (communication conference AI trainer and keynote speaker, 2023)
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION/Chicago)
Wisconsin News Association
Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
ONA Cincinnati and ONA Portland
CMA Winter 2020 Conference
SPJ Las Vegas Chapter with Banjo
iPad 2 for Journalists (SPJ Region 5 conference, 2011)
Social Media Ethics (SPJ Region 5 conference, 2012)
Social Media Ethics (Panelist, National Conference of Editorial Writers, 2011)
ONA Going Mobile With Your News workshop (2014)
RTDNA national conference (2024)
AWJ-Chicago
JAWS-Chicago
NATAS-Chicago
NABJ-Chicago
Chicago Journalists Association (four years)
Prison Journalism Project
Journalism/Interactive Conference: Using Google Glass in Your Newsroom (2014)
Chicago School of Data: Using Maps in Civic Hacking and Reporting
(Co-presented with Derek Eder, 2014)

University Training and Consulting

Chairperson of training subcommittee for Daily Nebraskan alumni committee
* Coordinates and conducts trainings for student newspaper staff

Northwestern University
CUNY Newmark School
University of Oregon
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Hawaii
Sydney University (Australia)
Indiana University
Purdue University
Ball State University
Kent State University
Boston University
Ohio University
Ohio State University
Georgetown University
Drake University
Creighton University
Brigham Young University
University of Arizona
Arizona State University
University of North Texas
Hofstra
Elon University
University of Illinois-Champaign
University of Notre Dame
Ole Miss Meek School of Journalism (Data Day)
University of Montana

Global trainings (virtual)

Egypt
Lithuania
Finland
Macedonia
Republic of Georgia
Business Insider Singapore Bureau (3)
Sydney University, Australia

Other training, events and service:

SDX and Inland Press Association contest judge
The Business of VR MediaShift Conference (facilitator, Chicago)
SPJ Excellence in Journalism Conference: Building the SPJ/ONA DePaul Free Speech Wall (2014)
SPJ Campus Chapters Training Instructor, Excellence in Journalism Conference (2013)
SPJ Ted Scripps Leadership Institute Facilitator (2012)
#SPJchat founder and moderator (2011-12)