A Thank You note: Chris Shipley, Best Ever Editorial Manager Sails on to MIT's Technology Review

Has  there ever been anyone in your life or career you’ve seen turn dreams into reality, while pulling kindred souls along on glorious adventures?

There is someone in my life that’s done exactly that and as I write this, she’s packing up her notebook, some basic files and clothing in preparation for a move back to Boston.

That person is a strawberry blond I met while working at a PC Week in the early Nineties. Her name is Chris Shipley and in a 40-year career, Chris is the best editor and editorial manager  I ever worked with as a colleague or worked for as a subordinate.

Shipley’s curriculum vitae is a shining example of leadership. She was an EIC of a Ziff Davis computer magazine aimed at consumers, most recently was a Fellow at the University of Missouri's Reynolds Journalism Institute. But most famously, Chris was the longest serving executive producer of the Demo technology launch pad events.

Chris and I joined paths twi: the first time at PCWeek where I worked in that publication’s west Coast Bureau and she worked at Headquarters in Boston, and later at Demo, where I was writing PCLetter before she was hired to be Demo’s Executive producer.

Chirs didn’t know that I was writing PCLetter until I arrived at a meeting to get her approval on stories for the newsletter. After about 20 minutes, Chris looked at me and asked “Do you want to work here on a new project?”

And so began my dream job, producing DemoMobile and working with Chris on the larger Demo event.

I was just one of several people Chris helped along the way.   

Now she is about to begin her next adventure at MIT, working for Jason Pontin on an MIT Technology Review project.

My gut feeling: there is no other editorial manager better equipped to plan and execute new projects. MIT is lucky to have her.--jim forbes on 08/05/2014.

(unfun fact! I picked about half of the companies that appeared at Demo 2002 but had a stroke in my hotel room at about 4AM. With her co-producer missing, Shipley didn’t miss a beat and launched the companies. Chris, I’ve always felt badly about leaving you holding my bag o’ companies.Sorry about that and thanks for the best job in the world.)

Comments

[Janet Rae-Dupree]

Marvelously heartfelt, mah dear! And kudos to you, Chris!