Alieza Swenson Durana

Impact Strategist, Journalist & Leader

With 12+ years of experience, I research, write, and strategize to turn complex concepts into engaging and accessible narratives.

I am skilled at developing targeted content strategies in English and Spanish, maintaining brand consistency, and leading teams to produce high-impact campaigns.

After successful tenures at NerdWallet and mission-driven organizations, I am seeking new remote or Salt Lake City-based career opportunities. Please get in touch if you are looking for a writer, editor, communications expert, or project manager.

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Writing and Research Clips

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MY WORK OR TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION.

Investing in the Dow: A Guide to Dow Jones ETFs
NerdWallet.com · Updated August 5, 2024

How to Buy Treasury Bonds, Notes and Bills
NerdWallet.com · Updated August 5, 2024

What are Treasury Notes and How Can I Buy Them?
NerdWallet.com · Updated August 5, 2024

What is the 10-Year Treasury Yield?
NerdWallet.com · Updated August 5, 2024

Treasurys Calculators
NerdWallet.com

Treasury Bonds Overview
NerdWallet.com · Updated Jul 17, 2024

Savings Bond Calculator
NerdWallet.com · Jun 28, 2024

Treasury Bills: A Beginners Guide and How to Buy
NerdWallet.com · Updated Jun 24, 2024

Smart Money Podcast — Moving Could Benefit You: Budgeting for A Brighter, Safer Future in the LGBTQ+ Community
Apple Podcasts · June 13, 2024

S&P 500 Companies: Full List and Performance
NerdWallet.com · May 14, 2024

Smart Money Podcast: Safeguard Your Finances: Tips on Emergency Funds, Insurance and Index Fund Investments
Apple Podcasts · May 13, 2024

How to Invest $100
NerdWallet.com · Updated Apr 18, 2024

6 Strategies for LGBTQ+ Financial Prep to Move to a Safer Place
Syndication · Apr 11, 2024

Smart Money Podcast: Diversify Your Portfolio: A Guide to Roth vs. Traditional Retirement Accounts
Apple Podcasts · Apr 1, 2024

Inverse ETFs: Definition and Examples
NerdWallet.com · Updated Apr, 2024

Best Online Brokers for Bonds
NerdWallet.com · Mar 29, 2024

5 Tips for Avoiding Tax Scams in 2024
Syndication · Mar 25, 2024

Bond Market Crash: What It Is and How to Prepare
NerdWallet.com · Feb 16, 2024

2022 Was A Terrible Year for Stocks and Bonds. Here’s Why.
NerdWallet.com · Updated Feb. 9, 2024

Kiddie Tax: Definition and Examples
NerdWallet.com · Feb 2, 2024

Bond Market: What It Is and Why It Matters
NerdWallet.com · Jan 31, 2024

Smart Money Podcast: What’s an HSA? Growing Wealth with Health Savings Account Investing
Apple Podcasts · Jan 29, 2024

What Is Medicare Tax? Definition, How It Works
NerdWallet.com · Dec 5, 2023

7 Tax To-Dos Before End-of-Year
Syndication · Nov 13, 2023

4 Moderate-Risk, Long-Term Investments
NerdWallet.com · Sept 25, 2023

Latinos Make Financial Progress But Discrimination Persists
Syndication · May 30, 2023

My Path to Generational Wealth: The Happy Investor Method
Syndication · May 12, 2023

What is Investing?
NerdWallet.com · Updated Apr 30, 2023

Interest Rate Risk: Definition and Examples
NerdWallet.com · Mar 29, 2023

Smart Money Podcast: Nerdy Deep Dive: How Can We Reduce Childcare Costs?
Apple Podcasts · Jun 22, 2022

Smart Money Podcast: Nerdy Deep Dive: Why Is Child Care So Expensive?
Apple Podcasts · Jun 9, 2022

What is a Short Squeeze?
NerdWallet.com · June 3, 2022

We must keep America safely housed: Here are three solutions
USA Today, NorthJersey.com · Nov 12, 2021

The eviction crisis has begun. It will get so much worse.
The Washington Post · Sep 23, 2021

Struggling Renters Need More Federal Aid
The American Prospect · May 12, 2021

A mass wave of evictions is coming. Temporary bans won't help
The Washington Post · Apr 8, 2020

House Calls Can Lead to Dramatically Better Health Outcomes Among the Elderly.
The Pacific Standard · May 1, 2019

For gender equality at work, seeing is believing
CNN · Jan 10, 2019

The Sexual Harassment Victims Who Can't Get to Court
Atlantic Ideas · Oct 8, 2018

#NowWhat: The Sexual Harassment Solutions Toolkit
New America · Sep 1, 2018

Sexual Harassment: A Severe and Pervasive Problem
New America · Sep 1, 2018

Teachers donating sick days Is a symptom of a wretched system
CNN · Aug 18, 2018

Free Cash, No Strings Attached
Slate · Jul 10, 2018

Study: Men Want to Do More Caregiving but Can't
Slate · Jun 13, 2018

New Study: The Republican Plan for Paid Leave Is Going to Undermine Social Security
Slate · Apr 19, 2018

Why Cecile Richards Thinks Work-Life Balance Is a Myth
Slate · Apr 1, 2018

The Suburban Mystique
Slate · Mar 19, 2018

A New Study Shows How Other Countries Are Making Paid Leave Work
Slate · Feb 28, 2018

Gender Discrimination at Work Is All Too Real, With 42 Percent of Women Experiencing It
Slate · Dec 14, 2017

The GOP Respects States’ Rights, Unless Your State Gives You These Workplace Benefits
Slate · Dec 8, 2017

Birth Control: What’s at Risk and What You Can Do Now
Man Repeller · Nov 9, 2017

Nurse Midwives Are Trained, Lifesaving Professionals. Why Are We Holding Them Back?
Slate · Nov 6, 2017

The Hidden Ways the Tax Code Hurts Women
Slate · Oct 30, 2017

Gender Inequality in Puerto Rico Is About to Get Worse
Slate · Oct 12, 2017

Paid Family Leave: How Much Time Is Enough?
New America · Jun 16, 2017

Better Life Lab Pop Up Blog
Slate · May 12, 2017

When a Surprise Medical Bill Hits, It’s Women Who Absorb Most of the Shock
Slate · May 12, 2017

If We’re Serious About Early Learning, Here’s How It Should Look
Pacific Standard · Mar 2, 2017

If We’re Serious About Early Learning, Here’s How It Should Look
Pacific Standard · Mar 2, 2017

Modes of flexibility: framework legislation v 'soft' law
Edward Elgar Publishing · Jan 1, 2017

How Child Care Providers Are Paying for a State's Budget Crisis
New America Weekly · Oct 5, 2016

Why Parents Are Being Forced to Find Childcare Underground
The Atlantic · Oct 3, 2016

New America Care Report
New America · Sep 28, 2016

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Resume

Previous Positions

Lead Writer
NerdWallet
Jan 2022 to August 2024

Senior Narrative Change Liaison
The Eviction Lab at Princeton University      
Mar 2020 to Dec 2021

Deputy Director
The Fuller Project for International Reporting
Apr 2019 to Oct 2019

Senior Policy Analyst
New America
Aug 2016 to Mar 2019

Policy Analyst
New America
Feb 2016 to Jul 2016

Program Associate
New America
Oct 2015 to Feb 2016

Research Assistant
The Governance Report
Oct 2013 to May 2014

Research Fellow
The Fulbright Program
Aug 2012 to Jul 2013

Education

Masters of Public Policy (M.P.P)
Hertie School of Governance
Fulbright Research Scholar and DAAD Scholar

B.A. International and Area Studies
Washington University in St. Louis
Annika Rodriguez Scholar

Skills & Languages

  • Brand Voice: Creating and maintaining consistent guidelines across platforms

  • Creative Leadership: Project management, direction, cross-team collaboration

  • Content Strategy: Audience segmentation, campaigns, conversion storytelling

  • Digital Marketing: SEO, website content, email, demand generation

  • Languages: Bilingual English/Spanish, B2 German proficiency

  • Technical Writing: Translating complex concepts into accessible content

 
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Contact

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