Nicholas Rizzi
Writer · Editor · Content Strategist
Translating complex topics into compelling content.
I’m an experienced writer and editor with a knack for turning nuanced topics — including commercial real estate and corporate debt — into accurate and easy-to-read content for both specialized and general audiences. I’ve developed stories across formats, from long-form features and newsletters to video and interactive projects.
My experience includes managing editorial calendars, collaborating with stakeholders on content strategy, leading teams of writers, and building onboarding frameworks and process documentation. I’ve worked for and contributed to publications including 9fin, Commercial Observer, DNAinfo, Patch, the New York Daily News, City Limits Magazine and the Staten Island Advance.
Selected Experience
Distressed Debt Reporter
Escaped kids, hidden abuse — What happens when private equity enrolls in daycare?
In April 2025, Jake Stokes was picking up his five-year-old son from his KinderCare Education daycare center in Fort Wright, Kentucky, when a teacher pulled him aside. His son had been involved in a minor altercation with another child, but the staff assured him the boy was OK.
Stokes didn’t think much of it at first. Kids get into minor scrapes all the time, and he figured if it were anything serious, the school would’ve called him immediately. But then he noticed something odd: his son was sitting indoors wearing sunglasses, something the boy never did. When he took off the sunglasses, he saw that his son’s right eye was red and visibly swollen. (Read a PDF of the full story here)
Web Editor
Led a team of six reporters and freelance contributors, overseeing the production of 230+ stories per month, spanning daily news coverage and long-form features.
Managed editorial calendars and used audience analytics to refine content strategy, contributing to record traffic of more than 1 million monthly visitors.
Collaborated with SEO specialists and web designers on website best practices, content optimization and new stie features. Built onboarding frameworks and documents to improve consistency across editorial workflow, CMS usage, and accessibility best practices.
Reporter/Producer
Families Torn Apart By Opioid Epidemic
Christopher Perrotto was taking oxycodone with friends in a parked car in the South Shore on April 10, 2011 when he overdosed and died. He was just 22 years old.
His friends bailed and left him alone in the parking lot, but somebody eventually found Perrotto and called the police. His uncle worked nearby and went to identify his body while his mother — who thought Perrotto had gone to a detox center the night before — got an oil change.
When she got back to her Arden Heights home, detectives were already inside. She saw her father sobbing as she walked in and knew her son was dead.
"I just dropped and started screaming," said his mother, Ann Marie Perrotto. (Read the full story at DNAinfo)