Summary
Quality-driven writer/editor with a background in technology journalism and editorial management. Delivers clear, persuasive copy for print, web, or video, to inspire engagement and advocacy. Expertise includes developmental editing, researching, and interviewing. Very hands-on, with a willingness to live and breathe every topic.
Experience
Current: Writer/Editor
Self-Employed
- Working on a book and a few writing and editing projects:
- For Denodo, I’m working on a number of ongoing projects to illustrate the benefits of data virtualization.
- For Mozilla, I wrote copy that…
- raises awareness about the shape of the Web, and
- promotes a new form of user-centric advertising.
2013 – 2014: Copywriter/Editor
RMS (Newark, CA)
- Developed web copy, illustrating a complex technology (catastrophe modeling software).
- Edited digital and print materials, removing errors and increasing impact.
- Analyzed source materials that bridged science and statistics, empowering my writing and editing with a deep understanding of the subject matter.
2012 – 2013: Writer/Editor
Self-Employed
- Crafted and edited web pages and long-form white papers, amplifying and strengthening the key messages of Bay Area technology companies.
- Delivered a white paper that established Informatica’s vision of a single solution for managing master data across departmental and divisional boundaries.
- Wrote and edited Web copy for Return Path and edited collateral across the entire organization, reflecting the company’s emerging brand identity.
- Developed a brief that illuminated the RichRelevance personalization platform, ensuring retailers immediately appreciated its value.
2011 – 2012: Marketing Communications Manager
Message Systems (San Francisco, CA)
- Created white papers, landing pages, and blog posts using direct, powerful copy, improving the performance of lead nurturing campaigns and raising brand awareness.
- Contributed to team brainstorms that drove campaign and headline concepts.
- Managed the selection, testing, and rollout of a social intranet platform (Jive) to 130 employees, streamlining interdepartmental communication and collaboration.
2009 – 2011: Marketing Copywriter/Journalist
Self-Employed
- Wrote internal pages that enhanced collaboration for Cisco Systems, product pages that reached new vertical markets for SurveyMonkey, and a customer section for TIBCO Software that showed solutions in action.
- Authored articles and tutorials for publications such as DigiZine (Digidesign, now Avid) Electronic Musician, and Macworld, using helpful, informative instructions to engage and inspire readers.
2008 – 2009: Marketing Communications Manager
GoldenGate Software (San Francisco, CA)
- Produced persuasive, in-depth marketing collateral for highly technical decision makers, enabling them to quickly grasp differentiating features and product benefits. These included:
- Concise, detailed data sheets that conveyed precision and authority, and
- Thorough, compelling white papers that clearly justified new approaches.
2004 – 2008: Marketing Communications Manager
VeriSign (Mountain View, CA)
- Wrote the VeriSign history and a series of articles, white papers, case studies, and web pages, expressing the company’s emerging corporate identity.
- Strengthened the power of top-level corporate positioning documents, accelerating the uptake of new messaging.
- Created style guides that established the VeriSign voice across all collateral.
- Supervised consultants, interns, and collaborating teams, ensuring that all messages conveyed the brand promise.
Previous Relevant Experience
Senior Editor, Macworld
Edited, assigned, and authored thorough, discriminating hardware and software reviews for print and online publication, to educate readers and increase circulation. Managed editors to improve consistency and quality. Tested software and hardware, improving product evaluation with hands-on experience.
Lead Editor, MacHome
Established the editorial voice and vision of the magazine: Planned future issues, galvanizing editorial and advertising teams. Hired and mentored the staff, to build a nimble, charismatic, productive team. Managed the web site so that it best reflected magazine goals. Ensured that all content was more than the sum of its parts, prior to publication. Set and maintained the editorial budget, for steady productivity.
Writer/Editor, Self-Employed
Copy edited for Wired (San Francisco, CA), upholding high editorial standards. Co-wrote the Printing chapter for the Macintosh Bible (9th Edition, Peachpit Press), delivering friendly, highly detailed technical advice.
Education
- San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA): M.A. in English Composition
- Hampshire College (Amherst, MA): B.A. in English