Mission & Purpose
I love working with organizations and individuals that are building something deeply important to them. With nearly 20 years of experience in content marketing & communications, I’m adept in identifying an organization’s unique story, and then elegantly communicating that to their customers and community.
Summary of Qualifications
I’m adept in the following areas:
- Blogs
- Concept Strategy
- Email Marketing: Emma, Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Bronto
- Newsletters
- Op-Ed
- Presentations: PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi
- Researched Articles
- Video Production & Distribution: iMovie, Final Cut Pro
- Advertising
- Marketing Collateral
- Press Releases
- Product Descriptions
- SEO Expertise
- Signage
- Websites
- HTML / CSS Proficiency
- CMS: WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal
- E-commerce Software: Magento, Volusion, WooCommerce
- Image Processing & Editing: Photoshop, Pixelmator
- UI / UX Design
- Wireframes & Mock-ups
- Employee Handbooks
- General Technical Writing
- How-To Guides
- User Manuals
- Online Community & Forum Moderation
- Public Relations
- Social Media: Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube
Experience
Strategic Marketing Consultant
August 2008 – Present
From small start-ups to large corporations, I’ve worked in a variety of industries, including tech, healthcare, retail and food & beverage. My background in start-ups has afforded me a breadth of marketing, communications and operational experience, which I use to develop elegant solutions to an organization’s fundamental quandaries.
Director of Content
Seattle Coffee Gear
2008 – 2014
I joined Seattle Coffee Gear as their Marketing Manager and was integral in identifying the company’s vision, mission and brand identity. During my time there, I established a consistent content creation and communications program, beginning by defining the company’s voice and style. This then translated into:
- Creating the strategy, structure and format of the ecommerce website
- Devising, managing & implementing a standardized product testing methodology
- Defining a product description format that included basic statistics, testing assessments, crew reviews and concrete recommendations
- Producing video content, including identifying topics, developing an interactive series, managing & performing film shoots, editing video and managing distribution
- Establishing a blog editorial calendar, writing content and managing contributors
- Creating an email marketing program encompassing several topic-specific monthly newsletters and weekly sales-driven promotional emails
- Writing extensive website copy, including articles, how-to guides, infographics and troubleshooting / help FAQs
- Managing social media outreach, advertising and community management
- Developing a wide range of print-ready marketing collateral
As it was also a small business, I again had the opportunity to wear many different hats! In addition to developing and executing the marketing strategy, I helped devise operational processes, provided customer service and sales support, negotiated contracts with vendors and built relationships within the commercial and home coffee communities in order to expand Seattle Coffee Gear’s reputation and scope. My work contributed to substantial company growth during my tenure, and significantly expanded Seattle Coffee Gear’s reach in the marketplace.
Owner / Licensed Massage Practitioner
Elixir Bodywork & Massage
2006 – 2008
In founding my first personal business, I was able to learn new aspects of the entrepreneurial experience. In addition to providing regular massage and bodywork services, I:
- Funded and executed an extensive physical renovation of a commercial space in order to support a spa-like atmosphere
- Worked with other practitioners to develop marketing plans and referral structures
- Built, maintained and marketed my business’ website
- Developed a comprehensive communications and collateral plan
- Consulted with other small business owners on operational best practices
Customer Experience Manager
Speakeasy
1997 – 2005
During my tenure at Speakeasy, the company grew from about 30 employees to roughly 300, a growth trajectory which afforded me the opportunity to work in many different disciplines. While I started out managing the Internet cafe, I went on to work in both operations and marketing.
Eventually, I was able to translate my writing skills into a measurable, positive impact on the company’s growth and development, working in web & print copywriting, knowledge base development, email marketing and customer relationship management. Additionally, I served as the voice of the company in community forums, handled executive escalations and worked on our public relations outreach. I was an integral part of a team that built a tech company from the ground up, which was eventually sold for nearly $100m.
Background
Community
Providence Hospice
Patient Care Volunteer
2014 – Present
After completing nearly 50 hours of training, I began working with Providence Hospice patients who have been recommended for volunteer companionship, support or respite services.
PAWS
Cat City Volunteer
2010 – Present
For nearly two years, I was a weekly volunteer at PAWS’ Cat City open colony in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. I provided cleaning services, socialized the cats and facilitated adoptions. After PAWS Cat City moved locations, I became a substitute volunteer and occasionally fill in if regular volunteers have a schedule conflict.
Seattle Children’s Hospital
Family Support – Massage Therapy Volunteer
2006
As part of my final project for massage school, I provided complimentary chair massage to the families of children in the hospital. In addition to performing massage, I proactively marketed and managed appointment setting, in concert with the hospital’s volunteer coordinator.
Personal Interests
I’m an avid traveler, and believe my love for learning about and experiencing different cultures informs my professional approach. In addition to exploring the majority of the US, I have spent time in Mexico, Central America, Western Europe & the UK and SE Asia. I also love to cook, garden, watch films, read voraciously and attend live music shows as much as possible.