My Résumé
Expertise
Web design and development, search engine marketing and optimization – Design, build and update websites for local, regional and national clients; optimize sites for accessibility, responsive design and high search engine rankings; run social media and email marketing campaigns; track industry developments via conferences, seminars and publications; expert in HTML, CSS and the Cascade Server and WordPress content management systems and WCAG accessibility requirements, familiar with JavaScript, PHP, XML and XSLT
Writing and editing – Winner of numerous awards for investigative and local news reporting and spot news coverage; adept at news, feature and technical writing, and editing copy for spelling, punctuation, grammar and style; author of hundreds of articles for local and regional newspapers and magazines as well as national design magazines and trade publications
Computer expertise – Proficient in Adobe and Microsoft Office software and many other computer programs as well as macOS, iOS and Windows operating systems; familiar with the Swift programming language, SwiftUI and the Xcode integrated development environment
Experience
Coordinator of Web Content and Online Strategies, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Mich.
January 2011–present
Coordinate, organize and update content for the public websites of NMC, WNMC 90.7 Community Radio and the Dennos Museum Center; train staff on maintaining site sections via the Cascade Server content management system; perform accessibility improvements and search engine optimization; work on search engine and email marketing campaigns; and help coordinate content with social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube
Initiated and coordinated a major redesign of the NMC and WNMC sites in 2015 (and wrote the news release on the redesign) and the Dennos site in 2016, moving them to a responsive design framework to display better on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers
Adjunct Professor, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Mich.
January 2010–February 2020
Taught college credit courses on website development and social media, and extended education courses on HTML and the Adobe InDesign page layout program
Trainer, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Mich.
January 2017–August 2018
Worked with NMC Training Services (now part of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center) to develop custom training solutions and conduct on-site training sessions for local businesses. Taught Adobe Acrobat and electronic form creation to county government staff, Adobe InDesign and page layout to the local marketing department of a global manufacturer, and basic, intermediate and expert Microsoft Excel courses to the local subsidiary of an international food production company
Web Developer, BrightBridge Studios, Traverse City, Mich.
May 2009–present
Design and build dynamic websites and perform keyword research and search engine optimization for the firm’s clients
Reporter, Circle of Blue, Traverse City, Mich.
September 2009–May 2011
Reported on and wrote about the global freshwater crisis for this affiliate of the Pacific Institute. View my stories here.
Communications Specialist, Corbin Design, Traverse City, Mich.
September 1999–May 2009
Wrote and edited copy for the firm’s wayfinding, graphic design, print media and digital projects; built client websites; developed and maintained the firm’s website, marketing materials and client presentations; ran search engine marketing campaigns; and promoted the business globally through news releases and magazine articles
Copy Editor, Traverse City Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
February 1998–August 1999
Edited stories, wrote headlines, selected and assigned wire stories and photos to pages, designed and laid out pages including front pages and feature covers, checked page proofs for accuracy before printing, and updated the newspaper’s website daily
Staff Writer, Traverse City Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
June 1994–February 1998
Covered oil and gas development, Native American affairs and tribal gaming, growth and urban sprawl, and county and township government, while writing breaking news, investigative and feature stories
Staff Writer, Northville Record / Novi News, Northville, Mich.
September 1989–May 1994
Covered city government and police beat; monitored city council, planning commission, downtown development authority and other boards; wrote breaking news, investigative and feature stories, editorials and columns
Reporter, Eastham Oracle, South Yarmouth, Mass.
August 1988–August 1989
Served as the sole reporter and photographer for one of 12 weekly Cape Cod newspapers, covering town hall and the police beat and writing breaking news and feature stories, editorials and columns
Wilderness Instructor, Project STEP (Short-Term Elective Program), Yulee, Fla.
1985–1986
Led teenagers through 28-day court-ordered canoeing trips while providing conflict resolution training in this joint program between the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Freelance
Traverse Internet, Traverse City, Mich.
February–May 1999
Worked on more than a dozen commercial websites; designing and redesigning them, adding pages and graphics, and recoding sites to make them load faster and rank higher on search engines
Campbell-Ewald Advertising / C-E Communications, Warren, Mich.
February–May 1999
Wrote stories for international and domestic General Motors publications on Y2K compliance in overseas offices, new dealer contracts and other topics
Michigan Electric Cooperatives / Country Lines Magazine, Okemos, Mich.
1998–2001
Wrote a story on deregulation of the natural gas supply industry and a feature on an old-fashioned sawmill, served as a judge in the association's annual magazine contest for member cooperatives
Munson Healthcare / Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Mich.
1998–2001, 2009–2010
Wrote stories for a special insert into Physicians Practice magazine as well as local stories on a multidisciplinary health program for recovering heart attack patients, an outreach program for expectant mothers, a Hospitality House fundraising drive and other health-related topics. Developed content and code for Munson website sections including Occupational Health & Medicine, Spine and Nerve Pain Treatment Center and Vascular Services
Metro Times, Detroit, Mich.
1994–1995
Wrote a cover story on auto insurance reform; stories on AIDS, Cuba embargo and wind power
Jackson Citizen Patriot, Jackson, Mich.
1993–1994
Wrote features on local businesses and community events
Education
Bachelor of the Arts, Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y.
1981–1985
Major in English, minor in Psychology, member of the Fall 1983 London English Study Group
Awards
Michigan Associated Press Editorial Association
- Grawn tire fire, Traverse City Record-Eagle, Third place 1996
- Gambling on the future, Traverse City Record-Eagle, First place 1994
Michigan Press Association
- Rapist changes name, Traverse City Record-Eagle, Honorable mention 1995
- Cleanup under way at contaminated site, Northville Record, First place 1994
- Students confront racism, Northville Record, Third place 1994
- In the Winner's Circle, Northville Record, First place 1992
- Prostitution in Novi, Novi News, Second place 1992
- Novi tornado, Novi News, First place 1991
- Victorian Festival, Northville Record, First place 1991
References and portfolio available upon request.