Resume


PROFILE

  • More than a decade of experience in digital media and communications, specializing in online tools and translating complex concepts into plain language for a variety of audiences
  • Most recently the community manager for the ORION online collaboration service aimed at Ontario’s research and education community, managing its content, providing customer support, product training and strategic planning for the service’s evolution
  • More than three years of product management and training specializing in online collaboration / Intranet portals for both internal and external stakeholders including technical support and training
  • Eight-year career in journalism as a technology / business reporter / editor for print and online media outlets across Canada, writing about advanced networking, biotechnology, digital media, science and research policy, education issues and IT management  in small business and large enterprises
  • Nearly five years of experience delivering public relations and marketing services to small and medium’sized technology companies in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom
  • Work experience spans small, entrepreneurial startups, large publicly-traded corporations, non-profit organizations and virtual companies
  • Adaptive hands-on learner, teacher and project manager

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MIND ROBBER COMMUNICATIONS
Self-Employed Freelance Writer / Editor / Project Manager (August 2011 – Present)

Editorial services and marketing / communications services on a per-project or contract basis connected to a network of independent contractors offering graphic design, media relations, multi-media production and more.

ONTARIO RESEARCH AND INNOVATION OPTICAL NETWORK (Contract) 
O3 Collaboration Community Manager / Operations Manager (May 2009 – July 2011)

  • Led marketing and promotion activities for online knowledge /collaboration hub aimed at Ontario researchers, educators and scholars using inbound marketing, content marketing and social media tools
  • Supported more than 100 online private collaboration spaces for researchers, educators and scholars in Ontario as well as 3,000 individual users with product training and technical support
  • Engaged research and educator community through event marketing and social media channels to promote collaboration service and ORION while gathering information about user issues and challenges
  • Conducted on-site presentations across Ontario to demonstrate online collaboration tools to researchers and educators
  • Responsible for initial development and strategic operations planning for ORION collaboration service
  • Created, solicited content from the research and education community
  • Led development and launch of internal corporate Intranet on a Software-as-as-Service (SaaS) platform and provided staff support and training

ONTARIO RESEARCH AND INNOVATION OPTICAL NETWORK (Contract)  
Projects and Alliances Consultant (February 2008 – May 2009)

  • Identified the general and specific requirements of connected organizations and their users for enhancing their experience when using the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION) to achieve their research or education objectives
  • Managed working group comprised of Ontario researchers and educators to develop online collaborative portal to facilitate cross-institutional, interdisciplinary interaction
  • Kept current with developments within the research and educational communities to identify opportunities where ORION could collaborate with institutions or private sector enterprises
  • Maintained current knowledge of technologies, applications and services in the marketplace that could be relevant to ORION and its connected users
  • Engaged fellow research and education networks to share experiences around development and deployment of value-added services

MIND ROBBER COMMUNICATIONS
Self-Employed Freelance Writer / Editor / Project Manager (September 2007 – February 2008)

  • Editorial services and marketing / communications services on a per-project or contract basis connected to a network of independent contractors offering graphic design, media relations, multi-media production and more.

SACKE & ASSOCIATES  INC.
Senior Account Consultant (July 2003 – September 2007)

  • Handled all aspects of media relations, analyst relations and marketing in a small agency setting
  • Provided strategic counsel for clients in software, disaster recovery, networking, telecommunications, security and other niche B2B technology as well as consumer technology and professional services
  • Negotiated customer contracts for both new and existing clients
  • Researched business opportunities and developed proposals
  • Developed multi-faceted communications plans
  • Print advertising evaluation, purchasing and coordination of ad copy, design and materials
  • Wrote, edited and managed production of case studies, brochures and other marketing material
  • Media outreach, client preparation for interviews
  • Wrote and edited by-lined articles and matte stories for editorial placement, news releases, media pitches and advisories, Web site copy, including content for Search Engine Marketing / Optimization
  • Key message development
  • Corporate presentations for both business and technical audiences

ITBUSINESS GROUP, TRANSCONTINENTAL MEDIA
Various Roles (November 2000 – July 2003)

Assistant Editor, Computing Canada (January 2002 – July 2003)
Section Editor, Computing Canada (June 2001 – December 2001)
Senior Writer, Computing Canada (November 2000 – June 2001)
Contributing Writer, ITBusiness.ca, Computer Dealer News, Technology in Government, eBusiness Journal, Communications and Networking (November 2000 – July 2003)

SILICON VALLEY NORTH
Various Roles (April 1996 – November 2000)

Freelance Contributing Writer (May 2000 – November 2000)
Online Editor, National (August 1999 – May 2000)
Bureau Chief, British Columbia (July 1998 – May 2000)
Staff Writer, Edmonton (September 1997 – July 1998)
Assistant Editor / Staff Writer, Ottawa (April 1996 – September 1997)


EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Project Management Essentials, University of Toronto, 2009
Diploma (Honours), Journalism (Print), Algonquin College, 1996


SKILLS

Writing + Editing * Communications + Marketing * Project Management * Product Development + Management + Training + Support * Public Speaking Event Management *Strategic Planning * Social Media + Web 2.0 * Intranet Management * Webinar Development and Execution * Photography (Film + Digital)

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