Writer / Designer

December, 2006 – Present
Ars Longa, Folsom, CA

As a contract Technical Writer and Instructional Designer, successfully completed several writing and ID projects for several organizations.  I've also designed and implemented numerous web sites. Projects include:

Instructional Designer for Professional Education Institute, Salt Lake City, UT.  Wrote an 8-module course for Hale Dwoskin’s The Sedona Method, and 8- and 4-module courses for Jack Canfield’s Keys to Living the Law of Attraction.

Content writer for the launch of zeropoverty.us, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating poverty in the US and around the world.
 
Editor for Living Well By Working Smart Workbook by Sue Mackey and Laura Tonkin. Published 2007, Forward Books, Bellevue, WA.

Technical Writer for Medi-Cal Claims Processing Software (COBOL), through Electronic Data Systems, Rancho Cordova, CA.  

Software Architect / Designer

February, 2000 – December, 2006
Ars Longa Web Ware, Santa Fe, NM and Folsom, CA
Founded a web applications company serving fine art galleries, professional artists, and arts associations. Products included GalleryDB, ArtistDB, and Ars Longa Design.
»  Top 20 Web Design Companies in New Mexico, 2002 (NM Business Journal).

Technical Writer / Instructional Designer

June, 1989 - January, 2000
Working Knowledge, Bainbridge Island, WA
As a vendor of technical writing and instructional design services to leading software and hardware manufacturers, conducted needs analysis and assessments, created project plans and timelines, wrote technical manuals and online help systems, designed instructional materials and tutorials. Several projects won awards, indicated below, from the Society for Technical Communication (STC).  Client and project list includes:

Microsoft Corporation

Instructional Designer for official certification courseware for Microsoft SQL Server. Worked on the SQL Server team to develop instructor-led training for Microsoft SQL Server versions 6.5, 7.0, and 2000. Met with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to ensure technical accuracy.  Set learning objectives and outcomes for required proficiency.  Wrote and designed the instructor and student materials. Created associated reports and illustrations.

Online Help System Writer for Microsoft Project 4.0 and Team Manager 1.0.

Scriptwriter for "Windows 95: How and Why" interactive CD-ROM, an instructional design project to introduce the new features of Windows 95.  Wrote the script and outlined the appropriate visual action to dynamically illustrate the instruction.
»  International Award of Distinction and an Award of Excellence.

Author of "In and Out of the Classroom with Microsoft Publisher" and "In and Out of the Classroom with Microsoft Works," aftermarket trade books targeted for K-12 teachers.

Asymetrix

Technical Writer for user manual inserts for CD-ROM screen saver applications "Rocky and Bullwinkle," "Jurassic Park," and "Natural States."
 »  Award of Achievement.

Online Help Writer for Compel 2.0.

Northwest Center for Emerging Technologies

Technical Writer for a seminal skill standards book, "Building a Foundation for Tomorrow" and its Curriculum Development Kit.
Designed and produced 17 books for skill standards projects written by other educational institutions.

Macromedia

Author of "Discover Macromedia Freehand" and "Fundamentals of Macromedia FreeHand 5.0", aftermarket books teaching basic techniques of the popular vector illustration software application.

Aldus Software

Technical Writer for "Aldus PageMaker 5.0 User Manual."
»  Award of Excellence.

Author of "Discover PageMaker 5.0" and "Discover FreeHand 4.0," after-market books teaching basic and advanced techniques of the popular software applications.

Active Voice

Technical Writer of the "System Administrator’s User Manual" and "User Manual" for end users of the popular telephony hardware and software.

Technical Writer and Instructional Designer for tutorials and classroom training materials.

GoToNet.com

Technical Writer and Instructional Designer for Hypermart E-Commerce Help System, a web-based tutorial/manual on setting up an e-commerce store using GoToNet.com’s storefront web site.

Domain Virtual Worlds

Technical Writer for Domain Virtual World's Crystal Walls User Manual, a Windows-based software screen-saver application.

Online Help Writer for the Crystal Walls application.

Weyerhauser Corporation

Online Help Writer for an internal Service Request System, programmed in MS Access.

Park Software

Technical Writer for a series of manuals for a mainframe accounting software application.

Owl Software

Technical Writer for a CD-ROM controller.

Spectrum Controls

Technical Writer for a robotic control panel hardware device.

Siemens

Technical Writer for the S Convex Transducer Biopsy Kit user manual.

GTE Telecom

Technical Writer of 12 manuals for GTE Telecom's mainframe telephony software.

Precor, Incorporated

Technical Writer and Instructional Designer for manuals and instructor-led classroom training for the repair of Precor’s line of exercise equipment.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Irrepressibly Joyful

Mindful

Personable

Creative

SKILL SUMMARY

Instructional Design

Instructor-led Training

Web Design

Unusual, Functional, Crisp and Clean Designs

Graphic Design

Business Identity Kits

Collateral Materials

Book Design & Layout

Tutorials

Workbooks

After-Market Books

Scripts

Visual Guides

SELECTED SOFTWARE

Apple Macintosh OSX

Microsoft Windows

All Microsoft Office Applications

Adobe Creative Suite

HTML and XHTML, CSS, XML

DreamWeaver / GoLive

FileMaker Pro / MySQL

Lasso Professional

Joomla! 1.5x

(A quick study for any not listed above)

EDUCATION

The Four Winds Society, Park City, UT
Healing the Light Body School

The Center of Roseville, Roseville, CA
Komyo Reiki Kai
Shinpiden (Teacher) Level, 2008

University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Certificate, Screenwriting, 1998

University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Certificate, Training Specialist, 1988

University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Bachelor's Degree, English, 1981

United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
Astrophysics Major 1976 - 1978

HONORS AND AWARDS

Invited Reader

San Luis Obispo Poetry Festival, San Luis Obispo, California
August, 2005
May, 2006

Poet in Residence

Salmon Publishing
Knockeven, County Claire, Ireland
August, 2003

International Award of Distinction
Award of Excellence

Society for Technical Communication (STC)
Windows 95: How and Why DVD
Microsoft, 1995

Award of Excellence, STC

PageMaker 5.0 User Manual
Aldus Software, 1990

Award of Achievement, STC

Rocky and Bullwinkle Screen Saver User Manual
Asymetrix Software, 1993