Topflight editorial director, content strategist

Editorial leader and content strategist with 15 years’ experience creating and managing content for startups, small companies and Fortune 500s with household names. More than four years’ experience hiring, managing and mentoring editorial and content production teams, both in-house and freelance. Editor and writer with a passion and reputation for excellence. Breadth of industry experience, including high tech, retail/e-commerce, consumer software, e-learning, travel, and financial services.

Core competencies

Quickly assimilate new audiences' needs — from snowboarders to parents to government agencies — and adapt voice, tone and style accordingly
Deliver clean, quality content
Thoroughly understand content lifecycle and content management systems & processes
Effectively listen/communicate
Easily transition into diverse industries, markets and cultures
Collaborate with cross-functional colleagues locally and globally
Partner with external stakeholders
Clearly see both the forest and the trees

Selected major accomplishments

Directed the design and development of a new interactive content marketing website to engage and educate the public about a new industry
Managed website design/overhaul and launch at Wilderness Travel, Boeing, WetFeet and Small Business Majority
Developed and/or refined voice, tone and editorial style for several startups and established brands
As part of the senior management team, helped turn a small nonprofit into a major player on the national scene by educating the White House, Congress and the public about progressive small business perspectives on critical policy issues

Professional experience

REPUTATION.COM, Redwood City, CA 6/11 – 10/11

Editorial Director
Created editorial processes where none existed: wrote house style guide; developed workflow; implemented content QA. Edited all customer-facing copy. Directed creation of new editorial/content marketing section of website. Hired and managed freelancers and consultants.

GLOBALENGLISH CORP., Brisbane, CA 11/10 – 5/11

Managing Editor
Managed editorial and production team for e-learning services company. Responsible for all learner-facing text in flagship SaaS product and mobile and other apps under development; ensured that all content was optimized for translation. Edited biweekly mini-magazine for employees learning business English. Worked with marketing team on collateral.

WALMART.COM, Brisbane, CA 7/10 – 11/10

Content Strategist/Senior UI Writer, Walmart Mobile (consultant)
Collaborated with IAs, UI designers, product managers and engineers in the Mobile group, a startup organization within Walmart.com. Adapted and refined the brand voice and editorial style to fit the distinct platform. Wrote concise, action-oriented, user-centered text for features that were being introduced to the mWeb and iPhone app.

SMALL BUSINESS MAJORITY, Sausalito, CA 12/08 – 7/10

Director of Communications
Helped propel a locedal organization onto the national public policy stage. Built and managed the team responsible for websites, marketing communications, research, media relations and informational materials used by Congress, the White House and small business organizations throughout the country. Launched a new website and two complete redesigns; supervised the writing and release of a range of collateral and economic and opinion research reports; oversaw several very successful media campaigns. Hired and managed vendors and consultants.

ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED, San Jose, CA 6/08 – 10/08

Copywriter, Photoshop.com & Photoshop.com Mobile (consultant)
Developed voice that spoke to three discrete audiences of the new Photoshop.com (SaaS), Photoshop.com Mobile and related consumer services. Worked with marketing, product management, design and user research to write and integrate engaging, relevant content. Created editorial guidelines.

PAYPAL/EBAY INC., San Jose, CA 3/07 – 4/08

Brand Manager (position specially created)
Collaborated with product managers and user experience team to ensure brand-compliant implementation. Launched project to build PayPal's first brand portal. Produced brand guidelines. Supported initiatives from creative review to internal education. Supervised creation of turnkey assets for co-marketing partners. Managed vendor relationships.

Senior Content Manager
Managed content projects from requirements gathering through handoff to development team. Worked closely with product managers, user interface and visual designers, user experience researchers, editors and international content managers to formulate strategy as well as concise product content and UI/instructional text for PayPal internal and external websites.

WETFEET, INC., San Francisco, CA 3/06 – 12/06

Managing Editor
Refined editorial strategy and processes; maintained editorial calendar. Created new content and feature specs for re-launch of consumer information/e-commerce site; oversaw redesign; collaborated closely with development team. Responsible for end-to-end production of ~60 books. Hired and managed editorial staff.

THE BOEING COMPANY, Seattle/Bellevue, WA 9/01 – 8/05

Communications Specialist, Shared Services Group (SSG) (position specially created)
Created and managed content and communication plans for companywide electronic communication tools. Managed SSG intranet site and SSG Communications portal content. Wrote web content, messages from the president and other materials for 22,000 employees (secondary audience of 157,000).

Web Manager/Communications Specialist, Air Traffic Management
Managed design, development and launch of intranet site that garnered kudos from across the company; supervised overhaul of external pages; produced content for both. Established content management system. Conceived and wrote employee communications materials, including intranet features and news, emails, employee surveys and articles for enterprise magazine. Won employee recognition award.

APPLIEDTHEORY CORP., Bellevue, WA 6/00 – 3/01; 6/01

Content Strategist (consultant)
Partnered with clients to create user-centered content for websites and web-based applications: e.g., designed content for major Northwest travel industry association's new niche site; edited and adapted technical help and interface text for real estate software application. Conducted content and usability audits of prominent insurance company's intranet. Re-engaged as consultant after corporate restructuring.

AMAZON.COM, Seattle, WA 6/99 – 6/00

Senior Editor (promoted after 8 months)
Helped launch Amazon.com Toys. Scheduled and wrote category and home page content and features. Wrote two monthly email newsletters for a subscriber base of 45,000; edited ten other monthly mailings. Managed freelance staff of 15-20 writers and 3-5 editors; responsible for hundreds of toy reviews per month and additional editorial activities. Was appointed lead editor for the design and production of new specialty product sites (e.g., Brio).

OLD NAVY/GAP INC., San Francisco, CA 12/98 – 6/99

Senior Digital Copywriter
With small team, determined architecture, navigation and content for new Old Navy website. Created taglines for store signage, advertising, and promotional materials for national campaigns, including Mother's Day and Fourth of July. Developed naming scheme for snowboarder outerwear collection. Wrote on-brand copy for press kits, blister cards, hang tags and packaging materials.

WILDERNESS TRAVEL, Berkeley, CA 4/97 – 12/98

Editor/Web Manager
Wrote/edited copy for 132-page annual coffee-table catalogs, itineraries, pre-departure packets, postcards, flyers, special event brochures, emails and website. Managed overhaul of the company website; launched an additional site in six weeks. Maintained both sites, overseeing contract designers and developers. Won employee recognition award three times.

Education

BA cum laude in Russian language and literature, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts