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Curriculum Vitae

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SUMMARY

A goal-oriented communications specialist with over eleven years of experience in Web strategy and development, creative direction, project coordination, writing, editing and research, whose creative thinking and team-building result in highly successful, user-oriented communications.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Expert

  • Strategic planning (Web communications)
  • Consulting/needs assessment
  • Project coordination
  • Creative direction
  • Visual rhetoric: Design best practices for
    Web communications
  • Content management and training
  • Web writing: style, language, and theory
  • Usability: testing/implementation/analysis
  • Information architecture
    • Storyboarding
    • Site inventory and analysis
    • Card sorting
  • Strategic planning (Web communications)
  • Consulting/needs assessment
  • Project coordination
  • Creative direction
  • Visual rhetoric: Design best practices for
    Web communications
  • Content management and training
  • Web writing: style, language, and theory
  • Usability: testing/implementation/analysis
  • Information architecture
    • Storyboarding
    • Site inventory and analysis
    • Card sorting

Intermediate

RELATED PROFICIENCIES
Microsoft Office 2007, Visio, SharePoint, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Contribute, PowerPoint, Extensis Portfolio, Extensis Suitcase, Clients and Profits, Urchin Web Analytics, ANGEL learning management suite, Expressions Engine (blog software), WordPress (blog software), Flash, Illustrator, SwishMax (Flash authoring tool), Camtasia (multimedia presentation software), Survey Solutions, SnagIt (screen capture and editing tool), InDesign, Sound Forge (audio editing tool), DITA Storm (XML editor). I also have comprehensive experience working with Web content management systems.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Michigan State University, Division of University Relations
Web Coordinator; 2002-March 2008.
Promoted: Systems Analyst I (Level 12) to Information Technologist II (Level 13), 10/01/04

Michigan State University, MSU Web Team; Fall 2002-Present
Team member of a multidisciplinary Web development team in partnership with Libraries, Computing and Technology.

Michigan State University, Division of University Relations
Account Manager, MSU Global (70%), Web Developer (30%)
May 2001-October 2002

MATRIX: The Center for Humane Arts, Letters & Social Sciences Online, MSU Digital Communications Internship: 4.0; May 2000-August 2000.

Conspire: a Journal of Literary Arts
Lead Editor and Web Developer; 1996-2005

VOLUNTEER WORK

Women’s Center of Greater Lansing
Web Administrator (design, development, content management);
October 2007-Present

EDUCATION

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
MA, Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing
Expected degree completion: Fall 2010; GPA: 4.0
Academic Portfolio: cktower.com/portfolio_academic.html

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Bachelor of Arts, English; 2001
Cognates in Women Studies and Psychology.

Lansing Community College, Lansing, MI
1996-1998 - Course work completed to transfer
to Michigan State University.

AWARDS

2007

American Advertising Federation- Sixth District
Addy Award: Interactive Media: virtualtour.msu.edu

2006

American Advertising Federation- Sixth District
Silver Addy Award: Interactive Media: beaspartan.com

Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Region Five
Silver Medal Achievement: Best Institutional Web Site
Michigan State University Homepage

2005

Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Region Five
Silver Medal Achievement: Best Individual Web Site
Michigan State University College of Social Science

2003

Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Region Five
Bronze Medal Achievement: Best Institutional Web Site
Michigan State University homepage

1995

Cranbrook Academy of the Arts Scholarship
Summer writing workshop

MEMBERSHIPS

National Society of Collegiate Scholars, inducted: 1999

PROFESSIONAL WORK SAMPLES

PUBLICATIONS

My writing has been published in print and online in more than sixty publications, many of which are international.

 

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