Let's get into it.
I'm a seasoned content creator who loves building teams that share my passion for turning ideas into language and helping other people get their message across. In short, I love to help people find their way; and I firmly believe the way is paved with clear communication.
I wrote my first story when I was eight years old, and in one way or another I've been a storyteller ever since. No matter my intention or actual role—even if not specifically defined as “writer”—I think in words and communicate in stories. I always end up writing stuff down.
Before I got my first formal job as a (capital W) writer, I was on an academic track, lucky enough to write not only critically and creatively, but to teach writing as well.
I left academia and moved to Seattle on a little bit of a whim, fell in love with the place, stumbled into a puddle of grace (see above re actual real job), and never left. I loved that first job (words! paychecks! bananas!) and all the ones that followed, in which I fairly quickly found a focus: I was officially in the high tech industry; the discipline of engineering; and the functional role of content design, development, and user experience.
Whether with an instructional or marketing focus, without even really realizing it, I’d become a professional communicator with the added benefit of being able to build teams dedicated to the task. I’ve built and led teams of as few as four and as many as forty people, driving vision, strategy, and content creation for a variety of goals. Dream realized.
I love what I do and am fiercely committed to excellence, clarity, and transparency. I believe deeply in the power of language and clear communication. I agree with Warren Buffett’s point of view that it holds the key to unlocking our potential.
Nuts and bolts
With over 20 years of experience in content design and development, I’ve:
Created long and short-form content, from planning and strategic framework documents and specs, to instructional, marketing, and concise UI copy.
Forged and maintained healthy teams and partnerships to collaboratively design and build user experiences that attract visitors, drive revenue, and increase profit share.
Written in a variety of voices for a range of audiences.
Spear-headed significant overhauls to the way content is conceived, created, and delivered for large-scale consumer audiences.
Used data to drive innovation, delight readers, optimize content effectiveness, save money, meet KPIs and OKRs, and boost profit share.
Conceived of and built an accreditation program for a global workforce.
Envisioned and articulated strategic initiatives that marry content and design to create intuitive, effective website experiences.
Built a browsable catalog for B2B prospect customers.
Driven the business, merchandising, and user experience requirements for a new B2B eCommerce platform.
Created an enterprise business case to garner $10M in capital funding, forecasting a three-year ROI of over 250%.
Fun facts
Outside of work, I love to do a host of non-writery things like travel, cook, bake, read, hike, knit, craft, and camp with my dog.
I've sailed a lot, including from Seattle to Mexico, where I lived for a year, adopted my dog, Frances, and acquired an embarrassingly small amount of Spanish.
I've mountaineered in Idaho, rock-climbed in Arizona and Utah, and jumped out of an airplane with my dad on his 75th birthday.
My dog’s motto is Always Be Hunting (ABH) and mine is Always Be Learning (ABL). To wit, in 2020 I learned how to use unit economics to build a business case and financial forecast. I’m simultaneously elated and astounded that I just typed that sentence.
I have forty-one houseplants, one camper van, and have run seven marathons.
My favorite novel is Geek Love, podcast is Armchair Expert, thinker is Sam Harris, band is Wilco, and movie—while changes frequently—is currently Heat.
If you're looking for a partner to help tell your story or solve a hard problem, I'm your huckleberry.