About Me

Forging good business relationships is a key component of any succesful venture. So, if I expect you to do business with me, the least I can do is tell you a little bit about myself. That way you can decide if I'm the right professional for you.

Professional Interests

I've been a professional communicator for 8 years. As a technical writer, I have written manuals and training materials for people who have never used a computer, created specficiations for seasoned computer programmers, and developed case studies and white papers for high-level decision makers, such as CEOs and CTOs. As a business analyst, I've documented intricate public sector procedures and internal business processes, created software requirements that were the basis for new computer programs, and developed test procedures for quality assurance. Through all of that, I discovered the importance of design, in addition to words, as a means of communication. This sparked my interest in information design, Web design, data modeling, and interface design.

As part of this broad experience, I've become a frequent user of the technologies behind communication, such as HTML, XML, and JavaScript, the methodologies and standards for communication, such as UML, design patterns, and usability, and the tools to produce communication materials, such as MicroSoft Office, OpenOffice.org, FrameMaker, DreamWeaver, PhotoShop, GIMP, DocBook, Apache Forrest, WebWorks, and RoboHelp.

Personal Interests

I've been writing since I was in kindergarten. I've published a handful of short stories and industry-related articles. I even wrote a column--Notes from the Cubicle--for WriteThinking e-zine.

But I'm interested in more than just writing. My background is in anthropology and linguistics, including ethnographic research; that just means that I have studied many different cultures. I am interested in mythology, folklore, philosophy, history, prehistory, psychology, and behavioral economics. That makes me a bit of a book worm. I also dabble in pen-and-ink, graphite, and digital illustrations; an artist in a writer's clothing one might say. I enjoy hiking, camping, cycling, and CrossFit. And, of course, there's music.

Of all these things, however, family is the most important thing to me.

There's more about me, of course, but this should give you a general idea of who I am and whether you want to work with me. Do send an e-mail if you want to know more.