Communications & Comm Engagement – ACWS

Please consider me in your search to fill the position of Communications and Community Engagement Support. As my resume details, I have a wide range of experience creating communications for many audiences and organizations.

After completing my Education degree at the U of A (with a major in art) and serving as a writer/production editor for the Students’ Union Gateway, I joined The University of Calgary as a Communications Officer II. In this position, I worked with university administrators to implement communication plans for students, staff and the public. I also served as co-editor of the bi-weekly Gazette. In this role, I was often called upon to create copy that made technical information accessible to a general audience. My article on digital mapping is an example. Profiling new staff members was also a responsibility, as my article on Beatrice Medicine illustrates. I was also called upon to provide photography, illustration and design skills. While at the U of C, I took advantage of free tuition and completed several courses including one on Communications Research Methods.

After almost five years with the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor at the then Grant MacEwan Community College. Preferring to “do rather than to teach,” I joined Southam Business Communications in Vancouver as Western Editor for Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, providing copy on all aspects of the business including harvesting, safety and milling. I then settled with my family in Nanaimo where I worked as a weekly and daily reporter. Samples of my work include an article on an underwater camera for The Nanaimo Business Examiner and Sam Struhar’s fight for justice with WCB, for The Nanaimo Daily Free Press. The latter article reveals the power of communications as my article led to a reevaluation of Struha’r’s WCB claim. I also ran my own direct-mail advertising business, Val-Pak, for almost five years. This experience helped me learn how to evaluate the measurable success of this type of promotion.

In my duties as Marketing Manager for forest equipment manufacturer T-MAR Industries, I used my writing and editorial skills to launch the company’s newsletter, The T-MAR Times. I used my graphic design skills and communications research methods knowledge to create and analyze customer surveys.

I also produced advertising copy and brochures, maintained contact with industry publications and designed the company’s booth for the annual Truck Loggers Association Convention in Vancouver. Part of my duties also included regular presentations to sales staff and management.

A downturn in the industry led to leave T-MAR and spend 10 years overseas teaching in Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the UAE and Japan. Highlights of this period include co-authoring mathematics workbooks for vocational students in Al Ain, UAE and producing the student-illustrated video of my children’s story about life from an apple’s point of view, The Apple of Albert’s Eye.

Albert’s story is one of a disadvantaged apple (he’s smaller than the rest because he didn’t get as much sun) chosen by a young, handicapped girl at the market. After being advised by her father that she should put Albert back and get an apple that was “perfect,” Holly keeps Albert saying, “Dad, you wouldn’t put me back just because my legs don’t work, or I’m not perfect, would you?”

Returning to Canada in 2012, I relocated to Prince George, BC and served in a variety of positions, including work in community care for the Prince George Association for Community Living and Thompson Community Services. Both these agencies, like ACWS, are dedicated to providing service and help to the disadvantaged. I also worked as a Licensed Property Manager in Prince George and Courtenay. This work has given me the skill to develop and maintain databases using a specific software. 

At this time, I also launched my WordPress website, which I manage, to highlight my creative abilities and used it and my blog to showcase much of my work that was dedicated to social change and spiritual growth. My quilt, Death from A to Z by Adam Lanza, Dec. 14, 2012, for example, expresses my belief that restricting the access to guns saves lives.

You ask for a very wide skill set in filling this role. One that is extremely common is an expertise in SEO and analytics. I believe I have the analytical mind capable of working with these kinds of metrics and have begun studying the free online courses on the subject offered through the SEMRUSH Academy.

You also ask for video skills. Here’s my video application for the position of Traveling Ambassador with Air Transat, shot in Dubai.

I believe my combination of communications experience and community service mindset combine to makes me a unique and ideal candidate for this position. Accordingly, let me suggest, then, that we meet to discuss the contribution I could make to your organization in this role.