Please consider me in your search for a Communications Coordinator.
After completing my Education degree at the University of Alberta (while also serving as a writer/production editor for the Students’ Union, Gateway), I joined The University of Calgary as a Communications Officer II. In that position, I worked with university administrators to develop and implement strategic communications plans for students, staff, faculty and the public. As co-editor of the bi-weekly, Gazette, I proofed the work of other writers and contributors and researched and wrote copy covering virtually all Faculties. I always sought to produce articles that would engage the reader. My article, New ways to slice the mapping pie and its accompanying commissioned illustration and my profile of new staff member, Beatrice Medicine, are two examples. I also supplied photography, illustration and design skills to further market the university to its various communities. As the publication of record for the U of C, I worked with the staff to archive articles and photographs.
Except for 10 years overseas teaching, I have lived in Alberta or BC. I have a keen interest in the region’s development, history and art history. While at the U of C, I completed university courses in Art & Architecture Canada: 1870 – 1960+, Topics in Prairie Canada (with Grant MacEwan) and Communications Research Methods
After five years at the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor at Grant MacEwan, teaching newswriting, photography, graphic design and mass media. Moving to Vancouver, I served as Western Editor for Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, providing copy on all aspects of the business including harvesting, safety and milling.
Settling in Nanaimo, I freelanced as a weekly reporter for The Nanaimo Business Examiner, writing business-related articles and worked as a reporter for the Nanaimo Free Press. My Nanaimo experience also included owning and operating Val-Pak, a direct-mail advertising franchise, where I provided customers an all-inclusive service: promotion design, leaflet printing, distribution, and redemption analysis. As owner, I negotiated all sales contracts.
In Campbell River, serving as the Marketing Manager for T-MAR Industries, I promoted the company’s existing inventory of logging products from log loaders to road builders to grapples and helped promote new product additions. My duties also included conducting customer surveys; producing advertising copy, brochures and videos; purchasing company swag and launching the company’s newsletter, The T-MAR Times. I also was project coordinator for the company’s participation in DEMO 2000, a “live forestry” exhibition in the B.C. interior.
A downturn in the forest industry led to 10 years overseas teaching art and later, mathematics, in Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the UAE and Japan. Highlights of this period include a number of two-dimensional works and video productions that include: a student illustrated video of my children’s story, The Apple of Albert’s Eye, in Saudi Arabia; a short film, God is Love, made with my Emirati students in Al Ain, UAE; a documentary, Truck Logging in Africa, (which uses my voiceover skills) in Cameroon; the video introduction to a high school production of The Rocky Monster Show, in Jeddah and my video application for the position of Traveling Ambassador for Air Transat, in Dubai (which showcases my script writing, video editing and music writing abilities).
Returning to Canada in 2012, I relocated to Prince George, BC and launched my WordPress website to highlight my creative abilities in writing, photography, art, music and video production. I use my blog and twitter (now known as X) account to promote my work and my belief in a better world. I have a working knowledge of MS Office (including PowerPoint), Illustrator, Photoshop, WordPress and Movie Studio
In Prince George, I worked in a number of positions, including as a Community Support Worker, Licensed Property Manager and volunteered in the Salvation Army’s food recovery program. In my property management position, I worked with specialized databases that archived renter’s locations and payment history; scheduled and monitored maintenance and tracked renewal dates.
I am lifetime observer of and believer in a better word for all, and by that, I mean culturing a state of mind that centers on love, peace, freedom and joy, regardless of external circumstance. My Happy Face Series, is a visual expression of that tenet. For a greater understanding of my philosophy and a sample of my recent writing, see my article, Assholes – Another Theory.
Moving to my birth city, Edmonton, in April 2021, I secured summer employment at the Mustard Seed downtown church building as a part-time, casual Janitor through Bissell Employment. That fall, I served as a Janitor at the Mustard Seed administered homeless shelters at Knox Evangelical and Strathcona Baptist churches, through Bissell. In this position, I worked hard to keep the facility clean and interacted with shelter clients and staff on a regular basis.
When that temporary position ended in the spring, I joined Horizon North as a Janitor working at fire-base camps during the summer of 2022 and later as an Industrial Janitor at the MEG Energy site at Conklin Alberta. Most recently, I have been working at the MEG and Cenovus Energy site near Fort MacMurray as a Second Cook.
I have been active as a community member and artist in Edmonton since moving to the city in 2021, participating in workshops with the Latitude 53 Gallery as well as helping to paint their new space. My photograph, Spool on the Water, is on display as part of Edmonton’s juried show, FLOW. I am a member of the Aberta Craft Council and the Edmonton Interfaith Centre.
I believe the wealth of communications, education and administrative experience I demonstrate makes me an excellent candidate for this position. Accordingly, let me suggest we meet to discuss the possibility of joining your organization as its Communication Coordinator.