Please consider me in your search for a Writer.

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 develop and implement strategic communications plans for students, staff, faculty and the public. As co-editor of the bi-weekly, Gazette, I researched and wrote copy covering virtually all Faculties and often presented technical information to a more general audience. My article, New ways to slice the mapping pie, and its accompanying commissioned illustration is an example I also profiled new staff members, like Beatrice Medicine, and supplied photography, illustration and design skills.

After almost five years with the U of C, I accepted a position as a Journalism Instructor Grant MacEwan. Moving to Vancouver, I joined Southam Business Communications 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 on many business related issues including the development of a submersible camera.

As Marketing Manager for forest equipment manufacturer T-MAR Industries, my duties included conducting customer surveys; producing advertising copy, brochures and videos; and launching the company’s newsletter, The T-MAR Times.

A downturn in the industry led to 10 years overseas teaching in Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the UAE and Japan. In that time, I developed lesson materials using language carefully chosen for ESL students that ranged in age from grade-three to adult. Highlights of this period include the co-authoring of a series of mathematics workbooks and the production of the student illustrated video of my children’s story, The Apple of Albert’s Eye.

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 have a working knowledge of MS Office (including PowerPoint) Illustrator, Photoshop and Movie Studio.

When I returned to Canada, the Sandy Hook shootings in America were in the news and I decided to create an artwork based on the event. My research took me to the NRA website where I found, at the time, the organization sold baby-bibs with the letters NRA illustrated as children’s alphabet blocks. I designed and coordinated the making of a quilt to raise awareness about the availability of firearms and the need for public safety. A picture of the quilt follows on the web page I have created to support this application.

Since then, I have followed the issue with my twitter account and note that the relatively unrestricted access to firearms in the US continues to be a polarizing topic. I note that gun violence in Canada seems to be escalating, especially in large urban centres. I share the Alberta Department of Justice’s interest in “safe and resilient communities” and would welcome the opportunity to participate in providing editorial services that would thoroughly, rationally and fairly examine all issues surrounding the access and use of firearms in Alberta.

I believe I am an excellent candidate for this position. Let me suggest, then, that we meet to discuss the contribution I could make to your organization in this role.