Summary

Versatile content professional with proven content project management skills and extensive content development expertise. Adept working with content aimed at a variety of audiences including consumer and business end-users, technical/IT, and sales professionals. Editorial experience includes all levels of editing from developmental edits to copy editing and proofing. My good-humored nature and easy-going, focused style allow me to work well within a team and to collaborate skillfully across groups. Proven ability to manage multiple projects in fast-paced environments.

Experience at Microsoft

Managing Editor/Content Project Manager Denny Mountain Surface & Microsoft Band January 2013–January 2016

Lead a team of writers and editors to develop technically accurate, easy to use online and print help documentation for consumer, business, and internal audiences.

Oversaw all phases of content development and publication: scoping and planning, content creation, gap analysis, technical review, stakeholder signoff, and on-time handoff for publication and localization.

Triaged requests for new content, changes to existing content, and facilitated rapid content response efforts to address emerging support issues.

Analyzed content effectiveness data and user feedback to inform content strategy and content optimization.

Implemented process improvements and develop content quality standards.

Edited content for grammar, typos, organization, clarity, voice, consistency, corporate style, and accuracy.

The Surface.com support site was named one of the “Ten Best Web Support Sites of 2014.”

Content Project Manager Bridge Partners Consulting (freelance) SMSG-Readiness November 2012–January 2013

Managed project to deliver six updated Solution Development Kits on schedule and within budget.

Created project schedules, lead project meetings, and delivered project status reports.

Worked closely with stakeholders to drive the consensus necessary to adopt a manageable change strategy.

Edited and revised SDKs and updated the SMSG Readiness Style Guide.

Technical Editor Aquent Microsoft Partner Network May 2011–May 2012

Lead team’s marketing efforts to drive reach, promote engagements, and increase consumption of MPN services, and managed end-to-end content projects.

Wrote and edited online content, newsletters, email templates, technical training and marketing slide decks.

Worked with subject-matter experts to resolve issues related to content under review, and coordinated calendar of 50 tech workshops monthly; exceeded 100% of partner touch goal within 9 months.

Administered team SharePoint sites to facilitate collaboration, content planning, document sharing, and scheduling; played key role in the creation of a SharePoint solution that increased CPE scores by 40%+.

Content Project Manager Aquent Microsoft Legal & Corporate Affairs LCAWeb February 2010–May 2010

Collaborated with content owners to plan, develop, and publish redesigned, client-focused content for the Microsoft Legal & Corporate Affairs portal, LCAWeb.

Planned and implemented a comprehensive content inventory and audit leveraging web analytics, focus group data, and web best practices to recommend content redesign, migration, and retention need.

Technical Editor Volt Information Sciences Microsoft IT Marcom ITWeb June 2008–June 2009

Extracted knowledge from subject-matter experts about complex technologies and translated that into clear, concise, and useful user-friendly help content for the Microsoft IT portal, ITWeb.

Authored and edited portal content with attention to organization, technical accuracy, grammar, and style.

Wrote and edited a wide range of content including UI strings, “how-to” articles, internal documentation, newsletters, productivity guides, white papers, and companywide email communications.

Managed, scheduled, and prioritized a workload of multiple and simultaneous content projects.

Project Manager & Editor/Lead Writer Aquent MSN.com Homepage December 2006–November 2007

Collaborated with PMs, developers, and production and business management teams to launch two v.1 modules (Popular Search Topics & MSN Extra) on the MSN homepage.

Gathered business requirements, scoped projects, created SOWs, and managed timelines and workflows.

Analyzed performance data and search trends to identify topics for inclusion in daily programming.

Managed a team of writers and photo editors, and an editorial calendar aligned to strategic campaigns and newsworthy seasonal events.

Developed content specifications and editorial guidelines following web best practices.

Featured Sites Project Manager/Account Manager Microsoft Corporation MSN Search May 2000–October 2006

Influenced channels throughout MSN.com, and across Microsoft and 3rd-party content providers in programming featured content into MSN search results.

Developed and managed content project plans including timelines and deliverables, and managed keyword inventories for featured placements.

Analyzed performance data and other analytics to inform content strategy, campaign optimization, and made recommendations for continuous program improvement.

Worked closely with PMs and developers through numerous ship cycles to plan and implement enhancements to editorial tools, and to launch new product features and search functionalities.

Played an instrumental role in planning and executing upon several large-scale data migration projects, and received special recognition for my contributions.

Managed a team of writers creating consumer-friendly calls to action and engaging marketing copy.

Maintained high customer satisfaction levels and renewal rates, and provided prompt resolution of client issues; exceeded SLA’s 97% of the time.

Other Experience

Law Librarian, Technical Services & Systems University of Akron School of Law July 1989–December 1999

Lead a complex, multiphase project to bring library operations into the computer age; designed and implemented library’s first online technical services and public access systems.

Managed staff of library technicians and oversaw all aspects of technical services functions: cataloging, classification, acquisitions, and online pubic access systems.

Provided legal reference services to faculty, students, attorneys, and the general public with special emphasis on the library’s Federal Depository Library Program collection.

Taught the course "Legal Research and Writing" to law students and developed original course materials.

Education

Juris Doctor University of Akron School of Law Akron, OH

Akron Law Review, Case & Comment Editor, “Write On” Competition Winner

Master of Library Science Kent State University School of Library Science Kent, OH

Association of Library Science Students of Ohio, President

Bachelor of Arts – History University of Akron Akron, OH

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