Technical Management

BARBARA R. SAUNDERS

Technical Writing Consultant and Contractor

**** ******* ******, #** ********, CA 94703

*********@*****.*** 415-***-****

SUMMARY

Writer and editor with expertise in developing communications with technical content

Creative and editorial background spans article and book writing, Web content

development, technical and marketing communications for organizations ranging from

startups to Fortune 500 companies

Technology enthusiast and champion with broad exposure to RDBMS, IT services, B2B and

B2C e commerce, social networking, natural language processing, and information retrieval

Experienced with numerous technical tools: Mac, Windows, and Unix operating systems;

Microsoft Office suite; SharePoint; FrameMaker; Concordance (legal document review);

ImproMed (veterinary practice management); and various POS systems

Skillful interviewer, able to communicate with and extract information from subject matter

experts with diverse specializations

Instinctive systems thinker capable of devising and executing pragmatic approaches to

business challenges; capable process designer with excellent time management skills

Well versed in conceptual, creative, and production aspects of publication; eager to learn

and use new tools and methods

RECENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

Technical Writing and Editing Consultant and Contractor

PG&E, Technical Writer, Integrated Demand Side Management (contractor)

2/2007 pres.

• Promote customers’ adoption of energy efficiency measures by generating copy for direct

mail collateral, technical fact sheets, newsletters, print ads, RoboHelp, and Web sites

covering utility programs and emerging technologies

• Translate information from engineers into customer friendly language

• Ensure that content incorporates consistent core messages while effectively addressing

diverse target audiences, including homeowners and residents, building contractors and

designers, school and government administrators, corporate decision makers, and facilities

managers in industries from high tech to food processing

• Write partner communications and cobranded materials to increase participation in rebate

and incentive programs administered by third parties

• Enhance awareness of PG&E’s contributions to energy conservation efforts in California by

writing trade articles, advertorials, contest entries, and competitive proposals

• Contribute to increased efficiency in the content development cycle by developing

templates, style guidelines, and mockups at the inception of new projects

7/2009 4/2010 Microsoft, Technical Writer, IT Architecture and Planning (contractor)

• Served as primary writer of content for a novel consulting offering that combines

ethnography, contextual design, and serious games

• Helped build support for the project through the developmental edit of a white paper

describing the vision and findings from proof of concept client engagements; paper was

named to Top 30 in annual, internal “Think Week” competition

• Copyedited blog posts drafted by program managers, including speakers of English as a

foreign language and native English speakers from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and New

Zealand; preserved each author’s voice while upholding HQ style guidelines

Saunders, p.2

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Pets Unlimited, Program Coordinator

9/2007 12/2008

• Assessed holistic medicine program viability and recommended adjustments

• Developed internal systems and protocols and trained line staff

• Wrote marketing and program materials at a variety of levels

San Francisco SPCA, Public Information Associate

11/2006 9/2007

• Streamlined the newsletter publishing process, resulting in savings over $1,000 per month

while improving subscriber privacy safeguards and data collection capabilities

• Assembled ad hoc staff, vendor, and volunteer resources to meet needs not addressed by the

existing processes

H5, Inc.

2/2004 8/2006

• Analyst/Researcher/Writer: Conducted background research and business process analysis

to lay the foundation for achieving tight precision and recall standards in information

retrieval

• Recruiter: During a hiring crisis precipitated by acquiring major new clients, reduced time

and cost to recruiting key employees by refining and revising hiring profiles and candidate

screening protocols, writing targeted recruitment postings and scripts for agency recruiters,

and coaching hiring managers in interview strategies. As a result, company increased from

21 to 100 employees in 6 months.

AdvisorTeam.com, Director of Content Development

2000 02

• Wrote all original copy modules for online personality testing firm

• Delivered executive and professional coaching and facilitation in phone and live sessions

Club One Fitness, ACSM Certified Health and Fitness Specialist

1997 2001

• Provided assessment, exercise prescription, and instruction to individuals

• Devised, marketed, and delivered exercise classes and lectures about health

• Built full time client base with specializations in women’s health and strength training;

consistently met sales quotas

Sybase, Inc., Production Editor, Technical Documentation

1994 96

• Edited and produced technical documentation in FrameMaker for enterprise customers

• Managed production cycle for localized documents

• Devised and delivered training to prepare department for ISO 9000 audit

• Wrote procedure manual, instituted version control, and created first department intranet in

HTML

EDUCATION

Stanford University, A.B., Psychology

AWARDS

Science Books and Films, my first book, Ivan Pavlov: Exploring the Mysteries of Behavior (from

Enslow Publishers, Inc.) was named to list of best books of 2007 for junior high and young adult

readers

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