Technical Writer Editor

Deborah L. Whitten

860-***-****

Page 1 of 3

Work Experience:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – 500 12 th

St. SW, Washington DC. October

**** ** ***** ****

I worked in the Incident and Special Response Unit (ISRU) for the past 7 years. The ISRU coordinates and oversee operations that support the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans for critical and significant incidents such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, man-made or accidental disasters, and other national emergencies or incidents. As an ISRU member I wear many hats. One of my responsibilities is the lead in the quarterly reporting for Occupant Emergency Plans (OEP) for our Field Offices. I improved the process so the spreadsheet for reporting has been uploaded to a SharePoint site where every office has access to upload their latest exercises and training efforts to support the OEP.

I am on the Emergency Management Readiness and Assistance Pilot Program (EMRAPP) team that ISRU implemented in 2018. The ISRU developed the EMRAPP to provide readiness assistance directly to field offices in order to improve field office resilience during an emergency incident. Each field office is visited by Emergency Management Specialists from ISRU who interviews personnel, conduct select site visits, such as an Alternate Operating Facility (AOF), and aid the field office in self- identifying any areas for improvement to better prepare for future emergencies. After the initial visit ISRU staff returns to the Field Office to train personnel on how to write emergency plans using the Department of Homeland Security Department Plan Development Process (DPDP). I completed the training for the DPDP, the standardized planning process for the Department of Homeland Security, and I have also completed the DPDP Train-the-Trainer course so I am now teaching the DPDP to ICE Field Offices around the country to assure they know how to write emergency plans, to assure they have emergency plans in place and that they are up to date. Using my writer/editor background I am also the editor for any documents that are created in ISRU, all relating to emergency management in some respect. Additionally I am a Surge Capacity Force (SCF) member as well as on the ICE SCF Program team. I assist the SCF Program Team manager in deployments, training, and any needed documentation for the program. ISRU Past Projects:

• ISRU Lead in the quarterly reporting for Occupant Emergency Plans (OEP) for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Field Offices. Improved the process for reporting by uploading the spreadsheets to a SharePoint site where every office has access to upload their latest exercises and training efforts to support the OEP.

• Certified instructor on the Emergency Management Readiness and Assistance Program (EMRAP) team that provides readiness assistance directly to field offices to improve field office resilience during an emergency incident

• During the 2018 Hurricane season, I was on the Crisis Action Team for Hurricane Michael, where I participated in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for meetings, conference calls, and briefings to help coordinate response efforts for ICE facilities in the path of Hurricane Michael.

• Writer and/or Editor for any emergency management documents that are created in ISRU.

• Surge Capacity Force (SCF) member

Technical Writer Editor

Deborah L. Whitten

860-***-**** 186 North Stone St., West Suffield, CT. Page 2 of 3

• Previously on the ICE SCF Program team. I assisted the ICE SCF Program Team manager in deployments, training, logistics, and any needed documentation for the program.

• Member of the ICE Domestic Mass Migration Contingency Plan (DMMCP) planning group for mass migration response/coordination

• Lead for Surge Capacity Force After Action Report for 2017 response to Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey and the California wildfires

• Assisted in reporting efforts during 2017 hurricane season

• On teams for After Action Reports for Hurricanes Florence and Michael

• Created a COOP site to track all COOP Plans for all ERO Field and Sub Offices

• Participated in Integrated Advance Exercise by responding to briefings and injects from exercise

• Created an ERO EOC site on HSIN to consolidate and coordinate ERO response efforts

• Certified Instructor of the National Planners Course, able to facilitate and teach modules of the course

• Coordinator, Traumatic and Incident Response Team (TIRT) lead, and member of the ICE Peer Support Program.

• Assigned the Facilities Closure report during the COVID 19 response efforts.

• Assisted at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Headquarters in Ronald Reagan Building at the beginning of the COVID 19 response. US Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS)/Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – 131 M St. NE, Washington DC July 2012 – September 2015 Writer-Editor

My position with the Verification Division I was a member of the Front Office staff. I worked closely with senior leadership to assist with taskings and projects that supported the division’s major programs; E-Verify and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). All documentation created in the Verification Division must go through me for review, editing, and assuring that it is in plain language before being released. I researched, reviewed, wrote, and copy edited a variety of documents including correspondence, reports, articles, press releases, newsletters, briefings, presentations, training materials, memos, manuals, testimonies, speeches, public facing documents, and congressional responses. I reviewed documents with consideration to overall objectives and mission of DHS and USCIS in determining content and method of presentation and assure we met all security requirements. Review also includes identifying problems such as reconciling contradictions, correcting any misconceptions, and interviewing and consulting subject matter experts and program officials when information has gaps or is conflicting. While with USCIS I completed the training and secured approval to become a Surge Capacity Force Member/volunteer for DHS.

Federal Aviation Administration – Windsor Locks, CT & Washington D.C. 08/2004 – June 2012 Lead Technical Writer/Editor

Provided technical writing, editing, and publication support for the Aircraft Engineering Division (AIR- under Aviation Safety. Developed regulatory documents, advisory circulars, notices of proposed rulemaking, technical standard orders, reports, audit summaries, and any other documentation needed for AIR-100 by consulting with subject matter experts, program officials, general counsel, and management to develop documentation through to completion and issuance. Projects required interpreting written material to include technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, and tables and translate into documents using plain language to meet the Technical Writer Editor

Deborah L. Whitten

860-***-**** 186 North Stone St., West Suffield, CT. Page 3 of 3

requirements for the specific audience. Audience for materials could be on a national and global level. Additional duties included newsletters, correspondence, reports, studies, and presentations. Transtech Airport Solutions, Inc. – Windsor, CT 03/2002 – 07/ 2004 Quality & Documentation Manager/Technical Writer/Editor Documentation and Quality Manager and technical writer for airport lighting control software company. Duties included Quality Manager for International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001-2000 certification and Quality Auditor. Assisted in initial certification for ISO 9001-2000 by establishing and writing ISO procedures and Quality Manual. Team lead for documenting all procedures for entire company. Also created project specific manuals, data sheets and drawings for products designed onsite. Managed documentation, ISO procedures and audits, production, and inventory for documentation department.

Philips Medical Systems – Shelton, CT 09/2000 – 06/2001 Technical Writer

Contract assignment for the Quality & Regulatory Department, writing business processes, procedures, practices and business specifications for all the medical company’s varied departments. Pratt & Whitney – Middletown, CT 06/1999 – 09/2000 Technical Writer & Illustrator

Long-term contract assignment producing training manuals for machines, processes and software used in the manufacturing of aircraft engines. Completed several projects including PW2000 Jet Engine Tear-Down Manual, User Manual and Operation of Vertical Turret Lathe, and Engine Shipping Procedures Training Manual.

Veeder Root Inc. – Simsbury, CT 10/1998 – 06/1999

Technical Writer & Illustrator

Produced technical publications for an environmental petroleum products company, producing Quick Start Guides for their new software product, installation, and operation manuals. Branson Ultrasonics Corporation – Danbury, CT 06/1995 – 04/1998 Technical Writer & Illustrator

Produced technical publications for various ultrasonic products and software packages manufactured onsite. Projects included Operations and Maintenance Manuals, Quick Start-Up Guides for 2000 Ultrasonic Welders, Software Set-up and Operations Manuals, and Power Supply Operators Manuals.

Various Contracting Assignments – Various locations in WA, TX, & CT 02/1991 – 01/1995 Technical Documentation Specialist

Accepted various contract assignments working mostly on AutoCAD and Intergraph MicroStation computer systems. Majority of jobs involved drafting of civil and structural drawings and technical documentation.

Honeywell Engineering Center – Poulsbo, WA 04/1989 – 08/1989 Technical Illustrator

Created technical drawings on mainframe computer, including exploded & assembly drawings and piece part drawings for Mark 50 Torpedo technical manual. Drawings also included electrical, Technical Writer Editor

Deborah L. Whitten

860-***-**** 186 North Stone St., West Suffield, CT. Page 4 of 3

electronic, mechanical, machine parts, and wiring diagrams. United States Navy – Various Duty Stations 09/1983 – 11/1987 Illustrator/Draftsman

Assigned to head the graphics department for the San Diego Naval Station Commanding Officer. Also assigned to the Graphic Shop for the Pacific Fleet. Performed all graphic needs, both creative and technical, for ships while in port.

Other Related Work Experience:

Communications Breakdown – New Hartford, CT 05/1992 – Present Freelance Documentation Specialist

Home based freelance technical information design business producing technical documentation and business graphics. Responsibilities include marketing, public relations, client contact, project management, project development, supply requisition, desktop publishing, computer system management and maintenance, record keeping, accounting and billing, and scheduling. Clients include Atlantic Coast Technologies, Inc., Connections Concepts, Trumpf USA, Inc., and Schenectady Chemicals.

Education:

San Diego City College, San Diego, CA.

Completed Accelerated Program in Circuit

Board Design

Central Connecticut State University, New

Britain, CT

Bachelors of Science in Industrial

Technology

Other Qualifications:

• ICE Surge Capacity Force Program Team Member

• ICE Peer Support Member

• Extensive training in the use of Plain Language

• U.S. Navy; Basic and Advanced Electricity and Electronics, Theory & Troubleshooting

• Section 508 Compliance

• SharePoint for ENC/Connect management

• Currently hold TS/SCI Security Clearance from Dept of Homeland Security.

Contact this candidate