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Posts Tagged ‘In the Workplace’

In the Workplace with Luke Capizzo

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Name: Luke Capizzo
Title: Communications Specialist
Website: twitter.com/capizzol, www.mcul.org
Location: Lansing, MI

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated from Michigan State University in ’07 with a dual B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy (PTCD, that’s one) and Professional Writing (PW). I really enjoyed studying the leading writers in Western political thought, but I’m employed because of the writing skills, design processes, and use of the serial comma that I learned in Professional Writing. I spent a year at a small PR firm (with varying degrees of success) before taking my current job.

Tell us about your current job.
I’m a communications specialist with the Michigan Credit Union League (MCUL), the state trade association for credit unions. I’m in a department of four people that takes care of media relations, publications, multimedia, web writing (and a little bit of design), social media outreach, and member communications. I handle about half of the media relations load including writing press releases and op-eds, contacting reporters and pitching stories, and general strategizing for media outreach. We get to dabble in the political advocacy side of media communications as well, which I enjoy tremendously.

I also write for four different MCUL publications and am the editor/designer for one of them. We oversee the website content, so I get to do regular updates to the public affairs pages and work with other departments to improve the information architecture, usability, and writing in their areas as well. Our department does video work, generally for web use, so I get to write, shoot, and edit the occasional short video. My boss (the director of public affairs) is a former TV news guy, so I’ve learned a lot about basic video production from working with him. I also tweet occasionally on the company account. (more…)

Tags: communications, In the Workplace, public relations, Writing
Posted in Career, Design, Editing, Web, Writing | Comments Off

In the Workplace with Derek Moore

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Name: Derek Moore
Title: Web Artist and Co-Founder of Simplify Advance
Website: http://dereksmoore.com
Location: Chicago, IL

Derek Moore

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I am self-taught. When I was 16-years-old, I created my first website. I continued to make a few more, coding everything by hand. Eventually I started to get paid for the work I was doing. Now I get paid for all of my work or at least I’d like to think that’s the case.

Tell us about your current job.
Currently I am running my own shop called Simplify Advance. We make custom web applications for people with great ideas. We also make our own ideas come to life. You can check out http://beanvsleaf.com and http://makeapeep.com, two fun foundation apps that instigated the birth of Simplify Advance. (more…)

Tags: In the Workplace, web design
Posted in Career, Design, Web | 1 Comment »

In the Workplace with Emily Wenstrom

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Name: Emily Wenstrom
Titles: Resident ink slinger, Motion Marketing & Media; Managing editor, Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine
Websites: www.m3group.biz, www.cawlm.com
Location: Lansing, MI

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated from Calvin College with double majors in English and mass media. I worked as a copy editor and later a section editor for the student newspaper there, and held an editorial internship where I wrote for two city magazines before I graduated. I actually got my first taste of marketing through an administrative assistant position – the company put my creativity and writing skills to work by putting me on projects for an internal newsletter, some promotional materials, event planning and Web site writing. I loved that, but the administrative part of my job was unfulfilling and I honestly wasn’t that good at it…so I moved on to full-time freelancing. Now I am Motion Marketing & Media’s (M3) resident ink slinger and managing editor of Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine (CAWLM).

Tell us about your current job.
As M3′s resident ink slinger, I do a lot of copywriting for a broad variety of materials, from proposals to newsletters to websites to press releases and more. I also pitch a lot of stories and interviews about our clients to newspapers, television, and radio. I’m the primary proofreader for all materials that come out of the M3 office and I also manage social media for various campaigns. I work with the rest of the team on branding, communications plans, and events.

As managing editor of CAWLM, I coordinate the many pieces that must come together to bring the magazine to fruition each month. This includes conceptualizing story ideas, managing freelance writers and photographers, writing articles, editing articles, and working with the rest of our in-house team to keep tabs on ad revenues and layout design. I also oversee our reader outreach, including radio ads, the website, and the Facebook Fan page.

I wear a lot of different hats. It helps me stay creative and on top of my game. I love it. (more…)

Tags: In the Workplace, magazine, social media
Posted in Career, Editing, Web, Writing | 2 Comments »

In the Workplace, Fall 2009 Edition

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

I’m excited to announce that beyondwords will be showcasing the talent of more professional writers, editors, and designers in the Fall 2009 edition of our “In the Workplace” series.

Our featured professionals will give us a glimpse into the work they do, from how they create and communicate in their job to how they define professional writing.

The Fall series will kick off on October 5. Until then, get inspired by browsing our past interviews with young professionals.

Tags: In the Workplace
Posted in Career, Design, Editing, Writing | Comments Off

In the Workplace with Lisa Eldred

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Name: Lisa Eldred
Title: Editorial Assistant; Freelance Editor
Website: http://wasabijane.com
Location: Lansing, MI

Lisa Eldred

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I have a B.A. in English from Grand Valley State University and recently completed an M.A. in Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing at Michigan State University, with a certificate in Serious Game Design.

Work-wise, I have been at MSU Outreach and Engagement since October 2004, though only recently as a full-time employee. I also do freelance editing for Joe Darden, Professor of Geography at MSU, and helped develop the Beginning Farmers website for Taylor Reid in Community, Agriculture, Recreation, and Resource Studies.

Tell us about your current job.
Outreach and Engagement’s mission is to promote and support outreach work and scholarship across the entire university. My unit works mostly on content development and distribution–so reports, websites, brochures, conference support, ad infinitum. I help maintain three websites, write stories for our annual magazine, and, most frequently, design and edit scholarly reports. Thus far, my freelance work has been of a similar nature.

(more…)

Tags: In the Workplace
Posted in Career, Design, Editing, Web, Writing | Comments Off

In the Workplace with Kathryn Houghton

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

Name: Kathryn Houghton
Titles: Web Designer and Technical Writer for Eastern Washington University; Web Editor for Willow Springs
Websites: http://kathrynhoughton.com
Location: Spokane, WA

Kathryn Houghton

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated with a degree in professional writing from MSU in 2008. While at State I worked as a writing and digital consultant at the Writing Center and as an editorial assistant for Fourth Genre, MSU’s literary magazine of nonfiction. Currently I am a graduate student at Eastern Washington University (EWU) studying fiction writing.

Tell us about your current job.
I hold two different positions right now. I work as a web designer and technical writer for Online Learning at EWU. Online Learning basically encompasses all of the online courses and the resources required to maintain them, and so I spend a lot of time working in Blackboard LMS or making updates to the various websites that fall under the umbrella of my division.

My other position is web editor for Willow Springs, EWU’s literary magazine of poetry, prose, and interviews. I am responsible for updating and maintaining the Willow Springs website, which can mean anything from fixing typos and updating staff lists to creating new graphics and contacting authors for featured content. Since this position is also part of the management team, I also get to work in some other areas such as manuscript screening and copyediting.

(more…)

Tags: In the Workplace
Posted in Career, Editing, Web, Writing | 1 Comment »

In the Workplace with Erin Riojas

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Name: Erin Riojas
Title: Editor
Website/Blog: erinriojas.com
Location: Evanston, Illinois

erin

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
Okay. I graduated from MSU in 2006 with a B.A. in Professional Writing. During my junior and senior years I worked/interned at the MSU Press as the Acquisitions Assistant, reading manuscripts, corresponding with authors, and making copies of things. I was also Fiction Editor of the student-run lit journal, The Offbeat.

Tell us about your current job.
Certainly. I work as an editor for a medical office supply company called Medical Arts Press, which is owned by Quill, which is owned by Staples. Ya dig? It’s sort of like The Office only less funny. I edit every type of media that goes out, including catalogues, emails, web ads, newsletters, and blog entries.

I also write a lot of articles for our newsletter, and for Quill’s two customer newsletters. My favorite thing to do lately is write the cartoons for our newsletter, which is brand new for both me and the newsletter. A lot of my joke ideas get rejected by the higher-ups. I’m too cutting edge for medical offices.

Sometimes they let me do a little design work, too, like build web ads and other random projects.
(more…)

Tags: Editing, In the Workplace
Posted in Career | Comments Off

In the Workplace with Ryan Doom

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Name: Ryan Doom
Title: President and co-founder of Web Ascender
Websites: www.webascender.com & www.ryandoom.com
Location: East Lansing, Michigan

Ryan Doom

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated from the Michigan State University Computer Science program in 2003. During my stay at MSU, I worked to get a good internship each year that would help prepare me for what businesses would be looking for when I graduated. My senior year I started working almost full time at a software consulting company and worked there for four years. I also have a couple Microsoft certifications. I am currently an MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) and MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer).

Tell us about your current job.
I started a web design, development, and internet marketing business with a long-time friend and schoolmate in 2005. I am currently in charge of all sales, marketing, and project management activities.

(more…)

Tags: In the Workplace
Posted in Career, Design, Web | 4 Comments »

In the Workplace with Andrew Saulter

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Name: Andrew Saulter
Title: Web Designer/Developer
Website/Blog: www.tridea-design.com
Location: Brooklyn, NY

Andrew Saulter

Tell us about your educational/professional background.
I graduated from Michigan State in 2006 with a B.A. in Professional Writing (Digital and Technical Writing track.) During my education I gravitated towards all things web/design/technology and really took to it. After graduating, I worked as a web designer for MATRIX, Web Master for Kresge Art Museum, and an Interface Developer for JSTOR. In July of 2008, I packed up and made the move to NYC to be with my fiancée and now work for the NYC Campaign Finance Board. I also run my own design shop, Tridea Design, with fellow PW alums John Phillips and Tyler Smeltekop.

Tell us about your current job.
My day job is as Web Designer/Developer for the Campaign Finance Board in lower Manhattan where I work as the sole front-end web designer/developer. The Campaign Finance Board oversees the public funding program for candidates running for public office in NYC, runs the debates for each election, and publishes the print/web voter guide. I started in October and jumped right in to learning about the company and undertaking projects to improve our website.

At night and on weekends I link up with John and Tyler and work on client projects for our company. This allows me to be more flexible in my role and wear many hats. We do print work, logo design, identity packages, and web design/development.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Day to day I get various documents from different units to make web-ready and push out to the site. I’m also trying to usher the website into a new era where we take advantage of social media technologies and more interactive content with our users. My priorities fluctuate based on the time of year and whether we are in an election year or not. During election years, I’m more focused on getting information out for people to make informed decisions as well as posting data on candidate finance summaries. On off-election years I am afforded more time to analyze the site and work on improvements in our content delivery and the technology we use.

For Tridea, my typical day/week consists of finding and approaching new business leads for projects, communicating with clients, managing our current project workloads, and making sure we are churning out great work in an efficient manner. I do both design work and web development.

(more…)

Tags: In the Workplace
Posted in Career, Design, Web | 2 Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘In the Workplace’

In the Workplace with Luke Capizzo

In the Workplace with Derek Moore

In the Workplace, Fall 2009 Edition

In the Workplace with Lisa Eldred

In the Workplace with Kathryn Houghton

In the Workplace with Erin Riojas

In the Workplace with Ryan Doom

In the Workplace with Andrew Saulter

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