About

• Multimedia content creator (writing, photo, video, music, podcasts) with decades of experience across communications platforms in digital and print publishing
• Content strategy, metrics and UX design
• Festival direction, project management, grant writing, team building, community leadership
• Communications, press releases, media relations
• Independent worker, team player, constant learner, excellent communicator
• Ideas, solutions, collaborations
• Social media and community engagement
• Set-up and maintenance of multiple WordPress websites
• Skills: MS Office (Mac/PC), Powerpoint/Keynote, Adobe CC (Premiere, Photoshop, Lightroom), Finale, WordPress, CCI, Google Analytics

Experience

Public information officer, Metro Parks Tacoma
2021-2023

• External and internal communications and storytelling
• Led media relations and coverage
• Community outreach

Communications coordinator, Point Defiance Zoo/Northwest Trek
2017-2021

• Strategy, content writing and daily maintenance of web sites
• Launched two new WordPress-based sites
• Four blog stories/month, some press releases
• Email marketing and other digital content

Founding director, Tacoma Ocean Fest and Tacoma Light Trail
2017-present

• Conceived and launched highly successful arts- and science-based environmental festival and light art festival in Tacoma, Washington
• Artistic planning and direction, project management, team building, volunteer recruitment
• Grant writing, budgeting, contracts
• Communications direction and execution
• Community partnership building

Arts and features reporter, The News Tribune
2006-2017          

• Wrote 4-6 multimedia stories per week on local arts and features subjects
• Shot or edited photographs and made videos for online content weekly
• First in newsroom to create entire multimedia immersive website story
• Developed successful new features sections (GoExplore, GoFree)
• Team collaboration for bigger projects like yearly travel section
• Detailed long-form enterprise reporting 3-4 times/year
• Drove engagement on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram)

Freelance writer
2004-present

• Seattle Times, Crosscut, Preview Art Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Puyallup Tribal News, press releases, art catalogs                                                        

Editor-in-chief and writer, HDI Publishers, Houston, TX
2000-2004

• Developed, wrote and edited two monthly print magazines

Organist, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Tacoma, WA 
2011-2020

• Organist and pianist, composition, choral arrangement, instrumental direction, assisting choral direction, recording, multiscreen video editing

Freelance musician and music teacher 
1992-current

• Orchestral, chamber and solo double bass, including looping solo improvisation
• Piano accompaniment
• Composition
• Teaching in bass, piano and flute

Education

Master of Communication in Digital Media, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2014)

Bachelor of Letters, University of Melbourne, Australia; philosophy major (2000)

Diploma of Performance, Royal Conservatory of Music, The Hague, Holland; double bass (1994)

Bachelor of Arts in Music, University of Melbourne, Australia; double bass major, piano minor (1992)

Awards and Honors

2022 “Most Influential”, South Sound Business Magazine

2021 City of Destiny Award for Adult Leadership (City of Tacoma)

2021 Winner, Newcastle Nature Stories competition

2017    SPJ “Best of Northwest” 2^nd place Arts Writing

2016    SPJ “Best of Northwest” 2^nd place Long-Form Travel Writing

2015    UW Faculty of Communications Award for Outstanding Student Research (MCDM)

2015-16 Alumni Fellow of MCDM CommLead program, University of Washington

2015    SPJ “Best of Northwest” 2^nd place Comprehensive Coverage

Trained Leader with Climate Reality Project (2020)

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