Freelance Writing & Editing

Writer and Editor, 1/88 to present (full-time since 4/98)

Write and edit a variety of projects: annual reports, magazine articles, employee newsletters, brochures, video scripts, speeches, press releases, books, web copy and more.

Clients include national and regional publications and organizations: Arizona State University, Business Week, Arizona Medical Association, Boyd Gaming Corp., Allied Waste Co., The Phoenix Zoo, Best Western International, Rain Visual Strategies, Phoenix Magazine, Perspective Financial Services, and Thunderbird School of Global Management, among others.

Employment History

Editor, Heritage Publishers, Inc., Phoenix; 1/97 to 4/98

Developed editorial concept for Best Western’s Compass, a quarterly travel magazine to be distributed in hotels throughout North America. Other responsibilities included editing/writing historical business books.

Editorial Director, Arizona Business Magazine, Phoenix; 1/93 to 10/96

Managed all elements of production for 200-page, full-color, quarterly magazine: conceptualized, wrote and edited stories; hired, trained and managed editorial staff; coordinated more than 25 freelance writers, photographers and illustrators; oversaw design and production.

Communications Coordinator, National Speakers Association, Tempe; 2/91 to 6/92

Wrote, designed and coordinated production for association publications including brochures, manuals and newsletters. Assisted with media relations.

Creative Writer, Sets, Etc. & Corporate Entertainment, Scottsdale; 5/90 to 11/90

Wrote all promotional materials for company specializing in themed corporate events.

Communications Assist., St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix; 1/88 to 5/90

Wrote and edited newsletters, brochures, teaching materials and magazine articles. Assisted with internal/external communications, community education and media relations.

Awards and Recognition

Award of Excellence for best magazine writing presented to ASU Research Magazine by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District 7; winning entry included a feature story by Jessica McCann (2007)
Best Employee Newsletter award for Boyd Gaming Corporation newsletter from the American Gaming Association (2006)
Pinnacle Awards of Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Las Vegas Valley Chapter for Boyd Gaming Corporation employee newsletter, annual report and media kit (2005)
Copper Quill awards for feature writing, personality profiles and magazine design from the Phoenix Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) (1995, 1996, 2005)
Honorable Mention awards for feature writing in the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition (2003, 2004, 2006)
Communications Concepts' APEX Awards of Excellence for overall magazine quality and overall newsletter quality (1992, 1996)
Judged the 46th Annual Real Estate Journalism Competition of the National Association of Real Estate Editors (1996)