Experience Summary


Employ impeccable written communication skills with expertise in creating language, graphics, stories, and headlines that compel prospective customers to select company for proposed solution

Manage direct reports, project teams, and support staff to prepare persuasive, customer-focused sales enablement documents: proposals, whitepapers, presentation leave behinds, statements of work, and more

Lead training onsite and online for proposal staff, sales staff, and other business development personnel in proposal processes, persuasive writing, and customized tasks for winning business

Partner with sales staff to incorporate customer pain points and competitor vulnerabilities into overall sales enablement documentation through development of win themes and differentiators

Develop effective templates, production procedures, editing checklists, and content/graphic library to increase efficiency

Ensure documents are professionally formatted, appear visually compelling, and adhere to brand guidelines

Research and learn all aspects of company products, services, and strategies to provide clear, concise copy in all proposal communications

Cultivate strong relationships with sales executives, C-level executives, administrators, and peers to promote proposal process efficiency and project strategy

Educate decision makers on proposal basics, trends, and process efficiencies to introduce proposal management software into process

Track and report trend data from customer requirements to inform product and capability enhancements

Travel to attend pre-bid meetings, bid presentations, conferences, and team meetings/training eventsAs a motivated, inquisitive, creative, and detail-oriented team member, investigate and analyze potential revenue sources and "approval" bids 


Employment History


Manager of Proposal Services, Illuminate Education, Irvine, CA (remote)

Develop visually appealing proposal templates. Manage large, diverse proposal teams for proposal solution strategy and timelines. Introduce print and ship outsourcing to organization, offering cost and time savings


Proposals Manager, IXL Learning, San Mateo, CA (remote)

Introduced district- and state-level bids and adoptions to sales organization. Wrote, edited, and managed proposal projects. Provided sales support for large team of sales representatives


Director of Proposal Services, Achieve3000, Lakewood, NJ (remote)

Redeveloped proposal team, implemented process improvements, recruited and coached writers, trained sales staff, maintained high win rate (80%+) to increase revenue


Supervisor of Grants and Proposals, Istation, Dallas, TX (remote)

Implemented proposal processes, text and graphics databases, win/loss tracking, proposal pipelines, and other job aids. Developed an actual department for proposal services—starting with me and adding two other team members as company executives saw increased revenues


Business Development Manager, Johnson & Pace, Longview, TX

Built business through proposal development, marketing plans and collateral, web and social media management, creative text, and HR tasks


Adjunct Faculty, LeTourneau University, Longview, TX

Taught several sections of Technical Writing and Writing for Digital Media


Manager of Proposal Writing, Pearson Education, Iowa City, IA

As a working manager, wrote, edited, and managed proposal projects while leading and training a team of proposal writers and support staff


Senior Technical Writer, Computer Associates, Lisle, IL

Developed and updated help systems and hardcopy documentation for business software applications (network security, ERP systems, and more)



Education


PhD, Technical Communication and Rhetoric (coursework)

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2006–2012


MS, Technical Communication and Information Design

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
May 1998


BS, Mathematics and English

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
May 1993


Tools

  • Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Access, OneDrive
  • Adobe Applications: Acrobat, InDesign (and InCopy), Illustrator, Contribute
  • Content Management Systems: Upland Qvidian, Confluence, SharePoint, AuthorIT, RFPIO
  • Customer Relationship Management: Salesforce.com
  • Web: HTML, CSS, SEO
  • Google Apps: Gmail, Docs, Drive, Slides, Sheets
  • Other Communication: Slack, Zoom, Meet/Hangouts



Certifications

  • Managing and Writing Proposals: Shipley Associates
  • Winning Executive Summaries: Shipley Associates
  • Proposal Management Credit: APMP
  • Contract Law, Harvard University
  • Management Essentials: Pearson Education
  • Six Sigma Yellow Belt: Juran Institute
  • SHRM HR Management: Northern Illinois University



Professional Memberships

  • Association for Proposal Management Professionals (APMP)
  • Society for Technical Communication (STC)
  • Association for Computer Machinery Documentation SIG (ACM SIGDOC) 



Professional Awards


STC International Newsletter Competition

Award of Excellence for "Lines"


STC International Publications Competition

  • Award of Merit for "A Writer's Tasks during a Proposal Project" (training)
  • Award of Merit for "Proposal to Texas Education Agency for STAAR" (proposal)



Volunteerism


Longview Symphony Board of Directors

Voting member of board, marketing committee, presentations, tickets, posters, mailers, postcards, website


Longview Interfaith Hospitality Network

Day facility host/sitter for homeless families


First Lutheran Longview

Office support, event management, creative skills (worship slides, postcards, stationery)