Take a look at some samples of my work.

Welcome to my Web site! I am a freelance print and web publications designer working from my home in the mountains near Front Royal, VA. I've spent the last year in George Mason University's Instructional Design Immersion program. Now that I've earned my M.Ed., I'm looking forward to moving into the next phase of my life as an Instructional Designer/Technologist.

I have more than 10 years' experience working with educational institutions and nonprofits, helping craft functional and accessible Web sites and professional publications. I bring a keen eye for detail to my work as well as an approachable and versatile writing style. I am eager to use my skills in a new way, helping people create engaging and effective learning solutions. I am seeking a position with an educational institution doing just that.

Here are the top three reasons I'd be a great asset to any organization.

1. Communication
I'm great at communicating — in person, over the phone, and, particularly, in writing. In every job I've ever had, my writing and editing skills have served me well. I wrote a huge paper last year on social networks in education. I think it's pretty interesting. I hope you'll have a look. I led the development of several group publications in grad school such as our Briefing Report and our final design document. I also created an editing process that we followed throughout the year. But it's not all about the well-crafted sentence — it's about getting your message across. I understand how storyboards, wireframes, and prototypes can sometimes convey your message better than anything else.

2. Organization
In my personal life, I wouldn't be called "super organized". My canned goods are not sorted alphabetically, and my paper records tend to remain in the "sort pile" for weeks. However, when it comes to organizing information into a coherent presentation, I'm a natural. I've created the site architecture for almost every site I've worked on, and I have to admit, it's my favorite part of the process. Making something coherent - breaking a message down into digestible chunks and making it usable and accessible — well, that really floats my boat, and I'm very good at it.

3. Problem solving
I love solving problems, particularly when I have to operate within serious constraints. That, to me, is when the real creativity happens — finding a solution that works despite lack of funding or resources, a tight deadline, or seemingly insurmountable technological constraints. We needed a team site for our grad project last year, and we needed it yesterday. I researched Wordpress and had a prototype site to show the team by the end of a weekend. I also found a great resource at GMU that would host it. During the great snowstorm of 2010, we needed a group chat room for virtual work. I found Meebo and had a group chat set up in about 10 minutes. I've found that there's always a solution - you just have to be willing to think a little creatively and be willing to try stuff out.