Resume

Summary

An accomplished communications professional with experience in web content management for major brands such as AARP, The Nature Conservancy and NOAA.  Creative skills include website management, content marketing, online copywriting, web editing, digital photography, email newsletters, corporate blogging and social media.

Experience

Web Media Consultant
June 2010 – Present
Freelance
Washington, DC

• Blogger-in-Chief for the DC Shorts Film Festival, responsible for blogging strategy, training contributors, editing and writing copy, blogger outreach, and acting as the online voice of the festival.
• Trained authors in social media and online marketing, including Janice Hall Booth (National Geographic).
• Reported on the arts and creativity for Pink Line Project, a local Drupal-powered blog.
• Photographed theater performances as an Official Photographer for the Capital Fringe Festival.

Senior Web Editor
June 2009 – March 2010
DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (contractor)
Washington, DC

• Created a four-part PowerPoint training module for content contributors, covering web site standards, writing for the web, social media and dealing with common problems.
• Reviewed, edited and approved content updates for DC.gov, an award-winning city government web site with more than 24 million visitors a year.
• Rewrote and redesigned the web team Google Sites intranet site, to improve usability and accuracy of information.

Writer
November 2008 – May 2009
Freelance
Washington, DC

• Wrote a mystery novel, “Murder in Ocean Hall.”  Available in print and Kindle e-book editions.
• Blogged about writing and web strategy at joeflood.com, ePolitics and GovLoop.

Web Site Manager
September 2005 – October 2008
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration (contractor)
Silver Spring, MD

• Responsible for the management of NOAA Ocean Explorer, which reached more than 6 million visitors in 2008.  Site was a Finalist for Best Government Web Site for General Audience Award.
• Managed the work of web developers, editors, scientists, educators and media staff to produce web coverage of high-profile, time-sensitive international missions of discovery.  This included daily reports, photos, video clips, interviews, slideshows, podcasts, lesson plans and RSS feeds from missions at-sea.
• Developed web strategy and annual operating plan for site, obtaining approval from senior staff.  Ensured that the site followed Sec. 508 and government web standards.  Led planning workshops and reported on site performance.
• Guided content development as Managing Editor and enforced editorial style guide.  Trained at-sea web coordinators and outside contributors in writing content for the site.
• Wrote guidelines and policy for NOAA’s first major blog and YouTube channel.  Presented on Web 2.0 issues.

Web Producer
June 2002 – August 2005
The Nature Conservancy
Arlington, VA

• Coordinated the work of design, technical and marketing staff to produce content that effectively communicated social marketing priorities. Usage of the web site increased by 35% to more than 4 million people a year.
• Improved and streamlined the usability of the online donation and renewal system, resulting in increased conversions and more than $2.1 million in revenue in FY05 – up 25% from previous year.
• Wrote and managed the production of Great Places, a personalized email newsletter with 75,000 subscribers.
• Conceived and managed the production of “web extras” as Online Editor for Nature Conservancy magazine, a publication with a circulation of 700,000.
• Coached internal clients on content creation for the site with an editorial calendar, a style guide, a web publishing workflow, presentations and WebTrends analysis.
• Redesigned the web site with a cross-functional team to align the site with the organization’s strategy, brand guidelines and messaging.
• Served as the web representative of a crisis communications team, to manage the online response with public relations staff and to ensure message coordination across mediums.

Freelance Writer
December 2001 – May 2002
Washington, DC

• Wrote articles for The Washington Post, The Hill Rag, CultureFlux.com and other publications.
• Contributed articles on web content strategy and marketing to OnPhilanthropy.com.

Internet Content Consultant
November 1996 – November 2001
AARP
Washington, DC

• Worked closely with the Director of Web Services to produce the annual report, quarterly updates, white papers, marketing plans, brochures, articles and other types of internal and external executive-level communication. Wrote the business plan for providing web services at AARP that was adopted by the Board of Directors.
• Communicated the strategic priorities of the organization by through the management of promotions on AARP’s home page, seen by 7 million users annually.
• Created the AARP Webletter, AARP’s first email newsletter, and collaborated with internal clients to establish their newsletters. Assisted advertisers with copy development for email newsletter ads.
• Produced the online version of the AARP Member Benefits Handbook, winner of “Best Membership Site” at NonProfits ’98, and the most-visited section of aarp.org. Coordinated enhancements to this site and new benefit offers with service providers.
• Partnered with internal clients on web site creation and strategy. Developed business requirements, creative briefs, information architecture, project plans and content audits.

Information Assistant
March 1993 – June 1996
The World Bank
Washington, DC

• Provided research and technical assistance to legal staff of large, international organization in the use of online catalogues and other databases.
• Learned HTML and web publishing tools to produce an online journal of international development law. Production of this newsletter reduced distribution time of this publication from 3 months to one day.

Legal Assistant
September 1991 – December 1992
Poyner & Spruill
Orlando, FL

• Monitored the production of evidence during the discovery process of a major civil case.
• Worked with attorneys and paralegals in the logging and tracking of evidence.

Information Specialist
September 1989 – August 1991
Furash and Company
Washington, DC

• Researched and wrote a monthly print newsletter, summarizing events in the financial services industry.
• Provided research assistance for senior staff using Lexis/Nexis and other library services.

Education

B.A. International Relations/Minor in Literature
The American University
Washington, DC

Technical Skills

HTML, Dreamweaver, Percussion, Zope, Plone, WordPress, Drupal, Blogger, TeamSite, WebTrends, Google Sites, Google Analytics, Photoshop, Lightroom, MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, Windows, Mac.

Additional Information

• Contributor to the business book Blog Marketing (McGraw-Hill).
• Winner of 2006 Film DC Screenplay Competition for Mount Pleasant, an urban drama about gentrification in DC.
• Accomplished photographer whose work has appeared in DCist, TBD, Washingtonian, We Love DC, Greater Greater Washington and elsewhere.