SELF-EMPLOYED
Contract Technical and Marketing Writer (December 2006 to present)

• Cisco Systems, Inc. Wrote series of white papers describing roadmaps for Cisco's Small and Medium Business solutions. Documented the Cisco Media Experience Engine (MXE) 5000 Series, a family of telepresence systems.
• AltaSens, Inc. Wrote marketing literature and technical documentation for the AltaChrome A4590-4T and A4592-4T CMOS image sensors, which are manufactured for high-definition video cameras. Cameras using AltaSens sensors were used in the making of “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won the Oscar for Best Cinematography. It is the first time an Oscar for cinematography was awarded to a movie using digital camera technology.

CISCO SYSTEMS, INC.—San Jose, California
Senior Technical Writer (March 2000 to November 2006)

Cisco Systems, Inc, manufactures internet hardware and software. Main focus was on
IP Telephony technology and software release notes.
Technical Writer IV (June 2003 to November 2006)

• Lead writer and documentation project manager for Cisco Unified CallManager Express (CME) and Cisco Unified Survivable Remote Site Telephony (SRST). Wrote system administration guides, command references, and interoperability documents for both Cisco Unified CME and Cisco Unified SRST.
• Managed documentation for Cisco Unified CME and Cisco Unified SRST software releases. The individual releases included between 40 and 50 features.
• Conducted one of Cisco documentation's first task analysis sessions that lead to the restructure of all Cisco Unified CME and Cisco Unified SRST documents. Included approximately 1000 pages of documentation.
• Mentored junior writers.
• First to implement new tools, such as Review Tool and Acrobat 7.
• Restructured the Cisco.com technical documentation web pages for Cisco Unified CME and Cisco Unified SRST.

Technical Writer III (March 2000 to June 2003)

• Started as release notes writer and became Cisco IOS Software Release Notes project manager for early deployments and specials.
• Managed contract release notes writers.
• Initiated cross-functional change in Cisco IOS Software Release Notes generation which led to the development of an internal feature-tracking system data base and enhancement of Feature Navigator. One result of that effort was customers' direct access to memory information generated by release operations. In the past, writers were manually updating memory information; this lowered customer satisfaction because the information was not always accurate or up-to-date. Today, the release notes point customers to a web site that taps into Cisco's release operations database directly. The information is now more timely and accurate, and its delivery is more cost effective.
• As Feature Pack project manager, streamlined kit and reduced cost from $12 to $4 per unit.  
  

SELF-EMPLOYED
Contract Technical and Marketing Writer (January 1998 to March 2000)

• Teradyne, Inc.—See below. Retained as contract writer for two years after leaving permanent employment due to relocation. Was System Test Division's first teleworker.
• Hewlett-Packard—Wrote white papers and trade magazine articles.
• Intelecom—Intelecom produces distance-learning courses for universities and community colleges. Rewrote text book entitled Communication Skills for the Environmental Technician.
• Cisco Systems, Inc.—Wrote release notes.

TERADYNE, INC—Agoura Hills, California
Technical Writer (August 1989 to December 1997)

Teradyne, Inc. manufactures automated test equipment for semiconductor devices. 

• Wrote complex software and hardware technical manuals describing the operation and programming of automated semiconductor test equipment, including programming guides, syntax reference manuals, software installation procedures, product descriptions, release notes, data sheets, hardware installation instructions, and online help. Wrote magazine articles for technical publications.
• Was the first resident technical writer in Application Engineering at Teradyne.
• Served as interim VLSI documentation manager.
• Wrote marketing materials including mailers, newsletter, and product literature for VLSI, memory, and ASIC test systems.
• Developed and managed product introduction literature for ASIC test system.