S U M M A R Y
Industrious, versatile marketing professional with extensive background in developing and marketing complex, high-end products and experiences.
Strengths: Communication, teamwork, ability to get projects done on time and within budget. Uncompromising commitment to quality. Drive, flexibility, curiosity, sense of humor.
Key skills: Coordinating the work of subject matter experts, writers, designers, programmers and technical vendors—on site and around the world. Market research; writing and editing; leadership, coaching and training.
Recent industry experience: International leisure travel, professional education/training, online business services, biotech.
Education: BA in Communication Studies, MBA in marketing/information systems—both from UCLA.
R E C E N T E X P E R I E N C E
Director of Product Marketing 2007 – 2014
Viking Cruises, Inc., Woodland Hills, California
Viking Cruises is a travel provider offering river cruises and “cruisetours” in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, China and Southeast Asia. Viking Oceans launched in 2015 in Scandinavia, Europe’s western coast and the Mediterranean.
- Was responsible for key aspects of product life cycle including product design, naming and detailed product content.
- Ensured strong and consistent brand messaging via direct mail, website content, email messaging, sales support, public relations and advertising.
- Researched, wrote, edited and scheduled targeted communications for those who had booked but not yet traveled with the company, guests currently on board, and past guests.
- Partnered with all company departments and outside consulting firms (e.g., McKinsey) to prepare, execute and analyze online market surveys to learn more about past and prospective guests and virtually every aspect of company products and services.
- Built and maintained all content on Viking websites for consumers (US, UK, Australia/New Zealand) and the trade (US and UK travel agent portals) for three years. In addition to managing verbal content and imagery, significantly improved UI functionality. Managed web vendor and trained international team to use content management system (Tridion).
Independent Consultant 1999 – present
Provide marketing consulting, writing and editing services for various clients, especially:
Amgen – Led a team of technical editors who reviewed this biopharmaceutical company’s marketing materials and technical presentations. Services included all levels of edit, working with standard and internal style guides. Client in 2002 and 2005–2006.
World Wide Words – Provided editorial and advisory services for the international weekly e‑newsletter World Wide Words (circulation over 36,000) that covered the etymology of words and phrases in the English language. Still an awesome resource at worldwidewords.org. Client 1999–2016.
E A R L I E R E X P E R I E N C E
Vice President of Marketing, Developmentor, Inc. 2003
DevelopMentor offers technical training courses and events to the software development community across the United States and internationally. Managed all aspects of company’s marketing and sales support with $1 million annual budget.
Director of Marketing, ePolicy, Inc. 2000 – 2001
ePolicy offered errors and omissions (malpractice) insurance coverage online to a wide variety of professionals. Designed and implemented marketing campaigns for the organization as a whole and for specific vertical markets; managed a group of technical writers producing online product content.
Director of Product Management, Ants.com 2000
Ants.com was an online marketplace for freelancers and the people who hire them. Workers bid on jobs that hirers posted. Directed site functionality and content, and produced various marketing pieces.
Senior Product Manager, Kinko’s Inc. 1999 – 2000
Kinko’s (now FedEx Office) was an international chain of more than 1,000 stores offering document solutions: copies, binding and other document services. Product manager for Web-based products/services for the business market.
Product Marketing Manager, Ulead Systems 1998 – 1999
Responsible for marketing two image editing software products—one for the ‘prosumer’ market (PhotoImpact) and one for home use (Photo Express)—in the North American market. These flagship products together accounted for more than 50% of company revenue.
Product Manager, Learning Tree International 1993 – 1998
Learning Tree International is an independent technical training company with a wide range of course offerings marketed almost exclusively via direct mail and the web. Started as a Product Marketing Manager writing comprehensive marketing descriptions of technical courses and after two years moved into Product Management where I took responsibility for course development and maintenance.
Business Systems Analyst, American Management Systems 1990 – 1993
This was a large system integrator whose clientele included governmental and educational institutions. Did needs analysis, interface design and proposal support.
E D U C A T I O N
Master of Business Administration, Anderson School, UCLA
Concentration in Information Systems and Marketing
Bachelor of Arts, UCLA
Communication Studies major; graduated magna cum laude