RESUME

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Grant Writer, Bard College, 2007-present
Write successful grant proposals to foundations and government funding agencies for college scholarships and other academic and capital programs, as well as related correspondence for the college president, senior administrators, and trustees. Responsible for research, fundraising strategy, and grant reporting, and editing and proofreading copy.

President, Goat Hill Studio, Editorial and Public Relations Services, 1999-present
Provide public relations, community outreach, and communications services; strategy development; story placement; and editorial services, including press release, Web site content, catalogue, brochure, and newsletter copy writing for such companies as Washington Group International, Ulster Rural Preservation Corporation, Adventure Travel Media Source, Women’s Studio Workshop, Omega Institute, and the American College of Emergency Physicians. As a journalist, I am a contributing writer to Best Practices in Emergency Services, covering homeland security, emergency response, and business management issues; Ulster Publishing, writing news, features, and a health column; Mid-Hudson News Network, a news syndication company, writing news and producing radio news stories; and my articles on healthcare, environmental, public policy, community and land-use issues have appeared in EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Magazine, Merginet.com, Daily Freeman, The Citizen magazine, Hudson Valley Business Journal and Wildlife Watch Binocular magazine.

Consultant, Schott Center for Public and Early Education, 1999-2004
Managed outreach to and coordinated meetings with policy experts, stakeholders, and community organizations and other potential grant recipients throughout New York state, and advised this foundation on its upstate New York grant-making strategy. Researched, wrote, edited, and proofread policy briefs, requests for proposals, newsletters, Web site content, grantee evaluations, and board materials.

Public Information Manager, International Rescue Committee, 1998-1999
Wrote, edited, and proofread publicity materials, Web site content, annual report, and related publications for this not-for-profit humanitarian aid and refugee resettlement organization. Maintained contact with media outlets to place publicity stories successfully in major national and international media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, and on network news programs; arranged for television and other media interviews with international rescue workers in the field. Produced and directed multimedia presentations at annual fundraising dinners in cooperation with the development office.

Senior Account Executive, Development Counsellors International, 1996-1997
For this public relations firm, I managed economic development and tourism accounts; successfully placed promotional stories in national and international media; organized familiarization press trips to client locations; arranged client meetings with magazine editors; wrote press releases, pitches, and publicity materials; and updated the firm's Web site content.

Director of Communications, The Community Preservation Corporation, 1994-1996
Created and managed the public relations department of this not-for-profit affordable housing banking consortium. Wrote and produced press releases, newsletters, annual reports, and all other promotional materials; talking points and scripts; and placed publicity stories in local and national media. Managed departmental budget, staff, and vendors. Organized annual board meetings, press conferences, and other special events. Produced a promotional film for the organization’s anniversary and video clips reels of news coverage for board meetings.

President, AJF Consultants, Inc., 1991-1994
Provided public and community relations, editorial, and political campaign consulting services to clients, meeting a diverse array of needs. Services included individual major donor fundraising and well as organizing large fundraising events; special event organizing and program production; community outreach; publicity; press release, brochure, and newsletter writing and print production; Web site content development and site maintenance; and academic research. Clients included New York City Columbus Quincentennial Celebration Committee, New York State Assembly Social Service Committee, LaGuardia Community College, Macmillan Publishing Company, Young & Rubicam, and UJA-Federation. I held a variety of political campaign positions, from fundraiser to campaign manager, managing budgets and staff, for campaigns for candidates seeking the elective office of governor, U.S. senator, New York City mayor and council, state assembly, and numerous statewide coordinated campaigns that included presidential candidates.

Legislative Representative, New York City Mayor’s Office, 1990-1991
Analyzed legislation, wrote policy briefs and position papers, and met with state legislators and legislative and executive office policy staff in Albany to negotiate issues affecting New York City in the areas of economic development, banking, energy, employment, and election law.

Special Assistant, New York City Mayoral Transition Committee, November-December 1989
Reviewed several city agencies, including the Mayor’s Office for Legislative Affairs—with offices in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Albany, New York—and advised the Transition Committee on operational, legislative, and other policy changes necessary to reflect the new mayor’s priorities.

Speech Writer, Manhattan Borough President, 1987-1989
Wrote and edited speeches, policy statements, legislative testimony, press releases, white papers, op-ed pieces, proclamations, and other materials. Advanced and also represented Borough President David Dinkins at community events and in meetings. Took a leave of absence to work on the David Dinkins for Mayor campaign, where I served as a special assistant to the campaign manager, managing several areas of campaign activities, including writing and publishing campaign literature, organizing the women’s constituency committee, and working on election day operations.

EDUCATION
U.S. History/Political Science, M.A.
Journalism/Communications, B.A.