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How did I go from a Chemistry degree to writing press releases
for Avon? That's the question people usually ask me when they look at my history.
I spent my first summer after graduation
working as a lab assistant, running experiments for a chemist with a PhD. I craved a little more interaction with people and
went to work in Customer Service at Fisher Scientific. From there I moved on to Cole-Parmer Instrument Company where I wrote
catalog copy to sell laboratory equipment. Desktop publishing was brand new, so it was the perfect opportunity to jump in
and learn.
With that first copywriting job, I felt like I found my place. I've been doing a variety of marketing,
advertising, public relations and technical writing ever since. Writing is a wonderful, flexible career that lets me grow
and diversify as my interests and the market change. When the dot com craze hit, I was ready with a technical writing certificate
and I put my new skills to work at software companies writing on-line help and training manuals.
In 1999 I worked
at a web development company as a content manager, helping put together first generation websites. As much as I enjoyed web
development, I knew that the donut diet and 12-hour days were not going to work for me long-term. I went back to my marketing
roots and decided to take advantage of the free time I gained back by training for my first triathlon.
I now balance
my time between writing and swimming, biking and running. I even manage to take an occasional trip. Last Christmas I was in
Australia enjoying traditional shrimp on the barbecue. I can't say I missed the snow or slush, but it was odd to see Santa
wearing shorts.
Even if your writing project does not fall under my areas of specialization (cosmetics, software,
access control and laboratory equipment), I am a curious person who embraces change. I'm always interested in learning new
things and taking on new challenges.
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