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Author / Editor / Business
Writer / Web Creator / Technical Writer |
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Professional Summary
Over 20 years experience as a communicator,
creating presentations, manuals, help files, reference cards,
and web content for Information Technology organizations in
the automotive and healthcare sectors
Author/co-author of five books, including an
award-winning business book and a book about the early
software industry |
Availability
I am available for temporary assignments as a writer,
editor or web content-creator. I can provide:
Short-term help with technical writing
projects, such as presentations, training documents, quick
reference cards and Help systems
Writing or editing services for short or
book-lengh manuscripts
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Technical Summary
Software: Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel);
Publishing; ebook creation; Help Systems; Graphics (image editing, scanning, and file conversion software)
Environments: Web (HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, familiar
with CGI scripting); Windows; UNIX |
Professional Experience |
2009 to present |
Writer/Photographer Semi-Retired
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- Create ebooks for sale online. (see Publications section below)
- Maintain website, www.theseekerbooks.com (create content, do all coding, manage ads)
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9/07 to 8/09 |
Technical
Writer Reliance Software
Systems
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5/06 to 8/06 |
Documentation
Specialist Sapphire
Technologies (assigned to Comerica
Bank)
short-term contract |
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- Analyzed an unfinished project to create a website that
documents the network infrastructure at Comerica's Livonia
Operations Center; presented a written report to the manager
suggesting changes and a schedule for completion of the
project
- Following acceptance of the plan, redesigned and coded a
new user interface for the website
- Worked with network engineers to define needed data and
determine collection method
- Trained the network engineers in use of the website
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11/1/04 to 12/05 |
Technical
Writer MSX International
(assigned to Ford Motor Company) |
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- Edited a monthly newsletter (PageMaker and HTML)
covering company information and technical topics of
interest to scientists and engineers; determined topics,
wrote articles, created the layout
- Managed the content for a support web site and created
most of the pages using an HTML editor
- Created special-topic online newsletters as needed
(including one on the implications to Ford of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
- Worked with residents of the Research & Innovation
Center to create web pages or web forms, after consulting
with them about their specialized needs
- Worked twice-monthly Help Desk shifts and handled
requests for help with Microsoft Office applications, Adobe
Acrobat, website creation and in-house software
- Worked with staff to define and test changes to in-house
web-based software
- Managed a project to create a Business Continuity Plan;
arranged meetings; obtained information and put it into a
formal structure to be reviewed by stakeholders; completed
the document which was used as a model for other IT
organizations
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1994 to 11/04 |
Technical
Writer Explainamation
(assigned to Ford Motor Company) |
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- Initiated a monthly newsletter covering business and
technical topics of interest to researchers
- Developed materials and taught a mini-class on how to
make better presentations, in response to researchers' need
to more effectively demonstrate their work to the rest of
the company
- Received an award in 2001 for work as technical advisor
and writer for Ford Research Technically
Speaking newsletter which covered Research people and
projects
- Created presentations (using PowerPoint) for the manager
and supervisors as needed; worked with many groups at the
Research Lab, including the staff working with other auto
companies on the "clean car" initiative - created slides for
them that were shown in the White House
- Arranged meetings and kept minutes for the Computer User
Advisory Group
- Coordinated materials for Virtual Collocation Day,
created the written program containing summaries of topics
and speakers, then created an executive summary of the event
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1994 to 1997 |
Consultant
Explainamation (multiple contracts with Ford Motor
Company) |
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- Edited a newsletter for Product Development (PD) from
1997 to 2000; met with supervisors to determine contents;
wrote articles and created the layout; received feedback
from audience
- Edited a newsletter for PD Business Interface; worked
with a coordinator to determine topics; created
presentations as needed
- Worked with Ford's Organizational Learning group,
arranging seminars, creating a website and developing
presentations
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4/90 to 9/93 |
Technical Writer
Comprehensive Data Processing
(assigned to Ford Motor Co) |
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- Designed and wrote reference cards, Help files, and
software user and technical guides
- Attended and documented executive learning sessions
- Created presentations; coordinated slide show
presentations, working with an in-house graphics department
or outside service bureau
- Served on work groups to select desktop publishing and
document viewing tools for UNIX workstations; attended
demos; developed criteria, evaluated many products
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8/86 to 4/90 |
Technical
Writer Electronic Data
Systems (EDS) |
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- Recommended, installed, and implemented a desktop
publishing system for Dealer Systems Documentation team;
installed a LAN; supported hardware/software
- Specified and ordered printing from printing vendors
(over $250,000 worth)
- Created on-screen product demos used at the National
Auto Dealers Association show
- Interviewed and evaluated candidates for technical
writing or editing positions
- Designed and wrote technical manuals for use in auto
dealerships.
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1/86 to 8/86 |
Owner /
Writer Power Prose
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- Operated a writing service; wrote resumes, letters, and
business flyers for customers
- Used early code-based electronic typesetting to create
attractive documents
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1980 - 1985 |
Owner /
Manager AlphaBit
Communications, Inc |
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- Co-owned and managed a software company specializing in
word processing software
- Set up office, hired and supervised employees
- Designed and wrote all manuals, product announcements,
publicity releases, ads, product flyers
- Published and edited a newsletter for users of the Lazy
Writer word processor
- Demonstrated products; provided top-level product
support by phone and mail
- Worked with Detroit College of Business student intern
program, evaluating students who worked as part-time
employees.
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prior to 1980 |
Free-Lance Writer/Photographer
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- Completed free-lance writing and photography
assignments, specializing in publications work; many
publication credits for articles that appeared in local and
national magazines
- Operated a photo darkroom
- Worked for State of Michigan during college as a social
services caseworker, then worked as an employment counselor
after graduation
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Publications |
- (2014) Authored an ebook on Detroit's abandoned Packard plant featuring 240 photos with commentary, maps and history. Detroit's Spectacular Ruin: The Packard Plant contains photos by Theresa Welsh and David Welsh taken between 2009 and 2014.
- (2012) Contributed 28 photos of abandoned buildings in Detroit to Abandoned Cities, a book published in Amsterdam by an architectural society.
- (2012) Authored an ebook about Post-Industrial Detroit which features 200 photos and narrative illustrating "unconventional tours" inside the Motor City. The book discusses urban exploration, history of Detroit's industrial past and its current state of abandonment, and important buildings, both still in use and in ruins. See the book (A Guide to Post-Industrial Detroit: Unconventional Tours of an Urban Landscape) website: www.theseekerbooks.com/detroit/DetroitEBOOK.html.
- (2007) Authored (along with David Welsh) a book about
the early computer software business, Priming the Pump: How TRS-80 Enthusiasts
Helped Spark the Computer Revolution. The book has
received excellent reviews. Theresa has converted the print book to an ebook and both versions are available. See the book website: www.microcomputerpioneers.com.
- (2006) Edited Quantum Pythagoreans
by Mike Ivsin, a new book on physics; corrected grammar and
offered suggestions on ways to improve the content
- (2004-05) Edited and revised manuscripts for the Allan
Kardec Educational Society (AKES) translated from Portuguese
for publication in English-language versions; wrote an
Introduction for The Messengers and was
a speaker at the booklaunch in August, 2005
- (2002) Worked on The Role of Business
in Modern Society, planned as a college textbook, with
Dr. Barbara A. Gutek and Dr. Lee Beach of the University of
Arizona.
- (2000) Co-authored The Brave New
Service Strategy with Dr. Barbara A. Gutek, doing
interviews and writing all chapters; published by AMACOM;
the book was named "one of the thirty best business books of
2000" by Soundview Executive Book Summaries.
"This
is an extremely well-written book. The authors are obviously
excellent communicators and give wonderful examples in order
to make their points." (amazon.com review)
- (2000) Wrote a novel for young adults, Tara: Initiate of Heliopolis, published in
2000 by Hats Off Books. A short novel for young adults, The Missing Jewelry, is published online.
- Have published in the journal for Society for Technical
Communication (STC), InterComm; past
presenter at STC meetings
- My article, "Year 2000 - We're Not Moving Fast Enough,"
which appeared in Ford Technically
Speaking, was chosen as the best business article of
1998
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Book Reviewer
I manage and create the content for
The Seeker Books website at www.theseekerbooks.com.
I am also an active book reviewer on amazon.com. |
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Education
BA, Wayne State University; major in English; some graduate work;
post-college seminars
Corporate classes
- Attended workshop from MIT Associates on Organizational
Development; learned techniques for doing Learning Histories, a
process for documenting company change efforts; participated in
writing a Learning History focusing on a Ford factory; conducted
interviews with factory managers and workers, 1997
- Attended workshops on writing, design and layout at Ford
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