SUMMARY

Senior information designer, front-end Web developer, and content specialist providing consulting and contracting services for usable and accessible websites, intranets, documentation, and online help systems. Specialty in Accessible Web Design and Accessibility Evaluations.

• Assists businesses, organizations, and individuals in using the World Wide Web and other online technologies to promote their ideas, products, and services more effectively.
• Translates user needs into universal and accessible information design, website architecture, and user interfaces.
• Employs the latest technologies, such as structured XHTML and cascading style sheets (CSS), while ensuring compliance with W3C content guidelines and Section 508 accessibility standards.
• Collaborates on cross-functional project teams, and trains others in Internet technologies and the development of accessible information designs.
• Organizes content repositories and writes effective Web content, documentation, marketing communications, and technical specifications.

TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Internet Technologies:	HTML, XHTML, CSS, XML, XSL
Web Tools:	Macromedia HomeSite, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, TopStyle Pro, CSE HTML Validator, FTP clients, etc.
Application Software:	Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat (PDF), Microsoft Visio, etc.
Accessibility Tools:	JAWS, HiSoftware AccVerify, Cynthia Says, WebAIM WAVE, LIFT Online, A-Prompt, Lynx Viewer, etc.
Content Management Systems:	Oracle Universal Content Manager, Oracle PortalAS, Interwoven Teamsite, etc.
Database Applications:	Oracle RDBMS, Lotus Notes
Operating Systems:	Microsoft Windows, Unix, Macintosh OS, MVS

EXPERIENCE

Information Designer / Consultant, Gardner Information Design, Inc., Arlington, MA (2002 to Present)

• Contracts and freelance projects in information architecture, front-end web design, and content delivery for enterprise organizations (www.gidi.biz/projects, details below).
• Development of accessible websites for small businesses, professionals, and non-profit organizations (www.gidi.biz/portfolio).
• Founded Boston-IA (www.Boston-IA.org), an organization advocating for Accessible Web Design and "Bringing Information Architecture and Internet Accessibility Together".

Accessibility Lead (consulting project), Isovera, Cambridge, MA (April 2008 to Present)

• Serving as accessibility expert on a project to redesign the MassAccess Accessible Housing Registry for the Massachusetts Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA).
• Developing accessible web page layouts (XHTML & CSS) and accessible forms to enable people with disabilities and others to search for accessible and affordable housing online.

Process Documentation Consultant (project), The Andover Companies, Andover, MA (November - December 2007)

• Produced documentation of Information Technology policies and procedures concerning mainframe, network, and web application processes for annual audit purposes.

Web Content Designer (contract), Fresenius Medical Care North America, Lexington, MA (May - September 2007)

• Participated in redesign of the Fresenius Medical Care NA intranet, empowering employees, clinicians, physicians, and other medical providers responsible for renal care services and related products.
• Performed content analysis and information architecture to organize over 15,000 documents for intranet delivery.
• Created web page layouts using Oracle content management products (Oracle Universal Content Manager and Oracle PortalAS), HTML/XHTML, and cascading style sheets.

Information Architect (contract), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston, MA (January - April 2007)

• Redesigned the Health & Dental Plans section of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts web site (www.bluecrossma.com) to support Massachusetts universal health care reform.
• Created site maps and wireframes, and reviewed and monitored content management data entry.
• Created wireframes and site maps for other Blue Cross Blue Shield web initiatives, including Club Blue, a microsite featuring supplemental health plan benefits.

Program Director, AIR-Boston (project), Knowbility, Inc., Austin, TX (March 2006 - April 2007)

• Directed a project to bring Knowbility's Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR), an accessible Web design education and awareness program, to the greater Boston area (www.Knowbility.org/air-boston).

Process Documentation Consultant (contract), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston, MA (August - December 2006)

• Organized process documentation for the Enterprise Testing Solutions group (responsible for the quality assurance of all BCBSMA software development projects).
• Created process and user documentation regarding application testing and test tracking (including use of the Mercury Quality Center test management system).
• Consulted on documentation strategies to support all department activities for user acceptance and automation testing.

Senior Accessibility Consultant (consulting projects), TecAccess LLC, Rockville, VA (August - December 2005)

• Converted the 200-page TecAccess website to accessible XHTML and CSS (www.TecAccess.net).
• Remediated PDF documents for Section 508 compliance.
• Prepared contract proposals for Section 508 and Telecommunications accessibility projects for major clients and government agencies.

Technical Writer (contract), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Boston, MA (February - July 2005)

• Reorganized the BCBSMA Quality Assurance process library to ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations.
• Documented the system development lifecycle for Information Technology project managers.

Technical Writer (contract), Fidelity Investments, Merrimack, NH (November - December 2004)

• Participated in the creation of Human Resource policy and procedure documentation for a national banking institution, using Lotus Notes.
• Documented direct deposit, I9/Visa, element adjustments, and job title change modules.

Front-End Web Developer (contract), Staples, Framingham, MA (January - July 2004)

• Participated in a major redesign of Staples.com (released July 2005).
• Hand-coded XHTML and CSS (Macromedia HomeSite).
• Built Web pages and page templates for dynamically generated content according to design specifications and page comprehensives.
• Tested Web pages for cross-browser compatibility and ensured consistency with in-house standards.

Documentation Consultant / Senior Systems Officer, CitiStreet, Quincy, MA (January 2000 - April 2002)

A State Street and Citigroup joint venture specializing in retirement investment plans for corporate and institutional clients.

• Designed and developed a custom help system containing over 200 help files and over 10,000 topics used by phone representatives in three call centers to answer questions for retirement plan participants.
• Designed the integration of the phone representative's Internet workstation application and context-sensitive help to ensure shorter call duration. Collaborated on the user interface and wrote specifications.
• Designed workflow procedures to enable the call center to maintain its own help content with a minimum of personnel, and trained and supported help authors in maintenance procedures.
• Developed a 500+ page corporate intranet for the CitiStreet Institutional Division to reflect the new CitiStreet corporate identity.
• Collaborated on user interface design for several Internet application products for Retiree Services (a State Street business) and wrote product documentation.
• Created a network library to promote file sharing among departments across the 1000-person division.

Senior Documentation Specialist, State Street Corporation, Quincy, MA (1994 - 2000)

The Retirement Investment Services division of State Street and then State Street Global Advisors.

• Established a documentation group to serve the division's internal information needs for help systems, documentation of in-house software applications, and content and user interfaces for Internet/intranet applications.
• Created manuals and other forms of documentation for MVS mainframes, Windows PCs, Unix systems, and Oracle and mainframe databases in a custom networking environment.
• Coordinated the development and maintenance of the division's portion of the SSgA intranet.
• Developed documentation plans, documentation templates, and workflow processes for both the documentation team and the division.
• Created content and structured HTML for the prototype of an e-business 401(k) participant Internet product.
• Evaluated software tools for Web development, help systems, documentation, and graphics.
• Trained employees and contractors in software applications, standards, and workgroup methodologies. Provided training for new employees concerning the company's information resources.

MEMBERSHIPS

• Boston-IA (founder)
• Usability Professionals Association (UPA)
• Boston CHI
• Society for Technical Communication (STC)
• STC AccessAbility SIG
• The International Webmasters Association (IWA)
• The HTML Writers Guild (HWG)

WORKSHOPS

• HTML Writers Guild: Photoshop for the Web, 2008
• Aging by Design Conference, Bentley College, 2004, 2005 & 2006
• HTML Writers Guild: Design Concepts; HTML Forms, 2004
• XML Workshop, 2004
• Watchfire Accessibility Seminars, 2002-2003
• Corporate and e-Business Portals, 2002
• XML for Technical Communicators, 2002
• Moving from HTML to XML, 2002
• RoboHelp HTML, 2001
• RoboHelp Classic, 2001
• Oracle Browser, 1996
• Lotus Notes Application Developers Course, 1991

PROGRAMMING COURSES

• Structured C (Northeastern University)
• Structured COBOL (SCCC)
• PL/I, Pascal, Algol W (SUNY Stony Brook)
• BASIC (Boston University)

EDUCATION

School of Professional and Continuing Studies, Northeastern University, Boston, MA (Graduate Certificate, January 2003 to June 2004)

• Graduate certificate in Accessible Web Design/Interactive Design, with specific focus on accessibility and universal design principles.

State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY

• Master of Arts in English (permanent teaching certification)
• Bachelor of Arts in English, summa cum laude