A strong writer with the ability to take complicated material and present it in a simple, concise and easy-to-understand manner. Several years’ experience in government writing (notably, briefing notes and ministerial correspondence), editing and proofreading, journalism, and writing for the Web.

Skills and Experience

Government work: briefing notes, executive correspondence, knowledge of legislative and regulatory processes, principles of legislative drafting.

Editing and writing: copyediting and proofreading, fact-checking, journalism.

Internet: blogging, content management systems, web design (HTML, CSS and PHP, including HTML5 and CSS3).

Other: historical research, photography, public speaking.

Recent Employment History

Senior Editor/Writer (Jul 2007 - Jun 2008; May 2009 - Dec 2009)
Executive Correspondence Division, Health Canada (Ottawa, Ontario)
Editing, reviewing and writing drafts of ministerial correspondence; providing advice, feedback and mentoring on grammar and style.

Writer/Editor (Sep 2008 - Oct 2008)
Ministerial Correspondence Division, PWGSC (Gatineau, Quebec)
Editing and writing briefing notes, memoranda and ministerial correspondence for senior officials.

Reporter (Aug 2003 - Jan 2004)
The Equity, Pontiac Printshop Ltd. (Shawville, Quebec)
Journalism, photography and page layout for a weekly community newspaper.

Legislative Revisor (May 2000 - Feb 2003)
Transport Regulations Unit/Legislative Services Branch, Department of Justice (Ottawa, Ontario)
Editing and proofreading drafts of laws, regulations and statutory instruments, mostly for Transport Canada.

Planning and Analysis Officer (Sep 1999 - Apr 2000)
Income Security Programs Branch, Human Resources Development Canada (Vanier, Ontario)
Writing briefing notes and other documents for the Assistant Deputy Minister, Deputy Minister and Minister, including material for the ADM’s appearance before a parliamentary committee.

Government Ratings

Bilingual (E/C/C); last tested in March 2000.

Security clearance: Level II (Secret).

Education and Training

Legislative Drafting and Statutory Interpretation courses (Department of Justice, Ottawa, 2002).

Ph.D. student, History (Alberta, 1996-1999). Fields: modern western European history; cultural studies; gender theory. Withdrew from program.

M.A., History (Waterloo, 1996).

B.A. (Hons.), History (Winnipeg, 1994).

Awards and Scholarships

Walter H. Johns Graduate Fellowship, University of Alberta, 1998-1999; SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, 1998-1999; Province of Alberta Graduate Fellowship, 1997-1998; Graduate Studies and Research Tuition Scholarship, University of Alberta, 1997-1998; Walter H. Johns Graduate Tuition Scholarship, University of Alberta, 1996-1997; University Graduate Scholarship, University of Waterloo, 1994-1995; Academic Proficiency Scholarship, University of Winnipeg, 1991.

Significant Online Publications

The Map Room (Mar 2003 - Jun 2011)
A popular blog about maps and cartography with thousands of daily readers.

DFL (Aug 2004; Feb 2006; Aug 2008)
A blog about last-place finishes at the Olympics; received national and worldwide media coverage (see below).

Summary of Print Publications

Approximately 120 news stories for The Equity; approximately 30 articles and book reviews for amateur herpetological newsletters.

Media

DFL: Television: Appeared live on CBC Newsworld and CTV NewsNet. Radio: Appeared live on the BBC (World Service ×2, Radio Ulster) and talk radio stations in Toronto, Montreal, Kitchener and Regina. Print: Featured in the National Post, Sports Illustrated, Toronto Star, Folha de São Paulo and, through Reuters and Agence France-Presse wire stories, dozens of newspapers worldwide.

The Map Room: Quoted in the Boston Globe; interviewed by Dailysonic.

Other: Quoted in stories about cameraphones (2003) and folksonomies (2005) in the Ottawa Citizen’s “Tech Weekly” section. Profiled in the West Quebec Post’s “Faces of West Quebec” feature in May 2005.

Selected Volunteer History

Volunteer (2005-2008)
Pontiac Archives (Shawville, Quebec)
Drafted the group’s constitution; building supervision; collection management; website.

President (2001-2003)
Ottawa Amphibian and Reptile Association
Negotiated terms of new animal control by-law with City of Ottawa officials; organized events and presentations; website.

Editor/Publisher (1999-2001)
Ontario Herpetological Society
Edited the OHS’s quarterly newsletter; wrote and copyedited articles; page layout.

Interests

Astronomy, cartography and maps, classical music, cycling, film, herpetology, hiking, Macintosh computers, paleontology, photography, piano, railroads, science fiction.