I am a freelance writer in Minneapolis/Saint Paul specializing in concept development and articulation for  projects, initiatives and organizations.

My goal is to make complex concepts and ideas clear and easy to understand.

My focus areas are civic engagement, education, science, the arts, innovation and creativity.

In my capacity as a concept development specialist, I bring my background in graphic arts and counseling psychology to provide: 

• Writing/editing for communications, concept narratives, proposals and grants.  

I usually work as the writer part of a development team. We can start from scratch or I can clean up what you've got. I have worked with a wide variety of clients over the past 10 years - together we have secured over $10 million for local education, environmental and community development initiatives. 

• Concept Maps - a unique combination of words, boxes, images and arrows that clearly  communicates your concept, process or organizational dynamic on one page. 

If you can't convey what you do (or what you want to do) on one page, it's too complicated.  A good Concept Map can be used to facilitate discussion in-the-room or as a stand alone in a marketing packet.

• Concept Coaching - explore, clarify and develop ideas, themes and concepts; expand touch points to make new connections and create new opportunities.

You talk, I listen, write stuff down and ask a lot of questions. As an "outsider" (in a good way) I will ask the questions that will simplify and clarify your concept or project so that it can be clearly understood by others.

Education and Experience

I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and over 15 years of experience as a graphic designer and art director. Prior to going over to the "writing side," I was a graphic designer/art director for the Ross Roy Group in Detroit, Michigan; then for Terrance Conran’s Design Group in New York City; and for in-house publications at Tiffany and Company, also in NYC.

After relocating to the West Coast, I earned a Master’s in Counseling (MC) degree from Arizona State University, Tempe and founded and ran nonprofit children’s charitable organization, Artworks Children’s Foundation, a pilot project dedicated to building civic, social and philanthropic awareness in children using their artwork as a medium for involvement in social change.

Artworks – “Children helping children through art” – young artists donated their artwork; we gave them Artworks Dollars (backed up by corporate sponsorships)and asked them to select one of five children's' charitable causes to which they would like to donate their $$$.

Artworks kids helped hundreds of children in the Phoenix and Cleveland metropolitan areas in need of food, clothing, shelter, head-start support and scholarships to activities that were otherwise out of reach.

Galleries of the young artists’ work are on display at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and The Cleveland Clinic . The Artworks organization project also provided funding to youth outreach programs at the Minnesota Children’s Museum  and the Walker Art Center .

Professional development activities include coursework in nonprofit management at Case Western Reserve University, Mandel Center for Nonprofit Management in Cleveland, Ohio, and in educational strategy through Project Zero at Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts.