a Writer’s career resume

A former PK-8 teacher writes training materials, video scripts at the intersection of Education, Art, and Travel. Targeted content strategies keep you connected to your clients.

a lifelong educator

Sometimes people ask if I consider myself primarily an educator, a writer, or an artist? All three! I can’t divide up my creative self. I’ve won numerous awards in all three disciplines over the years. The scripts I write now for TV and movies have a certain educational bent to them. It keeps life more interesting communicating from these different POVs for myself … and companies who value their customers’ total quality experience. I have a personal understanding of the challenges since I own small businesses myself.

Those of us in the education field know we “touch the future,” to paraphrase beloved teacher/astronaut Christa McAuliffe. She defined our mission to each generation. As an experienced education writer,  I know it’s vital that your customer-support copy reaches customers in they way they want to have it — when so many don’t seem to want to read much more than a blog!

I come from a long line of teachers

Personal history: I come from an “education family.” Our strong commitment to raising up generations of Americans goes back 170 years to the California Gold Rush. My great-great-great grandfather walked from Ohio, worked gold claims in terrible conditions for two years, then returned home with $1314. With that, he put his three daughters through the first teacher seminary. And we’ve produced teachers and principals ever since.

I’ve “walked the talk” in education for my professional career, being honored as a state teacher of the year. I produced a public radio show focused solely on education issues because they weren’t being covered adequately from the insider perspective of my team. I volunteered giving museum and gallery tours because I love educating the public. I write the kind of content for you to get your education message out effectively.

a content writer / video scriptwriter

Get It Written · Freelance  2006 – Present

As a professional writer, I’ll help you tell your unique business story — whether to the B2B market, directly to customers, or by maintaining a robust online presence. We’ll use the best method for you. I share the exact challenges you face as I own two online businesses. In pre-internet days, I owned a children’s art company. Marketing has certainly evolved and accelerated, hasn’t it?

I’ve had excellent training in writing commercial content through stellar American Writers and Illustrators (AWAI) programs.

Writing up a storm

In other areas of persuasive writing, I’ve won four education grants. My written materials have supported numerous volunteer organizations I’ve belonged to. Over the years I’ve had four blogs and written four websites. I’m a published author in several genres, from non-fiction e-books, my gardening book, a preschool book, and numerous magazine articles. I even had a story selected for a major publisher’s fifth grade reader.

Getting your message out at a time when it seems the online and print arenas are clogged is a challenge we can tackle together. Your words must sell, as well as inform and entertain, in the way the market wants to have them. We’ll hone in on your special brand that customers want to interact with.

art specialist PK-8

The importance of art education to the development of children’s success in school has been my soap box issue for decades! What creativity is, how it’s developed in kids over time, and its vital importance to the US economy is my passion. I’m available to write, lecture, and assist you with messaging based on real-life experience.

I enthusiastically support the universal preschool movement. But I also like teaching at-home parents how — and the important why– to integrate art into the day of their small children through my businesses “Workshops for Moms” and “Pre-K Doodles.”

It was an honor to have my work recognized as a CA Elementary Art Teacher of the Year 2013

How gratifying it was to be recognized for creating a CA Exemplary Visual Arts Program in 2015, focused on Integration, Gifted and Talented, and Sequential Learning.

For the CA State Board of Education, I served on the five-member team chosen to write the new public school Art Standards 2015-2016; passed by the CA Legislature in 2019.

Dedicated to four generations of American school kids

Over my career, I’ve taught in 14 Schools – 10 Public K-5; 4 Independent N-8

Beginning in Aug 1978 – ending Aug 2021, with many interruptions, I taught in classrooms for 30 years+ off and on over the decades.
My career began in 3rd grade, included gifted/talented 4-5 grades, elementary art, middle school art.

Credentialed in three states: California, Washington, Texas
Taught in Los Angeles, San Jose, Mariposa, Sacramento, CA; Houston, Katy, TX; Everett, Marysville, SeaTac, WA

As a credentialed PK – 12 Art Specialist, I’ve written so much curriculum for children and adults. I wrote an Art Appreciation program for parents to present to elementary students. I worked closely with children during their prime years to develop skills that become a key to success in their future work life. I’ve coached hundreds to enter/win local, state, national and international competitions.

Getting art to kids any way possible

In the 1990s when there was no elementary art in school, or afterschool programs in districts where I lived, I cultivated that niche for seven years. I started my small business, Afterschool Art Studio, to bring art teachers back to schools.

In 1998, it was exciting to design a new school concept — a pilot program that integrated art throughout the curriculum for a middle school  titled “Arts and Science Middle School.” It was so fascinating to have art be the lynchpin between subjects like English, social studies, and math.

I’ve served on the boards of a Fine Arts school and alternative high school, three community Arts Councils, and taught in university extension programs. I’ve given numerous workshops at schools and local, state, national conferences, and published articles on this work.

Skills: Classroom Management · Training · K-8 Education · Strategic Planning · Leadership

small business owner

Afterschool Art Studio · Self-employed 1994 – 2001 Washington state, Yosemite area
When elementary art programs were eliminated from our school district in WA state, I began the first afterschool programs. This was before the YMCA got involved in afterschool programs. I was determined that my daughter and community children would not lose out entirely during their critical formative art-making years.

In 2008 when instructional videos were just starting to show up online, a producer invited me to make some short videos teaching basic art concepts to children. This was my first experience to find out if we could teach art to kids online (these artifacts are still found at
i-village.com).

Twelve years later, the pandemic proved that it could be done even in the traditional school setting with my youngest Gen Z students! I got the biggest kick from the kindergartners who were so at-one with their devices. Their little faces were pressed up to the screens to “see” better what I was demonstrating. And they followed along! That’s when I devised one-paper video art projects, based on what kids had at home.

Kids and tech 

Gen Z kids (our first digital generation) introduced me to contemporary artists they were following online. That’s when I learned how kids were curating their own learning interests. Utterly fascinating! They weren’t sitting passively in front of a TV as we Boomers had growing up. In fact, I discovered they were hardly watching TV at all. Very small children have skills to seek out content and learn what they want from so many sources now.

So, I’ve seen the evolution of the entire tech industry from the first fax machine at a business sending architectural blueprints to NYC, to this incredibly creative life of applied imagination and AI that our nation’s children are growing up in.

I well-remember when the first kindergartner tried to “swipe left” with his eraser on his art paper in class. At first I thought it was cute. Then I became alarmed that children weren’t coming to school with enough firsthand drawing experience. This five-year-old didn’t know how to use an eraser! Seems like a small matter to the untrained, but it’s been critical to me! That timeless preparation of drawing and coloring in the early years of development from ages 2-5 is still the way to get ready for school.

Art-making vital to child development

That’s why I wrote a preschool book, to assure parents and early childhood teachers, that mark-making is paramount to future success in school. It encompasses what I’ve learned over the decades working with children. You’ll find it under the tab Preschool Mission.

That’s why I’m all-in for universal preschool through ART!

art shows

My biggest claim to fame: my entire art show was stolen from the Spokane, WA city gallery! No kidding. Alas, the 25 works were never found! I wondered if it was an inside job because the crooks threw an air conditioner (unbelievable!) through the large glass window and the alarms never went off!

I’ve been honored to win a “Best of Show” award. It’s always gratifying just to make it into a juried show, but to win awards is a thrill. 

• Southern California Art Educators Juried Show, Anaheim
• Two Purchase Awards by the Snohomish County Arts Council 1% For Arts
• AAUW Stanwood Invitational Art Show
• Studio Art Invitational Art Show
• Everett School District Employees Juried Show
• Invitational Show Everett Arts Gallery, Everett
• Doing What We Should Have Done in the First Place, Corbin Gallery, Spokane
• The Hopi of Third Mesa, Featured Guest Artist, Cheney-Cowles Museum, Spokane
• For the Birds, Invitational Art Show, Monte Cristo Gallery, Everett
• Arts of the Terrace, Juried Art Show, Mountlake Terrace
• Evergreen State Fair Art Show
• Gene Nastri Faculty Art Show, Laird Smith Gallery, Everett and Mukilteo
• Stanwood Invitational Art Show
• H’Arts Benefit Art Auction
• Seventh Annual Everett Arts Council Juried Art Show
• Water Visions, Snohomish County Arts Council Invitational Art Show
• Sixth Annual Everett Arts Council Juried Art Show

honors & awards

• CA State Elementary Art Teacher of the Year, 2013  California Art Educators Association
• CA State Exemplary Art Program Award, 2015  California Art Educators Association 
• Associated with ⛪14 Schools – 10 Public K-5; 4 Independent N-8
• Golden Rule Award from JC Penney for Radio Show: Making the Grade
  I was the originator/producer/ writer of a radio show on local public radio in Washington State for five years that covered education exclusively. “Making the Grade” sponsored the first-ever debates between candidates for State Superintendent of Public Schools in two election cycles, as well as interviewed all candidates running for Governor on their education policies.
• Young Adult Contemporary Novel: 1st place  Pacific Northwest Writers Contest
  Project Name: “It’s Patty Blue Who Loves You” is based on my relationship with an elderly aunt in a rest home.
• Delacorte’s First Novel Contest: It’s Patty Blue Who Loves You (Runner-Up) 
• Children’s Nonfiction Picture Book: 1st Place Pacific Northwest Writers Contest
  Project Name: “Acorns: A Forgotten Food” is about the California Indians and their major food source.
• Children’s Nonfiction Book: Honorable Mention  Pacific Northwest Writers Contest
  Project Name: “Buffalo Hunting Before Horses” is about early Plains culture.
•  TV Dramatic Series Pilot: Honorable Mention  TV ME! Writing Contest
  Project Name: “El Pueblo” tells a true story from early Los Angeles when pirates attacked.
• Young Adult Historical Novel: Honorable Mention  Pacific Northwest Writers Contest
  Project Name: “The Year Without Papa” tells the story of the fur trade from the point of view of a teenage girl with an English father and Native American mother.
• Family Drama: “Cash Cow”  Writers Bootcamp, Santa Monica
  I was awarded a scholarship for an advanced screenwriting course. “Cash Cow” tells the true story of my dad’s cow
  Snowball, who he raced at the county fair since they couldn’t afford a horse.

volunteering

• Education Department Tour Guide, Southwest Museum, Los Angeles

  I gave weekly tours to school and adult groups for five years, as well as Native American cultural events on weekends. I loved having access to the magnificent collection in this spectacular setting, on a subject dear to my heart since third grade.

• Mayor’s Youth Commission Ambassador – Liason to City Council, Everett, Washington

  I was appointed to this six-year term by the Mayor. I interacted with the media, city officials, and every city committee who had contact or oversight concerning issues or programs that impacted young people and children in our city of 70,000. We held hearings and workshops about curfew, expansion of services, gangs, new Navy port, etc.

• Co-founder, president, secretary, newsletter editor Viewridge Neighborhood Council

  I also served as a Representative to the Council of Neighborhoods, City of Everett

• Volunteer Staff Art Councils of Everett and Mukilteo, WA and Mariposa, CA

  I had the opportunity in three towns to support a number of community out-reach events. While most of these involved intake and hanging of art shows, at Yosemite the events included National Storytelling programs and Cowboy poetry.

• Girl Scout Leader

• Advisory Board Member Alternative High School, Everett WA art program: increased attendance 98%

• Neighborhood Garden Friends founding member

• Everett Community Schools volunteer teacher

• Everett School District Booster Project co-chair fundraising campaign

  – SOS (Save Our Silverton) campaign to save school district environmental camp, raising $230,000 among school children

• Volunteer in multiple positions as Church member

  I have been an active member in 14 Christian churches in various towns since I joined at age 16. I’ve served as a Sunday School teacher, music chairman, usher, head of maintenance/grounds, and assistant secretary.

causes