Experience

Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center

• United States
• Individual and Family Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Public Relations and Community Development

  • Aug 2015 - Present

  • Brought in $170,000+ in grant funding to purchase a 30-seat bus and a multi-use sport court for the center’s youth development program and to augment the center’s Food Pantry, after-school, and summer camp programs. • Developed the center’s signature fundraiser, Bands On The Bay, now headed into its 5th year, which has netted an average of $20,000 annually. • Successfully rebranded the center, including logo, communications, public image, and website. Increased social media reach. • Created Annual Report/Calendar for funders, showcasing the center’s work and community reach through text, data, and visual design. • Researched U.S. Census data to document the trends in number of children living in poverty in center’s service area, which is generally perceived as wealthy.



Freelance

• Writer/Author

  • Sep 2003 - Jun 2015

  • Author of award-winning novel, Falling into the Sun (2009), Mom’s Choice Gold Award recipient and finalist in Foreward Review’s 2009 Book of the Year Awards. • Published in Tampa Bay Times and literary journals, including Sunscripts: Writings from the Florida Suncoast Writers' Conference; Snowy Egret; Palm Prints; Wordsmith; Pen Woman. • Author of award-winning novel, Falling into the Sun (2009), Mom’s Choice Gold Award recipient and finalist in Foreward Review’s 2009 Book of the Year Awards. • Published in Tampa Bay Times and literary journals, including Sunscripts: Writings from the Florida Suncoast Writers' Conference; Snowy Egret; Palm Prints; Wordsmith; Pen Woman.



University of Tampa

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Professor

  • Sep 1999 - May 2008

  • Instructed courses including Freshman Composition, English Literature, Creative Writing, and Fiction Writing at St. Petersburg College, Eckerd College, University of South Florida (USF), and University of Tampa. • Memberships Program Director of USF’s Florida Center for Writers (2005-2007). Arranged professional writers and publishers to speak at monthly Lifelong Writers meetings and led writer critique sessions. Oversaw production of annual literary journal, Palm Prints. • Instructed courses including Freshman Composition, English Literature, Creative Writing, and Fiction Writing at St. Petersburg College, Eckerd College, University of South Florida (USF), and University of Tampa. • Memberships Program Director of USF’s Florida Center for Writers (2005-2007). Arranged professional writers and publishers to speak at monthly Lifelong Writers meetings and led writer critique sessions. Oversaw production of annual literary journal, Palm Prints.



Tampa Bay Times

• United States
• Newspaper Publishing
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Editorial Board Member and Columnist

  • 1985 - 1991

  • Generated editorials that integrated Ye Mystic Krewe, a private club of Tampa’s business elite. Exposed negligence by state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services contributing to the death of a 7-month-old. Other issues included: civil rights violations by Tampa Police; violations of state environmental regulations by MacDill Air Force Base, resulting in contamination of groundwater.• Generated byline features for Sunday Perspective section, such as the failure by state and local officials to keep development and accompanying pollution out of the Green Swamp, one of Florida’s prime drinking water resources, prompting Gov. Lawton Childs to announce plans to protect the Green Swamp through state purchase.

• Investigative Reporter

  • 1983 - 1985

  • Exposed irregular, possibly illegal bidding practices and questionable use of state and federal grant money by Pasco County sheriff. Uncovered poor maintenance of county emergency vehicles, including faulty brakes on fire engines and an ambulance that leaked exhaust fumes into patient compartment. Provided insights into emotional/physical trauma wrought by cancer by spending one year chronicling the battles of two patients, one terminal. Enterprise stories outlined difficulties prosecuting spousal abuse and exposed rescue/towing company defrauding boaters by masquerading as the U.S. Coast Guard.



The Lynchburg News and Advance

• Investigative Reporter

  • 1980 - 1983

  • Produced award-winning investigative series on Lynchburg Training School and Hospital, the country’s largest institution for the mentally handicapped. Exposed patient neglect, low employee morale, and poor working conditions. Subsequent state investigation led to corrective measures. • Co-authored award-winning investigative series on Central Virginia Commission on Aging. Exposed failure to provide services to poor elderly despite budget surplus. Subsequent state investigation led to reorganization.