I started designing websites while working as a copy editor for a daily Gannett newspaper in the Northwest U.S. While working a shift in the middle of the night, I decided that other newspaper workers might enjoy an online forum where they could swap stories, commiserate, rant rave about their jobs and discuss how to make journalism a little better. This was called The Poison Kitchen for somewhat obscure reasons and represented the launch of my interest in making websites geared around using the potential of the internet to create change.

through creation of the Posion Kitchen I was immediately introduced to a wide variety of individuals, some of which I’d just as well have done without. I also learned that the shortcomings of mainstream media come not only from its corporate nature, but also from some of the people who would want to work for such a thing. I promptly gave the domain name away to someone who I don’t think ever did much with it. I left it all the wiser about the more dubious qualities of our emerging “Global Village,” though thorugh the years I’ve remained keen on working with various organizations striving to take their message and good works online.

I’ve gone on do digital media strategy for for a wide variety of productive, intelligent, happy people working on various sundry projects. See the resumé listing on this site information on some of these.

My other pursuits include coffee, photography, working toward a masters degree in psychology and writing. My first novel, Italian Greyhound, is ostensibly forthcoming.

Selection of articles

Bringing the discussion home: The Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project

Dangerous Ideas, Sinister Forces

Digitally Erasing a Massacre

The creation of “Hezbollywood”

Some past web projects

Olympia+Rafah Sister City Project

Rachel Corrie Foundation

International Solidarity Movement

International Trauma Treatment Program

Teacher Support Network: Currently the Digital Media Manager for this organization. Some highlights:

• Teachersupport.info, a news, fundraising and support service website for educators in England, Scotland and Wales, winner for  Best Use of the Web in 2009.
• Recourse, a website aimed at provided news and services for HE and FE faculty and staff in post-16 education in UK.
• Staffwise, an information and online assessment tool for organizational wellbeing in Scottish schools and local authorities.
• Great Teachers, a website highlighting teachers’ roles in our lives and society.

I also manage the group of charities’ digital media strategy, which includes social networking strategy, search engine optimization and Google adwords campaigns among other things.

Movement Studio: This is the business name I and another online media colleague, Dave Reed, operate under for our various freelance endeavors. To learn more about Movement Studio, click here. I offer consulting and services in the following areas:

• Web design
• Print design
• Logos and branding
• Media strategy
• Research projects
• Campaign strategies
• Issue framing
• Using open source alternatives and utilizing new media tools
• Freelance writing projects
• Freelance editing projects
• Freelance photography

Previously

Projects have included:

• Website redesign for International Trauma Treatment Program
• Website redesign for the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice
• New website for the International Solidarity Movement
• Media campaigns for the International Solidarity Movement
• Media campaign assistance for the Rebuilding Alliance
• Research for Prof. Steve Niva of The Evergreen State College
• Helped co-found The Olympia+Rafah Sister City Project.

Other Careers

• Copy editor for The Olympian, a daily newspaer in Olympia, WA.
• Reporter/section editor for Sound Publishing, a weekly and twice-weekly newspaper chain in Northwest Washington state
• Reporter for The Hermiston Herald, a weekly newspaper in Eastern Oregon
• English as a second language teacher at Elite Foreign Language Institute, Andong South Korea and Amideast language center in Rabat, Morocco.
• Web developer for Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice

Studies

• BA in journalism and mass media at The Evergreen State College
• ESL teaching accreditation through International House

Volunteer Efforts

For many of these organizations and efforts, I’ve been a board member, contract worker or coordinator and have remained involved since as a volunteer. You live in the world, that can’t be helped. Participating makes it more interesting. I continue to do these things as I find the time for free:

• Olympia+Rafah Sister City Project volunteer for online projects (former board member and board president)
• International Solidarity Movement online media consultant
• International Trauma Treatment Program advisory board member
• Rebuilding Alliance technical consultant and occasional online media volunteer
• Rachel Corrie Foundation volunteer and online media consultant
• Contributor to CounterPunch and Electronic Intifada

Contact

To get a full version of the CV with dates and references and more specific information, contact me via the form on this website.