2013 TechComm Roadshow

Ann Rafferty, Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory External/Public Website, Informational Materials, Best of Show, STC International Summit Awards, 2013

Ann is currently Institutional Web Project Lead at Los Alamos National Laboratory (reports to the Director of Laboratory Communications & Government Affairs): Lead for the corporate web initiative, providing leadership and direction for all external and internal web communications; spearheaded initiatives for UX strategies and focus on usability and accessibility for all webspaces; developed and provided analytics program; directed visual design initiatives for external and internal website redesigns; led efforts for seeking new solutions to global market issues and evolving needs in high-tech environment including mobile/RESS strategies and development of social media outlets; oversaw design and development for implementation of a Content Management System for all Lab communications, external and internal, provided training and support for the release of the product across the Lab; works with top level leadership on brand and identity campaign.

Valerie Woolley, Microsoft Press. Microsoft Manual of Style, Fourth Edition, Instructional Materials, Distinguished Award, STC International Summit Awards, 2013

View recording (8:45 mins.)

Valerie is a senior content project manager at Microsoft Press, where she has worked for the past 15 years. She works on computer books that focus on Microsoft products across three audiences: developer, ITPro, and consumer (aka information worker). Valerie lives in Seattle with her partner Giorgio and their two cats, Trouble and Thumbs. When not at work, Valerie likes to travel, garden, check out the local jazz clubs, and read (of course).

Robert Bilotti, Novita Training, Togo's Online and Mobile Learning, Instructional Materials, Best of Show and Distinguished Awards, Greater NY/PMC Regional TechComm Competition

Robert Bilotti is Managing Director of Novita Training, an award-winning employee and franchise training and development firm. Novita works with corporations and franchisors in designing custom-made training programs that increase performance and operational efficiency, decrease costs and boost revenue.

Ellen O'Brien, BMC Software, MainView Threshold Management Guide, User Support Materials, Awards of Excellence, STC International Summit Awards 2013 and Regional NY PMC

Ellen has almost 30 years as a communications professional in the computer software industry, working on a wide range of user support deliverables in various formats. She enjoys the process of developing new material for new products: the research and analysis, the give and take with other team members, and the satisfaction of pulling it all together into a useful whole. Currently she is Manager for Information Development and Design at BMC Software where she manages a global team of writers, editors, and video developers. Ellen holds a B.S., Communications, Miami University and M. Ed, Educational Psychology, Temple University.

Tim Kleczka, Sonic Performance Support, Instant Learning Server, User Support Materials, Distinguished Award, Greater NY/PMC Regional TechComm Competition 2013

Tim is President of Sonic Performance Support which focuses on Workplace Learning & Performance Support, teaching only what you need to know, when you need to know it with a visually engaging and proven training method that is searchable down to the spoken word.

Andrea Wenger, Schneider Electric, Standard Duty Pendant Control Station, User Support Materials, Award of Excellence, STC International Summit Awards 2013

With eighteen years’ experience in technical communication, Andrea Wenger is a member of the STC Nominating Committee. Outgoing president of the Carolina Chapter, she writes about grammar and style in the chapter newsletter, Carolina Communiqué. She has won more than a dozen STC competition awards, including a Best of Show at the local level and two awards at the international level.

Abhijeet Wakhare, Avaya India Private Limited. Using Avaya IQ Performance Center, User Support Materials, Award of Merit, STC International Summit Awards 2013 and Distinguished Award, Regional NY PMC

Abhijeet is a professional technical writer with more than 15 years of experience in Technical Writing and Content Management and currently working with Avaya India Pvt. Ltd as Senior Information Engineer. He worked as trainer for Technical Writing at Technowrites Pvt. Ltd. Previous awards include a Distinguished award at STC NY and Philadelphia Metro Regional Competition 2012-2013 and Merit award from India STC in 2009.