design resume art links page login contact
Resume for
Barbara McKenna
barbara@gallery-b.net
other contact information available on request
Press Releases & Random Writings

Graphic & Publication Design
S U M M A R Y

Experience writing and designing publications and marketing materials (booklets, brochures, newsletters, display ads, mailers, fliers, etc.). Expertise managing regional and national media and marketing campaigns. Experience in creating and maintaining web sites. Experience in exhibition and event planning and management. Strong writer and editor. Literate in a broad range of computer programs. Able to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Organized and thorough project manager.

Currently Director of Communications for an education research group at Stanford University. Previously headed the communications department for a national education research organization at UC Santa Cruz. Experience includes 16 years of publication layout and design; 12 years in public relations, 25 years of writing and editing, 7 years writing and developing web content and web sites.
E X P E R I E N C E

Communications Director
Center for Teacher Education and School Reform;
Stanford University
January 2005-April 2005: Consultant
April 2005-present:
Current position

Manage all communications efforts for several groups under the sponsorship of the center, including the School Redesign Network (SRN) and the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute (SELI). Areas of responsibility include print design and production, marketing, media relations and web site design and maintenance.

  • Print Design and Production: Edit, design and lay out research publications; write, design and lay out marketing materials.
  • Marketing: Work with researchers to develop and carry out marketing plans for specific products and events; includes conceiving strategies, writing and designing materials, working with vendors to print materials and overseeing distribution. Design and write a bi-monthly electronic newsletter for a 5,000-member list serv.
  • Media Relations: Write press materials and write or edit op-eds, pitch stories, field media calls.
  • Web Design and Maintenance: Keep web content current and occasionally design pages for new products. Currently managing the redesign of the SRN web site.
  • Event planning: Work with other SRN and SELI staff members to plan and publicize institutes, lectures and other special events. Travel to present our materials at conference exhibitions.

Communications &
Design Consultant
Gallery B
Santa Cruz, CA
1998-present

Write and edit, design and build materials and websites for various clients, including J.C. Watercolors (website) , Monarch Media, Roland Tharp (web site), Tourist Railway Association, Ballet San Jose, Gourd Music, First Night Santa Cruz, the Boneshakers (web site), Spin Rich Recordz, GMoe Music, Andy Cleaves, and Emeline Child Care Center. (Samples can be seen by visiting the Design page.)

 

Communications
Coordinator
Center for Research on Education, Diversity
& Excellence (CREDE):
University of California,
Santa Cruz
May 2001-December 2004

CREDE was a national research center funded through December, 2004, by the U.S. Department of Education and affiliated with the University of California, Santa Cruz. As head of communications, I did the following:

  • Marketing: Conceived, wrote, designed and produced brochures, advertisements, mass mailings, and exhibition materials.
  • Publications: Solicited, edited, and published manuscripts, CD-ROMs and videos from CREDE’s 71 researchers in collaboration with our in-house publisher and pitched manuscripts to external publishers. Wrote, edited and laid out newsletter for 7,000-plus members of mailing list. Wrote monthly news bulletin for 3,300 listserv members.
  • Media Relations: Wrote press materials and op-eds, pitched stories, fielded media calls.
  • Event management: Planned and attended conference exhibition and special events (institutes, general meetings, receptions and presentations).
  • Website management: Designed and maintained CREDE’s website (which received approximately 1,500 hits/day).
  • Development: Investigated and wrote grant proposals. Identified and contacted potential collaborators. Lobbied CREDE positions to national legislators.
  • Staff management: Oversaw the work of contractors; supervised one assistant.

Left when the center closed on completion of our federal contract.


Project Liaison
ETR Associates
Scotts Valley, CA
February 2001-May 2001

 Oversaw the development of the Senior Corps Tech Center at ETR, a national non-profit health- and sex-education clearinghouse. This entailed managing a four-prong effort to:
  • launch a web site and online help desk;
  • create and deliver eight different training sessions at five national conferences;
  • develop online distance-learning modules; and
  • create and publish a textbook.

Left to take job with CREDE.
Content Manager
BeyondWork
Santa Clara, CA
October 2000-December 2000
 Managed an online magazine for this web-based company, coordinating a bi-weekly production schedule, assigning, editing and writing content. Supervised two staff writers and coordinated more than a dozen freelancers.

Was laid off, with 22 others, when the company downsized.
Public Information Officer
University of California,
Santa Cruz
July 1994–October 2000
 Wrote press releases and print and online articles about the activities of arts and humanities faculty and staff. Developed and carried out national publicity campaigns to inform media of newsworthy stories. Conceived and coordinated special projects to promote the campus, including producing a promotional video, programming “UCTV” — a public access television series, and, with a designer, creating brochures on UCSC’s arts programs.
Managing Editor, Currents
University of California,
Santa Cruz
October 1990–July 1994 
 Edited, wrote stories for, and laid out UCSC's monthly staff/faculty newspaper. Established and maintained a production schedule, coordinating a team of eight writers and editors.
Staff Writer
Santa Cruz County Sentinel
July 1987–October 1990
 Wrote for the daily paper's entertainment, feature, news, and business beats.
Related Experience
Freelance Writer
Santa Cruz, CA, and Washington, D.C. (1984–present)

Illustrator
Santa Cruz, CA, and Washington, D.C. (1982–present)

Assistant Editor
The Sun, Santa Cruz, CA (August 1986–July 1987)

Staff Writer and Editor
The Express, Santa Cruz, CA (June 1985–April 1986)

Contributing Writer and News Aide
The Washington Post, Washington, D.C. (June 1981–June 1984)
 
E D U C A T I O N

Oberlin College; Oberlin, Ohio. BA English, 1982

Continuing education:
Advanced French, Cabrillo College, 1988
Financial Planning/Business, Stanford University, 2006

E T C.

Expert in Microsoft Word, PageMaker, InDesign, Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive. Proficient in Quark, FileMaker Pro, PowerPoint, Excel, HTML • Speak French
U R L S

School Redesign Network

Stanford Educational Leadership Institute

Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence

Senior Tech Center

BeyondWork

Select Samples from CREDE and UCSC (coming soon)

UCSC press releases and magazine articles
At UCSC Web Site: search in the lower box (pre-2002) using "Barbara McKenna"