Am I a technical writer? No. I’m not the person to write your manuals. Am I a researcher, engineer or scientist, myself? Well, growing up, I did want to be a marine mammal biologist…then I met a terrible thing called calculus. No, I am not a scientist.
So what does Technical Communications mean? It means that I know how to find a hook, a path to connect your novel work to your audience, and then I chart that path. ​It means that I understand that the work you do matters, and I want to tell people all about it. It means that I am not here to "dumb down" your discoveries, your research, your world-shifting idea, but to respect it.
I will work with you to ensure the complex is comprehensible and that the why is never lost amidst the how.
Messaging and Strategy without Deliverables
Simple Summary Builder
1-Hour Consultation
Need to distill your work into a clear, concise summary? This session helps you refine your message for lay stakeholders, funding applications, and reports.
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Pre-Work
I’ll provide a short questionnaire to gather background information about your research, audience, and goals for this hour consultation.​
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Service
We’ll work together to refine your summary, ensuring it effectively conveys your research and its significance.​
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You’ll leave the session with a polished summary and confidence in how to present your key points. There are no deliverables with this service.
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Targeted Translation Session
2-Hour Consultation
This session is for professionals or researchers preparing for a key presentation, grant application, or stakeholder meeting. You might be applying for a research grant, preparing to speak to a board or investors, or explaining your work to the community. I’ll help you refine how you talk about your work so that it resonates with your audience.
Pre-Work
I’ll provide a short questionnaire to gather background information about your work and audience. This helps me understand your audience, your goals, and the stakes of your current communication challenges, while also making sure that the scope of our time is specific and effective.​
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Service
During our 2-hour session, I’ll work with you to clarify your messaging so your key points are accessible, impactful, and tailored to your specific audience or stakeholder.​
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You’ll leave with a clearer, more effective way to communicate your work. There are no deliverables with this service.​
Extended Strategy Session
5-Hour Consultation
This consultation is tailored for professionals or researchers who've recently secured a significant grant, are in the final stages of a major application, or are preparing to share research or a product expected to garner interest from the public and media. On the horizon are high-stakes presentations, proposals that must be as compelling as they are accurate, and audiences with varied levels of technical knowledge. This is a working session that equips you with the tools to communicate your ideas effectively and strategically.
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In-person strategy sessions include a catered working lunch
Pre-Work
Start by letting me know where you are with your goal. Have you received a grant? Are you apply for one? Has your research or product suddenly found its way onto NPR? I’ll ask you to send me any existing materials—drafts, proposals, slides, or other relevant documents—before we meet. I’ll review them in advance and will follow up with questions to guide our session.​
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Service
During the five-hour session, we can focus on what you need. This may include:
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Reviewing your goals and identifying key communications challenges.
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Simplifying technical concepts for a lay audience or key stakeholders.
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Working through the qualitative sections of proposals such as an NSF Project Summary.
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If we're meeting in person, I'll have lunch delivered so we can stay productive.
You’ll leave with the work we accomplished together. You will have clear strategies to improve your communication and present your work effectively. There are no deliverables with this service.​
Messaging and Strategy with Deliverables
Lay Audience Translation Consulting
Your work might be brilliant. It might even change the world. But first you’ve got to explain it to normal people – your customers, investors, the media, and other gatekeepers. Explaining complex topics melds effective wordsmithing and accuracy, all of it underpinned by respect for the work. After nearly two decades of translating complex research and information, I’ll help you create a strategy and lexicon for telling the story of your work to lay audiences.​
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​Pre-Work
I will send you a questionnaire that I’ll modify just for you. You’ll get it back to me before we meet.
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Service
During our 1-2-hour strategy session, I’ll ask a lot more questions, get your feedback, hear your story, and work with you to develop a new way for you to talk about your work.
Follow-Up
After our session, I’ll follow up with any necessary clarifications to ensure accuracy. This will take place either over a call or via email and will be a continuation of our initial meeting.
Deliverable
The Lay Audience Messaging Framework will include key phrases, simplified explanations and analogies that can be used in presentations, pitches, and written materials. Graphic illustrations can be included if needed.​​
The Make-or-Break Presentation
Consulting + Slide Deck
Have a make-or-break presentation to your investors, board, local government, or other key stakeholders? Presenting complex, jargon-heavy material in a way that is both understandable and compelling requires more than just a translation. It’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with your audience, while still respecting the depth of your work.
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Pre-Work
Before we meet, I’ll ask you to send me your existing presentations and other materials including research papers, articles, and visuals. I’ll also provide you with a customized questionnaire where you’ll tell me about your audience, the stakes of your presentation, and your key messages. This helps me understand where you’re coming from and what success looks like for you.​
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Service
During our 2-hour strategy session, we’ll dive deep into your material. I’ll ask a lot of questions to fully grasp your research and your goals. Together, we’ll develop a plan to simplify your message, focusing on clarity and engagement. We’ll map out the most effective way to present your work so that it’s both accurate and accessible to your stakeholders.
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Follow-Up
After our session, I’ll follow up with any necessary clarifications to ensure accuracy. This will take place either over a call or via email and will be a continuation of our initial meeting.
Deliverables
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Custom Slide Deck that translates your technical content into a compelling narrative, including custom graphics and visuals tailored to your audience. Your new and improved presentation will be a polished, visually appealing, and most importantly, it will communicate your message clearly and effectively.
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Glossary of Terms and Analogies that will break down key terms and offers analogies, making it easier for you to explain your work during the presentation.​
INDUSTRIES + EXPERTS I'VE WORKED WITH
Engineering
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Aerospace Engineering
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Big Data
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Biomedical Engineering
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Engineering Physics
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Chemical Engineering
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Civil Engineering
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Computer Science
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Information and Systems Engineering
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Mechanical Engineering
Energy
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Blue Hydrogen
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Carbon Capture, Sequestration, and Storage
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Energy Transition
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ESG
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Geothermal Energy
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Geological Engineering
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Natural Gas Engineering
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Petroleum Engineering
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Renewable Energy
Science
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Environmental Science
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Geology
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Geophysics
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Hydrology
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Induced Seismicity
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Machine Learning
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Paleontology
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Planetary Geology
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Seismicity
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Scanning Electron Microscopy
Medicine
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Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Biomedical Engineering
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Dyslexia
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Postpartum Mood Disorders
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Hearing Loss
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Stroke And Neurology
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Intersection of Engineering and Medical Imaging
 BusinessÂ
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Accounting
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Business Academia
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Business Thought Leadership
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Finance
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Financial Planning
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MBA Programs
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Real Estate
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Training and Internship Best Practices
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Startups
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Wealth Management
Higher Ed
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Continuing Education (CE) Courses
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Diversity and Inclusion
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Donor Stewardship
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Fundraising
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Research and recruiting at the Tier-One Level
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Professional Development Courses
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Student Scholarships and Financial Aid
Misc.
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Audiobook Narration
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DJs
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China (as in the fancy dishes)
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Home Builders
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Florists
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Hair Care Products
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Legal Practices
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Publishing