Jean Gazis Copywriting & Content Strategy

I just realized that there are actually two of my photos in the featured member photo on My.Nature.org, which is part of The Nature Conservancy's website. One is of my son on the beach at Coney Island (which generated one of the nicest comments I've ever seen!), and the other of my husband and another dad walking at Clarence Fahnestock State Park. They were promoting a theme of "Spring Outdoors," so I submitted a few shots of nature with actual people in them. Mine are the 4th and 5th images if you scroll down.

I've been enjoying the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email, which consists of a photo and quotation every weekday morning. (I actually found it when I wanted to unsub from another of their email broadcasts that was getting annoying.) You can submit photos via a Flickr group, so I put in a few. They used one of mine back in April, and another today. Very flattering!

Today's Photo:



Pumpkins in a doorway on Union Street near the community garden in Park Slope, October 2008.

I have fun with digital photography, mainly of my children, nature, and city scenes. Here are a few of my pictures. Enjoy!




Reeds in Promised Land State Park in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. Used in the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email for April 28, 2008.









Pumpkins in a doorway in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Used in the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email for December 3, 2008.










Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.













Late summer rose, Hudson River Park.











Tourists looking at a big crocodile, Mara River, Kenya, August 2001.









Rainbow over Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park, Summer 2009. Used in the Schmap! Guide to New York City.







See more of my photos on Flickr.

Here are some of the firms and organizations with which I've worked:

Clients

• Webster Hall Digital
• Better Indeed
• Urban Organic
• Box of Rain LLC
• Business Base Network
• Steven Katz Solutions-Oriented Psychotherapy
• L&D Computer Consulting Corp.
• WebHostNY LLC
• Hunki's Pizza
• Brooklyn Business Base
• Doubleday Select
• Registered@
• Gower/Mosby Medical Publishing
• Current Science

Volunteer

• New Alternatives for Children (through Taproot Foundation)
• Cub Pack 187, Brooklyn
• The Feminist Press at CUNY (through Taproot Foundation)
• Kids Play Tunes
• Cub Pack/Scout Troop 14, Brooklyn
• Binding Together, Inc. (through Taproot Foundation)
• A Networking Event Made in Heaven
• PS 261 PTA
• Independent Computer Consultants Association – NYC Chapter
• Empire Kerry Blue Terrier Club

Employers

• Royal Media Group
• Caminus LLC
• US News & World Report
• Ziff-Davis
• Technical Database Services
• Delmar Publishers
• Gower Medical Publishing
• John Wiley & Sons
• Prentice-Hall Media
• Kelly Services
• The Johns Hopkins University Press
• The Reader's Digest Association

Overview

Outstanding writer and articulate speaker whose professional experience is reflected in all communications. Thrives on continuous learning, quickly masters new products, processes, and markets. Able to produce superior work while meeting tight deadlines.

Professional Accomplishments

Content Development & Writing

• Developed RFPs, requirements briefs, content audits, user guides, and site maps for corporate and nonprofit organizations
• Planned, created, obtained, and managed content for 20+ websites, managed design, supported users, monitored analytics
• Created 7 content sections for new corporate website on tight launch schedule
• Migrated established websites from static HTML to Drupal CMS, customized design themes, trained users
• Created logos, icons, corporate identity materials, and organizational style guides
• Obtained client testimonials used throughout print, online, and event marketing efforts
• Wrote and produced 30+ media kits in print and electronic media
• Executed new enterprise software product brochure in just 10 working days from inception to delivery of printed material
• Interviewed stakeholders, created corporate profiles, wrote executive bios, edited executives’ articles for publication
• In charge of extensive sales letter library; produced 58 new documents in 3 days for new sales initiative
• Developed innovative "modular" brochure concept to effectively engage 4 distinct audiences
• Wrote and produced print and electronic newsletters for 5 organizations

Marketing & Advertising

• Revamped direct marketing programs to improve timing, impact, and quality at lower cost
• Increased conference registrations, exhibits, and ad sales via direct mail, email, and web promotion
• Coordinated on and offline marketing and advertising campaigns to meet brand goals
• Doubled sales of medical publication product line to over $1,000,000 per year
• Developed direct mail, forced free trials, email and fax broadcasts, sales letters, fact sheets, print and online ads, PR, trade show exhibits, websites, posters, presentations, print and email newsletters, telephone talking points, catalog
• Worked with IT to migrate sales resource database to new platform, wrote documentation, trained and supported users
• Generated merchandising proposals worth nearly $2 million in advertising sales
• Created accurate budgets and marketing plans, improved marketing metrics, surpassed personal and departmental goals
• Hired, trained, and supervised staff, freelancers, vendors, and service providers

Employment History

2/92–Present   Consulting/Freelance—See Client List
8/05–2/09         Marketing Manager/Copy Director, Taproot Foundation (3 pro bono projects)
6/03–3/04         Marketing Manager, Royal Media Group
11/00–9/02       Marketing Communications Specialist, Caminus Corporation
8/99–7/00         Marketing Manager, US News & World Report
1/95–10/98       Promotion Manager, Ziff-Davis Central Advertising Sales
11/93–12/94     Marketing Manager, Technical Database Services
6/88–2/92         Marketing Assistant/Manager/Director, Gower Medical Publishing

Consulting, Freelance, & Pro Bono Clients

Park Slope Food Coop, Averweb, Stone & Assoc., T.J. Sacks Assoc., Box of Rain, New Alternatives for Children, Opico, Brooklyn Business Base, Feminist Press, Urban Organic, Binding Together, Steven Katz Psychotherapy, Cub Pack/Scout Troops 187 and 14, WebHostNY, A Networking Event Made in Heaven, PS 261 PTA, Hunki’s Pizza, L&D Computer Consulting, US News & World Report, Doubleday Select,ICCA–NYC Chapter, Gower/Mosby Medical Publishing, Delmar Publishers, Current Science

Education & Professional Development

The Johns Hopkins University

BA in English Literature, minor in French, Dean's List, National Merit Scholar

Continuing Education

Courses in Advertising Copywriting, Fiction Writing, and Copy Editing at NYU, Gotham Writers' Workshop, and MediaBistro

Courses, seminars, workshops, and webinars in Calligraphy, Watercolor, Sculpture, Email Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Drupal, Social Media Marketing; NYC Drupal Camps

Professional Organizations

NYC Drupal, CSS, and Content Strategy meetups, Freelancers Union

Computer & Technical Skills

Macintosh, Windows, MS Office, Lotus Notes, Outlook, Photoshop, ImageReady, Acrobat, Quark, HTML, CSS, Drupal, Joomla. Knowledge of print production, email and postal requirements, trade show logistics, and social media. Fully equipped home office.

URLs

To see sites I maintain or developed, please use the links under Site Portfolio and Website Development at left.