Name: Staci Bender

Position: Publicity Chair, Conference Committee

When and how did you get involved in STC?

I first got involved in STC when a co-worker recommended that I attend a local event. I signed up for membership because I had just graduated and STC has lower rates for young professionals. I thought it was a good deal for the package they offered. As I attended more events, other members asked if I was interested in volunteering to help out with the Mid-Atlantic TechComm Conference. I joined the planning committee and started participating in meetings as the sponsorship chair.

What are the duties of your current position with STC-PMC?

As the publicity chair, I handle our publicity and marketing. A lot of my normal tasks involve managing our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, G+, LinkedIn) and posting on our blog. I cross-promote events from other chapters and STC webinars. I also create a monthly newsletter which summarizes the highlights of the month.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to get more involved in STC-PMC?

I would advise anyone interested in the local chapter to come out to a meeting! We offer meetings in a variety of locations from University City to the suburbs. There are also great opportunities to network, so you can meet other local techcomm professionals.

How has your STC membership benefited you?

I have only been a member for a year, but one of the greatest benefits to me are the publications. I love reading what other professionals are doing in the field, so that to me is a huge benefit. I also like the opportunities to network. I attended the local conference for the first time last year and had a great time meeting new people.

What is your educational background?

I have a BA in Creative Writing from Lycoming College and a MS in Technical Communication from Drexel University.

How did you get started in TechComm?

While working full-time, I went back to school. I originally intended to focus on public communication, but as I took more classes, I became more interested in technical communication. I had experience copyediting, but I didn’t have many opportunities to write. Prior to graduating, I accepted a new position as an entry-level technical writer.

What does your current professional position entail?

I write end user and application administrator documentation. I also create, edit, and review messages that appear in the user interface that are translated into more than 10 languages.

What advice would you give to a college student interested in a career in TechComm?

Take advantage of networking with professionals in your field. Ask for business cards or a LinkedIn connection to keep in touch with them. Consider volunteering at events. Even something like working the registration desk can allow you to meet new people and listen to a great speaker.

And finally, what do you enjoy for fun?

I like spending time with my friends and family. I’m active in a women’s leadership group at work. I also enjoy trying to complete crafts I find on pinterest, doing puzzles, and shopping.

The “Meet the Officers” series lets you get to know more about our elected and volunteer members. Learn more about each member and their job with STC-PMC. If you are interested in volunteering with STC-PMC or if you are thinking about running for an office, please feel free to contact that member.

The “Meet the Officers” series lets you get to know more about our elected and volunteer members. Learn more about each member and their job with STC-PMC. If you are interested in volunteering with STC-PMC or if you are thinking about running for an office, please feel free to contact that member.

Name:  Karen Levine

Awards: 2012/2013 STC competition Award of Excellence

Position: Secretary and Membership Chair

When and how did you get involved in STC?

I joined STC in 2002 just before I finished graduate school at Drexel. I heard about it from someone at school and thought it would be a good idea.

What are the duties of your current position with STC-PMC?

As Secretary, I maintain meeting minutes from the Admin Council meetings and handle other correspondence as needed. I also review brochures and other community documents as needed. As Membership Chair, I run monthly reports to check for new members and send welcome emails to them, I run the annual membership drive and raffle, send surveys as needed, and analyze nonrenewal reports. I also maintain the chapter’s MailChimp announcements list.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to get more involved in STC-PMC?

We are always looking for volunteers. If you don’t see an opening that appeals to you, offer whatever services do interest you. We’ll find a way to make it work. Also, participate in meetings whenever you can. In addition to learning about a new topic, you’ll also meet colleagues from other companies and other areas of TechComm. Write an article for one of the professional journals sponsored by STC or for the PMC chapter newsletter or blog. And don’t forget our mentoring program. Be a mentor or a mentee. Be creative. If you have an idea that you think can help the chapter or another TechComm professional or student, speak up! We are open to new ideas.

Are you involved in any other groups or communities within STC?

I was a member of the NY Metro chapter, but have been less active in that chapter since I became more active at PMC. I was involved in the annual competitions for several years acting as the Entries Manager from 2011 through 2015.

How has your STC membership benefited you? 

I’ve been a member since 2002. I was not active during my first few years; I only attended the national summit. Those summits were wonderful opportunities for learning and meeting other TechComm professionals. I met Malu Schloss from the NY Metro chapter there and she got me involved in the competitions. Working on the joint competition (STC-PMC and STC-NYM) got me to become more active in the PMC chapter and now I am the Secretary.

What is your educational background?

MS, Technical Communication from Drexel University and BA, Organizational Management from Cabrini College

How did you get started in TechComm?

I got my technical background from working on ships and completing a 4-year electronics apprenticeship while working at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. I worked on many types of shipboard electronic systems and then moved to support naval mission planning for naval aviation at Space and Naval Warfare Systems. Part of my job was writing reports and other documents. After many years, I realized that this was the part of my job I liked the most. So I shifted gears, went back to college, and changed the direction of my career.

What does your current professional position entail?

Currently I manage a small group of technical writers, write documents, and manage localization efforts for my group. We write user manuals for medical devices and medical IT products. I also work globally with colleagues to develop and improve processes.

What advice would you give to a college student interested in a career in TechComm?

Study as many different aspects of TechComm as possible to find the areas that suit you best. If you can find a way to also get a technical background, by taking classes or working in a technical field, do it! Join STC and participate. You can learn so much about the various areas of TechComm from your fellow members. You can find a mentor and get real experience by volunteering.

And finally, what do you enjoy for fun?

I have eclectic tastes in all things. I enjoy reading, theater, movies, traveling, interior design, art, music and gardening. My husband and I also enjoy spending time together with our retired racing greyhound, Monkey.

Name: Donn DeBoard

Position: Chair, Higher Education Outreach; Chair, Scholarship Committee

STC Fellow, Multiple recognitions in the Publications contest over a 10 year period, 2006 PMC Distinguished Chapter Service Award

When and how did you get involved in STC?

I became involved with STC while I was a graduate student at Drexel University. Someone in my night class mentioned that STC-PMC was the local chapter of an international organization that focused on technical communications. They also mentioned that PMC was a great way to connect with like-minded people and network for jobs. While I was working at the time, STC allowed me to connect to the talented folks who were local technical communications practitioners.

What are the duties of your current position with STC-PMC?

• Chair, Higher Education Outreach: I proactively reach out to the university communities in the PA, DE, and NJ areas via a monthly email. I identify university faculty and students who have an interest in technical communications and share PMC news and activities. We now have student representation from Villanova, Drexel, and the University of Delaware on our Admin Council. PMC is actively nurturing student involvement in the chapter.
• I am in my second year in university outreach. I bring university-outreach related ideas to the PMC Admin Council. For example, we have had monthly meetings at Drexel University for the past two years. These meetings were well attended by Drexel students in communications-related areas of study. PMC presented panel on technical communications in the 2015 Drexel Week-of-Writing.
• Students are the future of our PMC and STC as a whole. The PMC-student relationship has the potential for mutual growth. Students can share their skills from the university community. PMC can share practical lessons from experienced technical communication professionals.

• Chair, Scholarship Committee: I work with the PMC Scholarship team to review student applications and the corresponding essays. The scholarship program has two parts: a PMC-sponsored student membership ($75) and a $500 scholarship. Students submit essays on why they want to join PMC. We review the essays to determine who receives a sponsored membership to PMC. The students who receive sponsored PMC memberships actively participate in PMC activities to determine the winner of the scholarship. The scholarship is awarded in June.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to get more involved in STC-PMC?

Volunteer in STC-PMC as much as you can. Follow your passion to learn new things. Share your creativity and new ideas with PMC. Enjoy the PMC community. We can teach each other new skills as we grow the chapter. Have fun.

Are you involved in any other groups or communities within STC? 

Currently, I am a 2014-2016 Nominating Committee member and UX and User Experience SIG member. I am new mentor to a Drexel University graduate student. Also, I was on the Community Affairs Committee (CAC) team for three years (2010-2012).

I have presented at the STC Summit and regional conferences for over ten years. I wrote for Intercom about the 2008 STC Summit in Philadelphia.

How has your STC membership benefited you?

I have been an STC member for 29 years. The technology that delivers content has changed over the years. However, the need to create clear, concise content that enables users to perform their job easily remains the gold standard for me. Content is an important part of the user experience with a product.

I enjoy the people in STC, locally, nationally, and internationally. They are bright, talented, friendly people. I like to network to meet new people. I am continually learning new things.

STC provides a way to learn from and give back to the local technical communication community. PMC is a great resource as your career changes over time.

What is your educational background?

• BA, Journalism (Indiana University of PA)
• Certificate, Management Information Systems (Widener University)
• BS, Technical and Science Communications (Drexel University)
• MEd, Instructional Systems (Penn State/Great Valley)

How did you get started in TechComm?

I worked as a Documentation Specialist for a consulting firm in Malvern. They had a large Japanese client who created large mainframe manuals. They had native-Japanese speakers translate these manuals into English. Essentially, these manuals were English words in Japanese sentence structures. My job was to edit or re-write the manuals into clear, concise English. For example, the manuals were all in passive voice due to the levels of politeness that the Japanese culture followed. You never tell someone what to do in the Japanese culture. So, it was always: “The key was pressed.” instead of “Press the key.”

What does your current professional position entail?

I am a Sr. Information Developer at Vertex Inc., a tax technology company based in Berwyn, PA. I develop content for a web-based tax compliance software. This includes writing about Web Services and XML schema.

I spend a lot of time understanding the needs of the customer and their end-to-end journey using our software. I look to develop the most effective content that can improve the customers’ experience with our products.

What advice would you give to a college student interested in a career in TechComm?

Be curious. Learn continually. Get some pro-bono work with non-profits to get some experience and build your portfolio. Get involved with STC. Share your ideas with STC.

And finally, what do you enjoy for fun?

Time with my family, exercise and Pilate’s reformer, hiking, bike riding, reading, playing guitar (strum-and-hum division), songwriting.

The “Meet the Officers” series lets you get to know more about our elected and volunteer members. Learn more about each member and their job with STC-PMC. If you are interested in volunteering with STC-PMC or if you are thinking about running for an office, please feel free to contact that member.

Name: Jessie Mallory
Position: President
Senior Member, Speaker: 2015 National Conference, 2015 Mid-Atlantic Conference

When and how did you get involved in STC?

I started coming to meetings in 2011. The organization is always looking for volunteers, so I decided to take on the position of Membership Chair. It was a great introduction to the group because the position entailed getting to know everyone and promoting the chapter. I ended up having a good time and learned a ton. The following year the team combined the Membership and Secretarial roles. I was elected for this position in 2012. I subsequently went on to hold the Vice Presidency and now the Presidency. The people in the organization were so welcoming and approachable that it encouraged me to become more involved in STC.

What are the duties of your current position with STC-PMC?

As the President, it’s my job to guide the direction of the chapter for the year. I work with the team to create a plan and goals for the year, and then we work to make these plans come true. I’m also responsible for identifying new opportunities and possibilities for the chapter, staying in contact with STC National, and I have the honor of selecting STC honors and awards winners.

I schedule and run our admin council meetings, help select speakers for events, work on the Scholarship and Conference committees, perform recruitment, and stay in touch with members of the community who reach out for help from the chapter.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to get more involved in STC-PMC?

If you want to get involved with STC-PMC, come to a monthly chapter meeting! Come talk to us. We’d love to have you on board, and we’ll work with you to find the position that works for your talents and time commitment goals. And above all, always feel free to reach out to any of us. We get lots of emails and questions from people who are interested, and we’re happy to get them. We want to help you find the path that’s right for you.

Are you involved in any other groups or communities within STC?

Yup. I’m also on the TCBOK Task Force. I’m working on their marketing and communication planning.

How has your STC membership benefited you? 

STC is a great way to meet other technical writers and learn about trends in the industry. We also offer a job listings board and networking opportunities with technical communicators across the region. I’m now a Senior Member of STC. In my tenure with STC, I’ve met amazing people who’ve inspired and encouraged me. I’ve expanded my personal potential, and I’ve found ways to give back to the community like the student scholarship our team put together.

What is your educational background?

I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing from Saginaw Valley State University. I’m also certified in Project Management and Pragmatic Marketing.

How did you get started in TechComm?

My school had an amazing Professional and Technical Writing program so I had the opportunity to learn about technical communication theory and practice from the very beginning of my career. I then got an associate position at Oracle that was a great kick-start for my career.

What does your current professional position entail?

I currently work for an Australian company called Nuix where I stay busy with the planning and management of integrations between my company and our partners. I moved into this position from a Senior Technical Writing role where I had some project management responsibilities.

What advice would you give to a college student interested in a career in TechComm?

In addition to your amazing technical communication degree, which will serve you well, I suggest that you specialize in something related to the technical communication career you want. Interested in sciences? Get a Biology background. Interested in writing about software? Take computer science classes. That experience will go a long way in your career and make you a reputable technical communicator. ….And then call me! I’ll work to help you find a position, get scholarship money, discover volunteer opportunities – whatever I can do to help make you successful.

And finally, what do you enjoy for fun?

I love to spend time with family, friends, and my puppy. I also enjoy reading, sci-fi, drawing portraits, photography, traveling, noodling on the piano, and making wine with my husband.