bizMe

Amber Dawn McCord is an inspired artist of many mediums. Born in 1983 in Columbus, Georgia, Amber took to art as soon as she was able to hold a crayon. Throughout her childhood she had a deep respect and appreciation for fine art and the world of beauty. Years of imaginative creativity made it clear that, Amber was going to express her life through the magic and beauty of art.

While in high school, Amber entered herself into every art show she could and excelled in all of her early educational art classes. After graduation, Amber became a mother but was still able to find the time for expression. She would later accept a job as a graphic designer for a local newspaper. Working at the paper provided her the opportunity to incorporate her artistic creativity into the world of business.

In 2001 Amber was presented with an opportunity to live and work in the Pacific Northwest. She explored a career in floral artistry and worked independently as a home decorating consultant. As a floral designer, Amber was labeled by her peers as a natural and quickly found many decorating opportunities at weddings and other events. Seeking the need to expand on her career and recognizing the opportunities in the graphic design field, Amber went back to school to further her education. After finishing school, Amber felt it time to move back home to Wisconsin.

Amber is now a professional artist, as well as a professional designer working for a local advertising company specializing in corporate identity and product promotions. She is also currently a member of the Cedarburg Artist Guild and is viewed as a new and upcoming contributor. She is working diligently on numerous paintings to showcase in the 2009 Artist Studio Tour for Ozaukee County this fall.

Jaylyn Bergner works as the sole corporate and proposal editor for a major government contracting company, overseeing all written material sent to customers. These prominent customers include, but are not limited to, the FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Department of Defense, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency. On the side, Jaylyn runs her own freelancing company, Inkwell Designs which provides public relations consultation, creates copy and advertisements, and writes articles for a variety of local and web-based clients. Jaylyn’s other experiences include managing the public relations department of a thriving entertainment company; editing Martine Grube’s book, Virginia Beach Fire Department, published in 2006; writing articles and pieces for magazines, such as the Mid-Atlantic Monthly Events, Calliope, and Daedalus; creating short stories; and is currently writing a novel. Jaylyn graduated from West Chester University in 2004 with a B.A. in Communications Studies and a minor in Creative Writing.

Diane Lanzillotta Bobis began her writing career in the copy houses of two national fashion retailers, but after enduring buyouts, bankruptcies and attitudes akin to Wilhelmina Slater, she set out to begin a business of her own. Today Diane is a liberated freelance lifestyle writer, sharing the latest tips and tricks in beauty, health, fashion and fitness. Diane holds a master’s degree in written communications and is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, a pioneer liberal arts school for women. You can visit her website.

Torie Bosch, a recent graduate of Penn State University, is currently a copy editor at the online magazine Slate, where she also writes regularly in addition to serving as editor for religion coverage. Before working at Slate, she interned with Maxim and wrote a column for Seventeen for two years. In 2004, Torie attended the Democratic National Convention and wrote about it for the Centre Daily Times, a central Pennsylvania newspaper. She currently lives in Virginia and works in Washington, D.C.

John Draper has been a professional writer for 25 years since graduating from the University of Washington in 1981 with a degree in editorial journalism.  John has worked in newspapers as an editor and a reporter and for major corporations on their Corporate Communications staffs. John has written around 10,000 articles in his career and interviewed about 30,000 subjects.

Susan (Sioux) Henzig has spent the last 30 years enticing adolescent girls to have a love affair with words in her Creative Writing classes. In addition, she has spent 25 years in high school administration, first as an associate principal and then as a principal. She is currently serving as a supportive consultant at a Milwaukee elementary school and hopes to piece together a book of anecdotes and student poetry. Her favorite activities are adoring her two granddaughters Rebecca and Caroline, reading and being completely bewildered by the absurdities of life.

Susan McCadam Hoffman, M.S., is an A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer and currently teaches group fitness classes in Yoga, Pilates and Spinning in the Capital Region of New York. At the urging of devoted students, she created MatMadness: An Advanced Pilates and Yoga-Inspired Workout CD for on-the-road or at-home use. To learn more or to contact her directly, visit www.matmadness.com.

Before switching her rain boots for flip flops, Brit native Rachel Huber started out in the beauty department of London’s Red magazine where she developed a love for all things lip gloss and editorial.  Since moving to San Diego, California, Rachel has been navigating the choppy waters of the public relations industry, working at The Old Globe Theatre and as an Account Executive at a boutique public relations agency.  Now a freelancer, Rachel has worked for, among others, La Jolla Playhouse and Petco.  Ever the beauty and fashion junky she also goes by the moniker of Ms. Rachel in her role as San Diego writer for lifestyle authority Moxxie.com. 

After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Jaimy Lee was hired as a reporter for yet-to-be-launched daily newspaper called Today’s Local News in North San Diego County. She worked for nearly two years as a sports reporter and then news reporter. Jaimy has contributed to the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Business Journal, San Diego Home and Garden and 944. She recently published her first travel feature in the Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego issues of 944.

Donna Loyle is the senior specialty publications editor for Broad Street Magazines in Philadelphia. Since 1990, she has worked as an editor and writer for several national and regional magazines and newspapers. During her climb up the publishing ladder, she has learned how to network like the pros, stay true to her own principles, and reap the rewards – and avoid the pitfalls – of office politics. She shares with bizMe readers both her own strategies, as well as those of other successful career women.

Kerry H. McManama, a 2004 graduate of the Emerson College Graduate School of Writing, Literature and Publishing, earned a Master’s Degree with a concentration in magazine writing.  Kerry graduated from Boston College in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Communications and Philosophy.  Kerry has written for many venues, including magazine, newsletter, website, and corporate marketing. She is currently working in fashion copywriting for a national retail corporation. She is most interested in what’s “in fashion” – for clothes, exercise, health and well being, and interpersonal relationships.

Valerie Nahmad is a regular health & style contributor to The Miami Herald and covers beauty, travel and lifestyle for Allure, South Florida CEO, The Chicago Tribune and other local and national publications.

John Ryan is a Regional Marketing Director for John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, one of the world’s largest retirement plan providers. He has been with John Hancock for two years, where prior to becoming a regional marketing director, he had worked with retirement plan participants to communicate the importance of retirement planning. Before joining John Hancock, Ryan worked as a property and casualty insurance broker for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, formerly Acordia, one of the world’s largest commercial insurance brokerages. John has his B.A. in Financial Management from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Lexi Schuh is a freelance writer who affiliates with the MTV Generation lingering somewhere around the XY Cusp.  While she shares the tendency of Generation X’ers to reject standard ideals of success, she also feels strongly typified by the mass media mania of the Y Generation.  Lexi once worked as a teacher at both the high school and college levels but soon discovered that her burgeoning writing career would more likely allow for a desirable yet differential path toward the concept of success that she had been seeking.  Now firmly entrenched in her writing pursuits, Lexi happily confirms that she is finally able to start satisfying her archetype of success by more fruitfully working toward a pleasing combination of career, family, social and personal growth goals with the added benefit of quenching her thirst for a mass media connection.

Special Contributors:

Anne Cohen, MBA, strategic management professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota is an expert business mentor and consultant. She has helped numerous for-profit and non-profit interests build, identify and leverage their unique strengths in the marketplace. Her recent focus as a consultant has been on pre-IPO stage medical device business where she has developed and shares a knowledge base from perspectives of institutional investors, venture capitalists and the entrepreneur. (advizMe columnist)

Rachelle Dosch, bizMe artist, is a recent ’07 graduate from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in Art Studio—focus on Graphic Design—and a double minor in advertising and visual communication.  Rachelle played UST volleyball for four years, achieving All-American volleyball recognition.  Rachelle begins her coaching career this fall as the Assistant Volleyball Coach at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. 

Rachelle describes herself as an adventurous explorer and everything outdoors is her passion (surfing, snowboarding, camping, lake activities).  Much of her art deals with social justice issues, war, and violence and she hopes that her pieces make an impact for change. Her defining quote is by E. B. White:  "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."

Zachary Schmidt, bizMe photographer, is a photography student in Milwaukee who has high aspirations and would enjoy a career in
fashion or product photography.

Brian Wroblewski, bizMe videographer, is a consultant at We Energies in Milwaukee and freelance videographer.

Laila Amin, bizMe guest artist, is a senior in high school and enjoys art, drawing, discovering new music, hanging out with friends, writing and reading. She hopes to become an Art and English teacher. Liali’s sketch appears on the bizGal Video Chat page.