Josh McCrowell

Name: Josh McCrowell
Expertise: copy editing, technical and narrative writing, content development, quality control, design and layout
Type of work I’m interested in: full-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: I’m sort of a big nerd who has had unanticipated success in tricking large companies into letting me write, edit, and solve problems for them. After graduating college, I joined Rosetta Stone’s writing team. I helped to build advanced levels of their core offering, add an online component to their Totale product, and contributed to the launch of Reflex in Southeast Asia. My contribution to these products ranged from inception to completion, helping with almost every step of the process: from brainstorming, to content generation, to consulting on the images, and performing quality assurance.

After leaving Rosetta Stone, I worked as an editor for both Lexis Nexis and a private consulting firm. During this time, I was in charge of copy and style editing over massive amounts of text, ranging from educational materials, governmental reports and studies, and official correspondence. I also used my graphic design abilities to create  brochures, workbooks, and manuals for clients.

In my free time, I like to publish tabletop games for fun.

I have a judo grip on the English language and I love using it. People say to do what you love, and if given the opportunity to work with words, I will throw myself absolutely into that job. I would love an opportunity to bring my passion to your company.

Everette Clemmer

Name: Everette Clemmer
Expertise: software design and development; web design and development; desktop and laptop support, troubleshooting and repair; network support and troubleshooting, automated build systems, software installer development
Type of work I’m interested in: small contract, freelance
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I’m a fifteen year veteran in Information Technology and have worked in everything from PC repair to software development. I specialize in website and client side application development, but I also do a significant amount of IT support in the forms of PC repair, wired and wireless network troubleshooting, and mobile device support (iPod/Phone/Pad, Android phones and tablets, windows phone).

Cory Kuklick

Name: Cory Kuklick
Expertise: Technical and feature/journalistic writing, AP and Chicago style editing, user documentation, project management
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I graduated from James Madison University in 2010 with a BS in journalism, and have bounced around various writing and editing fields throughout Virginia and East Africa ever since. I have always considered Harrisonburg to be home, and it’s where I began my technical writing career as an editorial assistant with the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery. Following graduation I worked for a year as a technical writer for an IT management company before getting the travel itch many 20-somethings get, and I decided to volunteer in Uganda for four months as an English teacher and soccer coach. I also started an online magazine, Instances of Hope, that creates awareness toward the refugee issue in the country and garners direct donations to keep at risk-children in school.

I worked on a contract basis as a technical writer for Rosetta Stone following my return to the United States, where I wordsmithed UI text, helped leverage single-sourcing capabilities for user documentation, and wrote numerous internal documentation pieces for legacy content. At the end of my contract I returned to Uganda, working as a writer and editor at the Refugee Law Project for six months.

I currently work as a project manager in northern Virginia but would like to return back “home” to Harrisonburg in a writing and editing capacity. I’m happy writing, I’m happy in the Valley, and I hope to work with you soon to continue pushing the wonderful community forward.

Andy Harbick

Name: Andy Harbick
Expertise: Product creation and development (product vision, feature creation and prioritization, business modeling), recruiting and leading high caliber teams (finding people, interviewing, making hiring decisions, setting vision and inspiring results), people development and mentoring (leading by example, challenging, coaching, and developing people to achieve even more), software development (server/backend as well as front-end, ruby, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Java, C/C++), “cloud” and system architecture (AWS, deployment, continuous integration, monitoring and reporting, scalability and failover), data science (“big data” platforms, data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, personalization)
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, Random blog thoughts

About me: I’m a seasoned veteran of some big names in software and technology today (and some not so big names). I’m a leader and a builder and wouldn’t feel like I had the right role if I wasn’t able to contribute to the work of my team. I’m insatiably curious and won’t be happy unless I’m learning something new (from gardening, to watercolor painting, to brewing new kinds of beer, to open source hardware, to shearing alpacas, to Wendell Berry essays, to starting a business). I’m deeply loyal to my teams and the organizations I serve in; as such I seek ways to surround myself with smart, creative, fascinating and challenging people. I crave meaning and purpose in my work; don’t just offer me a financial opportunity show me a way I get to change the world (even if it’s in my small part of it) give me a way to pour my heart as well as my sweat into something. I’m tenacious and hard working; when I’ve found problems that engage me I commit at 110% finding less interest in even basic necessities like food and sleep (at least for a season). I’m passionate but low-stress, idealistic but pragmatic, serious but fun to be around. And I’m currently bushwhacking a path forward to the next step in my career.

Andi Arndt

Name: Andi Arndt
Expertise: Narration for eLearning and audiobooks, full production available in my home studio.
Type of work I’m interested in: freelance
Find me online: website

About me: Working in voice over / narration combines skills and work experience from my years in the public radio and theatre worlds.  I worked as a U.S. English voicer for several generations of RS products, and was one of the few voice talents approved for all of the different types of recordings, from single phonemes all the way to conversational modules.  I record for clients all over the world from my home studio here in the ‘burg, mainly in audiobooks and eLearning.

Yvonne Droms

Name: Yvonne Droms
Expertise: Content editing, translation, localization, e-learning, language learning, multilingual work, quality control. Languages: English, French, German, Swiss-German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian.
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time

About me: I started working for the language-learning software company Rosetta Stone shortly after its inception in 1992, when it was still Fairfield Language Technologies. I created the first French product, then helped with the creation of many other languages, such as Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. I watched the company grow from a little startup into the world’s largest and most recognized language-learning company, and watched it go public. As the Senior Editor, I helped ensure grammatical correctness, proper accent, appropriate visual representation, pedagogical consistency, and overall superior quality in language content. I reviewed products for issues in 20 languages as the products were nearing completion. I checked ads and commercial videos for appropriateness and cultural content. I reviewed and corrected web pages for localization issues in many languages. I tested new apps for font and script issues in difficult languages. I responded to customer inquiries about numerous languages. Previous to this experience, I worked as a freelance translator in Switzerland, as well as a multilingual student and faculty representative at Syracuse University, NY.

Zac Nafziger

Name: Zac Nafziger
Expertise: Visual Media Production, Post-Production, Photo Editing & Organization, Writing, Fine Art
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: Facebook, website (under construction)

About me: Employed with Rosetta Stone for 12+ years, I was originally hired as the lone photographer and eventually transitioned into Post-Production Lead as the demand & rate of production grew with the company, eventually working with an extremely talented team of Visual Specialists to create their newest language products. Every photo in every product in every language went through me. At the same time, i was moonlighting as a stained glass artist with over 20 years experience. That was my true love, so that’s what i do now. i create custom, original, one-of-kind fine art glass windows for homes, businesses, collectors, & art galleries everywhere. You can find me & my working studio and gallery in the Studios at Larkin Arts on Court Square in Downtown Harrisonburg every day….

Paul Heitsch

Name: Paul Heitsch
Expertise: Audio production, including music, sound design, and voiceover, recording, mixing, editing, and mastering, Project Management, Digital Asset Management, Recruiting, Casting, eLearning design and development
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I have over two decades of experience producing award-winning music, sound design, and voice-over. I am also an experienced management professional with a track record of success completing large complex projects on time and under budget. I have recruited and managed teams of internal staff and outside contractors, and administered budgets exceeding $1.4 million annually. I also play a pretty smokin’ piano.

Katie Thomas

Name: Katie Thomas
Expertise: 3D animation, 3D graphics, 3DS Max, 2D graphics, Adobe Flash, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere, concept art, sketch prototyping, Japanese, English teaching, knitting, dog training
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: website

About me: Animation and 3D graphics with 3DS Max. Animation and 2D graphics with Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator. Concept Art and quick sketching with graphite and other media. Experience with Japanese language, taught English in rural community in northern Japan. Love dogs and train them to compete in obedience and agility trials. Knit like a crazy old lady.

Laura Dent

 Name: Laura Dent
Expertise: writing, technical writing, travel writing, usability, online help systems, embedded help , single-sourcing, localization, user experience, web design, source control, html, xml, and mobile development
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I’ve been a writer all my life. I’ve been making a living as a technical writer for the last couple of decades, and now as a freelance writer I’ve been exploring all sorts of venues of writing, including my favorite: Travel Writing. I’ve written web content for local sites, and am researching an article profiling rural potters of the Appalachian mountains. I’m still funding myself mostly through part-time technical writing jobs, and hope to continue to create ways of working that sustain my life.

In the field of technical communication, my expertise includes: online help systems, embedded help (where the user interface text serves as “help” that is actually part of the software), single-sourcing (creating multiple outputs from the same content), localization (translation and implementation into a variety of languages), user experience, web design, source control, and coding in html, xml, mobile devices, and other code bases.

In other words, my abilities go far beyond “writing” and extend to usability and engineering. I’m not just creating text; I’m helping the user have the best experience possible, keeping in mind the context of why they’re using the software and what they want to accomplish.

Cardo Lianez

Name: Cardo Lianez
Expertise: Everything design. Art Direction, Graphic design, Advertising, Packaging, Brand Identity, Direct Mail, Sales Collateral, Publishing design, Retail/POP, Exhibit/Tradeshow design, Mobile/Web/SocialMedia design, and Copywriting. Adobe Creative Suite is my every day.
Type of work I’m interested in: freelance
Find me online: Facebook, LinkedIn, portfolio (coming soon), Twitter

About me: I graduated in 1996 with a Graphic Design BFA from JMU and immediately started working in the field. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a well rounded design career. I started in print and added web/multimedia in 1997. Between then and now, I’ve been an adjunct professor teaching design at JMU, worked in a Network Operations Center and directed the creative team for Rosetta Stone eight years having been intimately involved in the concept design and production of advertising, packing, mobile promotions, trade shows, sales collateral, direct mail and brand design.

When I’m not pushing pixels in editorial design (print/mobile), I’m tying flies and chasing fish around Virginia.

I’m looking to fill some free time. Money is required, but lots of it isn’t important.

Maria Pichler

Name: Maria Pichler
Expertise: content writing, creative and journalistic writing for culture/lifestyle publications (mostly German, some English), editing, translation, localization, e-learning, language learning, communication
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: My passion is language in all its facets: writing, editing and translating.

I am a German native speaker with over 8 years of experience in journalistic writing as well as content writing and editing for the language-learning software company Rosetta Stone. Besides providing writing services, I am trained to translate, edit and proofread texts in German as well as English.

My former editor-in-chief once described me as “a very capable writer with a solid scientific and academic background, with clear expression also of complicated thoughts and ideas. Somebody who learns very quickly and has a strong motivation to improve in all the things she does, who is extremely reliable and stress resistant.”

I am happy to apply my skill set to any new project with the goal of producing compelling and high-quality work.

Languages: German (native), English (near native), Italian (proficient)

Other interests and strengths: Moderating conflicts, blog writing, poetry, music, art. In addition, I have a passion for cooking and baking delicious cakes.

Michelle Krone

Name: Michelle Krone
Expertise: Specializing in all areas of photography including Product, Corporate Headshots, Event, Architecture, Macro, Landscape and Artistic Photography, Lighting Technician, Stock Research, Styling, Casting, Location Scouting, Lightroom and Photoshop.
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, website

About me: 5 + years of experience with Rosetta Stone as a Photo Assistant and Photographer. Freelancing with Society of Architectural Historians, UVA Press, ZN Stained Glass, and RMH Hospital. Volunteer photography for Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council.

Lead Photographer

• Worked on a daily basis with producers and Language experts to compose photographs that were visually stunning.
• Provided excellent knowledge and skill in lighting.
• Built rapport with adults and children during photo sessions to create memorable images.
• Developed uploading and tagging processes for Artesia, a Digital Asset Management System.
• Assessed inventory of equipment on regular basis.
• Ordered supplies and equipment as needed.

Photo Assistant

• Managed and organized equipment and photography props for photo shoots.
• Set up all lighting equipment on set.
• Anticipated photographer and producer’s needs.

I am currently living in Harrisonburg, Virginia but am interested in traveling for contract or freelance work.

Dave Nealon

Name: Dave Nealon
Expertise: content development, user experience, technical writing, user interface, user assistance, internationalization and localization, curriculum development, training. I specialize in advanced preparation for consistent growth.
Type of work I’m interested in: full-time or contract work in content development or managing development programs.
Find me online: blog, LinkedIn

About me: An experienced content developer with an emphasis on educational software, I make complex systems feel simple and intuitive for learners. I help cross-functional teams find efficiencies so they can spend less and produce more. I’m a capable localization project manager. I read German, and I’m trained in publishing issues for 10 languages. I’m comfortable in XML, HTML, and CSS, as well as image-editing and web-authoring tools.

I have a background in teaching and training, and I’ve managed teams in educational organizations.

Marion Bittinger

Name: Marion Bittinger
Expertise: linguistics, Spanish, translation, localization, reviewing, editing, writing, endangered languages, indigenous issues, technical communications, nonprofit management, publications management, project management, language education
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: 10+ years experience in program management, project management, language acquisition. 10+ years teaching Spanish and translation studies at the university level. Certification in nonprofit management, with a special interest in helping to make the world a better place. I love working on a team, and making a team work. I’m a self-motivated, multi-tasker, with exceptional attention to detail.

Becca Rust

Name: Becca Rust
Expertise: User experience, education technology, artistic design, content management, software development, problem solving
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, website

About me: I am interested in the intersections between learning, teaching, design, and digital technologies. I like to explore how digital technologies can support human learning. I am a generalist, self-taught on many topics with a Bachelors in Computer Science. I understand Ruby, Rails, ActionScript, XML, HTML5, CSS3, Perl, and Python. I have worked extensively in the Adobe CS5 suite of tools, Flash; Photoshop; Flashbuilder; Illustrator. But more importantly, I am an avid knitter, crocheter, sewer, roller derby jammer, and yogi. I have a desire to travel, write, design, and share.

Ron Rammelkamp

Name: Ron Rammelkamp
Expertise: photography, lighting technician, photoshop, stock photo research, styling, casting, location scouting, story board artist, design, video and video editing.
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, will consider full-time, part-time
Find me online: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, website

About me: As an advertising professional with extensive photography experience, I have been instrumental in creating marketing collateral that not only elevates the brand, but renders positive gains. My experience has been in a wide range of photographic services and styles including commercial catalog, e-commerce, editorial and lifestyle. Working with a plethora of teams from creative to marketing has enabled me to evaluate the various needs from all viewpoints and successfully accomplish the most challenging of assignments. I’ve lived and worked in New York, Washington DC and Harrisonburg VA for Rosetta Stone. I currently reside in Crozet, VA and I’m available for assignments locally, or abroad.

I am seeking photographic-related work that is challenging and rewarding.

Alisha Huber

Name: Alisha Huber
Expertise: writing, teaching, research, web development, project planning and prototyping
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: During many years at Rosetta Stone Labs, I worked as a bridge between programmers and stakeholders of all kinds. I guided discussions, defined requirements, managed heterogeneous teams, built prototypes, and implemented tests. I taught myself to code in order to better understand the programmers and to streamline my own work. I am named as an inventor on at least five patents Rosetta Stone has filed.

During my last few years at Rosetta Stone, I became the “fire department,” an internal consultant who worked with teams across the company on problems from marketing conundrums to piracy-proof deployment.

I am seeking work that will make a positive difference in the world, while using my skills as an autodidact and communicator to help people do interesting work.

Susan Arritt

Name: Susan Arritt
Expertise: editing, writing, proofreading, publication management, academic/peer-reviewed publications, content development, project management, editorial research, and communications education
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn

About me: Award-winning editor, writer, and publication manager for corporate, academic, nonprofit, and government clients around the globe.

• Author and editor of books, journal and magazine articles, technical and scholarly reports, website content, marketing collateral, white papers, case studies, newsletters, press releases, guides and manuals, and multimedia educational materials
• Editorial expertise: developmental editing, substantive editing, copy editing, proofreading, and editorial research
• Writing expertise: technical, academic, scientific, creative, and marketing
• Publication management expertise: preproduction vision and leadership; supervision of graphic designers, photography teams, and freelance writers; and collaboration with editorial boards, peer-reviewers, and authors
• Publications in a wide range of subjects, including natural sciences, public policy, environmental conservation, international relations, endangered species, climate change, technology, education, social and economic development in emerging nations, and language learning
• Bachelor of Science in biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; graduate coursework in education and linguistics at Hawaii Pacific University

K.A. (Kim) Reedy

Name: K.A. (Kim) Reedy
Expertise: author, blogger, content designer/writer, editor, grant writer, technical writer, and travel writer
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, full-time, part-time

    
About me: I moved to Harrisonburg from the Seattle area in 2008 to work at Rosetta Stone as a content writer/designer and technical writer.

I love connecting with audiences through meaningful content, so in 2013 I launched Text Tailor, LLC, offering services as an author, blogger, content designer/writer, editor, grant writer, technical writer, and travel writer.

I’m fulfilling my true métier through Being, Unraveled, an introspective website/blog about learning to be honest with myself. I’m also the author of the forthcoming children’s book, There is a Tree, which originally appeared as an introspective narrative in Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family. As an entrepreneur and content designer, I’m a co-creator of this website, Your Town, Our Town, which showcases Rosetta Stone professionals available for contract, freelance, part-time, or full-time projects.

• Highly effective in both independent and collaborative environments
• Basic familiarity with Russian, French, Thai, and Italian

Rosalind O’Brien

Name: Rosalind (Ros) O’Brien
Expertise: web design and development, graphic design, software design and development, process management, writing, editing
Type of work I’m interested in: contract, freelance, part-time
Find me online: LinkedIn, Website

About me: I am a web and graphic designer with a love for combining function and aesthetics. I work with clients to create elegant websites, logos, and other media that engage users in meaningful ways. I’m particularly interested in contributing to projects that strengthen the Harrisonburg and greater Shenandoah Valley communities. I recently launched Treetop Creative, LLC, a web and graphic design firm that produces impactful websites, branding, and print media with a community focus.

In addition, I have 5+ years of experience working to streamline the production of content for new software products. I love creating and improving processes, working on multi-disciplinary teams, and designing and developing software tools for non-technical people. Some of my areas of expertise:

• creating tools and processes that are customized to users’ skill levels and needs
• scripting and coding in python, ruby, html, css, actionscript, and learning new programming languages as needed
• creative use of microsoft excel (and distinguishing situations where low-tech solutions make more sense than high-tech ones)

Concurrently, I’ve worked as a part of product teams and had the pleasure of making and editing lots of creative things such as short stories, language-learning dialogues, and on-line games.