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Vicki Brown
Summary
Accomplished information technologist and problem solver with a passion for enhancing
productivity through improvements in communication. My goal is to help other people to
get their jobs done more effectively and efficiently. Specialties include:
- Information Architecture
- Technical Documentation
- Product support
- Training
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- Programming
- TWiki/Foswiki expertise
- Web Weaving (HTML, CSS, JS, CGI)
- Data Filters and Tools (Perl)
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Selected Accomplishments
Information Architecture — Evaluated, analyzed, designed and organized web homes for project teams
- Organized for improved navigation
- Developed and added site maps, dynamic indexing, naming conventions, "portal" pages, topic hierarchies
- Developed re-usable page templates
- Developed applications to add structure and consistency
- Created Best Practices documentation, sharing recommendations across organizations
Technical Documentation — Writing, editing, and review
- Wrote over 300 how-tos and tutorial topics for TWiki “Help web”
- Documented process and procedures for server configurations, release process, and operations-related tasks
- Proofed and reviewed internal documents on demand
- Co-authored introductory book on the Perl language
- Authored a Kernel Environment overview book for Apple’s Mac OS X product
- Wrote more than 20 articles, published online and in print technical journals
Product Support — Established my reputation as de-facto TWiki expert with many satisfied customers, largely by word of mouth. In a five-year period:
- Responded to over 2000 requests sent directly to me
- Handled over 500 questions in the wiki support mailing list
- Developed Help web, creating over 300 tutorial topics
- Developed over 100 TWiki applications
- Received 17 "Bravos" (unsolicited company-public feedback)
- Received many thank you notes and commendations by email
Training — Developed Wiki training classes. Presented classes quarterly for two years.
- Wiki Essentials
- Wiki Variables and Plugins
- Wiki Applications
Programming— Demonstrated proficiency in *nix (BSD, Linux, Mac OS X), scripting languages , C, web development, and TWiki. Developed and enhanced internal tools including:
- Many examples of filters and analysis scripts for scientific data (awk, C, Perl)
- Four major-release (A/UX) system software installation scripts (awk, ksh, C)
- A tool to standardize data from multiple incoming streams and move it into a database (Perl, XML)
- Maintenance and improvements for a web-based team collaboration tool (HTML, Perl, JS)
- A tool to check and report on local desktop compliance level regarding software updates and patches (Perl, VBScript)
- Over 100 TWiki applications (TWiki variables & plugins)
Employment History
(temp = W2 agency temp — contract = 1099 contract — FTE = salaried employee)
- Yahoo! — Content Management & Wiki Support 2006 - 2012 (FTE)
- Yahoo! — Technical Writer 2006 (f/t temp)
- Cisco IronPort Systems — Technical Content Manager 2004 - 2005 (temp to FTE)
- Contract Programmer — 2000 - 2003
- Ebay — Tools Programmer 2003 (f/t temp)
- Genentech — Utilities Programmer 2002 (f/t temp)
- Vantage Technologies — Web programmer 2001 - 2002 (p/t contract; remote)
- Barclays Global Investors (BGI) — Programmer 2000 - 2001 (f/t temp)
- Apple — Sr. Technical Writer 1999 - 2000 (FTE)
- Deltagen — Scientific Programmer; System Administrator 1998 - 1999 (FTE)
Additional Information
My professional web site contains additional information including linkes to publications and feedback I have received from delighted customers.
I can also be found on the web at
Education
University of Maryland — M.S. Microbiology
(Masters thesis project utilized awk, sed, sh, SunCore graphics, and troff)
Pennsylvania State University — B.S. Microbiology
Computer Science minor
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