Karen Rempel

First joined STC: ~1995

Chapter President

Other positions held: Treasurer, Vice President

Karen was in the first Print Futures class at Douglas College. When she graduated in 1993, the first job she found was in technical writing. She wanted to write mystery novels, but found that unraveling the mysteries of computer software was more enticing, not to mention rewarding. In 1995, she took a contract as an independent consultant, and has had fairly steady work since then. In 2007, after graduating from Naropa University with a master’s degree in ecopsychology, she took a year off to explore wilderness guide work. Now she returns to technical writing and the STC with renewed energy.

Karen’s other volunteer work includes teaching yoga to young men and women who are incarcerated at the Burnaby Youth Custody Services facility. She is a member of several environmental organizations: Canadian Earth Institute, Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Green Party of BC, Wilderness Guides Council, and the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation. Her wilderness home runs on solar power, and she holds retreats there to help people strengthen their connection to themselves, to the earth, and to the sacred dimension in their life.

Web site: www.monkeyvalleyretreat.com

Eagranie Yuh

First joined STC: 2008

Chapter Vice President

Born and raised in Vancouver, Eagranie is new to the world of technical writing. Her interest in science led her to academia, and in 2005 she graduated from Queen's University with a M.Sc. in Chemistry. She took some time off to attend Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa and worked briefly as a pastry chef and chocolatier. She has since been working as an event planner and fundraiser for non-profit societies, incorporating writing and communication into each project. Having moved back to Vancouver, she can't wait to put her scientific, writing and organizational skills to good use.

Eagranie has also worked for the Canadian Organic Growers (Ottawa) and Your Local Farmer's Market Society (Vancouver), and advocates for a local food economy. She sits on the Communications and Donor Relations Committees at A Loving Spoonful, a Vancouver-based agency that provides food to those living with HIV/AIDS. She invites you to join her each year as she laces up for the 5 km CIBC Run for the Cure.

Susan Patch

First joined STC: 2003 (attended meetings since 1996 and volunteering since 2002)

Chapter Treasurer

Other positions held: Chapter President, Immediate Past President

Susan Patch is experienced in business analysis, software testing, and documentation development. She is a senior level technical communicator with experience across all phases of the software development lifecycle and in developing documentation within diverse environments and different methodologies. Susan is a Past President of the STC Canada West Coast chapter and has served as the chapter Treasurer since 2005.

Karl Meinert

First joined STC: ~1998

Chapter Secretary

Karl calls technical writing his trade after trying his hand at boat building, sailing, baking, office cleaning, commercial moving, window washing, and clean room fiber optic assembly. He graduated from Ottawa’s Algonquin College Technical Writer program in 1998 and has since been employed consistently in the field.

He is also a musician in the jazzy band Immersion, who is available to play at corporate gigs, festivals, and other celebratory gatherings. He commutes via public transit and bicycle, even when carrying guitars and amplifiers.

Karl and his wife moved from Ottawa in 2006 to escape the heat, humidity, and cold. They recycle rainwater to use in their gardens. (“I love the rainy nights.”)

Theresa Putkey

First joined STC: 2001

Immediate Past President

Other positions held: Chapter President, Vice President, Programs Team Lead, Newsletter Editor

Theresa is principal of Key Pointe, a Vancouver-based consultancy focusing on usability, information architecture, and writing. Her consulting emphasis is bridging the gap between design and content for that design, ensuring that users can find information while businesses meet their goals.

Theresa worked as a technical writer for five years before achieving self-employment. She has now been self-employed for five years. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Religion from the University of California, Davis, she fell into the software industry, moved to technical writing, and at the same time moved to Canada. She enjoys traveling to exotic places, such as Kamloops, as well as the more well-trodden places of Italy and Vietnam. She cycles a lot and loves reading about geology.

Dawn Stewart

First Joined STC: 2003 (“I think”)

Membership Coordinator

Other positions held: Volunteer Coordinator

Dawn worked in Mapping for nineteen years before the downturn in forestry mapping dealt the industry a severe blow. She began looking for a new career, and settled on Technical Communication. She took a two-year program from Simon Fraser University and got her Certificate in Technical Communication. She is still working in mapping, but looking forward to starting a full-time job in her new career shortly.

Lisha Li

First joined STC: ~2007

Webmaster

After graduating from university with a Bachelor of Computer Science, she worked as a programmer, web designer, and webmaster in China until immigrating to Canada four years ago. Since moving to Vancouver, she worked as a software tester and technical writer with Kongsberg Mesotech. After graduating from BCIT’s Technical Writing program, she moved to The Active Network, where she designs and develops online help for the company’s web applications.

She has volunteered with the STC CWC, taking on the role of website team lead since 2005, and is very happy to help site users and visitors solve their problems.

Tracey Martinsen

First Joined STC: 1997

Forum and Wiki Gardener

After an initial stint as a desktop publisher, Tracey graduated from the SFU Technical Writing Certificate Program and joined the STC that same year. With help from the contacts she has made through the STC, Tracey has been working steadily as a technical writer ever since.

In 2005 Tracey joined Tantalus Systems in North Burnaby. Her role is to manage documentation and develop operations processes for this “Ready to Rocket” pick. Tantalus develops two-way, wireless data communications networks for electric, water and gas utilities. Among other things, the TUNet® network will put real-time power consumption information into the hands of the consumer, saving money and reaping positive environmental benefits from better use of the grid.

In her spare time, Tracey takes on short term contracts working with clients who are approaching some aspect of technical communications for the first time. Recently she redesigned the web site for Canada India Village Aid, an independent non-profit charitable society that raises funds to support anti-poverty projects in rural India.

Tracey has a very nice interview suit, but she hardly ever wears it.

Catherine Kerr

First Joined STC: (not telling)

Comment Farmer

Catherine is an associate of Edge Training and Consulting, creating documents and web pages for Edge clients. She also edits book manuscripts for the Canadian Association of University Teachers, and individual authors. She was pulled into the orbit of Edge Performance Consultants through the community of practice in Knowledge Management—which was an as-yet-unnamed theme in her previous lives as a non-fiction editor, website content manager, and instructional designer.

She was one of the innovators of distance education (open university style) in BC, and then managed public education projects at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. This led her to create ICBC’s first website, which set her ongoing focus onto the path of content management.

Social media are turning a lot of her past roles on their heads, but she continues to enjoy the yoga of these headstands.

Heather Sommerville

First joined STC: 1986

Programs Team Lead

Other positions held: President, Past President, Volunteer Coordinator, publications competition judge, Coast Lines author

Heather has over 20 years of experience as a technical writer, editor, and manager. She taught a technical writing course at Simon Fraser University for several years and has won numerous awards in the STC publications competition. She now works as a consultant and contractor for a wide variety of businesses and individuals. She enjoys simplifying complex documents and clarifying muddled text to help her clients say what they mean.

Heather visits regularly at Vancouver General Hospital with her two Certified Therapy Dogs, who bring smiles to the faces of patients in long-term care. She composts, has a chemical-free garden, never waters her lawn, reuses, recycles, and is glad that these practices now carry the label of “saving the planet” rather than “lazy cheapskate.”

Pam Drucker

First joined STC: ~1990

Programs co-lead or Competition manager in alternating years

Other positions held: Active volunteer with STC-Boston

In 2005 Pam and her husband relocated to Canada. While one or the other waited to secure a work permit, both began attending tech sponsored events. STC-CWC and VanUE and BC Editors and CM Pros members intermingled. The opportunity to become employable in Vancouver eventually took root. Her next goal is to become a Canadian citizen.

Pam recharges her batteries by meeting friends for coffee on Granville Island.

Rahel Anne Bailie

First Joined STC: 1990

Innovation Strategist

Other positions held: You name it, she’s been it.

Rahel Anne Bailie is principal of Intentional Design Inc, a Vancouver, BC consultancy that focuses on the interrelated areas of content management, content development, and usability. Rahel brings substantial business and communication experience to her projects, where she helps organizations with requirements and content analysis phases, through to assistance with RFP preparation and vendor selection. Her experience in content development and user experience and her perspectives are informed by her experience and studies. A self-identified geek, Rahel is drawn to technology like a moth to flame, and embraces technologies that serve to improve the performance of communication products and the processes to create and maintain them. She was elected Associate Fellow of the Society of Technical Communication in 2006, is a member of Content Management Professionals Association, and holds memberships in related professional associations such as UPA and IAI to stay current in pertinent practice areas.

Rahel joined the STC West Coast chapter in 1992 when she moved to Vancouver. She has held several positions since then, including two years as chapter president, web site strategist, competition judge, education liaison, regional conference organizer, chair of World Usability Day, and mentor, and has served as the innovation strategist for a number of years. At the Society level, Rahel served on the STC Board of Directors for three years, and was Director-Sponsor for Region 7, and has since served as liaison to the Education Director. She has spoken at many program meetings, delivered workshops, developed and delivered volunteer leadership training programs, contributed numerous articles and columns to newsletters, and spearheaded initiatives to meet the changing needs, regionally and beyond.

Tamara Chapman

First Joined STC: ~1998

STC Representative—SFU Advisory Committee

Other positions held: She’s done ’em all!

Tamara is the current STC representative on the advisory committee for the SFU Writing and Publishing, Technical Communication Certificate program. She is a past Chapter president (2005/2006), vice president, assistant newsletter editor, and programs team lead, and has assisted with many other chapter activities over the years. Currently, Tamara is a Leader within the Technical Communications group at PMC-Sierra, a global semiconductor company that provides solutions for broadband communications and storage equipment. She has over 10 years experience as a technical communicator in the semiconductor, telecommunications, and aerospace industries. Tamara got her start as a technical writer after completing her BA in English Literature from Trinity Western University and the Print Futures Professional Writing program at Douglas College.

Rob Hughes

First joined STC: 2001

Scholarship Committee

Other positions held: Newsletter Editor

In the year 2000, Rob enrolled in the Print Futures program to learn technical writing. He graduated after two grueling, exhilarating years and soon accepted a junior writing position with Xantrex Technology, Inc. in Burnaby. A nine-month contract to rebrand a collection of legacy manuals turned into a full-time job creating guides for Xantrex’s wide array of power conversion products.

In 2008, he started craving a new challenge and took a new job with CounterPath Solutions, Inc., a VoIP softphone company located in downtown Vancouver.

Away from the office, Rob immerses himself in music—composing, playing, recording, blogging, and going to local shows. All genres are fair game for his ears, but in general he prefers things extremely loud and extremely strange. He also copyedits and writes for Unrestrained!, an internationally distributed heavy metal magazine.

Rob was a co-winner of the Julia Broderick Scholarship in 2002 and would like to help ensure the scholarship benefits junior writers for years to come.

Tony Chung

First joined STC: 2007

Newsletter Editor, CMS Junkie, and A/V Tech Dude

Other positions held: Newsletter Desktop Publisher, Web Team Co-Lead

Tony entered the field of technical writing through the back door: as a web application programmer, content developer, user interface designer, and SEO strategist. While still a Technical Writing student at BCIT, he was hired to develop a unique system to document the manufacturing process for hydrogen fuel cell power supplies. Now he writes and edits specifications for telecommunications semiconductors, and is developing some über cool web stuff at the same time. Fortunately having this much fun on the job isn’t illegal.

His love for multimedia technology made him the ideal A/V tech geek to assist the programs and professional development teams with equipment setup. He has been an active volunteer-at-large since he began studying at BCIT in 2005. In early 2008 the international organization recruited Tony to support the forums and other user group communities at http://stcforum.org. He enjoys how, through the process of volunteering, many of his professional acquaintances become close friends.

Catch up on Tony’s personal and professional development at: http://tonychung.ca

Marika Piehler

First joined STC: 1995

Event Photographer

Other positions held: Newsletter writer and layout, Programs coordinator

Marika joined the STC in Montreal, where she worked as a technical writer and documentation group team leader for thirteen years before moving to Vancouver in 2004. She currently works in Vancouver as a contractor doing both technical writing and business analysis.

Marika’s interests include bird watching, photography, and animation. She volunteers at a wildlife rehabilitation centre, and does the sound setup for the Agape Centre for Spiritual Living.

Christine Grimard

First joined STC: 2002

Volunteer

Christine has always been fascinated by words, the nuances of meaning, and the written expression of ideas. Even as a child, she loved letting her imagination run free while she wrote poetry and fiction. She learned to write in the academic style while doing her B.A. in Psychology and Linguistics at UBC and SFU. Then, entering the corporate world, she learned about business and technical writing and earned her Technical Writing Certificate from the Writing and Publishing program at SFU while working. After a long career with a major national company, she took some time off to indulge her love of travel before launching her own technical and business writing company, Mountain Scribe Writing Services, in January 2008.

When she’s not working, writing, reading, or taking writing classes, Christine can usually be found outside in nature. She enjoys all sorts of outdoor activity and incorporates that enjoyment when she travels to interesting spots around the world, as well as when she volunteers in the community. Most recently, she’s been organizing and officiating for the Nordic skiing events leading up to the 2010 Olympic Games.

Michelle Fredette

First joined STC: 2008

Volunteer

Michelle works as a technical editor for an engineering firm in Vancouver. She has a Communications/Publishing B.A. from SFU and a technical writing certificate from the SFU Writing and Publishing program (1996). Currently, she is in the BCIT Technical Writing program because she has found that so much has changed in the field and wants to keep abreast of the new technologies and the words that are being used to describe them. She looks forward to volunteering at STC and to meeting new contacts and exploring other technical writing avenues.

When she’s not working, Michelle can usually be found on the trails running with her husband, quad roller skating on the seawall, or in a kayak at Jericho. A former member of the Terminal City Rollergirls roller derby team, Michelle plans to go back in October as a referee.

Walter Hanig

First joined STC: 1997. Joined STC CWC 2007

Remote volunteer

Other positions held (San Diego Chapter): President (two years), Treasurer (four years)

Technical communications is Walter’s third career, after software design (aerospace) and hardware/software program management (point of sale, automated teller machines). From his first two careers, Walter learned that he was skilled at translating customer needs into technical requirements and vice versa. Little did he know then that one can make a living at this! Over the last 15 years, he’s learned that the most important job skill is the ability to find a job. Walter manages the Information Engineering department at Teradata, a producer or enterprise-scale relational database software and high-performance hardware. In his spare time, he cooks, raises box turtles, and serves as computer guru to wife and grown children.

Walter earned B.A. and Master’s degrees in applied mathematics from Rice University.

So what’s the CWC connection? After a Vancouver vacation in 2005, Walter decided he had to live there as soon as finances allow.

Tracey Heyworth

First joined STC: 2008

Remote volunteer

Tracey is a respiratory therapist with over 20 years experience, mainly in emergency and intensive care units. She is excited about her first year as the editor of the BC Society of Respiratory Therapists (BCSRT) online journal. Working by night, Tracey finds time to `live’ by day—through outdoor activities, gardening, being the roadie for her 3 school-aged children who perform violin, viola, cello and piano, hanging out at the library, cooking, creating new vegetarian recipes, volunteering, and writing—one of her articles was recently published in Alive magazine, and several more are in the works. This year she is registered to take the Canadian ski patrol safety course as a volunteer first-aid provider.

She is thrilled to be a volunteer with the STC CWC as we expand our concept of remote volunteering. She is in awe of the talented, creative, highly-skilled people she has met, and is thankful to them for the learning experience they are providing while she explores the world of technical communication.