Communications/Web Development/Writing

Web Content Management/Development/Usability Specialist
Liberty Mutual Group: Agency Markets
Weston/Boston, Mass.
(May '05-present)

• Managed content development, content flow, and usability for 24 Web sites, including insurance agent extranets, consumer sites and intranets. Drafted, edited and posted content.
• Provided content development, usability and technical support for 10 subsidiaries located throughout the nation.
• Built numerous sub-sites for a variety of clients (within a pre-existing, rigid template system).
• Co-developed and managed Competitive Intelligence Center.
• Played role in Agency Markets intranet redesign by developing new site architecture, producing several design options, and conducting testing.
• Aided in conversion of eight consumer sites from the ColdFusion environment to the ContentServer environment by proofreading content, and by applying usability and information-architecture guidelines during the testing phase.

Internal Communications/Publications Specialist/Manager
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI)
Boston, Mass.
(March '03-May '05)

Photo by Joe O'Shea

A view of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Smith Building from Jimmy Fund Way.

• Developed, wrote, edited and updated content for DFCI Online intranet and Inside the Institute employee newsletter.
• As associate editor, helped to plan and produce Inside the Institute , an eight-page newsletter, every two weeks.
• As individual contributor and as part of team, developed and executed communications plans for 2003 staff survey, core values campaign, intranet redesign, strategic plan and 2004 Democratic National Convention.
• Worked with various internal clients to determine communications needs – including audience, key messages, tone, etc. – and draft suitable communications plans in very challenging political culture.
• Executing such plans included: interviewing doctors, nurses, researchers, and administrators before drafting content; working with designers to create concepts and copy for posters, table tents, bookmarks, adhesive notes, pens and other items; designing and producing posters and intranet graphics; and managing freelance photographers.
  

Writer/Editor/Web Developer/Public Relations Professional
O'Shea Communications
Pembroke, Mass.
(June '99-Feb. '03)

• Aided in the re-launch and maintenance of Palm, Inc.'s corporate intranet; wrote and edited content for various internal publications, e-publications and events; and created various electronic communications vehicles.

After a long hike through a rain forest on St. Croix, USVI, we stopped for lunch -- and to admire the view.

• Built Web site for Irish Cultural Centre's 2002 Irish Festival. Placed features on WFXT-TV and WB-TV news.
• Wrote lengthy feature and Q&A on Boston Celtic great Bill Russell for BJ's Journal.
• Travel-writing assignments include pieces on St. Croix, U.S.V.I.; Key West, Fla.; and Orlando, Fla.
• Acted as assistant editor of The Hockey Magazine, The Official Fan Magazine of the National Hockey League.
• Developed Web sites for Milton Monument Company and A Feast of Irish Music.
• Editorial clients included Reebok, Northeastern University, NStar, NHL.com for Kids, The Boston Herald , The MetroWest Daily News , BJ's Wholesale Club, New England Sports Network, and AAA Horizons. Handled media relations for Holy Cross Family Ministries, and Web maintenance for the Irish Cottage retail firm.

Public Affairs Associate
Bentley College
Waltham, Mass.
(March '96-June '99)

• Wrote, laid out and edited bi-weekly employee newsletter; handled media relations; proofread; managed freelance photographers; acted as photo historian; and produced annual fact book. Aided in commencement crisis.
• Placed story in The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine. Other placements included the Boston Herald, The Boston Globe, The MetroWest Daily News, Boston Business Journal, regional/local newspapers, New England Cable News, WBZ-TV, WCVB-TV, WHDH-TV, WSBK-TV, FOX-TV, WLVI-TV, WEEI-AM and WBZ-AM.

Public Relations Writer/Consultant
(May '95-Feb. '96)

• McKay Fried & Partners: Wrote, edited and produced monthly Waves magazine for the South Shore Chamber of Commerce (SSCC), and a monthly newsletter for the Mass. State Automobile Dealers. Also cultivated media coverage for Sunnyside Ford and the SSCC; handled some government relations for the SSCC.
• Parker, Nichols & Company: Handled media relations, maintained editorial calendar, scheduled and conducted press tour in New York City. Generated coverage for BBN Planet, Early Cloud, IBM, Four Seasons and Art Tech. Group.

On a soft adventure assignment to Orlando, Fla., I took part in my first cattle roundup.

Account Associate
David P. Monti Public Relations
Providence, RI
(Feb. '94-Feb. '95)

• Researched, wrote and edited concise press release, advertisement, brochure and direct mail copy for five accounts. Drafted activity schedules, budgets. Conducted media campaign for Warwick, R.I., mayoral candidate Mike Brophy.

Staff Writer
News Tribune/Daily Transcript/Harte-Hanks Community Newspapers
Waltham, Mass.
(Sept. '90-'94)

• Wrote and edited human interest and sports features, game stories, sidebars and columns for two daily newspapers.
• Laid out sports section for two weeklies.

Part-time Freelance Writing

Contributing Writer/Editor
New England Patriots Football Weekly
Boston/Foxborough, Mass.
(Feb. '95-'97)

• Objectively covered all games, wrote feature stories and helped to determine editorial direction. Game coverage consisted of pre-game research, game observations, post-game interviews, statistical analysis and the writing of a 1,500-word game story or sidebar within hours after the contest.
• Acted as a correspondent for WBPS-AM show, Sports Break.

Super Bowl XXXI Week
On assignment for New England Patriots Football Weekly
New Orleans, La.
(Jan.19-27, '97)

On Super Bowl XXXI Media Day in New Orleans.

• Aided editor in developing Super Bowl issue content. Also generated daily stories by attending press conferences, Super Bowl Media Day and Super Bowl XXXI. Networked with international media.
• More notable stories included Super Bowl XXXI game story, a reflective piece on media concerns during Super Bowl Week, a feature on cornerback Ricky Reynolds, and a diary/color piece on New Orleans.
  
  

Freelance Writer/Reporter/Editor
(1990-1999)

• Wrote cover feature on Patriots head coach Bill Parcells for New England Sport magazine.
• Wrote feature on Patriots linebacker Todd Collins for Gridiron, a national publication devoted to pro football.
• Other credits include Polaroid's Update newsletter, The Patriot Ledger, Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle, AAA Horizons, NESN's Sportscircuit.com, The Improper Bostonian, Boston Baseball and Eagle Action.

Education

By Joe O'Shea

One of the Burns Library's gothic towers on the Boston College campus.

• Boston College Chestnut Hill, Mass.
  Chestnut Hill, Mass.
  B.A. in English, School of Arts & Sciences
  May 1990
• Clark University Computer Career Institute
  Braintree, Mass.
  Master Certificate in Web Development
  August 2001
• Northeastern University
  XML Fundamentals
  Winter 2006
  

Web Site Portfolio Web Site Portfolio

• www.joeoshea.net
• On Behalf of a Grateful Nation (2006)
• A Feast of Irish Music (2002)
• Irish Festival (2002)
• Milton Monument (2001)
  

Computers/Photography

• HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, Dreamweaver, Flash, Contribute, Web Edit Pro, ContentServer, Project, Access, Powerpoint, Word, FrontPage, Outlook, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, QuarkXPress, Windows OS, Mac OS, Palm OS. Adept with various digital cameras and software.

Activities

• Boston College/Xaverian Bros. High School Alumni Associations
• Clan MacDougall Society member
• International Association of Business Communicators
• Irish Cultural Center
• Massachusetts Interactive Technology Exchange (MITX)
• National Association of Photoshop Professionals