Blind Prophecy

jere@jerekeys.com

Work Experience (partial)

10/2008-07/2009 – Kaplan Test Prep – Cincinnati, OH
Instructor, part-time teacher and tutor helping students prepare for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and law school applications.

08/2006-07/2008 – Out & Equal Workplace Advocates – San Francisco, CA
Associate Director of Communications, responsible for marketing and advertising, press relations, publications management and editing, website maintenance and content, department goal setting and budget administration, and online networking at a national nonprofit dedicated to workplace equality for LGBT people.

• Promoted from manager to associate director in January 2008.
• Chaired workplace committee on technology development.
• Increased annual Summit attendance from 1,050 participants in 2005 to 2,400 in 2008 through marketing efforts, brand cultivation, and media relations.
• Maintained and expanded website, e-Marketing, and online presence with programs like social networking, blogging communities, and multimedia educational resources.
• Provided leadership, analysis, and strategic planning around political issues related to our mission including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and domestic partner health benefits tax equity.

10/2005-06/2006 – GLBT Community Center of Utah (Now “Utah Pride Center”) – Salt Lake City, UT
Coordinator, 2006 Utah Pride, independent contractor responsible for all aspects of planning, marketing, and managing annual week-long celebration attracting over 20,000 participants.

• Supervised one part-time intern, 30 year-round volunteers, and 400+ short-term volunteers.
• Filed all permits on time, created and collected various applications, supervised and approved contract agreements, and created and managed $150,000 budget.
• Expanded the number of events associated with Pride week as well as dramatically increasing attendance at previously less popular events (e.g. Film Festival, Interfaith Service, Pride Dance).

08/2005-02/2006 – Sundance Film Festival – Salt Lake City, UT
Manager, Publications, responsible for scheduling, planning, execution, and production of all printed materials for the world famous 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

• Supervised 2 full-time editors, 1 full-time database manager, and 1 part-time proofreader.
• Expanded role to include writing, editing, and ensuring consistency in public messaging in media including the organization’s website, e-newsletters, formal business letters, and advertising.

10/2004-08/2005 – Salt Lake Metro Newspaper (Now “Q Salt Lake”) – Salt Lake City, UT
Editor, oversaw all editorial decisions, hiring of writers, and publicly represented biweekly newspaper for Utah’s LGBT community (now Q Salt Lake newspaper).

• Instituted readers’ surveys and market research, resulting in changes to the tone, editorial style, and content of the biweekly newspaper in its sophomore year.
• Supervised and mentored numerous freelance writers and copy editors, resulting in many becoming regular columnists or section editors.
• Negotiated contracts with sponsored nonprofit organizations and journalists/writers.

10/2000-09/2004 – Stonewall Publishing, Inc. – Las Vegas, NV
Editor, managed all editorial decision, production and art design for numerous publications including the flagship monthly QVegas, annual projects such as a community business directory and special event guides.

• Held increasing levels of responsibility (freelance writer, staff writer, art director, editor); began full-time employment in November 2001. Periodically served as direct supervisor for full-time department staff.
• Helmed the transition from monthly tabloid (Out Las Vegas) to biweekly tabloid (Las Vegas Bugle, after we acquired our only competitor) in 2002, then to monthly gloss magazine (QVegas) in 2004.
• Grew revenue from annual gross of approx. $250K to over $1mil under my editorial leadership.
• Recruited and chaired editorial board for making political endorsements during elections.

01/2001-10/2001 – Exhibitgroup|Giltspur – Las Vegas, NV
Account assistant, worked with sales department to process contracts and paperwork for existing clients, manage and update database of leads, and assist in generating marketing contacts.

• Succeeded at progressively increasing duties, taking on the duties of the office receptionist in addition to my existing responsibilities after four months.
• Contracted for exhibition labor and services on behalf of clients at a speed nearly double original expectations at time of hire.
• Maintained relationships with labor and service vendors, problem solving on behalf of clients during show installations and negotiating solutions to keep costs to a minimum.

10/2000-11/2000 – Equal Rights Nevada (Now disolved) – Las Vegas, NV
Volunteer coordinator, short-term, full-time contract as half the two-person staff of the “No on 2″ Campaign, attempting to convince voters not to vote for an anti-gay marriage amendment to the Nevada constitution.

• Trained precinct captains in neighborhood canvassing.
• Supervised phone banking efforts, voter identification, get out the vote efforts.
• Participated fully in strategy development, earned media opportunities (particularly LTTE writing campaigns), and grassroots fundraising.

03/2000-09/2000 – GLBT Community Center of Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
Youth Program director, oversaw all aspects of youth programming for Southern Nevada’s only outreach program for LGBT youth aged 12-24.

• Led a team of volunteers in organizing an LGBT youth leadership conference in Nevada, the Millennium Youth Conference, which remains the largest such conference to date; personally solicited sponsorship and grant support, hired speakers/talent and negotiated contracts.
• Supervised one part-time assistant director and functioned as part of the core management team.
• Grew youth program activities and budget by an average of 150% over six months.

11/1999-05/2000 – Clark County School District – Las Vegas, NV
Substitute teacher, specializing in arts, humanities and English for middle school and high school classrooms.

05/1999-09/1999 – Princess Cruise Lines – Denali Park, AK
House manager, supervised ticketing process, operated sound/light systems, maintained costumes and assistant managed restaurant operations for musical dinner theater at Denali Princess Resort.

• Assistant supervisor of 10 acting/wait staff members, 1 musician.
• Served as a department representative on the Safety, Health, Operations and Environment committee, participating in monthly meetings and inspections of the resort.

Significant Non-Work Experience

2004-2006 – GLBT Community Center of Utah (now “Utah Pride Center”) – Salt Lake City, UT
Board of directors, various committees, long term volunteer for the nonprofit organization dedicated to personal growth, acceptance and equality for GLBT people in Utah.

• Logisitcs chair and Interfaith Council Liaison for the 2005 Utah Pride Festival
• Chaired the Utah Community Coalition, a monthly roundtable involving leadership of all Utah organizations with ties to the LGBT community.
• Organized bi-annual town hall community meeting with Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.

2000-2004 – Southern Nevada Association of Pride, Inc. – Las Vegas, NV
Board of directors, parliamentarian, secretary, multi-year involvement with organization devoted to producing charitable events including the annual Las Vegas LGBT Pride celebration.

• Served as secretary and parliamentarian on the executive council.
• Chaired several committees, including: Parade, Marketing, Entertainment, and Logistics.

2000-2002 – National Conference for Community and Justice – Las Vegas, NV
Volunteer, participated six times as adult counselor for Camp Anytown. The program is a multi-day retreat for students entering grades 10-12 to learn about racism, sexism, religious oppression, heterosexism, ablesim, agism, bias, violence, bullying, discrimination, etc. Anytown also teaches the students methods of conflict management and empowers them to become activists in their own communities.

Honors and Awards

1991 Eagle Scout Award, Boy Scouts of America

1995 English Student of the Year, Chaparral High School

2004 Advisory Board Member for Life, Southern Nevada Association of Pride, Inc.

Education

1995-1999 – University of Nevada, Reno – Reno, NV
B.A. in Theatre Arts, graduated cum laude, minor in English. – GPA: 3.58

• Participated in over 30 campus and community theatrical productions in various roles including: actor, costume designer, crew, prop designer, stage manager, director, and more.
• Elected by peers as president of Alpha Psi Omega (honorary theatre fraternity) 1998-1999.
• Served as secretary of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Student Union 1997-1998.
• Initiated first safe-space queer prom for LGBT youth under the age of 21 on campus during Reno Pride weekend 1997.
• Worked as arts & entertainment reporter for the campus newspaper, The Sagebrush, 1995-1998.
• Promoted from copy editor to co-editor of campus yearbook, Artemisia, 1995-1996.
• Wrote, produced, and directed an original play as honors program senior thesis project.

Anticipating law school within next three years. LSAT score 169 – June 2008 administration.

Additional Training

2008 – National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change
Attended conference courses on messaging, legal barriers to LGBT equality, political/grassroots activism, advanced courses through the Task Force Academy for Leadership and Action, and a political strategy session related to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act restricted to leaders of LGBT organizations.

2007 – Society for Human Resource Management
Attended 57th Annual Conference, focusing on workshops about employment law or diversity: e.g. “2007–2008 Employment Law Update,” “The Blog is Mightier than the Sword! Employment Issues for the Electronic Age,” and “Unintentional Intolerance: What NICE People Need to Know.”

2006 - CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
Attended courses in web design and management with an emphasis on accessibility for disabled users.

2005 – Spin Project Media Training
Media training focused on small, non-profit advocacy organizations.

2005 – Linda Galindo Management Training
Training seminar focused on managing structure in team environments, creating clear expectations and accountability with employees, and how to avoid micro-managing departments.

Interests and Hobbies

Blogging, science fiction and fantasy, amateur photography, theatre arts and film, community activism, and word board games.

References

Available by request.