Progressive Web Technician

Professional Objective

To provide professional website solutions that will transition into the future of XML; to provide these solutions on time; and to keep current with the changing technologies. Main focus is on creating usable/functional websites that are standards compliant and accessible (to people with disabilities) as well as the promotion of these concepts.

Web Skills

XHTML (1.0, 1.1, Basic), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, DOM, PHP, ASP, MySQL, MS Access, SQL, XML, XSL, RSS feeds, WML, Flash, ActionScript, Java 2, SAS, MS SharePoint, MS FrontPage. Experienced with WCAG 1.0 recommendations and techniques, Section 508 standards and techniques and industry recognized usability rules and techniques. Assessment of the updated (but draft) Section 508 & WCAG 2 documents.

Design / Testing Tools

HomeSite, WAVE Accessibility Evaluator, FAE Accessibility Evaluator, W3C HTML Validator, W3C CSS Validator, Color Contrast Check, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe professional, JAWS screen reader, IBM HomePage Reader, screen magnifiers, QuarkXpress, Flash, mobile device simulators, FTP, Telnet, MS Office Suite, Windows OS. Varies browsers including IE6, IE7, FireFox 2, Opera 9, Safari 3.1 for windows.

FireFox extensions:

• Fire Vox, an open source suite of extensions that make Firefox into a talking browser.
• FANGS a screen reader emulator, creates a textual representation of a web page similar to how the page would be read by a modern screen reader.
• Web Developers Toolbar adds a menu and a toolbar with various web developer tools.
• Firebug lets you edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page.

Employment

Curriculum Writer & Instructor - Accessible Web Design

International Webmasters Association
January 2008 - January 2009

Course Objectives:

• Identify issues surrounding accessible web design
• Describe why web accessibility is important
• Recognize barriers to effective accessibility
• Be able to apply relevant semantically correct (x)HTML coding to pages
• Be able to apply CSS1 elements to separate style from content
• Demonstrate ability to test pages for accessibility with the use of validators and WCAG 1.0 Checkpoints.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively locate and use or recommend tools
• Demonstrate an understanding of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the (draft) updated Section 508 and the updated WCAG 1 as (draft) WCAG 2.

Webmaster

State of Wisconsin
June 2002 - Present

One of two webmasters who oversee and support division staff in the maintenance of the department websites within a large complex environment. Assist in the creation and enforcement of department web standards for site accessibility, usability, standards compliance, design and maintenance.

Department specialist on web standards and web accessibility. Pivotal to DWD's awareness of accessibility and standards compliance by way of the DWD CIO, programmers roundtable meetings and a series of brief presentations that include a screen reader demonstration. Redesigned the DWD Intranet/Extranet/Internet templates to an accessible format using HTML 4.01, CSS and server-side includes.

Department web technology curriculum writer and instructor for classes that include Web Accessibility, Usability and Validation, Writing for the Web, Intro to (x)HTML, Intro to CSS. This training increased division web staff HTML skills from basic WYSIWYG to proficiency in accessible hand-coding, which translated into better webpages.

Write and maintain web technology related documents, on-line, for use by web designers and developers. Documents include Accessible Web Design Best Practices, demo/test pages for screen readers, screen reader nuances and shortcut keys, training modules, how-to information on topics such as using the DWD CSS and templates, iMail setup, etc.

Research emerging web technologies, standards and tools for use at DWD with particular attention on the Section 508/WCAG accessibility requirements. Have assisted other state agency employees with accessibility and standards compliance questions upon request and via the State Web Administrator's Group (SWAG) list.

Owner and Designer

Mainz Press, LLC
April 1996 - Present

Desktop publisher who evolved into a website designer - knowledgeable and skilled in emerging web standards and technologies. Hand code all pages using Homesite with special skill in developing designs that conform to current W3C technical recommendations and accessible to people with disabilities (WCAG 1 and Section 508 requirements).

Have knowledge with Apache web server and using the .htaccess files (distributed configuration files) to make configuration changes on a per-directory basis. Some uses have been to enable Server Side Includes, to use Apache directives changing the PHP configuration, and to set mime types for a particular directory. Mime types were set to enable testing of WAP, RSS, XML and to set the header character set to UTF-8.

Service Desk Web Publisher

State of Wisconsin
1997 - 2002

Revised and updated the Service Desk's Intranet website by creating a new design with better functionality and visual appeal using CSS, JavaScript and XHTML. Belong to the department's Web Publishers group as the representative for the Service Desk. Provide department-wide support for website design problems or projects.

Technical Support

State of Wisconsin
1997 - 2002

Service Desk Technician responsible for answering questions and solving technical problems for approximately 5,000 users who connect to the Department of Workforce Development's (DWD) infrastructure which includes applications running on mainframe, client/server and Web servers on a Novell and Microsoft network. Support skills extend to understanding router, gateway, controller and circuit problems. Document technical procedures for the group and publish them to the Department's Intranet.

MIS Specialist/Policy Analyst

State of Wisconsin
1993 - 1997

Responsible for technical and policy support to partners around the state using WIMS (Wisconsin Information Management System) to collect data for a Federally funded jobs program (JTPA). Required an ability to read, understand, and communicate orally and in writing, Federal policy and standards, to field staff and WIMS programmers. Communicated on a technical level with the WIMS programmers to assist in application development, testing and implementation of the WIMS computer program.

Provided managers both internal and external with management reports written in SAS. Functioned as the liaison between management, users and the programmers of the computer application.

System Administrator

Hazleton Laboratories
1991 - 1993

Functioned as a System Administrator for a data collection system running on a midrange computer and as the Toxicology Operations PC technical support. Duties included system support, user training, version testing and writing or revising Standard Operating Procedures. Provided customer support for all data collection hardware such as terminals, printers, microchip scanners, and digital balances.

Research Assistant

Hazleton Laboratories
1988 - 1991

Assisted group leaders in supervising toxicology staff. Collected, processed and communicated staffing information and project cost information. Developed computer programs to aid in information generation and to provide administrative tools to supervisors. Reviewed data for completeness and accuracy, and to ensure compliance with protocols, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). Revised SOP and wrote specific procedures. Coordinated activities between many departments. Improved forms used by technicians for data collection, ensuring compliance to protocol and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). Trained new personnel.

Project Coordinator Toxicology

Hazleton Laboratories
1986 - 1988

Coordinated toxicology projects involving scheduling, monitoring project progress, compiling, reviewing, and summarizing data. Prepared interim and final reports that were submitted to government agencies such as the EPA and FDA. Wrote protocols and amendments, prepared cost estimates, and met with clients to discuss project progress. Involved in employee continuing education by presenting a Teratology seminar.

Education

Self-taught and keep current
Web related books, research and experimentation, subscribed to leading accessibility lists and RSS feeds.

Vocational classes
HTML Writers Guild/International Webmasters Association
Web Programming, CSS, JavaScript, XML, PHP, Web Accessibility, Web Security, Web Graphics using Paint Shop Pro.

Certification
Inacom Information Systems
Exchanging and Transform data using XML/XSL,
Managing Content in the Plumtree Portal

Internet Developers Certificate program classes
Madison Area Technical College (MATC)
Java 2, miscellaneous computer classes.

Veterinary Technology program - Associate Degree
Michigan State University

Bachelors Degree - Psychology
Olivet College

Professional Affiliations

HTML Writers Guild (HWG)/International Webmasters Association (IWA):

• 2008 - Curriculum writer and instructor for the online Accessible Web Design course.
• 2002 - Curriculum writer and instructor for their first XHTML class.

Web Design and Desktop Publishing

Most pages validate to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendations for the XML application XHTML and CSS or HTML 4.01.  Most sites are, at minimum, Section 508 compliant, while many are double or triple A rated according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0).

• Department of Workforce Developments (DWD) websites :  Oversee and maintain the State of Wisconsin DWD websites designed using technologies that staff with limited/varied skills can work with, such as HTML 4.01 and CSS. The sites comply with Section 508 accessibility standards.
• ARRA Program at DWD :  Designed and maintain - uses HTML 4.01 Strict, CSS, JavaScript, DOM and is accessible (to people with disabilities).
• Janae Ulva.com :  My mobile website project done in XHTML Mobile 1.0 and targeting smartphones in particular, my favorite, the BlackBerry Storm (I'm not on that iPhone wave).
• Wisbiz4kids :  Designed and oversee DWD affiliated site that's maintained by DWD employees. Designed using HTML 4.01, CSS, JavaScript, ASP, SQL and an MS Access database for online event registration.
• Jeff Wolf Properties, LLC :  Designed using HTML 4.01, JavaScript, DOM, CSS, PHP and is accessible.
• Jeff Wolf Contractor, LLC :  Designed using HTML 4.01, JavaScript, DOM, CSS, PHP and is accessible.
• Pre-Emergency Planning, LLC :  Designed using XHTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL and is accessible.
• Mainz Press, LLC :  Designed using XHTML 1.0, XHTML 1.1, JavaScript, CSS and is accessible.
• FeO2Fit, LLC :  Designed using XHTML, CSS, PHP and is accessible.
• Skupniewitz Painting and Wallpapering, Inc :  Designed using XHTML and CSS and is accessible.
• Natural Heritage Land Trust website :  Designed using XHTML, CSS, server-side includes and is accessible.
• Setup and Support Systems, LLC :  Designed using XHMTL and CSS and is accessible.
• Environmental Chemistry Consulting Services, Inc. :  Designed using XHTML, CSS, JavaScript and is accessible.
• Hock Kennels :  Designed using XHTML, CSS, JavaScript and is accessible.
• buffaloriverbook.com :  Site designed for a client selling a book. This site uses XHTML, CSS and JavaScript/DOM to scroll pictures from the book.
• Designed 2 full page ads published in the magazine Schutzhund USA for Stone Farm Kennels.
• Designed business cards for Stone Farm Kennels and Hock Kennels.
• Designed miscellaneous business advertisements such as flyers and pamphlets for clients.

Sites that are not linked do not exist anymore or no longer use my design. Here is a link to screen prints of these sites.