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Background
I have bachelors degrees in Information Technology and English. I've had 10 poems published in Academic contests. My goal is an MFA in Creative Writing. I write form and free-style poetry, and short genre fiction. I aspire to teach and write as I have these past four decades.
Qualities
I have excellent communications and listening skills. I am also committed to poetry and Neopoets, as a place where poets new and established can share and grow. I am good at conflict resolution and have innovative ideas where problems arise. I enjoy the challenge of constructive criticism and eagerly put my work out there for the same. I don't have round the clock availability but do check in daily to see if anything requires my attention. I'm hard working and have a profound passion for advancing Neopoets to new heights. I have done one splash pool workshop and two shark pool, including the current Show and Tell as co-lead to weirdelf and with Beau Moderating. I have also hosted chats for Neo, which I plan to escalate as I see this area as one for major growth.
Diplomacy
My diplomacy is very strong. While I can and do lead if needed, if my ideas are outvoted, it is not an ego thing for me. My belief is that each and every human being deserves the utmost in respect and I have the demeanor and patience to carry that into any situation with the most difficult of personalities. In a customer service call center at which I was the team lead, I exclusively handled escalated calls and was able to resolve most. I work well with others, especially those as passionate as I am about the endeavor. I have a very even keel and it is rare that I have flagrant conflicts with others.
Leadership
I am very comfortable in leadership roles. I also am not encumbered by the common mistake of thinking a leadership position makes me an exalted person. For this reason, I handle teams with respect and and am always open to a good idea and opinions from my peers. As mentioned, I was the team lead of a 36 person call center that served 22,000 customers. I was also the leader and scribe of a "brutal reality" team in a corporate setting, where we convened with the director of operations about streamlining our processes. I have co-led three very successful workshops here at Neopoets as well. Leadership is a role I am comfortable with but not jaded by.
Availability
Only limited by work and family issues. I check in on Neopoets daily and while my Neo email issue is being resolved, have kept abreast of what's happening through conversations with Paul and PMs with Mark and moonman. I have plenty of time at various hours to adequately perform the duties requested from me and will attack them with a pit-bull like tenacity. I had no time issues in my current term in the AEC and wouldn't forsee any to come.
Future Direction
Growth. A simple yet vital word. The chat system has gotten worse and I would make the commitment to do one chat room per week personally. I have reached out to every lead I've been given and mentioned the possibility to long time members. I see that we need a multiple front approach, one for the U.S., one for Australia, and one for Europe. It's a lofty goal but I aspire to a chat per night across the three fronts. This may be from my email issue but I find communication can be lacking in vital areas. This again, would be resolved once my neo email is up and running. Publishing is another area that would lend great credibility, as would the quality of the work involved. We have publishing-grade poets right now and with publishing, the word would get out all the more strongly. Neopoets is the one place I can come on the internet where the focus is on poetry in all its' varied forms; From Wesley's long form work to Esker's bursts of passion to Judy's knowledge and gentle touch to Rula who is destined for greatness, to Jess' ideas, to the various apprentices of all the above. More presence and advertisement in the proper places is what we need as well as a thriving chat presence.
Alternative Role
I am a great one on one teacher and tutored in College. I enjoy the work of other poets and can critique being honest and at the same time being kind. I work well in workshops and chats, and I send greetings out to new members though none have answered back as yet. I have versatile skill sets. Short of coding, I'm not aware of anything we need that I couldn't or would not be willing to do if necessary. If not elected I would undertake any challenge that would forward the goals of Neopoets, be it the ones listed below or unforseen others.