I've been working for myself longer than I ever worked for anyone else, but I did spend several years in the business world following college. I had the fun of managing a chamber music group and assisting with the creation of a seminal guide to Chicago architecture.

My stints in advertising and health-care and construction marketing left me with an abiding interest in business processes, which accounts for my love of trade writing.

I enjoy the challenge of mastering the vocabulary and entering the worldview of a different profession with every assignment. And making even complicated concepts accessible to readers is part of the thrill.

Of course, no one can--or should--be all work and no play. My special interests include viola, history and architecture.

Luckily, I've been able to integrate these interests into my work life as well, covering classical music news for Violinist.com, writing profiles for the History Channel Club Magazine, and ghostwriting a book foreword for Frank Lloyd Wright's grandson.

I live near Chicago in a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed community with my husband, two school-aged sons and two cats.

My awards and affiliations include:

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Public Education Award, First Place. National Print Science/Medical Category.
• Chicago Women in Publishing - First Place for a Magazine Article.
• American Society of Business Publication Editors, Board Member, Chicago Chapter
• University of Chicago - Publishing Program Certificate (Editing).
• Brown University - BA in History.
• Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust - Docent