Director of Innovation and Maintenance

Capitol Presence is a technology consulting firm that helps government and enterprise organizations simplify complex processes through secure, cloud‑based automation, AI, and modern Microsoft solutions—designed to deliver value quickly and last over time.

As Director of the Innovation & Maintenance Office, I lead how our organization turns ideas into real, scalable solutions. My role spans the full lifecycle—innovation, design, delivery, and long‑term support—across client projects and internal platforms. I oversee AI, automation, and CRM initiatives, ensure projects stay aligned to scope and valu

Writing is core to my role and directly tied to how I design, communicate, and deliver solutions. I regularly create structured documentation—such as wireframes, process maps, SOPs, work instructions, and Statements of Work—to translate complex business needs into clear, actionable designs for both technical and non‑technical audiences. This work ensures alignment across stakeholders, supports scalable implementation, reduces risk and rework, and provides maintainable artifacts that guide delivery, support, and future enhancements. Writing in my role is both functional and strategic, serving as the backbone for solution clarity, governance, and long‑term success.

After graduating from Grand Valley State University, I worked at Barnes & Noble, where I gained firsthand experience in customer service, organization, and content accessibility—skills that would later become foundational in my professional work.

From there, I returned to GVSU to work at the Regional Math and Science Center, which deepened my exposure to educational support, structured resources, and working across disciplines. During this time, I also worked at Kent District Library as a librarian, where my interest in information architecture, systems thinking, and service design solidified. While working in public librarianship, I attended Wayne State University, earning my master’s in library and information science.

Following graduate school, I joined GVSU’s Library as an adjunct librarian, supporting multiple academic disciplines. This role expanded beyond traditional librarianship and led directly into more technical and design‑focused work. I was brought on for an additional adjunct role to revamp and restructure the GVSU Library intranet, where I worked on information architecture, usability, process flows, and internal documentation—marking a clear transition into technology‑enabled problem solving.

That work opened the door to Aquinas College, where I served as Web Services and Discovery Librarian. In this role, I combined librarianship with web development, systems administration, discovery platforms, process improvement, and user‑centered design. I worked heavily with digital platforms, integrations, documentation, and governance—bridging content, technology, and operational needs.

These experiences ultimately led me to my current position, where a continued passion for technology, systems design, and scalable solutions drives my work. What started in libraries as organizing information and improving access evolved into designing platforms, processes, and solutions that help organizations work more efficiently. Throughout my career, each step built on the last transforming a foundation in information science into leadership focused on innovation, technology, and sustainable change.

The part of the writing major that has had the greatest impact on me professionally was technical writing. Learning how to write clearly for specific audiences, document complex ideas, and translate abstract or technical concepts into structured, usable materials has directly shaped my career.

Technical writing taught me how to think in terms of purpose, audience, and usability, not just content. That foundation shows up daily in my work through the creation of wireframes, process maps, SOPs, work instructions, and Statements of Work. These deliverables require precision, logical structure, and clarity—skills that were emphasized heavily in technical writing coursework.

More importantly, technical writing trained me to view documentation as a tool for alignment and problem‑solving, not just explanation. Whether I’m mapping a process, designing a system workflow, or defining scope in an SOW, the ability to write unambiguous, actionable documentation reduces risk, prevents miscommunication, and creates shared understanding across technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

That emphasis on clarity, structure, and function has been the most transferable and valuable aspect of the Writing Department for my career, especially as my role has expanded into technology, systems design, and organizational leadership.

My advice to current or future writing majors at GVSU is to lean into technical writing and treat it as a career accelerator, not a niche skill. The ability to write clearly for real users—especially when explaining complex ideas—will open more doors than you might expect.

Focus on learning how to translate complexity into clarity. Courses and projects that emphasize technical writing, documentation, usability, and audience‑centered design are especially valuable because those skills apply far beyond traditional writing roles. They show up in careers involving technology, systems design, project management, operations, and leadership.

I would also encourage writing majors to embrace interdisciplinary opportunities. My career path wasn’t linear, but writing became a throughline that connected librarianship, web services, process design, and eventually technology leadership. Writing majors who are willing to pair their skills with technology, design thinking, or business processes will find themselves well positioned for roles that didn’t even exist when they started school.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of structured, practical writing—things like SOPs, process maps, work instructions, and scoped documents. Those artifacts drive alignment, reduce risk, and create lasting value. Writing that helps people do their jobs better is not only impactful, but also indispensable—and it’s one of the strongest skills a GVSU writing graduate can bring into the workforce.