Experience

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  Brainstorm technologies

  Jan 1996 - May 1998

  High tech consultant interpreting client needs and matching them to programmers' tasks. Wrote the user guide for a Lotus Notes-based CRM in development for the State of Alaska's Child Protective Services Department.

  • Technical Liaison

    Aug 1996 - May 1998

  • Technical Writer

    Jan 1996 - Jan 1997
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  Rj lavallee :: writer

  Jun 2000 - Sept 2005

  Freelancer

  Freelance provider of writing and multimedia services.

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  Bny mellon

  Aug 2000 - May 2011

  Contractor

  Working with the BNY Mellon Wealth Management Training department providing voice overs, audio editing, online training course development using Adobe Captivate, WebEx editing, and script writing for the department's eLearning initiatives.

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  Groundswell development

  Sept 2001 - Jun 2004

  President

  Founded web-design firm specializing in bringing small business to the web.

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  Bentspoon.net

  Jan 2007 - Apr 2021

  Editor / publisher

  Editor / Publisher of bentspoon.net, an online magazine focused on fatherhood.

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  Bent spoon media, llc

  Oct 2007 - Dec 2022

  B2B service provider of voice overs, technical writing, and media development, which includes training videos.Producer of documentary films, and videos for corporate and individual clients.Documentaries in production:I Once Was LostWhat is Good Parenting Bent Spoon Media has been a corporate video producer for a small number of Fortune 100 financial services companies, providing internal training and other materials. Content delivery has also included technical writing, corporate communications, and voice-over services.Outside of the corporate sphere, Bent Spoon is also a producer of documentary films.

  • Writer / Producer

    Oct 2007 - Dec 2022

  • Writer / Producer

    Oct 2007 - Apr 2021
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  Trusting education, inc

  Sept 2013 - Dec 2015

  Founder

  The individual ideas that make up Trusting Education are not unique. What is unique is that Trusting Education is trying to get all of the great ideas and efforts that exist in parenting and education reform to start working together, breaking down the barriers unwittingly built up by years of antagonism between parents, educators, and students. Trusting Education knows that other parents are seeing the same needs, but what many people don’t see is that the efforts across the country have been local and piecemeal. Trusting Education will shine a light on the importance of parents partnering with educators, and how positive parenting methods can influence that partnership. One way or the other, we’re all in this together.Mission: To provide information and resources that encourage parents, educators, and students to communicate more effectively, and build partnerships between the three groups to improve the odds of academic success for today’s students. Show less

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  North cove sailing services, llc -- northcovesailingservices.com

  Apr 2021 - now

  Small business owner

  "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”RJ started his professional time on the water in the windsurfing industry back in the late 80s, leaving in the mid 90's for personal reasons, and returned to the water in 2015 after 15 years of being a stay-at-home dad and moving from Boston to the San Francisco Bay Area to the Minneapolis metro area to West Hartford, CT. His wife and he now reside on the Southeast CT coast, which gives RJ better access to what he loves to do: work on boats and be on the water. And for RJ what boat it is doesn't matter, as long as it floats...safely. From fiberglass skiffs to wooden knackers, center consoles to schooners, RJ can fill any role from boat manager to deckhand, small boat captain to rigger's assistant, carpenter to glasser. Show less

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  Discovering amistad

  Apr 2021 - now

  Shipkeeper for s/v amistad

  In 2016 Discovering Amistad (discoveringamistad.org) purchased the replica of the sailing vessel Amistad built at Mystic Seaport Museum back in 2000. In April of 2021 they hired me to be the shipkeeper. What is that? The person who is responsible for the vessel while there is either no captain on board, or in this case, no captain permanently assigned to the ship. Duties will include:- general carpentry- specific shipwriting skills- general rigging skills- general diesel engine maintenance- general electrical systems oversight- varnishing: oh my god, so much varnishing- daily boat checks (making sure the ship is not sinking)- managing a crew of volunteers who will help in all of the aboveThe immediate goal is to return the vessel to its original condition after a few years of neglect. The long-term goal is to be sailing with passengers to port far and wide. Well, the East Coast of the US to start, though the actual vessel has actually done a voyage to Africa and the Caribbean. Show less