Bennett Charles

Curriculum Vitæ

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Bennett Charles
San Mateo, CA
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Summary

Technical writer and editor for a diverse range of audiences, including developers, users, and customers. Versatile content creator and collaborator with product, design, UX, marketing, sales, engineering.

Authoring and publishing: Markdown, reStructuredText, Sphinx, Jekyll, Hugo, Github Pages, MS Word, MS Sharepoint, Confluence, Quip, WordPress
Technical tools: Github, Postman, Stoplight, OpenAPI, Swagger, JIRA, Pivotal Tracker, PowerPoint, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Salesforce CRM
Programming: Can read Python and JavaScript, SQL
Operating systems: Mac OS, Apple iOS, Windows 10, Android
Online courses: Coding for Writers, Basic Programming (Udemy); Learn API Technical Writing, JSON and XML for Writers (Udemy)

History

Technical Writer (Open Source volunteer), SaltStack September 2022 - current

  • Contributed to reference docs and developed text and docstring-based documentation templates for Python modules for SaltStack, a remote execution and configuration automation product for cloud infrastructure and DevOps

Technical Writer, Kick Designs August 2021 - August 2022, San Francisco, CA

  • Edited and wrote reference and implementation documentation for security and database clients in a docs-as-code environment using Github and various publishing platforms

Technical Writer and Communications Consultant October 2019 - July 2021, San Mateo, CA

  • Projects included developer reference and API documentation (REST and GraphQL) for AI/ML startup and content for martech startup

Communications, Office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian February 2018 - July 2019, San Jose, CA

  • Directed digital content design and outreach events strategy; managed web development and migration for district of 400,000 constituents encompassing Silicon Valley
  • Wrote opinion by-lines, press releases, newsletters; curated and edited web content

Tech Communications and Operations Consultant August 2010 - July 2017
Highlights:

Handle (mobile+web email/to-do app)

  • Content for support, community and product, including knowledge base
  • Conducted UX lab studies, journey mapping, surveys, customer development interviews
  • Launched mobile app to 100,000 users; drove input to roadmap as voice of customer

Buyer’s Best Friend (web b2b food marketplace)

  • Hired, managed, trained data and onboarding team of 10; Managed Tier 1 and 2 support
  • Grew seller catalog 5X “selling” freemium listings; oversaw 9X catalog growth

Salesforce

  • Dreamforce sales meeting planning between sales teams, customers, and Salesforce subject-matter executives/experts with the Executive Briefing Center team

Principal, Trend Effect Communications June 2008 – May 2010, San Francisco, CA

  • Message development, content, marketing communications, strategic planning services for non-profit & for-profit clients

Director of Marketing, Ops Technology Sept 2007 – May 2008, San Francisco, CA

  • Wrote collateral, presentations, email campaigns, and web content; Managed PR agency

Senior Counselor, Full Court Press Communications January 2005 – September 2007, Oakland, CA

  • Strategic/crisis communications, media relations for public policy and non-profit clients, including California Wind Energy Association, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Education

M.P.A., Program in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy New York University

B.A., Psychology University of Rochester