Hillary Isaacs Johnson

flyingdogstudios.org

708. 769. 4557

WHY ME?

Hillary Isaacs Johnson is a global thinker descended from a long line of rabble rousing, can-do types. Samuel Gompers was her great uncle. Her grandmother Paquerette wore pants, fished better than the men and piloted her Rolls Royce herself, un-chaperoned. (shocking!) Hillary has nearly a decade of experience in advertising, marketing and media from all sides of the table. Whatever the project, she is dedicated to presenting creative solutions, doing whatever it takes, and cultivating the energy and relationships to get the job done. While she is dedicated to making a positive impact on the bottom line she also knows that there is more to life than just the dollars. She is involved in addressing environmental concerns as well as censorship issues in China through cooperative efforts with PEN and Amnesty International.

QUALIFICATIONS

Proven experience writing, editing, and developing creative advertising and marketing strategies for a variety of clients and projects. She is also known for her top flight edits of complex technical material in translation from numerous languages; delivering final copy that is precise with regard to meaning while reading as smoothly as if written by a native English speaker with excellent writing abilities. Projects, clients, and campaigns include: Marriage Visa Help.com (SEO writing), Organic Express, (new venture business plan)Health eTechnologies, Health eTouch (new product launch), Apts.com (web content, long form), Seed Personal Finance (web content, short & long form), Sitar Capital Group, SitBaby, Multimedia Product Development, The Golden Gloves (headlines, short form), VTSDA (web site content, advertising copy writing, collateral, headlines), The Pine Ridge Reservation Eco-Group. Hillary has developed successful conceptual schema, fresh copy and images for the web, financial institutions, advertising, marketing, association and corporate communications industries. This writer/problem solver is a team player with an exceptional, broad-spectrum background, dedicated to doing her best at all times and cultivating productivity harmoniously. Can squirt ideas out of her ears like there’s no tomorrow, loves to work hard, can strategize for the long run while effectively dealing with the tasks at hand. Can juggle a mouse and an elephant at the same time and not lose patience or focus.

Plus, a dash of diplomacy – she worked at the United Nations, and for AP, AFP, NY Daily News, The Boston Globe, Star Newspapers, The Chicago Reader and more.

EDUCATION

2006MFA Writing, Columbia College Chicago

1987BA Philosophy/Photography SUNY College at Purchase

EMPLOYMENT

2001-present Writer/Editor, Freelance

Provide complete writing, editing, concepting and strategy services for advertising, corporate and media clients. Writing products include translation editing for materials originally written in languages other than English, SEO writing, interactive media content, banner ad copy, advertising copy, feature articles, reviews, business plans, capital investment strategies, marketing and development materials, articles for association magazines, and coordinated collateral materials. Clients include: Technology developers, capital investment/financial institutions, advertising agencies, corporate communications enterprises, editorial magazine, non-fiction authors, and web businesses.

2006-present Translation Editor, Rightview Quarterly/ RightviewOnline.org

As translation editor of Rightview Quarterly and RightviewOnline.org, I review and line edit all text for the magazine and website and work directly with authors to develop their writing styles. Also proofer for the final layouts and page designs for design consistency and flaws. Worked with teams of translators to ensure that the translations from Chinese into English are authentic; and with Senior Editor to develop funding sources and sound fiscal strategies for upcoming projects and new communications outlets.

2002-present Writing Instructor, Columbia College Chicago

Teach writing to adults and young people utilizing the Story Workshop Method that emphasizes creative seeing in the mind, creative problem solving, and leaving full authority for development of story with the author by guiding students to learn by doing and to recognize strong elements in their writing as it develops.

Publication History, Awards, Conferences

The Ghost Machine, “The Bag That She Carries.”  Personal Essay, Spring 2008

Prolonged Insult, “The Net of Their Recollections.”  Fiction, November 2007

The CSPA - First Place Certificate, Essays for Magazines “Unspeakable Things”2004

Hairtrigger 25, “Unspeakable Things.”  Magazine Essay - creative non-fiction, May 2003

The Thing About Hope Is...An Anthology of Fiction, “Not Even Girl.”  Novel excerpt from, The Innocents of War, novel in progress, September 2003WBEZ -Chicago Public Radio, "848":  Essay, “Small Ideas for the Big City: The Problem of Rape in Chicago”Columbia Chronicle, “All These Things” short story. Spring 2002 WBEZ -Chicago Public Radio, "848": Personal essay, “Here’s What I Know.”Columbia Chronicle: Editorial, “After September 11th: A Few Important Things.”Star Newspapers- First Look:  "Going to the Dogs," a South Suburban guide on where to go and what to do with your canine pals covering 37 distribution zones, from Blue Island to Joliet to Monee.WBEZ -Chicago Public Radio, "848": Personal essay, “Viva La Raza.”Writers in Paradise-2006. Scholarship. Studied with Sterling Watson and Dennis Lehane

Solstice Summer Writers Conference - 2005. Scholarship. Studied with Sterling Watson and Dennis Lehane

Personal Obsessions

Learning to speak Mandarin, horseback riding, my dogs, seeing dark chocolate placed in a new food pyramid as its own food group. (Good for the heart and mind!)

References and portfolio available upon request.