LISA USHER
 

301.806.9272 | [email protected]
Silver Spring, MD

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

  • Innovative, resourceful Senior Information Technology leader with over 15 years of experience in all aspects of web content management to include development/design and architecture, analytics, user experience, and daily upkeep and production
  • Readily masters new technologies
  • Consummate team player who loves to collaborate and be engaged with proactive initiative
  • Results oriented individual with proven track record of delivering multiple projects on time with high quality while exceeding expected SLA’s
  • Provider of site maintenance for hundreds of websites simultaneously, through direct hand-coded HTML/CSS via FTP, as well as proprietary content management systems
  • Proven ability to lead, mentor and motivate a diverse team
     

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Cross Team Collaboration • Communication/Team Building • Staff Development
• Metrics/Report Development • Client Relationships • Streamlining/Efficiency

• Managing Multiple Projects

• Analytical/Problem Solver

• Project Management


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Freelance Digital/Web Manager and Professional Photographer
May 2013 - Present

Current Contract:  Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland - December 2015 - July 2017

Web Content Strategy Manager in the Communications Office.
Collaborate with designers and the IT team to plan and execute all phases of the College’s redesigned website, www.montgomerycollege.edu. Create, develop, and manage digital content and a content strategy. QA new code across multiple platforms for consistency and functionality ensuring correct grammar and style. Advise on information architecture and user experience. Conduct content inventory and audits. Implement a plan for content governance. Work with stakeholders to make sure site content is accurate, relevant, user-friendly, and adherent to content strategy. Contribute photography to and update the WordPress sites for mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/atmc/ and mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/insights/. Supervise editors.

Freelance web projects range from financial consultants, career coaches, environmental landscape designers to actors, a community college and non-profits. Professional photography and retouching services for individuals and businesses including portraits, headshots, real estate, art pieces, hotels, weddings, and corporate/private events via www.lisausherphotography.com.

Simplexity (formerly Inphonic, Inc.), Largo, Maryland & Reston, Virginia
February 2005 - May 2013

Simplexity was the Internet's leading authorized seller of cell phones and wireless services with over 700 clients. It operated proprietary eCommerce platforms, providing affiliates and marketing partners with integrated solutions for cell phone and wireless product merchandising, activation, logistics and fulfillment. Company revenue generated was approximately $400 million dollars and had an employee base of nearly 1000. Key partners included RadioShack, Dell, Target, Walmart, Sears, Best Buy, TigerDirect, Amway, and Simplexity’s own branded site Wirefly.com. 

Senior Manager and Manager of Digital/Web Content Services
February 2005 - May 2013

  • Provided leadership for the content development staff to include hiring and set-up of new employees, personnel evaluations and bonus recommendations.
  • Accurately scheduled, published, filed, and archived assets on appropriate project servers.
  • Provided support for miscellaneous production needs, and provided feedback and solutions to the Creative Department during the conceptual phases of a project.
  • Worked with the SEO team to increase traffic to our websites using A/B testing, reporting and Google Analytics.
  • Led the team into using new technologies, concepts, and features while hand coding along side them managing the websites using an in-house CMS system.
  • Raised SLA’s for job completion and accuracy 98% when metrics were put in place. Metrics were taken on over 4,000 jobs per year.
  • Edited content for the website ensuring correct grammar, style, and consistency.
  • Managed the calendar for all key marketing and ad campaigns to be released on our site within our department.
  • Decreased costs by working with the development team to create and use several new scripts and in-house tools to generate code, automate file pushes, and timestamp marketing pieces which enabled us to deliver more content in a shorter time with great accuracy. We saw a 38% increase in the number of jobs going out with an extremely high degree of accuracy.
  • Increased productivity by coaching and teaching new hires, developing training materials for processes and standards, and having regular one-on-one meetings with directs throughout their entire tenure.
  • Helped retain employees by keeping them challenged, letting them grow and eventually promoting team members within the company.


Configuration Engineer, Inphonic, Inc., Largo, Maryland
September 2003 - February 2005

Utilized an in-house CMS to update all marketing for partner websites on an eCommerce platform. Worked with sales, marketing, project managers and other business units to review, UAT, and deploy the requests generated by respective business teams. Coordinated and deployed all file pushes to include our marketing content and those of the IT Team. Oversaw and deployed file packages containing between 5-500 files on a daily basis.

  • Coordinated and drove to completion all phases of content development including HTML development, CSS modifications, unit testing, and deployment to various environments (Development, Stage, Prod). Contributed to the documentation and life cycle management of changes.
  • Employed standards and best practices for CM and related processes including automating and documenting software builds and educating others in CM processes.
  • Acted as a liaison between the development and operations teams to communicate changes and expected issues in the production environment.
  • Worked with management staff to produce CM strategies and plans for upcoming enhancements and/or roll-outs.
  • Created and tracked all deployment tickets through the release cycle. Maintained multiple projects with parallel development and releases.


Senior Web Publisher, Phillips Investment Resources, LLC, Rockville, Maryland
January 2000 - June 2003

InvestorPlace.com is a leading investing and financial news site, providing millions of individual investors with access to investing information from numerous advisors in both print and web formats.  Was responsible for the maintenance of up to twenty websites for content via HTML coding, graphic design, marketing and promotional materials.  This included posting monthly newsletters, weekly hotlines, flash bulletins and alerts as they occurred, briefings, reports, photo’s, events and portfolio updates.  Created include files and arrays.  Also responsible for troubleshooting problems with the programmers and designers. This position was very detail oriented and deadline driven. Worked closely with editors and marketers on a daily basis. 

  • Utilized an in-house CMS to convert and hand-code print newsletters to web/HTML.
  • Compiled a weekly E-letter which was broadcast to 800K recipients. This entailed formatting articles and sponsorships, creating several versions of thE HTML and text E-letters, inserting key codes, articles, sponsorships and images; updating sidebar links with new article information along with another page of historical articles.
  • Documented all duties along with creating weekly and monthly back up CD’s for all sites.


Web Designer/Publications Coordinator, Wiley, Rein & Fielding Law Firm, DC
January1999 - January2000

Responsible for the daily upkeep and development of company web site along with design and production of client newsletters.  Also responsible for the layout of article reprints, design of advertisements, announcements, seminar brochures, invitations and practice area materials and brochures.


Assistant Project Coordinator/Graphic Designer, IBM, Bethesda, Maryland
January 1994 - January 1999

Worked with the Project Coordinator to track all incoming job requests to assure timely and accurate job flow. Assisted in developing administrative systems and procedures. Created graphic presentations, brochures, proposals, sales and marketing materials, newsletters and web art. Employed FrontPage, Microsoft Office and SmartSuite products as well as Designer, Corel Draw, Fractal Painter, Arts & Letters, SGML, Bookmaster, and OmniPage Professional. Proofread outgoing jobs for accuracy. Was instrumental in upgrading the Graphics Department software and operating system.


Other Experience
Assistant Project Coordinator/Graphic Designer, IBM, | Travel Consultant, Chevy Chase Travel/Ambassador Chevy Chase Travel/Travel On | Freelance Graphic Designer, Creative Wave International | Graphics Designer/Desktop Publisher, IBM | Publications Coordinator, ImageMatrix


TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
Systems: 
Windows 98 – Windows 7, Server 2000-2008 OS, Mac
Languages/Development: HTML, CSS, PHP, Visual SourceSafe, VisualStudio, EditPlus, XML, ASPX and XSLT, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, HotMetalPro, HomeSite, UltraEdit
CMS:  In-house CMS, BrickFTP, Ektron, Omni Update    
Databases: 
T-SQL / SQL Server 6.5 – 2008, MS Access
Applications:  Adobe (Photoshop, Lightroom, Dreamweaver & Acrobat), Microsoft Office Suites, WordPress, Google Analytics

   
EDUCATION
Rocky Mountain School of Photography, Missoula, Montana - 2013
Summer Intensive & Pro Studies concentrations - Architecture, Stock, Adventure & Lifestyle.
Management Training, Phillips Investment Resources, LLC
BGS, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland