Laura is a highly effective writer/editor/copywriter who can improve any written work in regards to content, grammar, flow and cohesiveness. She has over 10 years of writing experience and has also worked as an Italian-English translator/interpreter. With her background in writing, public speaking, training and sales, she is an expert at making any written work sparkle!
EDUCATION: I-to-I: TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Diploma: June, 2007
Emphasis: English for Business
Occidental College; Los Angeles, CA: Bachelor of Arts, *** Laude: May, 2005
Major: Art History and the Visual Arts Minor: English & Comparative Literary Studies
Glendale College; Glendale, CA; Italian Language: Winter, 2005
Università per Stranieri di Siena; Siena, Italy;
Italian Language: Fall, 2003 CET Academic Travel Abroad; Siena, Italy; Art History: Fall,
2003
HONORS AND AWARDS:
McDowell Hartley Galbraith Scholarship
Constance and Harold Wagner Scholarship
Occidental Trustee Scholarship (4-year recipient)
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:
Language Consultant, Independent Contractor; 09/09-Present
Provide clients with liaison/person-to-person interpretation from Italian to English (and vice versa) for social events, conferences, business meetings, etc.; TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and Italian tutor; translate and edit documents, flyers, and marketing material; write freelance articles.
Italian Interpreter/ Administrative Assistant, The Kirby Company, Sales and Marketing, Cleveland, Ohio; 4/08-09/09
Responsible for ordering, maintaining inventory, and regularly shipping out promotional awards (plaques, pins, jewelry, etc.) to approx. 1,000 direct-sales distributors worldwide; serve as interpreter/translator and liaison between 40 Italian distributors and all other departments at Headquarters; highly involved in the preparation and execution of three 4-day international training conferences (over 100 attendees at each); regularly assist meeting/travel planner; cover multiple-line phone for executive secretary; help prepare three international recognition posters every quarter; edit and proof articles for Company magazine and newsletters; perform various administrative duties.
Editorial Assistant/ Writer, Dream of Italy, Washington, D.C. (via the Internet); 4/07-6/08
Researched and wrote about current issues and topics related to travel in Italy for the subscription newsletter Dream of Italy. Topics included current events, tourism, cuisine, and new exhibitions.
English (TEFL) Tutor, Siena, Italy; 08/06-10/06
Taught one-hour personal English lessons to 2 Italian businessmen who wanted to strengthen professional relationships with international colleagues; tutored/babysat 2 Italian-American children whose parents wanted them to be bilingual.
Staff Writer, Occidental Weekly, Los Angeles, CA; 9/02- 5/03
Submitted 7 published reviews for the Arts and Entertainment section of our college newspaper in order to increase artistic and cultural awareness in the community.
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
Staff writer for La Gazzetta Italiana, a Cleveland-based Italian-American newspaper; 02/08-01/09
Italian Language division of Meetup.com (served as organizer of chapter in Pasadena, CA; member of chapters in Washington, D.C. and Cleveland, OH); 2004-2008
Member of International Club D.C.; 05/06-09/07
President and Founder of Cultura Italiana at Occidental College; 2004-2005
Designed, assembled, and modeled outfits for Everything But Clothing Fashion Show; 2004
Acted in six main-stage plays and three student films; 1998- 2005
LANGUAGES: Italian: advanced/fluent; Spanish: familiar; German: beginner.