I am a Communications Manager at the Decision Theater at Arizona State University, and a freelance business & technology writer.

Why HoiPolloi? When I started blogging in May 2004, the tectonic plates were shifting. Top-down corporate communications was losing ground to the hoi polloi –Greek for that derisive term the masses. Today we give them more respectable titles –smart mobs, tribes, citizen journalists. They tell better stories, have deeper connections, speak up and talk back.

Here at the HoiPolloiReport, I keep tabs on what goes on in this brave new world. Particularly in three areas I am passionate about: Marketing, PR and Media. I also manage the corporate blog for the Decision Theater at Lightbulb Moments.

Experience:

Grew up in the agency world of creative and strategic marketing first at J. Walter Thompson (Copywriter) and then for Ogilvy & Mather (Creative Director, Director). Also worked at Office Max, Marlyn Nutraceuticals, Pentawave, Green Tree Financial, Textron, Imperial Capital Bank, and interactive marketing agency, iCrossing.

Professional Hangout:

• International Association of Business Communicators, (IABC)
• Business Marketing Association, BMA
• Frequently seen at: Social Media Today, IABC Commons, Flickr, LinkedIn, Skype, Del.icio.us
• Occasionally seen at: MyRagan, Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter
• Inevitably drawn to: Borders Books & Music, Einstein Bagels

Education:

• English honours at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
• Masters degree in Communications at the University of Leicester, U.K.
• Broadcast training at BBC, London
• Postgrad research at the University of Texas at Austin

Present Assignments:

• International: Tech-communications column for Communication World magazine
• National: Technology/Marketing writer for Franchise Times magazine
• Overseas: Contributing Editor to LMD magazine, the leading business publication in Sri Lanka.
• Arizona: Contributor to ValleyPRBlog.com
• Work: Decision Theater
• Work: Director of Ecovangelism, GreenNurture
• Work: Social Media Connector, Inspired Connections

Speaking Engagements:

• Workshop: Video Conference for the State Dept. for the US embassy in Sri Lanka
• Workshop: Conducted a workshop for IABC Phoenix on Social Media
• Workshop: Conducted workshop for Scottsdale Job Network, for those laid off

Past Assignments:

• Contributor to Create Magazine
• Edited a book on branding for Superbrands
• Freelance writer for bizAZ magazine

FYI/Random Facts:

• Profiled on SocialMediaToday
• Won a Maggie award for my technology column 
• Ranked Here
• Received Presidential scholarship for studies in the United Kingdom
• Interviewed A variety of people, from Sir. Richard Attenborough to Dan Gillmor to Alice Cooper

Filed under “other”

• Chief Marketing Officer for Li’l Sprouts Montessori
• Volunteer: Children’s Heart project
• Actively involved in IABC/Phoenix
• Member: Society for Professional Journalists
• Board Committee: Business Marketing Association, Phoenix

Topic Interests

Branding, Integrated Marketing Communications, Journalism (and Citizen Journalism,) PR, Social Media, Technology in Education, Networking, Search, Geospatial Visualization, Interactive Advertising, Mobile Communications, Podcasting, Diplomacy, Folksonomy, Virtual Worlds, Wikis.