I was awarded the UCLA Extension Writer’s Certificate in Fiction (2011) shown introducing this website section. I wrote the first draft of my thriller The Don’s Wife taking the 36 units of graduate work to complete the manuscript with outstanding published authors as my instructors, including my current editor. I submitted an excerpt of The Don’s Wife to the Mystery Writer’s of America McCloy Scholarship Contest (2011) and placed third.
My Medical Marketing Awards were earned when I left my education career armed with my new masters degree in communications from the University of La Verne and served at two major Southern California hospitals for over five years.
As Market Communications Manager of San Antonio Regional Hospital, I managed all press relations, press releases, photography and publications of the hospital, much of which I wrote and photographed myself. But, I did have a trusted freelance photographer who assisted me. I also worked closely with a local advertising agency which printed the employee newsletter which I wrote. I wrote and designed Health Scene 12 pages of a 20-page tabloid sized news magazine provided by a national health care publisher which was sent to 120,000 local residents in the Upland and Rancho Cucamonga, California areas.
As Director, Fund Development Communications, Hoag Hospital Foundation, Newport Beach, CA, I managed all press relations, writing, photography for the foundation’s publications. They were quarterly newsletters and one annual newsletter from the volunteer groups of this magnificent medical facility in Orange County. I also had a trusted photographer, but had an in-house newsletter designer, as well.
The Foundation community volunteers comprise the party side of the hospital and, boy, did they know how to party. My first press conference was Nancy Reagan speaking at a Circle 1000 Annual Fundraising Luncheon where she was invited to talk about being a cancer survivor. The following year, Ginny Ueberroth, Peter Ueberroth’s (of 1984 Olympic’s fame) wife was the guest speaker, and the next year, baseball great Dave Dravecky. In one day, the women of this organization raised a quarter million dollars. Not too shabby.
The other volunteer groups, 552 Club, The Sandpipers, The Heart Institute had their publications, as well, from newsletters to party invitations to the 552 Club’s Billfish or Golf Tournament and other events. The events and the publications printed to support these efforts were first class. Community members supported their great medical facility begun by George and Patty Hoag by attending these social fundraising events.
AWARDS
FICTION
UCLA Extension Writer’s Certificate: Fiction 2011 (36 graduate units)
Mystery Writers of America: Third Place Mc Cloy Scholarship 2011
The Don’s Wife, an excerpt
JOURNALISM
La Verne Magazine Feature: Third Place, University of La Verne, Third Place, Communications Department Awards , 1987
MEDICAL MARKETING
Hoag Hospital Foundation, Newport Beach, CA
San Antonio Regional Hospital, Upland, CA
Publication Awards
PROTOS Award (1 of 33 presented of 250 entries) for Hoag Hospital Foundation Commemorative Gifts Program brochure
Orange County Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 1991
Award of Excellence
(1 of 70 presented of 250 entries) for Hoag Hospital Foundation Sandpiper gala invitation package
Orange County PRSA 1991
Medical Marketing Association, First Place 1989
San Antonio Regional Hospital
Publication: “We care for people in the family way”
STUDENTS’ JOURNALISM
21 awards from Columbia University Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, American National Press Association, Chicano News Media Association, Otis–Parsons School of Art.