My life has changed so much from here to there and that and this that I almost have whiplash!

I've gone from valedictorian of my high school class to college student extraordinaire who followed all the rules to summer temporary to English teacher and volleyball coach to master virtual assistant to Chief Operating Officer to founder of a writing company to writer to _____.

The blank isn't because I've stopped, but because I'm not at the next point in my journey yet.

It's the journey, not the destination.

So how did my journey get me to this place? As someone who loves words and adores studying how they're put together, writing and reading have always been of paramount importance to me. That's probably what drove me away from law school to focus on English. I was one of those rare people who actually enjoyed writing papers for my English classes.

Jump ahead 9 years, and I've started Virtual Angel, my virtual assistance practice. Among the many things I did to keep my clients' businesses running and successful, I also wrote and edited everything from newsletters to proposals to marketing copy. Once again, words were key to my life. (Check out the list of services I provide to see what I'm doing every day.)

I also had the opportunity to see writing in the flesh, so to speak, from my clients, clients of my clients, other VAs, and on about a million websites on the web. The quality of writing differed wildly, and I knew I could help. Dawn to the rescue!

As founder of Write Well U, I've created several writing programs to help people use words well and become stronger writers. Write Well U's programs help people write. And that's big. Some people need to write well to succeed in their careers. Others have words inside of them begging to come out. That's where they're stuck: needing to write well or not writing at all. And that's where I come in: creating a safe place for writers at all levels to grow, develop, and take risks with their writing.

After two years' hiatus from my virtual assistance practice, I came back. As much as I've loved creating and launching Write Well U, I missed working with clients and impacting their lives and businesses in a big way. I've found that my biggest gift, and my greatest joy, is in connection. No matter whether I'm having a great day or a not-so-great one, connecting with people always ratchets it up several notches.

To find out more about who I really am on a daily basis - through words - check out my blog at Write Well Me. (Get it? Write Well Me - Write Well U?)

Write Well Me incorporates those many facets of who I am - a writer, a reader, a joker, the ultimate dork, a computer geek, a girlie girl, a glamour puss, an Anglophile, a dragonphile, and a bibliophile (and maybe a few other philes thrown in for good measure). It helps me process my world - and underscores for me how important words are in my life.

Other Blah Blah Blah You Might Want to Know About Me

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. I also have certification in secondary education in English and business. I was awarded membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, and Golden Key National Honor Society.

Associations

I've been a member of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce since 2001, and I've served as vice-chair for the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) Committee for 2004 and 2005. Our committee developed the popular Business Solutions Roundtable, a forum where business owners share expertise by discussing business concerns, challenges, and issues.I served on the Board of Directors from 2006-2008. In 2011, I co-founded a women-in-business support group called Women Balancing Life in Business, which saw immediate success upon its launch and continues strong to this day.