P&P SIG member Kelly Smith was one of two candidates elected to the STC’s nominating committee in the STC’s 2024 election cycle. She and Joanna Donovan join Rachel Houghton and Zohra Mutabanna on the committee and will each serve two-year terms.
The mission of the nominating committee, according to the STC website is to “Ensure the STC annual election is conducted in a secure and ethical manner, on schedule, and with appropriate candidates.”
In light of the honor and to give you a chance to get to know her, the SIG reached out to Ms. Smith. Here, you can read our Q&A with her.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I began my professional career as a programmer analyst in 1997. I transitioned into technical writing as soon as I could because I was good at it and preferred it to programming. I currently work for Dart Container Corporation as Senior Technical Writer on the Business Continuity team within the IT Department. My team helps the company prepare for how it would continue operations in the face of any kind of disaster and how it would recover from the damage. Our focus is on data, software, and business processes.
I have a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Technical Communication Management as well as several certifications in editing, business continuity, and risk management. I’m the author of two books (one on quilting and one on composting) and numerous magazine articles on quilting, including several from my stint as Senior Editor of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. I’m originally from Canada but have lived in the US (mostly in Michigan) since 1997.
I love to travel and I love live music. This year, I’ll be attending ten concerts including U2 at the Sphere in Vegas and several shows in Michigan.
What has your STC journey been like?
I’ve been a member of STC since 2015, and I serve as social media and membership manager for the Michigan Great Lakes chapter and am a member of the STC Nominating Committee. In addition to this, I served as newsletter editor for the IDL SIG and have written articles for Intercom magazine. I joined STC because I wanted a community of colleagues who I could learn from and network with. My first Summit was in 2015 in Columbus, Ohio and I’ve attended every one since. It’s a wonderful community and nothing feels better than being surrounded by people who understand what you do for a living!
Tell us about the work the Nominating Committee does and why you wanted to be a member?
The Nominating Committee is responsible for the selection of qualified candidates for Society office and for the conduct of the annual election. It also establishes campaigning guidelines. The committee seeks qualified individuals and obtains their consent to be considered as potential candidates. The Society membership elects committee members from the list of candidates identified.
In 2022, I was asked to run for the board of directors but did not feel I had enough time to devote to that. In 2023 I was asked to run for the nominating committee and since that was a less intense role, I said yes. I was subsequently elected. I’m happy to take part in STC’s governing. I have learned a lot from the Society over the years and want to give back through volunteering. Helping to select candidates for the next set of directors is a big responsibility, but I hope our work will help to continue to steer STC in the right direction.
What advice do you have for anyone interested in serving on STC committees or volunteering for the STC in general?
We always need volunteers! Every chapter Special Interest Group (SIG) and Community of Interest (COI) needs volunteers to help it run. If you are just starting out and want to make friends and network within STC, volunteering is a great way to meet a lot of people and work with them on building our Society. It can help you build your resume as you perform the duties of a volunteer such as writing newsletters and articles, maintaining websites, giving presentations, etc. If you are a more experienced member, your knowledge and expertise is vital to maintaining and growing our communities. If you’re interested in running for the nominating committee or a seat on the board, don’t be shy! Step up and volunteer. You will be welcomed!