Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel
12910 SE 258th Street
Kent, WA 98030
(253) 335-1813 cell
gwendolyn@gwendolynkestrel.com
Freelance Manager
Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA
January 2006 – July 2007
Develop and mentor a staff of over 50 freelance designers
Manage freelance projects through design, development, and editing
phases
Initial
screening and design tests
Contract
negotiations
Project
outlines, milestones
Art
orders
Catalog
copy
Feedback
and revisions
Facilitate communication between freelancers and in-house designers,
developers, editors, and art directors
Create and maintain reference documents and design guides for
editing and design
Serve on multi-departmental Beginner Games Council
Evaluate
playtest materials and prototypes for beginner players
Participate
in playtesting, focus groups, and assessing customer feedback
Game Designer
Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA
June 2004 – January 2006
Write roleplaying game books
Participate in product concepting and playtesting
Serve on multi-departmental Beginner Games Council
Create and maintain reference documents for editing and design
Editor/Managing Editor
Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA
September 1999 – June 2004
Provide guidance for in-house and freelance editors
Edit roleplaying and adventure games
Develop and design roleplaying and adventure games
Serve on multi-departmental Beginner Games Council
Design and teach classes as a Subject Matter Expert
Events Manager
Wizards of the Coast, Renton, WA
May 1998 – September 1999
Manage
the Events Team
Design major gaming events and tournaments
Create and implement policies and procedures pertaining to all
aspects of events and volunteers
Train volunteers
Write, proofread, and edit all events-related text in the convention
publications
P & L analysis of all major convention events
Human Resources Executive Assistant
Doskocil Mfg. Co., Inc., Arlington, TX
October 1997 – May 1998
Assist the Vice President of Human Resources
Edit, write features, and layout The Paw Print company newsletter
Write and edit correspondence
Revise company handbook
Design internal forms
Create and manage database for Value Improvement Program
Research special projects
Executive Assistant
Wargames West, Albuquerque, NM
March 1997 – August 1997
Assist the Manager of Sales
Design and implement research projects on specific topics
Proofread catalog, brochures, mailings, and email promotions
Write weekly departmental updates
Schedule and oversee distribution sales team meetings
Outreach and Promotions Specialist
Mayfair Games, Niles, IL
July 1996 – December 1996
Schedule appearances at conventions
Coordinate attended and non-attended conventions
Form, train, and coordinate international demo team
Develop and playtest games
Arrange for in-store and convention demonstrations
Set-up promotions and advertising with conventions
Proofread and edit correspondence, advertisements, and documents for publication
Teacher, English Department
Visitation Academy, St. Louis, MO
September 1995 – June 1996
Create lesson plans, lecture, facilitate small group discussions
Coordinate Visitation's judicial section of the YMCA program: Youth in Government
Organize field trips and extra-curricular activities
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Wright State University, Dayton, OH
September 1993 – June 1995
Teach College Composition sections including creating lesson plans, lecturing, facilitating small group discussions, and grading
Writing Center Consultant
Wright State University, Dayton, OH
September 1993 – June 1995
Present workshops on grammar, punctuation, and formats including MLA and APA
Answer grammatical questions for a national grammar hotline
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Graduate Coursework in Games and Education
2001-2006
University Phoenix
Tukwila, WA
M.B.A.
2001
Wright State University
Dayton, OH
M.A. in English
1996
Wright State University
Dayton, OH
B.A. in English
University Honors, Summa Cum Laude
1993
Microsoft Products: Office, Expressions, Project, SharePoint
FileMaker Pro
Web Design
References available upon request.