Katharine A. Foster 405 South Fourth St., #112; San Jose, Ca 95112, (408) 294-6065, (408) 318-1866 kafsoter@yahoo.com, kathy123@netzero.net SUMMARY Technical Writer and translator (French/Spanish into English) with 16 years of computer experience and strong graphics capabilities. Seven years of writing computer manuals and three years daily newspaper journalism. Five years computer illustrating, on-line documentation and some web design. Extensive experience writing in the fields of networking hardware and software, and computer-based diagnostics. Managed multi-author writing project. Familiarity with SONET, optical systems and network design, MPLS, VPNs, CoS, Tag Switching, C and C++ programming, TCP/IP, Frame Relay and ATM. Ten years use of Mac/PC documentation and graphics applications with six years extensive use of FrameMaker. Windows 97 and 98, NT, UNIX, telnet/FTP. Numerous courses on networking, Cisco router and server configuration, networking protocols, addressing. Applications-level software and API documentation. Quick learner with strong organizational skills. Efficient worker with excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, French and Spanish. Some German and Arabic. Innovative and adaptable, with the discipline to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure. Can work independently or lead groups. MA degree. EXPERIENCE Katharine Foster 1/2001 - present Tutor, Writer-contract French language tutoring o reading, writing, conversation, English reading and writing, mathematics, violin teaching and tutoring. Internet instruction. Independent writing projects including writing presentations. Synopsys Inc., Mountain View, CA 8/2000 - 12/2000 Technical Writer-contract Took existing developer-level user guide for chip design software and updated chapters per software engineering specifications. Drew and corrected timing diagrams using Timing Designer program. Updated contents, helped engineers input new data. Created template in FrameMaker for manual. Maintained steady interchange of comments between group members, so multiple questions would get resolved in a round- robin fashion. Maintained version control of multiple chapters being corrected by multiple people. Datum. Inc., San Jose, CA 5/2000 - 8/2000 Sr. Technical Writer-contract Edited and wrote procedures for two hardware manuals and two applications-level software useris manuals, incorporating systems information from specifications. Converted a product description document into an operations manual. Created a template in Microsoft Word and converted four manuals to this template. Created a template in FrameMaker and converted four manuals to this template from Word. Edited copy, incorporated engineering comments, graphics, creating four complete manuals to cover a new product line. Cyras Systems, Fremont, CA 1/2000 - 5/2000 Senior Technical Writer Researched optical networks, SONET and optical network design including hybrid networks. Researched entire SONET/optical network product using a variety of sources including outside background reading such as ITU documents and university engineering websites (MIT) and all internal engineering information available including technical notes, drawings and hardware, software and systems design specifications. With this written information, and engineering input gleaned from interviews, created one original hardware and software document from scratch in three weeks, describing the software and hardware functionality of an optical networking switch. As an emergency addition, created manual format in FrameMaker from scratch including coding. StarVox, San Jose, CA 11/1999 - 1/2000 Technical Writer-contract As Project Lead, wrote internal documentation from engineering specifications describing telephonic software product under development. Tailored this document to various departments needs, i.e. Engineering, marketing, outside customers, training. This documentation enabled marketing and customer service departments as well as engineering to get the latest information on the product. Produced hardware illustrations for hardware manual. Updated existing manual set. Provided input on documentation, products and publications procedures in general. Archived documentation. Learned StarVox's archival system and retrieved documentation for various departments as well as used graphics ability to convert graphics saved in unopenable format. Worked in French with representatives of French telecoms industry leader partnering with StarVox. Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA 1/1998 - 6/1999 Senior Technical Writer-contract and permanent As Project Lead, coordinated material of ten writers to create a cross-platform manual, resulting in improved viability of a whole product line. Working closely with software engineering, wrote a software manual based on existing materials for a similar product, resulting in an improved manual ahead of schedule. Fine attention to ongoing changes in software commands and screens. Some command testing. Wrote, corrected numerous documents on hardware and software products, interfacing closely with engineering, marketing and customer service technicians to get details. Assembled server hardware, tested software products. Helped develop documentation plans, wrote original text, drew complex illustrations of equipment and network/ sw architecture. Worked with Technical Publications management, Technical Illustration and Technical Editors to refine and organize finished documents. Updated multiple hardware and software user manuals using existing input from, engineering specifications and product use. Digital Instruments, Santa Barbara 10/1997 - 12/1997 Technical Writer Originated operations manual for Scanning Probe Microscope used in Semiconductor field. Researched equipment, interviewed engineers, created new manual, assisted with technical illustration. Software.com, Santa Barbara, CA 8/1997 - 10/1997 Technical Writer Working with software engineering, publications and marketing, wrote software manual from scratch for a RADIUS software product. Researched radius and wrote base manual from Merit specifications. Group effort resulted in manual ready for prime Asian Telecoms customer. Interfaced with course trainers, engineers, marketing personnel, and technical writers. Cisco Systems, Santa Barbara, CA 5/1996 - 8/1997 Technical Writer Wrote hardware and software manuals for various products. Converted several large manuals from French Telecoms industry to Stratacom standards. Single-handedly pushed major manuals to the web. Provided 250 technical illustrations while writing documentation. Maintained long-distance working relationship between Santa Barbara and San Jose Cisco locations. Vetronix Corp., Santa Barbara, CA 1/1996 - 5/1996 Technical Writer-contract Wrote hardware and software manual for Automobile diagnostics product and provided all illustrations for the manual. Advanced Computer Communications, Santa Barbara, CA 8/1995 - 12/1995 Technical Writer Updated and wrote various hardware and software manuals for routers, provided illustrations, and helped coworkers with graphics portion of FrameMaker. Katharine Foster Illustration, Santa Barbara, CA 1/1990 - 8/1995 Owner Provided technical illustrations for clients like SAIC, of varying complexity, including site maps and color art. Extensive use of Adobe Illustrator, Photo Shop and PageMaker, including iWOWi techniques. S. Coast Community Newspapers/County News Service, Santa Barbara, CA 9/1987 - 6/1989 Government and Arts Reporter Researched and wrote numerous articles on technical topics and some arts topics. Attended board meetings, interviewed sources, wrote on tight deadlines, delivered multiple articles on a daily basis, edited copy. University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 9/1986 - 6/1987 Teaching Assistant Taught class of 30 college students beginning French grammar and pronunciation. Lesson planning, exam writing, grading, grade calculation, student counselling, language lab assistance. EDUCATION University of California, Santa Barbara Master's Degree, French Literature, 9/1985 - 6/1987 Bachelor's Degree, French Literature 9/1981 - 6/1985 HONORS AND ASSOCIATIONS Graduated Summa Cum Laude Phi Beta Kappa Distinction in the Major for Senior Thesis Dean's Honor List Full UC Regents Scholarship Full UC REGENTS Fellowship and Teaching Assistantship PERSONAL Born in Spain. One child. Three Cats. Lots of plants. Play the violin and piano. Like the beach and mountains, French Literature. Foreign Languages. Going out to dinner and coffee!