Contact
- email: larry at ellessmedia dot com
- +1 206-428-7623 (voice mail)
Overview
Versatile, well-rounded digital-content professional looking to apply my UX, strategy, and leadership skills in a collaborative role as a consultant or an individual contributor on an impactful team.
Expertise
- content strategy
- information architecture
- content modeling
- metadata strategy
- service design
- system design
- content design
- UX writing
- content-profession SME
Experience
Urbina Consulting
Omnichannel Service Designer (freelance), May 2023-present
Customer journey mapping, content modeling, metadata strategy, information architecture, content strategy, and content-service design for enterprise clients.
Expedia Group
Senior Content Architect (contract), March 2022-February 2023
Enterprise content ecosystem mapping and enterprise-scale content modeling entailing extensive and intensive stakeholder alignment across multiple UX, content, product, and engineering teams; product-content CMS discovery and design; content design, UX writing, and information architecture for enterprise workflow-optimization platform
Content Designer (contract), August 2021-February 2022
Information architecture, system design, and communication and governance strategy for design-system and content-design teams
Elless Media
Principal, 1998-present
Content strategy, digital publishing, and web marketing
workz.com
Jack-of-All-Trades, April 1998-December 2000
Senior manager for startup that educated SMBs on ecommerce, web design and development, and online marketing (SEO, email, etc.)
Big Tent Media Labs
Senior Producer, August 1996-August 1997
New-media producer for dot-com publishing, web development, and marketing startup.
College Textbook Publishing
Editor and Marketing Manager, January 1986-August 1996
Acquired, edited, and marketed textbooks for lists with annual sales of up to $20 million. Managed editorial and multimedia project budgets of up to $400,000. Strong technical focus: database and DAM committees, website design and content, peer computer and web training, early email advocate, etc.
Community and Pro Bono
Community Events Organizer and Promoter, 1998-present
Professional and volunteer community event organizing
Media Appearances
- Content Modelling in the Age of Headless CMS and AI podcast interview guest
OmnichannelX, September 8, 2023 - From Garbage to Gold: Navigating the World of Generative AI with Knowledge Graphs and LLMs interview guest
MarketMuse, August 24, 2923 - Composable Content Experiences: GUI Challenges interview guest
Headless Creator, July 21, 2023 - Consumptive or Generative AI? Artificial Intelligence in Content Experiences interview guest
Plate CMS podcast, June 19, 2023 - Content Fragmentation podcast interview guest
The Content Strategy Experts Podcast, February 20, 2023 - Migrating from a Legacy CMS to a Headless CMS interview guest
Headless Creator, August 27, 2021 - A Step by Step Guide to Content Strategy in 2021 podcast interview guest
Writers in Tech, February 5, 2021 - Turning Conversations into Meaningful Content interview guest
Customer Success by Design, August 18, 2020
Academic Guest Lectures and Panels
- Introduction To Information Architecture guest lecture
University of Washington iSchool, November 30, 2022 - Content Strategy for Web Developers and Marketers lecture
Bow Valley College web design program, February 1, 2021 - A Conceptual Model of Content Strategy lecture
UW Storytelling & Content Strategy program, October 7, 2020 - A Day in the Life of a Content Strategist/Content Designer panelist
FH Joanneum Content Strategy program, May 21, 2020
Public Speaking
- Bridging LLMs and Knowledge Graphs for Reliable Knowledge Sharing talk
Convoclub, August 28, 2023 - Right-Sizing Modular Content Architectures talk
Decoupled Days, August 17, 2023 - Is Composable Just Another Fad? panel moderator
Decoupled Days, August 16, 2023 - The Impact of AI on Content Professions panel curator and moderator
Utterly Content, February 27, 2023 - Change and Content Practice talk
TCUK conference, September 27, 2022 - Panel Discussion moderator
Decoupled Days, August 17-18, 2022 - Content Modeling and IA talk
World IA Day Phoenix, March 5, 2022 - Modeling and Managing Product Content talk
Button, October 22, 2021 - Content Modeling: An Overview talk
Auckland NZ Content Strategy Meetup, May 20, 2021 - UX & Information Architecture: Two Concepts, Three Views talk
World Information Architecture Day Phoenix, February 26, 2021 - Content Modeling for UX Practitioners talk
UX Writer Conference, February 10, 2021 - Content Modeling in WordPress talk
WordFest, January 21, 2021 - Modeling Content Strategy talk
LavaCon, October 23, 2020 - Modelling Content Strategy keynote
Utterly Content, October 19, 2020 - The Three Flavors of Content Strategy lightning talk
UX Writer Conference, June 9, 2020 - Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives in UX Strategy panel host
ConveyUX, March 5, 2020 - Content Strategy for Startups roundtable
Cambia Grove, Jan. 22, 2020 - Content Strategy for Startups presentation
Seattle Interactive Conference, October 18, 2019 - Introduction to Content Design Lunch + Learn
Impact Hub Seattle, August 7, 2019 - Content Strategy Lunch + Learn
Office Nomads, June 11, 2019 - Content Marketing Panel moderator
Content Strategy Seattle meetup, April 4, 2019 - Keeping Your Customers and Optimizing User Experience panelist
Lean Startup meetup, April 1, 2019 - Content Design 101 workshop
Seattle Public Library, March 3, 2019 - DIY Content Strategy presentation
WordCamp Seattle, Nov. 10, 2018 - DIY Content Strategy lightning talk
WordCamp Portland, Nov. 3, 2018 - DIY Content Strategy presentation
WordCamp Vancouver, Oct. 13, 2018 - How Events Can Build Community around Your Brand Story presentation
Seattle Startup Week, Oct. 9, 2018 - DIY Content Strategy workshop
WordCamp NYC, Sept. 15, 2018 - DIY Content Strategy lunch + learn
Impact Hub Seattle, Aug. 22, 2018 - The Active Office full-day professional development course
American Industrial Hygiene Association, Oct. 5, 2016 - The 3 R’s of Habit Formation presentation at lifehacking conference
Spark Weekend Seattle, Feb. 1, 2014 - Build Your Own Standing Desk 5-minute lightning talk
Ignite Seattle, Nov. 8, 2012
Education
- B.A., University of Oregon, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
magazine journalism major; English minor - Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course, Harvard University
intensive six-week program on book and magazine publishing - lifelong learner, currently studying AI/ML, ontology engineering, knowledge graphs, and semantic technologies