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Kythera Contreras

Documentation Czar and Arch-Pedant

Over ten years of experience in technical writing, copy editing, and proofreading. Highly organized, self-motivated, independent worker who is equally comfortable working in a collaborative/team environment. Experience with tailoring writing according to the target audience, including translating technical information for non-technical users. Skilled at diplomacing with IT staff. Adept at multitasking and tracking work. Affinity for organizing chaos and herding cats. Happy and comfortable in Agile/Scrum environments.

Work Experience

Technical Writer

Shell Agile Hub – Houston, TX – January 2022-present (Shell employee)
● Contract consultant May 2019-January 2022 (converted to Shell employee in January 2022)
Confluence and JIRA management/administration, documentation writing, review, and organization globally for additional Agile Hub locations (London, Bangalore, Rotterdam) in an Agile/Scrum environment. Refining Confluence template for software projects to streamline and standardize information management across projects.
● Establishing best practices and chain of command for JIRA management
● Setting up Confluence templates as-needed to streamline documentation creation
● Capturing and organizing troubleshooting and how-to information
● Capturing team and global meeting minutes

Linguistic Tester

Welocalize – Houston, TX – April 2019 (1 month)
Data annotation for an unannounced project covered by a nondisclosure agreement.

Acting Technical Writer (as “Technical Tester”)

Six Foot – Houston, TX – May 2017-January 2019 (1 year, 9 months)
Primary responsibilities; Writing and managing documentation for policies, procedures, tools, and utilities used by various departments. Managing existing documentation and new documentation written by others. Building positive relationships with SMEs to ensure all documentation is accurate and up-to-date.
Tools: Confluence, Gliffy (flowcharts), JIRA, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Agile/Scrum
Milestones:
● Established best practices for internal documentation
● Established and refined process for submitting documentation for review

Proofreader/Copy Editor (as “Senior Quality Assurance Tester”)

Square Enix, Inc. – El Segundo, CA – April 2006-May 2017 (11 years, 2 months)                        Promoted to Senior QA Tester in May 2011
Primary responsibilities: localization QA (proofreading, copy editing)
Tools: Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook), SharePoint, Redmine, Mantis, Chicago Manual of Style
Additional responsibilities:
● Evaluating contract tester applicant tests
● Training new contract testers
● Assisting team leads in reviewing tester performance
● Serving as assistant QA coordinator on some projects
● Serving as QA coordinator on some projects
● Serving as interim QA administrator on two occasions
● Documentation creation: Contract Tester Handbook and New Contract Tester Manual

Publications

“Fandom Foreshadowing”
I Was a Teenage Gargoyle anthology; Sawdust Press – March 2012
Author and illustrator

“Paint like the Pre-Raphaelites”
Corel Painter Magazine #35; Imagine Publishing Ltd. – October 2009
Tutorial author, illustrator, and photographer

Drawing Made Easy: Dragons & Fantasy
Walter Foster – April 2009
Author and illustrator

Education

University of California, Riverside – 2013-2014

Technical Writing Certificate
● Experience with MadCap Flare

Arizona State University – 1999-2003

BFA – Intermedia (Art)
● Regent’s Academic and President’s Scholarship
● Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
● Dean’s List
● Cum Laude

Skills

● Documentation
● Writing
● Editing and proofreading
● Drawing and illustration
● Adobe (PhotoShop, Acrobat)
● Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)
● Gsuite (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides)
● Basic HTML
● Wiki markup
● WordPress