Leita A Crossfield

• Bachelors of Arts, Humanities, summa cum laude, Washington State University

• Bachelors of Arts, English, 3.9, Central Washington University

• More than twenty years business & professional writing experience

• Newsroom writing, The Daily Herald, Everett

• Founder of the popular newsletter, Upside Downtown’s Sparks for Innovation newsletter

• Studied method acting at The Lee Strasberg Acting Workshop, Seattle, WA. Improv.

• Award-winning writer, awards include a Washington Press Association Award among others.

My official bio

Since 1991, I’ve owned several businesses, the first, which commenced in Seattle as a communications firm with an office at the historic terminal building at Boeing Field. Among other jobs, I’ve worked as a reporter, a high-tech marketing director, and as a manager at Nordstrom after serving briefly in the US Air Force, where bland green was the new black, and I had to downplay my glamor tendencies. I also studied method acting for five years, which helped me to overcome my shyness, and prompted me to learn the art of laughing my guts out at improvisational skits. I once got to fly in a P-51 Mustang, traveling at 300 mph over the Mohave Desert, where I asked the pilot to perform every aerobatic move on the list. At the moment, I live with my 17-year-old son, three dogs, and ten hens and two ducks on two acres with a creek, a large bridge and lots of trees.

Board positions & volunteer work:

• Board member, Write On The River

• Editor, Annual Success Summit Guide, IRIS

• Communications, Imagine South Wenatchee

• Public Relations Director, Downtown Everett Action Committee

• Board member, Snohomish County Arts Council

• PR director for Fresh Paint Arts Festival

• Public relations, Everett 4th of July committee

• Communications, Brenda Stonecipher successful city council campaign

• Speaker, Snohomish County Superior Court Juror Appreciation program, downtown restaurant guide.

• Writer, Allied Arts Council

• Writer, Children’s Hospital Light Up a Child s Life Auction in Seattle

Accomplishments:

Founder, Upside Down, a marketing communications company.

Clients included Bucher Aerospace, Prime Pacific Bank, Glacier Northwest, Puget Sound Trucklines and others. I worked  to help industrial companies create marketing strategies and promotions; from concept to finished piece; to solve problems, increase exposure and increase sales.

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Founder, Word Dynamics, Seattle at the age of 25, from a small corner office in the terminal building at Boeing Field.

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Pioneered the Industrial Strength Advertising program for clients in heavy industry which resulted in costs savings for clients, and my firm being featured in the Puget Sound Business Journal and other media.

 

On the high-tech side, launched the marketing/PR department for a growing software development firm focused on the wireless automated data capture industry (bar-coding) where she developed the marketing plan and strategy; created the overall look and design of all marketing pieces; produced a direct mail campaign targeted toward strategic business partners which garnered a 13% response rate; plus established budgets and schedules for all advertising, PR, trade show, and marketing functions.

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Created a program called Sales Catalyst Coaching for Trans America Auto Glass, a division of Speedy Auto Glass, to revamp their sales process and re-invent their proposals, presentations and marketing pieces.

 

Developed an industry review for a national wire manufacturer which resulted in the firm being featured in local and national media when it received its ISO 9000 certification.

 

Created a PR strategy which resulted in a local clothing manufacturer being featured on King 5 Evening Magazine and in key national media.

 

Multi- award-winning manager at Nordstrom, received the company’s highest honor Customer Service All-Star and numerous awards for exceeding sales goals and for creating innovative promotions.

 

Active community volunteer for more than twenty years, beginning in high school where I served as editor of my high school newspaper, was Miss Selah, an ambassador for the Apple Juice Capital of the World, and then served as the volunteer royalty coordinator for several years when my year as Miss Selah ended.