Meet the Candidates – Craig Baehr

This entry is being posted on behalf of Craig Baehr, candidate for Vice President in the 2017 STC election. More information about Craig can be found on his STC election page.


 

My name is Craig Baehr and I am running for the position of Vice President. I joined STC in 2000 and have been involved in many STC initiatives and communities. I have served as Chief Examiner of the Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) Program, Chair of the Technical Communication Body of Knowledge (TCBOK) Project, Program Director of the Academic SIG, Faculty Advisor of the Texas Tech University Student Chapter, and as a member of the Board of Directors. I am an Associate Fellow and currently serving as a Director on the Board. My professional career includes 25 years of technical communication experience, spanning both academia and industry.

Currently, I am Professor of Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University, author of three books, and have presented and published on a wide range of topics, including instructional design, content strategy, hypertext theory, online publishing, and visual communication. I have also published articles in Technical Communication and Intercom and presented many times at STC’s International Summit.

Previously, I worked in industry as a technical writer, editor, Web developer, trainer, and program director for ten years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and received two U.S. Army Achievement Medals for Civilian Service. In this role, I worked on many geotechnical and environmental engineering projects with District and Division personnel throughout the U.S. and abroad, as well as with other agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As STC continues to grow in exciting new directions, I want to continue to be part of the leadership team that helps the Society promote the value of technical communication. Having served STC in all levels of leadership (community, SIG, and society-level), I bring an understanding of issues from a wide range of communities and members from within the Society. My experience as a professor and as a technical communicator in industry has helped me understand how knowledge and practices in our field have evolved, in both academic and professional settings. And one thing I’ve learned is whether you’re an academic, professional, or a hybrid, the work we do as technical communicators plays an important part of virtually every industry and impacts people’s lives on a daily basis.

One important thing that truly makes a thriving and successful Society is its people and our collective contributions, so it’s essential we encourage the spirit of volunteerism in our organization. In short, I believe that members, not content are our greatest asset. As such, the Society should continue to strengthen and invest in our thriving communities and its members by providing additional resources, leadership support, shared content, and mentorship opportunities. We should continue to target recruiting efforts on students and new professionals, since they represent the future and emerging trends in our profession. We should also continue to support innovation and expand our programs, information resources, and experiences, including Summit, Webinars, online courses, and the newly revamped Certified Professional Technical Communicator program, which reflect sustained and emerging trends in our field. And as our field continues to expand its influence and reach globally, STC should continue to be a leader in promoting the value of our work and in helping mentor the next generation of technical communicators.

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