Meet the Candidates: Jamye Sagan for Director

This entry is being posted on behalf of Jamye Sagan, candidate for Director in the 2020 STC election.


Jamye Sagan Hi, I’m Jamye Sagan! You may remember me from such presentations as “Lessons Learned: What Harry Potter Professors Teach Us About Instructional Design” and “YCAA (Why CAA?) Top Ten Tips & Reasons to Submit a Community Achievement Award Application.” Please forgive the silly Simpsons joke, but on a serious note, I’d like to share with you why you should elect me as your next STC Director.

Society Service

Since 2008, I have volunteered for STC in a variety of roles, both at the community and Society levels. In the Instructional Design and Learning Special Interest Group (IDL SIG), I’ve helped with the scholarship committee, served as a SIG co-manager, and took over as Treasurer over a year ago. Although I may not have as much chapter experience, I’m willing to expand my horizons and learn more.

At the Society level, I have assisted with the Community Affairs Committee (CAC) for the past few years as the SIG Outreach Lead, where I work with the various SIG leaders to help address various issues from obtaining website access and even getting started as a brand-new leader. I have also been on the CAA/Pacesetter Awards committee, even serving as Chair in 2017-2018.

Serving as a Director will enable me to further help communities and STC on a wider scale.

Virtual Communication

As chapters merge and geographic areas grow larger as a result, leaders should make sure all members can participate in events and exchange knowledge. I see technology as a vital tool for connecting members. Many chapters already offer a variety of virtual and face-to-face events, which is wonderful!

With SIGs, we’ve always had to conduct educational sessions and meetings virtually. Unless we happened to meet up on our own, the only time we could spend quality time with each other face-to-face was at the STC Summit. However, not everyone can attend face-to-face events.

With virtual technology, we run the risk of impersonalizing contact. However, we can find ways to personalize the experience, even something as simple as using the webcam during meetings. That way, everyone can see my cats march across my keyboard.

As a Director, I want to help promote virtual communications as a viable tool for communities to communicate with their members. STC is a global organization. The main challenge resides in bringing members together, whether across the ocean or even down the highway. Virtual communications can help bridge some of that gap.

Learning from Each Other

STC membership has helped me in my professional and personal development. Thanks to presentations and webinars I’ve attended and articles I’ve read, I’ve learned much about technical communication and instructional design. Thanks to volunteer opportunities within the IDL SIG and the Society overall, I’ve developed valuable leadership and networking skills. Over the past decade, I’ve been privileged to share my knowledge with others in various ways, from newsletter articles in our SIG newsletter to full-length presentations at Summit.

EVERYONE – no matter where they walk in their professional journey – has something valuable to share about technical communication. Each of us brings a unique perspective to our profession. Knowledge sharing does not have to be something fancy. It can be as simple as answering a colleague’s question on a discussion list or writing a book review for a chapter newsletter. We can all learn from one another. These simple acts of sharing can have a huge impact on someone. They have on me; I’ve learned from almost everyone I’ve met over the years.

As a Director, I want to foster more opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration so that we all receive as much value from our Society membership as possible.

Please Vote!

With my volunteer experience, my desire to help communities further connect with members, and my passion for knowledge sharing, please vote for me as Director. Your vote and your voice matter.

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