Business Teacher
Proven Real-World Educator for Community College Teaching
The Value of Real: Why I Teach
The highest compliment I ever received wasn’t about a multi-million dollar sales campaign; it was a note from a student at COCC. She was a single mother, back in school after ten years, and she said my class on “Web Design Writing that Sells” finally made the business world “click.”
For over 30 years, my career was built on translating complexity into clarity.
Whether I was traveling globally for OSIsoft, sitting with CEOs and chief engineers to document how their real-time data system delivered hard ROI, as Phil Ryder and Paul Hagan noted, creating the “model” for application stories (see Phil and Paul’s testimonial below).
Or interviewing doctors and top medical administrators so I could develop 90% of St. Charles Health Center’s corporate website…
Or writing 600 Standard Operating Procedures and the technical roadmap for a new Point Of Sale (POS) system for Les Schwab Tires…
The core job was always the same: make the complex and highly technical accessible, and make the value undeniable.
My shift to the community college classroom is not a retirement—it’s a conscious, passionate commitment to sharing the real-world ammunition (as Rick Dean from the Pharmaceutical industry put it) our students need to fight for their careers. (see Rick’s testimonial below)
The academic credentials (Communications bachelor’s degree, MBA in progress, Cornell AI Certificate) provide the structure, but the life comes from the stories:
- The rush of adding $1.5 million in new phone sales at HarperCollins.
- The insight gained from helping Dr. Alex Loyd’s campaign go viral with a 112% conversion rate, proving that deep expertise combined with clear business communication is magic.
- The satisfaction of working with nervous customers, like the one at Janssen Pharmaceutical, to “coax a great story” from them and get it on the company’s homepage, as Tony Fenn, described. (see Tony’s testimonial below)
Now, as a Writing Tutor at COCC, and an Entrepreneur Advisor to people starting their own business, my daily work is directly focused on our students and the expanding business world. I don’t just correct grammar; I ask those critical, inspiring questions that help them build their confidence, organize their thinking, chart new directions, and see their own progress.
I want to stand in front of a business class and say, “I’m not here to read slides. I’m here to show you how I built a multi-million-dollar sales program, how to write a website that converts, and how to use AI to be the smartest person in the room—and now, we’re going to do it together.”
This is the job that matters most. This is the difference only a practitioner can make:
35 Years of Real-World Experience: I bring direct, verifiable experience from National Sales Management and high-stakes corporate consulting and marketing work expertise to the classroom and to every work team meeting. This ensures students learn from current, practical examples of sales, corporate documentation, and project leadership, which are skills immediately translatable to the job market.
Expertise Focused on the Future: My ongoing AACSB-accredited MBA and recent Cornell Marketing AI Certification allow my teaching at the community college level to remain relevant and better help prepare students for the future of business and technology, rather than relying on outdated concepts.
Dedicated Community College Mentor: My five years of teaching experience in Community Education at Central Oregon Community College, and as a Writing Tutor, prove a deep, sustained commitment to student success. I specialize in mentoring the diverse community college student body, helping them master not only the subject matter and what their professors are asking of them, but also the critical thinking and organizational skills required to thrive.
I love to teach and mentor, whether it’s in a classroom, online, or with a team of colleagues. And while I’m always looking to keep my skills and knowledge sharp and relevant by continuing to work in the field and continuing graduate-level coursework, teaching and leading our next generation of business professionals will never grow old to my heart, mind, and soul. It’s a skill and labor of love that I will have for the rest of my life.
Others see this leadership and skillset too:
Elin did a fantastic job on the Janssen Pharmaceutical Case Study for me. She worked with a very nervous and somewhat shy customer at our Users Conference and carefully and assuredly coaxed a great story and video from him. Everything was organized and so well coordinated that we were in and out of the video session in less than 30 minutes. I know the customer was proud of his moment in the spotlight and especially pleased that the Janssen Case Study is prominent on our company’s website home page.”
Tony Fenn, Pharmaceutical Industry Sales, OSIsoft, San Leandro, CA
“Elin was one of the marketing professionals we brought in to upgrade our message, marketing collateral, and our presence in the media. Elin quickly became the star of our marketing group. While she was highly prolific, the quality of her work set her apart from others. Elin was able to pick up quickly on highly technical concepts, and to then translate those concepts into easily readable, benefit-oriented ad copy, sales collateral, etc., creating by far the best benefit-based brochure we’ve ever had, or seen for that matter.”
Phil Ryder, VP Sales & Marketing, OSIsoft, Inc.
“WOW! The San Diego Gas & Electric case study you wrote is AWESOME Elin! Thanks for giving us the ammunition like this that we need to fight off the competition.”
Rick Dean, Director of Federal Business Development, OSIsoft, San Leandro, CA