lawrence hwang

Providing communications support for the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate.

Wrote health communication content for organization and client websites, print and digital newsletters, online publications, PowerPoint presentations, and email campaigns. All projects were completed under tight deadlines. Conducted research and fact-checked dates, statistics, and general content for all projects; reviewed and edited content; oversaw successful printing, posting, and/or distribution of final products. Worked with and reported directly to Director of Center for Health Communications on a daily basis and participated in brainstorming sessions, creative meetings, and overall strategy planning meetings. Helped develop new internal communication series, “The Pulse,” which highlighted success stories of agency staff, offering human appeal to day-to-day operations. This work included selecting and identifying potential features for coverage, interviewing relevant staff for background information and quotes, and crafting a final product for prominent placement on website and/or other materials.

* Collaborated with staff to develop high-quality content (both print and digital) that effectively communicated cancer-related information to our various target audiences (ranging from lay readership to subject matter experts). * Authored approximately 30 publications including program newsletters, Web publications, reports, briefing materials, letters, PowerPoint presentations, factsheets, brochures, monographs, and manuals. * Wrote two grant applications that resulted in $100,000 of funding for the Surveillance Research Program. This funding was used to support and facilitate evaluations/analyses of our communications initiatives, which resulted in the development of more effective messages for our target audiences. * Facilitated external communications efforts by responding to requests for information from Congress, DHHS, NIH, NCI, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations. * Supervised writers, editors, graphic designers, Web developers, and other staff. * Mentored and trained five Master’s-level Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) Fellows.

* Developed and edited content for three Surveillance Research Program Web sites. * Created new statistical tables and charts for the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program’s annual report, The Cancer Statistics Review. * Updated content for the Residual Tissue Repository & Biospecimens Web site. * Collaborated with scientific staff to write, review, and update quarterly newsletters, announcements, brochures, fact sheets/tear sheets, letters, summary notes, memorandums, grants, and media materials. * Disseminated health communications products and messages to specific audiences via targeted list-serves (e-mail and mail), programmatic Web sites, and distribution of publications at conferences/meetings.

* Worked with Webfirst -- a health IT company based out of Rockville, MD. Provided writing, editing, and proofreading support for communications initiatives that supported their missions and goals. * Implemented and managed editorial processes that ensured all communications collateral were held to a high standard of quality.

* Supported the Vice President of Corporate Planning by developing, communicating, and managing various initiatives that supported AFBA's strategic plans. * Performed research and writing assignments that both enhanced AFBA's internal knowledge base and encouraged positive organizational change. * Created and edited executive documents (presentations, newsletters, etc) . * Produced regular communications pieces for senior management and team members.

* Worked as a Preventive Medicine Intern and Health Educator for the New York State Office for the Aging’s Preventive Medicine Program, by: * Analyzing relevant health issues (such as diabetes and other chronic diseases) for senior staff * Developing strategies for communicating information to target audiences * Preparing, writing, and disseminating educational literature reviews that documented current “best practices” in the field of diabetes prevention, along with recommendations to local health departments on various ways to improve screening rates among elderly populations * Writing and distributing communications documents (such as background memos, letters, and fact sheets) that educated senior citizens by raising awareness about various screenings and facilitating behavior change that encouraged increased utilization of preventive health measures * Developing and implementing an outreach initiative known as “Senior Health Checkup.”

* Researched HIV-related trends in the state of New York, by tracking and reporting trends of HIV infection among specific high-risk population groups. * Moderated focus groups and conducted interviews with members of high-risk populations, and analyzed the resulting data to prepare documents for presentations, websites, manuals, and publications. These publications were distributed to county and state health departments across the United States. * Assisted in preparing, presenting, and evaluating Division of HIV Prevention (DHP)-wide training sessions in basic epidemiologic concepts, calculations, and practices. * Collaborated as an organizer and editor of AIDS in New York 2007, a comprehensive statewide descriptive publication. * Assisted in the preparation, presentation, and publication of the 2007-2008 Interim Epidemiological Profile of HIV/AIDS in New York State. * Helped to finalize and publish other various reports based on data analyses that were performed during my internship.

* Serve as a Copy Editor for the Business Development Proposal Center. Duties include: * Collaborating with a team of writers and editors to develop and disseminate strategic proposals that will generate millions of dollars of contract work for JBS. * Serving as a liaison between Program Managers, Technical Assistants, and directors. * Analyzing Requests for Quotations and Requests for Proposals. Utilize the content to develop and/or update Convention Lists and Style Guides for proposals. * Reviewing, editing, and revising proposals to ensure that style, voice, structure, spelling, punctuation, grammar, and syntax are consistent. * Ensuring that edits are finalized and approved in a timely fashion.

Managed the development and dissemination of key deliverables for presentation at highly attended conferences (e.g., the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry annual meetings). Produced communications materials such as scientific posters and abstracts; data sheets and product inserts; progress and outcome reports for awarded grants; PowerPoint presentations; and training materials. Performed quality control checks for all communications materials. Ensured that proper templates, graphics, and fonts were used in materials; and that all content contained accurate facts and statistics. Reviewed, edited, and revised all materials to ensure that style, voice, structure, spelling, punctuation, and grammar were consistent. Used content management systems (e.g., SharePoint and a customized internal approval routing system) to manage production schedules and ensure that content was finalized, approved, and published in a timely fashion.

Activities and Societies: American Public Health Association