April Hodge Silver

My passion has always been to create, be it artwork, graphic design, or dynamic web applications. I'm a detail-oriented self-starter with the drive, organizational and communication skills, and vision to run my own single-owner website development company for over 10 years. I offer a unique crossover skillset that includes a right-brain creative design sense, left-brain analytical capabilities, and interpersonal communication skills.

Proficient in a variety of software and languages, including:

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Illustrator - Flash
PHP - HTML/XHTML - CSS - Javascript/AJAX - SQL - Python - FORTRAN

Springthistle Design

Jun 1995 - Present

Principal

We Make Websites.
I started this company in 1995 with my first client and have been successfuly building websites and accumluating clients ever since. Occasionally, I will partner with colleagues to produce websites, but most of the work I do myself from start to finish. Over the course of its lifetime, Springthistle has provided website- and design-related services to over 90 clients many of whom continue to use Springthistle for their ongoing website and web application needs. All of my clients come to me through word-of-mouth and referrals. Responsibilities:

Client interfacing, including: Attracting new clients, communicating with clients, and educating clients about their sites, technology, and options.
Project management involving my work, the work of colleagues I collaborate with, and with the clients and their committees and working groups.
Create UI concepts and solutions that serve the specific needs of each client, including interface design, navigation, and architecture.

Partial Client List:

Exaclair, Monaco Reps, Innovation Teaching, Waterwitch Yachts, Wilkinson O'Grady, Stone Harbor, Save Darfur, Adviser Investment, Hazon, Lake Isle Press, Meals by Marc, JOI, CCL Online

Projects of Note:

WordPress Complete 2.7+, book published by Packt Publishing. Available on Amazon.com and Packtpub.com
Quo Vadis Planners, http://quovadisplanners.com - designed and built public-facing website; designed the database; implemented the site using the CakePHP framework; built secure administration area.
Monaco Reps, http://monacoreps.com - collaborated with visual designer to create web inteface; wrote DHTML (xhtml, javascript/ajax, css) for site; designed database; built secure administration area.
Jeven, http://myjeven.com - designed website and user interface, wrote DHTML (xhtml, javascript/ajax, css) for site; worked in close collaboration with a team to implement the site using the CakePHP framework.
Park Slope Food Coop, http://foodcoop.com - designed and built public-facing website; in collaboration with a team, implemented site in a custom-built CMS with a secure administration area.
Numerous custom WordPress websites, blogs and non-blogs, each with a custom theme.
More projects are available for viewing at http://springthistle.com/portfolio.

CT Corporation

Apr 2001 - Apr 2004

Web Developer

Also known as CCH Legal Information Services, this company provides a plethora of services to its clients, a group composed primarily of lawyers and law firms. Responsibilities:

Write HTML for page redesigns and brand-new pages.
General user interface site management, coordinating with ASP and C++ programmers as well as with non-technical marketing people.

Accomplishments:

Wrote HTML for a complete redesign of the company's public-facing website (http://www.ctadvantage.com)
Created custom perl script for templating of new pages.
File structure creation and maintenance along with team of User Interface specialists.
Created custom python script that hooked into Microsoft's VSS software to perform massive file checkout and alteration.

About.com

Aug 2000 - Feb 2001

Product Manager and Producer, Core Products

In 2001, About.com was the 6th largest website in the world with 53 million pageviews/month (Media Metrix). Core Products are managed by the Information Architecture group. Responsibilities:

Understand and maintain file structure.
Manage and assist in building new products.

Accomplishments:

Built, updated and managed Core Service templates. These pages receive over 30 million page views per month, and need to work on a variety of browsers (e.g. http://dogs.about.com/).
Template Redesign (Product Manager and Producer). Planned, managed, and produced a redesign of all GuideSites on the service to make better use of existing advertising and introduce new advertising. Coordinated all details of project implementation.
"Shortcuts" product (Product Manager and Producer). Created template sets to specs for the entire product after coordinating product design with programmers and designers (http://shortcuts.about.com).
Experts product (Producer). From design specs, created HTML compliant mock-ups and templates for this new product.
Winvite.com (Producer). Reorganized and rebuilt the site to comply with the About.com backend file structure; transitioned from ColdFusion to ASP.

coolfire.interactive

Nov 1999 - Jul 2000

Web Developer, Programmer

coolfire.interactive is a small web company that maintains large websites for its biggest client, Ford Motor Company, and creates new websites for its other clients. Responsibilities:

Design and create new websites (images, html, etc)
Update and do maintenance on current websites.
Produce visuals for project proposals.

DoubleClick, Inc.

Jun 1999 - Nov 1999

Field Sales Engineer

Responsibilities:

Understand and keep up-to-date with DoubleClick's adserving software.
Interact with clients to solve unusual technical problems.

Sep 1995 - May 1999

Columbia University in the City of New York

BA May 1999 - GPA of 3.7 - Dean's List: 7 semesters.
Concentration in Environmental Biology
Concentration in German Studies

Feb 1998 - Aug 1998

Freie Universität Berlin. Berlin, Germany

Studied German and Sociology, GPA 3.6

Jul 1996

Studio Art Centers International. Florence, Italy

Courses in Italian and Painting. GPA 3.9

Fluent in German; Have working knowledge of Italian and Hebrew
Creator of fine artwork in a variety of media (http://artistapril.com)
Retired racing cyclist