Mary McCall

Background

About Mary McCall

Perhaps when your name is featured in popular nursery rhymes—“Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary”—your identity is destined to be tied to stories. My experiences with writing narratives began in elementary school as I tapped away at a typewriter (before it was cool) about animals going on adventures. Storytelling has been a touchstone of my career. In higher education, I guided students and scholars to find the story in their data to address the “antagonist” or problem/need and highlight the “hero” or resolution. And in marketing, I supported clients through crafting job stories and informational articles that illustrated how their products solve problems for their customers while advancing progress in their industries. Today, as a Senior Communications Coordinator at HDR, I leverage this experience to coordinate in-person and virtual public outreach and create materials that help clients communicate and collaborate with this public to drive the success of their transportation, water, or resource projects. Whether I'm developing web content, an educational handout, or a survey, I approach each project as an opportunity to tell a story about the project that informs and inspires action. I enjoy this work because it engages the different facets of my writing identity: the flair of a creative writer, the curiosity of a researcher, and the detail-oriented and collaborative spirit of a technical writer. And I welcome the challenges it brings in applying these skills to composing compelling project stories that support community buy-in and engagement.