Brian Leblanc Email & Phone Number

Seattle, Wa

Seattle, Washington, United States

-Founded information architecture and taxonomy consulting firm. Currently focused on creating taxonomies and ontologies for academic standards.

Seattle, Wa

-Freelance writer covering people, places, and events in the Archdiocese of Seattle.-Covered the Mass of Reception for Archbishop Etienne; article was cover story for July/August 2019 print edition-Article on Benedictine nuns on remote island in Washington State was cover Story for July-August 2015 print edition; co-winner of 2016 Catholic Press Award.

Seattle, Washington, United States

Middle school math, science, and theology substitute teacher. As someone who is working on creating taxonomies and ontologies for academic standards, I wanted to understand how these standards work in real life. It turns out that I am also really interested in education and helping kids learn!

Sole ontologist/ taxonomist embedded with Digital Product Group and development team responsible for maintaining metadata and digital publishing experience of “big three” educational publishing company. Conducted research and created document that outlines a vision, framework, and execution plan for ontology for managing K-12 Academic Standards metadata for use in digital products. Developed an MVP taxonomy for connecting and managing topics of multiple Academic Standards sets with newly… Show more Sole ontologist/ taxonomist embedded with Digital Product Group and development team responsible for maintaining metadata and digital publishing experience of “big three” educational publishing company. Conducted research and created document that outlines a vision, framework, and execution plan for ontology for managing K-12 Academic Standards metadata for use in digital products. Developed an MVP taxonomy for connecting and managing topics of multiple Academic Standards sets with newly developed internal metadata sets for use in the User Experience design process of MVP UI to tag digital content. Currently creating a taxonomy and documentation of interactive content as well as an updated version of Academic Standards topic taxonomy. Show less

-Sole taxonomist embedded on Digital Solutions team responsible for creating websites of a Fortune 30 health care company. -Collaborated with Content Strategist, Content Author, User Experience, Marketing, outside consultant teams, and Digital Solutions leadership stakeholders to drive the creation of an extensible taxonomy and governance structure for implementation of new instance of Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), a content management system. -Created folder structure based on… Show more -Sole taxonomist embedded on Digital Solutions team responsible for creating websites of a Fortune 30 health care company. -Collaborated with Content Strategist, Content Author, User Experience, Marketing, outside consultant teams, and Digital Solutions leadership stakeholders to drive the creation of an extensible taxonomy and governance structure for implementation of new instance of Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), a content management system. -Created folder structure based on document type, naming conventions and tag taxonomy for assets. -Created governance structures for assets, including spreadsheet and methodology for new asset ingestion process into AEM. -Participated in development and implementation of metadata profile structure. Metadata structure is in use by teams creating Anthem websites. Show less

Greater Seattle Area

-Lead Information Architect/ Taxonomist on project to create taxonomy for internal users at global financial services firm.-Conducted content audit, research, prepared questions for user interviews with users and stakeholders, created initial versions of content model and taxonomy. Incorporated feedback from colleagues and stakeholders to create subsequent versions. -Conducted extensive data analysis on usage of assets in client's CMS and prepared candidate terms for card… Show more -Lead Information Architect/ Taxonomist on project to create taxonomy for internal users at global financial services firm.-Conducted content audit, research, prepared questions for user interviews with users and stakeholders, created initial versions of content model and taxonomy. Incorporated feedback from colleagues and stakeholders to create subsequent versions. -Conducted extensive data analysis on usage of assets in client's CMS and prepared candidate terms for card sort.-Conducted analysis of second round of user interviews. Show less

Seattle, Washington, United States

Office manager for residential contractor; also worked on construction sites as needed. Laid off due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Seattle, Washington, United States

-Browse Developer/Taxonomist on team responsible for maintaining Kindle and Amazon Devices taxonomies worldwide.Responsibilities and projects:-Wrote code on a daily basis that was published directly to Amazon websites worldwide and performing code reviews for other taxonomists.-Supported the product launches of over thirty new Amazon Devices in multiple marketplaces.-Acted as POC between Browse and Amazon Devices product teams. Implemented multiple reforms and updates to… Show more -Browse Developer/Taxonomist on team responsible for maintaining Kindle and Amazon Devices taxonomies worldwide.Responsibilities and projects:-Wrote code on a daily basis that was published directly to Amazon websites worldwide and performing code reviews for other taxonomists.-Supported the product launches of over thirty new Amazon Devices in multiple marketplaces.-Acted as POC between Browse and Amazon Devices product teams. Implemented multiple reforms and updates to streamline processes, build trust, and make product launches smoother.-Developed and executed multiple simultaneous projects to create or update categories in Kindle/Amazon Devices taxonomies. -N-Language Project: Lead Taxonomist on project to provide Amazon customers worldwide the option to purchase Kindle books written in over 100 languages. Show less

Seattle, Washington, United States

-Sole Information Architect/Taxonomist for customer service organizations supporting Amazon’s self-publishing platforms including Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).Responsibilities and projects:-Maintained and improved the information architecture of Amazon’s self-publishing platforms, including the tool tips, Contact Us Forms, Help content taxonomies, and customer service issue code taxonomies. -Analyzed available data to understand customer behavior. Created KPIs for business… Show more -Sole Information Architect/Taxonomist for customer service organizations supporting Amazon’s self-publishing platforms including Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).Responsibilities and projects:-Maintained and improved the information architecture of Amazon’s self-publishing platforms, including the tool tips, Contact Us Forms, Help content taxonomies, and customer service issue code taxonomies. -Analyzed available data to understand customer behavior. Created KPIs for business teams. Created matrix of top customer pain points based on and implemented projects to address them.-KDP Customer Service (CS) Taxonomy Redesign: Weekly business reviews use top contact drivers as KPIs. Worked with CS stakeholders to redesign issue code taxonomy in clear user-friendly language.-KDP Payment Page Redesign: Worked with multi-disciplinary team to update payment options page.-KDP Contact Us Form Redesign: Designed and implemented update to Contact Us Form, created a new information architecture structure that better addressed known customer pain points. Worked with Dev team to implement changes.-KDP Print Contact Us Form Routing: Successfully managed project to change the routing of contacts received through the KDP Contact Us Form to appropriately trained customer service agents in support of launch of new site functionality. Coordinated with Business, Dev, and CS stakeholders.-KDP Help Videos: Proposed and implemented program to incorporate videos into KDP Help Pages. Wrote script for prototype KDP Help Video. Show less

Bothell, Wa

-Created, deployed and managing taxonomies for a variety of clients in SharePoint 2010. -Conducted user interviews, content audits, and performed rapid iterations of taxonomy with stakeholders.-Wrote three-part blog post series on "Effective Taxonomy Governance." -Wrote and directed video on how to use the Term Store Manager in SharePoint 2010.

Seattle, Washington, United States

-Founded information management consulting firm specializing in information architecture, taxonomy, systems analysis and business analysis.

Ballard, Wa

-Wrote several feature articles that appeared in print and online editions of Ballard News-Tribune.-Wrote "21st Century Viking" online column focusing on politics and issues of interest in and around the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, WA.

Bellevue, Wa

-Performing Technical Support duties for Corelytics, a financial dashboard SaaS; responding to and solving customer issues by phone and email.-Analyzing data related to usage of product and creating report with recommendations for improvement of the customer onboarding and retention.-Website maintenance; led initiative that led to redesign of main website.-Creating customer on-boarding and promotional videos.

Seattle, Wa

-Worked on a team that expanded out the taxonomy used by Sears to sell automotive parts and products on their website.-Conducted research on what attributes will be of interest both to suppliers when trying to describe products and to customers when they are searching for them.

Bellevue, Washington, United States

-Worked with Microsoft to develop a local taxonomy for sales and marketing division in SharePoint 2010; performed day-to-day maintenance of client’s corporate taxonomy.-Performed content inventories to facilitate migration, tagging and migration of content from client’s group sites to SharePoint 2010 system.

Bellevue, Washington, United States

-Analyzed Term Store Manager taxonomy feature in SharePoint 2010, co-wrote blog posts on the subject.-Revised SharePoint site dealing with portal governance. Rewrote policies and procedures, migrated client’s intranet site from SharePoint 2007 to SharePoint 2010.

Greater Seattle Area

-Oversaw all aspects of management at movie theatres with average attendance exceeding half-million movie patrons per year.-Scheduled, trained and supervised staff of over fifty employees.-Ensured superior customer service to up to 6000 movie patrons per day, often in large crowds.-Analyzed financial data, controlled payroll, budget, and daily balancing.-Maintained projection equipment and facility, ordering supplies and equipment.-Coordinated long-term maintenance… Show more -Oversaw all aspects of management at movie theatres with average attendance exceeding half-million movie patrons per year.-Scheduled, trained and supervised staff of over fifty employees.-Ensured superior customer service to up to 6000 movie patrons per day, often in large crowds.-Analyzed financial data, controlled payroll, budget, and daily balancing.-Maintained projection equipment and facility, ordering supplies and equipment.-Coordinated long-term maintenance projects to improve theatre appearance; theatre consistently received high customer satisfaction scores for projection presentation. Show less

Greater Los Angeles Area

-2002-2004: Union Projectionist (IATSE Local 505) at Landmark Embassy Theatre, Waltham, MA-2004-2005: General Manager, Landmark Regent Theatre, Los Angeles, CA-Held complete oversight responsibility at movie theatre showing first-run films by Disney Corporation in high-profile area of Los Angeles.-Moved theatre from operating in the red to a profit-making center through effective cost-benefit analysis, good management, and attention to vital maintenance projects.

Waltham, Massachusetts, United States

- Managed film collection and video sales department for internationally recognized film archive, storing and providing access to films depicting the Jewish experience.- Redesigned video sales department for greater efficiency, access, and accountability.- Created a new film accession system (The "'02 List") resulting in the cataloguing of over 2000 rare films. Project inspired me to ultimately go back to graduate school.

Watertown, Massachusetts, United States

-Founded and managed successful video production company. Solicited business, managed finances, managed projects from conception to completion, hired crews, obtained permits and insurance, shot footage, wrote, directed, produced, and edited films and training videos.-Created training, event documentation and promotional videos for a wide variety of individual and corporate clients including the B.F. Goodrich Corporation.-Produced several short independent films.

M.S., Information Management

Activities and Societies: Vice President, Association of Information Management Students (AIMS)

B.A., Visual And Media Arts, Film

Journalism

H.S. Diploma