About Ann Silverthorn
Ann Silverthorn began her writing career as a copywriter and feature writer for local publications. She then eight years as an editor for global technology publications. Ann has also freelanced and explored writing realms, such as biography, travel, business, grants, creative, and blogging.
In the creative-writing realm, Ann writes fiction, poetry, and drama, having been recognized in all three genres. She wrote a historical novel for her graduate thesis and was awarded the Graduate Excellence Award in English from Gannon University. She has recently revisited this manuscript and is in the process of revising it for publication. The novel follows a woman’s life in the twentieth century from childhood to old age, a life that has been affected by violence at the hands of a neighborhood bully.
Ann also taught college freshmen and graduate students for more than a decade. Courses taught include undergraduate college composition, undergraduate critical thinking, and graduate-level grant writing.
After more than a decade researching and writing the life of William E. Dimorier, a nearly forgotten educator, poet, and servant leader, Ann self-published his extensive biography in 2022.
In her own servant-leader roles, Ann served as program director for Penn State’s online MBA program and several non-profit and civic organizations.
As a student, Ann was the first non-traditional member of the Gannon University Honors Program. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in business in 1996. A year later, Gannon awarded Ann with a teaching assistantship, and she earned her master’s degree in 1999. In September of 2013, Ann earned an executive certificate in leadership and management from the University of Notre Dame. In May of 2014, she graduated from the Erie Ambassador program.
Ann was inducted into the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 2014, and she now serves as secretary of her local chapter. Her hobbies include history, genealogy, wellness, and lifelong learning.
As treasurer of the Erie County World War I Centennial Committee, Ann was part of a project that installed a memorial to area fallen WWI soldiers and was one of the principal writers/editors for the resulting book, Answering the Call: Erie County Pennsylvania in World War I. She currently serves on a committee writing a book about Erie County during World War II.
In April 2022, Ann was appointed to the Erie Public Schools Athletic Facilities Commission for a term ending on April 14, 2025. This group is an evolution of the stadium commission, which traced its roots back to William E. Dimorier.
Resumé
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Broad-based writing professional with 20 years of experience in publishing, university, and business settings. Recognized for diverse writing skills, including: Grant writing, business-to-business writing, fiction, blogging, and poetry. Possess excellent interviewing, research, and teaching skills. A warm, enthusiastic worker who excels independently and as part of a larger team.
ACHIEVEMENTS
- Authored William E. Dimorier: Servant Leader biography of a poet and longtime educator.
- Authored hundreds of insightful articles on technology and business topics for print and Web.
- Experienced in interviewing a wide variety of personalities.
- Recognized for always meeting deadlines.
- Enriched from extensive domestic and international travel, including Asia.
- Received PennWell Publishing’s “Best Website Administration” award for InfoStor.com.
- Wrote $2 million in successful grant proposals for Gannon University.
- Directed a successful online MBA program for Penn State University and grew its reputation.
EXPERIENCE
WRITER/BLOGGER/RESEARCHER/BIOGRAPHER (2008–Present)
- Maintains a blog at www.annsilverthorn.com, covering a variety of topics, such as consumer issues, everyday life, history, pets, etc.
- Researched the life and times of William E. Dimorier (1871–1951), the poet educator whose handwritten journal she discovered at a printing-house auction.
- The Dimorier research led to a biography that covers his life, his writing, the people he influenced, and the times in which he lived. William E. Dimorier: Servant Leader is available at Amazon.com.
- Wrote a 400-page women’s history novel for her graduate thesis, for which she earned the graduate excellence award in English from Gannon University.
FREELANCE WRITER (1995–Present)
- Interviews a wide range of people and writes articles for print and electronic media.
- Writes and ghostwrites blogs, feature stories, advertising copy, business publications, case studies, white papers, fiction—travel, B2B, technology, and human interest topics.
- Always meet deadlines.
- Provides clean copy free from errors in fact, grammar, and spelling.
- Maintains a blog at www.annsilverthorn.com.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA
Director, iMBA Program (June 2009–September 2013)
- Oversee all aspects of the administration of Penn State’s online MBA program, one of the top five online MBA programs in the world—including admissions, marketing, B2B, strategic planning, and quantitative report generation and analysis.
- Oversee and execute a new CRM system through development, testing, and implementation.
- Evaluate legacy processes, investigate more-efficient workflow methods, and oversee the introduction and execution of new processes.
- Cultivate relationships with candidates for the program. Advise candidates throughout the admissions process. Participate in the selection of well-qualified students to populate two cohorts each year.
- Plan and execute four student-residency experiences per year, working with hotel, banquet, and conference coordinators for the smooth execution of all details of the events.
- Manage the iMBA staff and interface with other offices of the university.
PENNWELL PUBLISHING, NASHUA, NH (2005–2008)
Web Editor-InfoStor Magazine (telecommute)
- Responsible for the content and traffic of www.infostor.com.
- Wrote hundreds of articles for print and the Web. Wrote articles for, compiled, and oversaw the distribution of the two e-newsletters.
- Interviewed executives, researched topics, and wrote articles about technology topics for Web and print editions of InfoStor magazine. Always met deadlines.
- Traveled to domestic and international conferences, cultivating relationships with companies and collecting ideas for articles.
CORRY PUBLISHING, ERIE, PA (1999–2002)
Staff Editor
- Wrote feature articles, case studies, opinion pieces, and marketing collateral for Business Solutions magazine (www.BusinessSolutionsMag.com).
- Acted as an ambassador between the company and advertisers by visiting their headquarters (including Japan) and attending domestic and international conferences.
- Contracted photographers and designed all assigned articles using Photoshop and QuarkXpress layout software.
GANNON UNIVERSITY, ERIE, PA (1997–2006)
Adjunct Professor (2002–2006)
- Taught undergraduate courses in college composition and research writing.
- Educated graduate-level students in the art of grant writing.
University Grant Writer (2002–2005)
- Won $2 million in grant money for technology and aid for needy students.
- Wrote a 100-page proposal, which won the $1.825 million Title III grant for technology in the classroom.
- Researched funding opportunities and cultivated relationships with foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
- Assisted faculty members in their proposal-writing efforts (including the National Science Foundation).
Graduate Teaching Assistant (1997–1999)
- Taught two sections of freshman writing per semester with complete autonomy.
- Assumed full faculty responsibility for planning, teaching, and grading.
- Tutored students in the university’s writing center.
OTHER EXPERIENCE: Writing for the residential market, auditing for banking, and clerking for retail.
EDUCATION
GANNON UNIVERSITY, ERIE, PA
Master of Arts in English, 1999
- Academic Excellence Award for Graduate English
Bachelor of Arts in English, Minor in Business Administration, 1996
- Honors Scholar, Magna cum Laude
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
- Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management – September 2013
SERVICE AND ASSOCIATIONS
- Erie Public Schools Athletic Facilities Commission (appointee) through April 14, 2025
- Daughters of the American Revolution, Presque Isle Chapter (recording secretary)
- Phi Alpha Theta history honors society (member)
- Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honors society (member)
- Erie Ambassador Program, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (graduate)
- Erie County World War I Centennial Committee (member). Through this:
- Answering the Call: Erie County Pennsylvania in World War One (writer/editor)
- Jefferson Educational Society (speaker – Aug. 2018, Feb. 2019, Apr. 2019)
