Member Spotlight: Donnella Tilery
By Anne Anderson – NRWA Written Communications
As the NRWA membership grows, so does the diverse range of skills we can offer. Please welcome new member Donnella Tilery! Donnella’s vibrancy and warmth come through immediately. It’s easy to see how clients are comfortable sharing their stories with her.
Donnella’s career began in New York’s digital publishing industry. She worked for several publishing houses, including John Wiley & Sons, working in scientific and medical divisions. She focused on training large corporate clients, such as Bristol Myers Squibb, on how to maximize the use of technical databases, products, and services. Her sales training and presentations skill took her across the country and overseas to the U.K., Asia, and Amsterdam.
Donnella switched gears to focus on the fashion industry as more friends and colleagues asked to purchase items from her wardrobe. As she strengthened her sales skills and learned the industry’s back-office operations, she began building a business as an event producer. With her keen negotiation skills, she obtained corporate sponsorships from Coca-Cola and Lord & Taylor to found New Jersey Fashion Week, which is now more than 10 years old. She also manages and moderates career webinars for Fashion Group International.
Donnella put her skills together to focus on career development and resume writing. With her combination of strategy, presentation skills, and corporate background, she knew she had a knack for career storytelling. She even wrote resumes as a high school hobby. However, it didn’t occur to her then that it would eventually be her career choice.
Now that she’s focused on resume writing, Donnella has been building her business through LinkedIn referrals. She finds she’s filled a niche in helping ethnically diverse clients present their career accomplishments. Donnella takes pride in teasing out her clients’ personalities and reflects their individuality in the documents she prepares for them
Donnella joined the NRWA this year, after spending two years observing the organization and attending webinars as a nonmember. She was impressed with the quality of the education and the instructors’ passion. She plans to complete the Writing Excellence program and proceed with certification.
She especially appreciates the NRWA’s collaborative nature—a significant change from the fashion industry’s competitive culture. Donnella is currently serving in a volunteer role, writing articles for the NRWA Watercooler.
Donnella is based in New Jersey, and you can reach her at LinkedIn.com/in/donnellatilery or donnella.tilery@gmail.com.
