Barbara
She's a Gators fan. Couldn't you tell? www.transcriptiontips.com

Jess

Kristen
Our Jakarta connection, Kristen has a beautiful family--and has invited me to visit! Next stop: Indonesian Shark!

Lori

Madeline, a.k.a. "The Mad Shark"
Among other things that keep our Mad Shark busy (said with the utmost love and respect, you understand) are two sweet rescue greyhounds and a whole raft of grandkids, every one of them gorgeous!

Mandi
Along with Tara and Shaina, she's hosting a daily blog, www.transcriptiontalk.com. For insiders, mostly, but you could learn some things!

Mandi invited The Purple Shark herself for a podcast last month. Listen to it or read the transcript, or both!

Margaret
Margaret's the resident novelist, one of the rare sci-fi writers to get a rave review from The New York Times Book Review.. Check out www.margaretwanderbonanno.com.

Tara

Tess

Shaina

From time to time, we'll be giving more information about each of them, perhaps adding or updating their photos. For now, here's more about The Purple Shark herself:

Part of my strength as a transcriber comes from my diverse past. From 1976 to 1981, I worked as a secretary and associate specialist in Corporate Lending for European American Bank, while attending Fordham University, College at Lincoln Center. In 1981, I started working for the University and took the following year off to complete my degree, graduating summa cum laude in 1983 with a B.A. in Economics.

Over the next few years, I worked as a secretary in Corporate Finance at Smith Barney, followed by a stint in its Research Department. After a short career in video and film production and post-production, I worked in various legal firms (the late Olwine, Connelly, O'Donnell & Weyher, for instance) until 1995, when I started Purple Shark Transcriptions.

I learn a great deal from the material I've been asked to transcribe. Organizational learning forms a large part of my practice (I've been amazed and moved by many of the stories I've heard) and it's been heartening to hear so much about sustainability and the greening of corporations in the last few years. I've been privy to fascinating scientific, financial and entertainment-related interviews, focus groups, speeches and dictation. Purple Shark is developing a significant clientele among doctoral students and I've become familiar with the format required for NVivo.

I work very hard to provide transcripts that are readable and accurate and I also do what some have termed "forensic transcription" - whatever it takes to salvage important, but poorly recorded content. I've gotten pretty good with most accents, too, as many of my clients are international or have international components.

Fiction-writing and long walks (but not in the rain, thanks) are my hobbies and I'm about to take a ballroom dance class, we'll see how that goes. But I look forward to hearing what you say next.