Steadfast in her mission of uncovering and distributing knowledge, Deborah S. Rieselman is passionate about telling stories in a way that makes people want to read them. She developed an interest in writing and journalism in high school, and went to college during the Watergate scandal. The impact of that story was very inspirational to her; she wanted to affect lives in a similar matter. Ms. Rieselman’s first step toward achieving her goals was becoming the managing editor of Record Newspapers in 1979. She stayed there until 1984, at which point she advanced to the positions of assistant director, digital executive editor, and editor of UC Magazine. Today, Ms. Rieselman parlays this experience into her roles as the owner of Write Tight Communications and as the editor of the Ohio Innocence Project Annual Report for the University of Cincinnati. One of her favorite parts of the job is interviewing people; she is naturally curious and loves to learn new things.
Over the years, Ms. Rieselman has really made her mark on the writing industry. She contributed to BBC’s “Neil Armstrong – First Man on the Moon” in 2013 and to “Best Practices in Communication Implementation & Planning” in 2009, as well as to “Mentors, Models and Mothers” in 1997. Additionally, she authored the UC Stylebook for the University of Cincinnati, edited six books, and served as an editorial judge for the Catholic Press Association, the Cincinnati Arts Overture Awards, and the International Association of Business Communicators.
Ms. Rieselman prepared for her endeavors by completing coursework at the University of Cincinnati, the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and the University of Kentucky. She also obtained a certificate in preventing harassment from the University of Cincinnati and became an accredited business communicator from the International Association of Business Communicators.
As a testament to her success, Ms. Rieselman earned two awards from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2008, eight regional awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Awards between 2004 and 2014, 10 awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Awards between 1992 and 2014, 39 awards from the International Association of Business Communicators between 1992 and 2010, and 49 awards from the Cincinnati Editors Association in 1988 and 2000. Some of her most notable accolades include International Gold Medals from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in 2014 and 1998, and the Quill Gold Medal from the International Association of Business Communicators in 2004.
When Ms. Rieselman isn’t working, she enjoys playing the Appalachian Dulcimer, performing in a handbell choir, designing costumes, and directing local films. She is a member of the Indiana-Kentucky ELCA Synod Council, the board president of the Women of the ELCA Indiana-Kentucky Synod, and a board member of the Eastern Kentucky Conference of the ELCA.