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Mil Edison grew up in historic Natchitoches, Louisiana, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class and later received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Northwestern State University (NSU) in
her home town. She became a member of the English Department at NSU, where she pioneered instructional
television, writing a textbook/TV program for developmental English and serving as the on-camera instructor. (The program reduced freshmen English failures by 50 percent.) With a sabbatical to pursue a Ph.D., she attended Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, where she excelled in linguistic courses.
Seeking a new challenge, she accepted the position of Chairman of the Humanities Division and Director of the ITV Center at a new community college in Jackson, Tennessee. There she designed courses, wrote
job descriptions, served on developmental committees, taught classes, and participated in state and national seminars and workshops. She designed and set up the Instructional Television Center, developed an accredited course for teaching television production, and produced instructional and community programs. She served as instructor, writer, producer, and often on-camera host. In 1969, she was selected as a "Great Teacher" and attended the national "Seminar for Great Teachers" in Maine.
A move to San Francisco in 1970 provided the author opportunities for world travel as a freelancer and media consultant. Both a Television Development Plan for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a project for
the Saudi Ministry of Education involved proposal writing, interviewing heads of the various Saudi Ministries, and writing sections of the studies.
With a California PBS station, she served as executive
producer for a miniseries, scriptwriter for TV programs, and on-camera host.
As Manager of the Technical Publications Department of a major Silicon Valley firm, she and her staff produced instruction manuals for sophisticated reactors used to
manufacture microchips. Mil was active in the Society for Technical Communications and received its "Outstanding Speaker" award at a national conference. As a member of the
Industrial TV Society, Edison served on many national panels and workshops.
All of her volunteer work involved writing. As board member and past president of
Human Investment Projects, Inc. (San Mateo, CA), she produced its first Policies and Procedures Manual. As a member of the San Mateo Community College Advisory
Board for Radio and TV, she wrote sections of several studies. She wrote press releases and monthly newsletters.
Mil Edison has extensive experience in providing presentations and training seminars
for educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, social organizations, and service groups. Being on-camera is "old hat" to her; using humor in her presentations is
"second nature"; and applying research and organizational skills to do a job effectively "comes naturally."
Edison writes and reads humorous poetry for reunions and organizations. She once
realistically portrayed Frances Willard in a re-creation of her 1876 sermon.
The author's memberships include National Writers Association, National Association
of Women Writers, Willamette Writers (Oregon), Rogue Writers Ink (Oregon), California Writers, Sierra Writers (California), Folk Art Society of America, The
National Trust for Historic Preservation, and American Association of University Women.
The author has attended the Santa Barbara Writing Conference and the Maui Writers
Retreat and Conference. She is now headquartered in Medford, Oregon, with her husband. She has three grown children, two granddaughters, and two great-grandchildren.
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