About

Originally from Chicago and trained as a photo and broadcast journalist, Annie Crawley spent the past two decades living and working around the world. After learning to scuba dive and sail, she became a PADI Master Scuba Diving Instructor and a 100 ton US Coast Guard Boat Captain. Named an SSI 5000 Platinum Pro Diver and inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame, she continues to parallel her life with ocean exploration, entertainment and education. Annie specializes in the underwater realm as an underwater photographer and filmmaker. As a producer, Annie Crawley created an award winning series of children’s ocean books, interactive ebooks on the iTunes bookstore, DVDs and educator guides after being awarded four grants from the Save Our Seas Foundation to change the way a new generation views the ocean, themselves and our environment. She has traveled and documented expeditions around the world including the SEAPLEX expedition with Project Kaisei to The North Pacific Gyre, more commonly known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Plastic Ahoy by Lerner Publishing will be released in Spring of 2014.

This blog follows Annie’s journey during her time with the Communication Leadership program for professionals as she obtains her Master of Communication in Communities & Networks at the University of Washington. As a transmedia motivator and network engineer I plan on harnessing innovation, entrepreneurship and community. What’s your story? Who is your audience? are the fundamental questions an organization needs to answer, yet according to marketing expert Matt Bailey you must always focus on what makes your company money and measure your marketing against your primary goal. Creating and generating profits is the key to growing a business with a solid strategy.