Position: Editor/Reporter
Phone: 757.301.9472 x2
Email: info@rmbfinc.org

Lorraine Perez was born and raised in the Bronx…home of the New York Yankees. She moved to Virginia when she was fourteen years old and graduated from Denbigh High School in Newport News, Va. In 2000, Lorraine married her husband of twelve years and spent the next few years as a stay at home mom to her two children and a student at Tidewater Community College-Portsmouth Campus.

During her time at TCC Lorraine was a student representative of the Student Government Association Federation and president of Phi Theta Kappa Chi-Mu Chapter. In less than six months Lorraine transformed Chi-Mu from a dormant chapter to one of the most active organizations within the campus and school. She worked with the administration on several projects including the re-opening of the Welcome Center and was a peer educator for the Tutoring Department.

She received several awards and recognitions including a service award from Tidewater Community College, a merit scholarship from William E. Wood Real Estate Agency and an International Service award from Phi Theta Kappa. She was also part of the All Virginia Academic Team and was nominated to compete for the 2004 graduation speaker position (she came in runner-up).

Her love for non-profits was ignited as she worked closely with organizations such as the American Red Cross, The American Heart Association, Save-the Bay Foundation and the Hope House of Virginia Beach. However, the American Cancer Society held nearest to the chapter’s heart as they participated in several of their events including Picture-a-Cure and Relay for Life. After graduation, Lorraine continued to work for Tidewater Community College as the Assistant Student Activities Coordinator at the Norfolk Campus where her role consisted of creating and implementing programs designed to enhance the college experience of current students and promote the school to potential students. Lorraine served as team leader for the entire campus during Norfolk’s very first Relay for Life event and even worked with TCC’s creative team to create a t-shirt designed for the cause. She served as the Phi Theta Kappa Orientation Coordinator and occasional advisor to the Student Government Association.

Eventually, Lorraine moved on to pursue her Bachelors in Science degree in Organizational Leadership and Management at Regent University. Prior to graduation, Lorraine started working for the Chair of the Organizational Leadership and Management department until after a very short time was offered a temporary position as the Executive Assistant to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, the Director of Operations and the Associate Dean of Administration and Enrollment. In this role, Lorraine worked primarily as a marketing assistant to the Dean of Administration and Enrollment where she created insertion orders, served as a copy-editor/writer and event coordinator as well as assisted the dean in his undertaking of a multi-million dollar marketing campaign.

Once the assignment was complete Lorraine moved on to work in other higher education institutions including ECPI College of Technology until she realized that her children needed her at home so that they could pursue their own ambitions. Rather than be a strictly stay at home mom Lorraine decided to put her writing skills to use and began to work freelance with local publication such as The Examiner Online. In addition, she found passion in creative writing and began working, when time allows, on her first fiction novel.

Although she had over seven years of higher education experience Lorraine realized that her passion was not only education but marketing. She made the decision to pursue her Masters in Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at West Virginia University where she is receiving practical knowledge in Marketing Research and Analysis, Creative Strategy & Execution, Mobile and Social Media Marketing in addition to many others. She is hoping to graduate by 2014.

She loves spending time with her family, traveling, writing, reading and dabbling in photography when possible.

Connect with Lorraine on:
· www.facebook.com/lperfictionwriter
· www.twitter.com/lorrper
· www.lorrper.blogspot.com
· www.myspace.com/523346607
· www.lorraineperez.wordpress.com