1. HOLLY QUAN
Holly Quan is an award‐wining writer, editor, researcher and communications specialist with more than
30 years of corporate and freelance experience. With a broad background ranging from petroleum,
energy, science and environmental issues to travel, arts and culture, Holly is able to write with ease in a
number of domains and subject areas. She is known for an ability to explain complex issues and concepts
in clear, concise language. Holly is adept at creating a variety of documents in a multitude of styles. She
produces value for clients through her broad experience and professional handling of all phases of a
communications project, resulting in the delivery of required documents, materials and services on time,
on budget.
Holly has been a freelance writer since 1998 and incorporated her business in 2004. She currently
operates her business, Vireo Creative Communications Inc., from her fully equipped home office in Turner
Valley, Alberta. Contact information is at the end of this document. A client list, references, and writing
samples are available on request.
SERVICE OFFERINGS
Corporate communication
Internal communications: Holly has extensive experience in internal corporate communications, including
these key functions: issue and audience identification; strategic planning; communication plan
development; working with internal client groups for research, writing, editing and approvals; message
delivery through a variety of channels such as employee intranet, email, leader kits, newsletters, speeches
and town hall presentations; plus liaison with graphic designers, videographers, photographers and
printers as required to develop appropriate tools for information delivery.
Specific experience and projects include:
• Contract communications specialist, Nexen Energy ULC, supporting internal communications for
a number of business partners.
o In this role, Holly supported a major internal culture shift initiative, including
development of articles, posters, videos, leader kits, emails and employee town hall
presentations.
o Holly was a vital member of Nexen’s crisis communications team, which managed
messaging and media, government and stakeholder communications arising from a
major environmental incident in 2015 and a fatality incident in 2016. This work included
development of key messages, working closely with the legal department, preparing
press conference and presentation materials, and coaching executives and other
presenters.
o Holly was Nexen’s communications representative with key external organizations
including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Canada’s Oil Sands
Innovation Alliance, and the Coalition for a Safer 63 / 881.
• Contract writer, Repsol Oil and Gas Inc. (formerly Talisman Energy). Holly researched and wrote
more than 50 career development articles. She continues to provide research and writing in
support of an extensive cost efficiency program; communications services supporting corporate
integration between the legacy company (Talisman) and the new owner (Repsol); and writing /
editing support for a variety of miscellaneous assignments.
• Content Manager, Suncor Energy, focused on the employee intranet website. This role included
researching and writing stories, obtaining and formatting photos and graphics, managing story
lineup and content, and creating key messages for rotating monthly screensavers. Holly was also
a major contributor to Suncor’s employee newsletter and newsmagazine, including membership
on the respective editorial boards.

2. External communications: Holly has completed a variety of projects and assignments pertaining to
external corporate communications, notably annual reports, sustainability reports, and newsletters. She is
adept at identifying issues, purpose and audience, and producing targeted, effective plans, tools and
tactics. Specific experience and projects include:
• Arising from her extensive communications experience with the oil sands industry, Holly
provided writing and project development / management services to Canada’s Oil Sands
Innovation Alliance (COSIA) to develop the annual Project Portfolio publication – essentially
COSIA’s annual report – released at their Performance Update event in October 2016. A PDF of
this report is available for review at http://www.cosia.ca/
• Holly was the lead researcher and writer for corporate responsibility reports produced by
ENMAX Corporation of Calgary. The most recent of these reports is available online at
https://www.enmax.com/AboutUsSite/Reports/2012_CR_Report.pdf
• Holly wrote more than 150 articles for annual donor stewardship reports produced by the
University of Calgary’s Donor Relations department.
• Holly produced a newsmagazine for external stakeholders about Nexen’s oil sands operating
facility. These projects included developing table of contents, researching and writing stories,
sourcing photos, working with a designer, sourcing and working with printers and managing mail
and online distribution. The 2015 edition is available for review at
http://www.nexencnoocltd.com/en/Operations/OilSands.aspx
Other internal and external corporate communications experience: research, writing, editing and
production of media advisories and releases, website content, videos, posters, signage and displays, grand
opening events, open house or town hall events, speeches and presentations.
Technical writing
Holly has written and/or edited technical reports and manuals on a variety of topics. Specific experience
and projects:
• Holly completed technical writing/editing projects for Suncor Energy, including:
o Process safety management guidance manuals.
o Standards for creating company‐wide policy, standard and guidance documents.
o An on‐boarding manual for engineers in training.
o Guidance documents pertaining to employee disability management.
o A major incident investigation report involving a rig explosion and fire.
• Holly edited and co‐wrote a major technical report for Parks Canada. Unimpaired for Future
Generations? was a two‐volume report from the Panel on the Ecological Integrity in Canada’s
National Parks. This major federally funded report set the direction for parks management policy
up to the present day. The report was released to the public by Hon. Sheila Copps, Minister of
Canadian Heritage. In an editorial, The Globe and Mail called the report “eloquently written and
produced.”

3. Video and film
Holly has written and produced video scripts for corporate communications such as office and on‐site
safety videos, plus documentaries, personnel profiles, recruitment, employee recognition events and
marketing. Her video scripts range from a four‐minute video explaining the oil sands process for school‐
age kids to full‐length features.
Specific experience and projects include:
• Holly co‐wrote and co‐edited a feature‐length documentary film titled The Caravan Film, which
premiered at the Equus Film Festival in New York in November 2015 – where it was selected as
Best in Festival. This documentary also received the Jury Grand Prize at the Amsterdam Film
Festival 2016, and awards from festivals in Houston and Tucson. More information is available at
http://thecaravanfilm.ca/
• Holly researched and wrote a booklet and video script to commemorate the 40
th
anniversary of
Suncor Energy's oil sands development, earning a Gold Quill Award of Excellence from the
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
• Holly researched and wrote the script for the feature‐length docu‐drama On The Edge of
Destruction: The Frank Slide Story. This work was commissioned by the Frank Slide Interpretive
Centre to commemorate the 100
th
anniversary of the Frank Slide, a major historical event in
Alberta. Her script was nominated for an Alberta Media Productions Industry Association
(AMPIA) award.
Interpretive information
Holly has written interpretive/educational information for a number of audiences. Clients acknowledge
her ability to explain complex technical or scientific concepts in a clear, concise and captivating manner
that is comprehensible to a non‐technical audience. She has researched and written text for exhibits and
displays, guidebooks, travel guides, and more, including:
• An annotated map and guide for passengers on the Montana Daylight, a scenic excursion train
operated by Montana Rockies Rail Tours (Sandpoint, Idaho).
• A heritage/natural history map and guide for the Fraser Discovery Route, a scenic rail route
operated by Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (Vancouver, B.C.).
• The Brewster Naturguide, a 112‐page proprietary interpretive guide for customers taking
motorcoach or rail trips with Brewster Tours (Banff, Alberta).
• A series of interpretive guides for customers of Brewster’s various self‐guided tours.
• As part of a multi‐disciplinary consultant team, Holly produced interpretive material for
Harrison’s Cave, a major tourist attraction in Barbados. This project included writing background
material and scripts for guides conducting tours in the cave, scripts for a variety of audio‐visual
presentations, and text for exhibits and signs.
Other projects
A long‐time contributor to Calgary’s City Palate magazine, Holly has written articles ranging from food in
Iceland to a local initiative for getting kids involved in gardening. Articles are available online:
• “From Seed to Sip” ‐ http://issuu.com/citypalate/docs/cp_nd14 ‐ click to page 48
• “Adventures in Tea Pot Land” ‐ http://issuu.com/citypalate/docs/cp_so13 ‐ click to page 50
• “A Garden Club for Kids: Learning to Dig It” ‐ https://issuu.com/citypalate/docs/cp_mj16 ‐ click to
page 44
• “Eating Iceland” ‐ https://issuu.com/citypalate/docs/cp_ma16 ‐ click to page 32
Holly recently edited the book‐length manuscript Wearing Blue Gingham: Calgary General Hospital Class
of 1958. This social / oral history outlines the history of nursling education in Canada and Alberta, and the

4. remarkable ground‐breaking changes in training that occurred at the Calgary General Hospital in the
1950s.
Holly has produced ads, advertorials, information kits, brochures, and catalogues to communicate
information about her clients’ products and services. She has also written materials for use by not‐for‐
profit organizations for fundraising, and for developing community contact and awareness.
By writing feature articles for newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, Holly learned to interview and
write efficiently. She has worked closely with editors, art directors, and photographers at local, national,
and international publications.
Holly is the author of two books in the Amazing Stories series published by Heritage House of Edmonton,
Alberta. In addition, Holly researched and wrote Adventures in Nature: British Columbia, a guide to
outdoor activities, Aboriginal sites and conservation issues in B.C., published by Avalon Travelbooks of
California. She is also co‐author of The Official Guide to Pacific Rim National Park.
Holly has managed numerous complex projects. She has experience in problem definition, hiring and
supervising consultants, liaison with photographers and art directors, budget control, report review and
editing, and rollout of project results.
Creative pursuits
In 2016, Holly earned a Master’s‐level diploma in Creative Writing from Humber College in Toronto and
produced a full‐length novel manuscript as her creative writing project. She is actively seeking a publisher.
Holly is an emerging visual artist. Her abstract landscapes have been exhibited at Bluerock Gallery in Black
Diamond and at the Sheep River Library in Turner Valley.
Her experience as a solo singer and musician has made Holly a confident public speaker and presenter.
Volunteering
Holly combines her leadership and management skills by participating on a number of volunteer boards,
including:
• Diamond Valley Villas Condominium Association (secretary, 2003‐2005, 2007‐2009, 2011‐2015).
• Sheep River Community Library Board (member 2001‐2006; vice chair, 2006); ongoing library art
exhibit co‐ordinator.
• Friends of the Sheep River Library Foundation (president 2006‐2012). In this role, Holly helped
raise more than $200,000 toward furniture and equipment for the new Sheep River Library in
Turner Valley, Alberta.
• Beneath the Arch Concert Series Society (chair of promotions and publicity, 2001‐2012;
president, 2006‐2009; master of ceremonies; ongoing advertising coordinator).
Professional affiliations
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
Professional Writer’s Association of Canada (PWAC)
Writers Guild of Alberta

5. CONTACT INFORMATION
Vireo Creative Communications Inc.
Holly Quan
phone: 403‐933‐5811
cell: 403‐512‐9922
email: holly@vireo.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly‐quan
Mailing address: Street address:
P O Box 962 #4, 825 Imperial Drive
Turner Valley, AB Turner Valley, AB
T0L 2A0