ABOUT JOELLE STEELE
Joelle Steele was born Nancy Norleen Martelli in San Francisco, California. She legally changed her name to Joelle Steele in 1991. Three years later, on Monday, August 15, 1994, she launched her first of more than 20 websites, joellesteele.com. Joelle is a high-IQ (186) polymath.
Joelle grew up in Daly City, Seaside, and Monterey. As an adult she lived in Hayward, Millbrae, Bellflower, San Francisco, and Burlingame; then in West Los Angeles and Venice Beach; and back again to Pacific Grove and Monterey. In 2005, she relocated to Washington state where she lives in a beautiful forested neighborhood with her husband and two cats, not far from her many family members.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Language Arts (double-major in English and Linguistics), California State University-East Bay.Associate in Arts, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, California.
Vocational Certificates, Ornamental Horticulture and Interior Design.
Summer Scholarship, Accelerated Conversational French, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California.
High School Diploma, Monterey High School, Monterey, California.
Private Instruction, Art and Music, nine years each, Monterey, California.
SKILLS
Typing: 95 WPM.Computer: Proficiency dating from 1972 to present, PC and Mac.
Programs: Word, QuarkXPress, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint, Dreamweaver, Family Tree Maker, WordPress.
Languages: Working proficiency in speaking and writing Spanish and French; elementary reading ability in Italian, Swedish, and Latin.
INTERESTS
Reading, international TV, music, gardening, hiking, painting, photography.WORK EXPERIENCE
1973-pres. Author-writer of: 64+ books (34 still in print, fiction and non-fiction); 800+ articles; 60+ short stories; several co-writes and contributing chapters; 12 Q&A advice columns; and numerous works for hire, poems, lyrics, ad copy, jingles, speeches, interviews; and a wide variety of reports for corporations and government entities. Artist, illustrator, and photographer. Began self-publishing books in 2004. [California and Washington state]
1983-pres. Genealogist and family historian. Specializing in online research using 80+ websites to verify lineage and break through "dead ends" in client genealogies. Also researching, writing, editing, and typesetting genealogical histories in book and PDF form for clients (40+ to date). For five years, was a volunteer editor and typesetter for the newsletter of the Swedish-Finn Historical Society. Digital restoration of antique photos. [California and Washington state]
1983-pres. Handwritten forgery expert, court-certified. Expert in authentication of identities of faces in photographs, court-certified. [California]
1983-pres. Adjunct faculty at 12 colleges and also specialty training seminars. Teaching only genealogy and writing/publishing as of 2024. Previously taught: HTML/CSS, web design, holistic cat care, interior landscape, landscape design, floral arrangements, advertising and marketing for small business, watercolor painting, make a living as an artist, introduction to astrology, herbal medicine, small business management, writing poetry, résumé writing, writing short stories, legal writing, face and ear identification, and forgery detection. [California and Washington state]
1981-pres. Write and sell contract templates for individuals and small businesses, all with attorney oversight and review. Available online since 1994. [California and Washington state]
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1972-2024 Astrologer specializing in career and life purpose (midheaven astrology). [California and Washington state]
1980-2016 Owner of landscape design business. Co-owner of landscape business. Consultant to the interior and exterior landscape industry. Speaker at conferences and via semi-annual lecture circuits, speaking on interiorscape and landscape topics. Interior landscaper and floral designer. Owner, employment referral and quality control inspection services for the interior landscape industry. Court-certified expert in the usual and customary practices of the landscape industry. [California and Washington state]
1975-2005 Publisher of books for others and six small press periodicals, including two for the horticultural industry. Volunteer editor and publisher for newsletters of several non-profit groups. Editor of 200+ books, articles, and theses for others. Custom portrait photography. Speaker at conferences on small press publishing and astrology. Private art instructor for ages 12 and up. [California]
1975-1997 Owner, property management business. [California]
1975-1977 VP and creative director for international book publisher. [California]
1975-1977 Music producer and co-owner of recording studio. [California]
1970-1973 Senior illustrator and copywriter for advertising agency. [California]