I'm David A. Garner
PhD Student, Editor, Digital Analyst & Web Developer
- Age 33
- E-mail dgarner6@iu.edu
- Academic Departments Religious Studies & Comparative Literature
- Academic Interests 20th- and 21st-Century American Literature, Postcolonialism, Jewish Studies, Critical Race Studies, Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Aesthetics, Marxism, Critical Theory, and Literary Theory
- Hobbies Fishing, Television Connoisseur, Grilling
- Knoxville, Tennessee
I’m David A. Garner, and my interests converge on philosophy, theology, literature, and political theory. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student at Indiana University Bloomington, working on a dual doctorate in Religious Studies and Comparative Literature. My main era of study is 20th-century American literature, probing the relationship between religion, literature, and politics: How does literature change the world? Does literature provide an alternative to current social, political, and historical currents? Does literature give access to a divine space, what Giles Gunn called “otherness”? For most of my career, I’ve worked in editing, publishing, web development, web analytics, and digital marketing. Currently, I still work as a freelance web developer and digital marketing consultant. Before embarking on graduate studies at the University of Chicago, where I completed my M.A. in Religion, Literature, and Visual Culture, I spent six years at the Digital Agency BigWheel in Knoxville, TN, where I was the Director of Digital Marketing. I also spent six years as an Assistant Editor at The Other Journal, a publication devoted to theology and culture.
Education
Ph.D. Student in Religious Studies and Comparative Literature
Indiana University, Bloomington
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy & German Cultural Studies
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Professional Skills
Work Experience
Freelancer/Sole Proprietor
Web Developer and Analyst
- Web Development
- Analytics and Reporting
- Search Engine Optimization
- PPC/Ad Management
- Assisting with website management for the publication in addition to programming custom functionality and developing a new website.
- Editing author submissions with the managing editor for compliance with the publication’s style guidelines and the Chicago Manual of Style.
- Working with executive editor to market and distribute journal with emerging advertising media and adding new advertising revenue for publication.
- Managing other publication tasks: coordinating interviews, organizing subscriptions, and implementing new technologies (e.g., new advertising platform for website).
- Building and coding of a WordPress website for the Press’ Silk Roads Book Series (design provided by a third-party contractor).
- Writing and running Python scripts to organize the Press’ anthropology books on the Press’ main website.
- Collecting and organizing the contact information for anthropology professors across the web with Python programs and MySQL databases.
- Developing, implementing, and overseeing all digital marketing efforts for clients, including but not limited to blogging and content creation, media purchasing and advertising (search, social, display, remarketing, and retargeting), search engine optimization, social media, web development, marketing automation, and other digital communications.
- Performing in-depth data analysis and reporting for clients’ web marketing performance, focusing on key performance indicators provided by the client.
- Programming websites to achieve client goals: custom functionality, conversion rate optimization, customer relationship management/marketing automation integration, social media integration, etc.
- Drafting, writing, and editing content calendars (including white papers, e-books, blog posts, social media posts, etc.) for clients; writing then circulating content by means of web sites, email newsletters and alerts, social media, advertisements, and other digital media.
Von Walland Writing & Marketing
Owner, Freelancer
- Provided copywriting, social media, and search engine optimization services to clients.
- Managed digital media purchasing and advertising for client campaigns.
- Reported and analyzed web data on clients’ key performance indicators.
- Assisted two Attorneys in commercial and transactional litigation.
- Drafted, wrote, edited, and compiled precise legal documentation for property deeds, civil lawsuits, business charters, and commercial organization.
- Researched transactional history, business credibility, contact information, account summaries, and various other categories.
Sports Information Department at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Men’s Swimming and Diving Media Contact, Assistant SID
- Drafted, developed, and updated UT Men’s Swimming and Media Guide.
- Coordinated swimming events, served as primary liaison for media representatives and opposing coaches, and responsible for writing 2-3 press releases per week while also coordinating and performing interviews with coaches and athletes at football, basketball, and swimming events.
- Provided editing assistance for sections of the UT Football Media Guide, and served as UT media representative at all football and basketball events, provided statistical backup at football games, updated scoring and statistical information to various sporting networks at basketball games, and analyzed various current and historical statistics for press releases and media guides.
- Initiated database project to log Sports Information photograph archives into software program.
My Interests
In my free time, I enjoy reading, binge-watching television, and having a drink with the missus. Here are some other things I like to do.
- Fishing
- Television Connoisseur
- Grilling
- Reading
- Politics
- Theology
- Camping
Contact Me
Feel free to contact me
- E-mail dgarner6@iu.edu
- Address Bloomington, Indiana