Onoclea Communications
Meet Lesley Earl, the owner of Onoclea Communications.
Website: www.onocleacommunications.com
Tell us about your business.
“Onoclea Communications provides science, health and technical communications support, as well as accessibility consulting services.”
What inspired you to start your business?
“Writing is hard. And writing well is even harder! Add in the complexities of the modern digital landscape, and it can feel overwhelming. I chose to start my business to make the tricky challenge of communicating complicated scientific and technical information easier for individuals and businesses, while also providing accessibility support to ensure that digital communications efforts don't get lost due to technical errors.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
“I started out my career as a scientist. My passion for science began in high school, when I conducted an experiment and realized that for just a moment, I was the ONLY person in the world who knew this one specific thing about science. But along the way I realized that as much as I love discovering new things, the real power lies in how we share new science and technology so that it can make a positive change in people's lives. So what I'm about is the "how" of communicating: creating clear, compelling messages, and ensuring that those messages are shared in the right place, at the right time, and in the right way to be understood by your audience.”
What was your role at NIH?
“Since 2018, I served as a science writer, communicator, and Section 508 Coordinator for the National Eye Institute. I first came to the NIH as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in 2010; in 2012, I became a science writer in the Biophysics Section at the National Cancer Institute.”
How has your NIH experience influenced your business journey?
“From the outside, it might seem like the government moves slowly and rarely innovates. But from the inside, the NIH environment taught me to create fast, working solutions with minimal tools and support; moreover, I learned to ‘do it all,’ including everything from coding to web analytics to graphic design and print management, science writing, media relations, project management, and more. I’m excited to be able to offer these skills to clients through my new business!”
