About | Fertile Ground Communications

"Marie communicates clear, tailored messages that cultivate individual understanding of big issues with compassionate empathy. Her ability to understand and connect with her audience is unparalleled.

-Brandy Wilson, Sustainability Director, Simplot

From Hack to halt: How social media managers are left vulnerable

Nine days ago someone hacked into my business Instagram page, and Facebook deactivated my account. Here's what I've learned.

Do something to save our Country (beyond postcards)

This woman-owned business owner urges each one of you to get involved in this election in a bigger way than ever before.

What I learned at Holden, #5: Daily contemplation cultivates clarity

Contemplation doesn’t have to be sit-still, close-your-eyes meditation.Quiet time makes me more creative.

What I learned at Holden, #4: Celebrating failure boosts creativity

Reframing your failure as a learning experience will make you more resilient, innovative, and creative. Learn how.

What I learned at Holden, #3: We all need more joy and play

Did you know the average 4-year-old laughs 300 times a day, but the average 40-year-old laughs only 4 times? We need more joy!

What I learned at Holden, #2: Going off the grid resets you

Here are some of the benefits I got from going off the grid and into the wilderness.

We all need community (What I learned at Holden)

Being part of a community makes you and your life better, no matter your age or living situation. Here's why.

Elevate Your Feed: Crafting a Professional, Inspirational Online Presence

What you give out comes back. If you want to get the most out of social media, share helpful, inspirational information.

Business Doing Good: Five Takeaways from BLD NW 2024

Five takeaways from BLD NW 2024, where attendees discussed doing business for good.

Eight ways white people can avoid being jerks on Juneteenth

This task, not being a jerk, does not come easily to us white folks. Learn how to celebrate Juneteenth in culturally appropriate ways.

In praise of stay-at-home dads (and one in particular)

Several things I'm grateful for with a stay-at-home dad for a husband

Celebrating Five Years: The Highs and Lows of Running My Own Business

Five years into owning my own business, I reflect on the things I love and don't like as much

Cover letters that wow

Proposal letters typically go on about Company ABC and how amazing they are, with rare mention of the actual client.

Creating a welcoming environment for Muslim People

Is your workplace or environment welcoming to people of all faiths? Here are 12 ways to create a welcoming space for Muslims.

Three Reasons Why you should always start with a story

The best speeches, articles, sermons, and blog posts begin with a story. I lay out three reasons why you should always start with a story.

Eight ways to inspire inclusion of girls and women through your communications

Let's inspire inclusion in the way we communicate about women and girls. Here are some language shifts you can make to inspire inclusion.

Should you become certified as a disadvantaged business?

MWBE certification is designed to address disparities by providing access to government contracts, grants, and other opportunities.

Let's rethink "native"

“There is a little frustration around non-Natives using the term 'native' to refer to them being local to an area. When I tell a lot of...

Stop using “dark” to mean “bad”: let’s make our language less racist

We need to stop using most black/white and light/dark metaphors, which contribute to system racism.

Unlearn your history on Indigenous People’s Day

We live on stolen land, and that’s why it’s important to retake this “Columbus Day” as Indigenous People’s Day.

Scared of Making videos? You're not Alone.

My discomfort with video has been holding me back in my business. I must stop hiding behind the written word and conquer my fears.

Four Ways to Honor and Include Your Hispanic Colleagues

It's National Hispanic Heritage Month. If you lack a plan for including and honoring your Hispanic employees, you're already behind.

Oppenheimer fails

"Barbenheimer" marketing is insensitive to Japanese people and the way they suffered from the atomic bombs.

Why every white person should be a minority at least once in their life

Even though white people can fully experience how racism feels, being a minority helps us be more compassionate and understanding.

Eight ways to welcome LBGTQIA+ People wherever you are

Creating welcoming cultures for LBGTQIA+ people saves lives, whether it’s in the home, school, workplace, or media. Learn how!

It's past time to recognize and value caregivers

Around 90 percent of caregivers are women, and 61 percent are people of color and immigrants. Time for them to be recognized and valued!

Five ways to stop reply-all responses in their tracks

Don’t waste people’s time and clog up their email boxes by replying all. Here are 5 ways to prevent this from occurring.

Ten biggest proposal mistakes

Writing a compelling proposal takes a lot of time and energy. Don’t waste your investment by making one of these mistakes.

Company Awards

World Environment Center Gold Medal Award for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development

American Consulting Engineers Council Oregon, Washington, and national awards

Environmental Business Journal/Climate Change Business Journal awards

American Public Works Association awards

APEX (communications) awards

Awards for Colleagues

Corporate Eco Forum Amazon Leadership Program (wrote applications)

Daily Journal of Commerce Women of Vision Awards

Daily Journal of Commerce Phenoms Under 40 Awards

CH2M HILL CEO Excellence Awards

Awards I've Won

Two APEX Grand Awards

Three Awards for Publications Excellence

International Association of Business Communications (IABC) Bronze Beacon Awards of Excellence

IABC Bronze Beacon Awards of Merit

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

“At a time when rapid and crisis communications were critical, Marie jumped right in and immediately embraced the support we needed for our communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Marie quickly understood the daily operations and tight deadlines our team needed. She understands the big picture. Her writing, business sense, responsiveness, positivity, and professionalism are outstanding. I trusted her to provide us the support we needed every step of the way. I highly recommend Marie. She is amazing. I will work with her any chance I can in the future.”

— Dee Hidalgo, former senior communications specialist at Clackamas County