Todd B. Gruel

Who I Am

I’m a communications specialist and writer helping universities, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and cultural organizations clarify complex ideas, connect with real audiences, and build trust through rigorous, human-centered storytelling.

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• Higher Education
• Healthcare
• Non-Profit
• Journalism
• Culture & Sustainability

FEATURED WORK

Selected Work
Representative projects demonstrating how I translate complex ideas, communities, and creative practices into clear, human-centered narratives.

1. Institutional & Higher Education Communications

Academic Medical & University Systems

Example: UC San Diego Health — Orthopaedic Surgery Website Redesign
Focus: UX Content Strategy, Information Architecture, Technical Copy

Why it matters:
Led a full content and structural overhaul for a large academic medical department, improving clarity, accessibility, and navigation across education, research, and clinical care audiences.

→ View institutional & higher education work

2. Community & Place-Based Storytelling

Local Journalism & Civic Culture

Example: Community features and interviews (arts, small businesses, civic spaces)
Focus: Reporting, Interviews, Narrative Features

Why it matters:
Human-centered journalism rooted in place, highlighting local voices and cultural ecosystems through ethical reporting and accessible storytelling.

→ View community & journalism work

3. Creative & Conceptual Narrative

Arts, Humanities & Cultural Writing

Example: Essays, liner notes, and multidisciplinary cultural criticism
Focus: Long-form narrative, interpretive writing, brand voice

Why it matters:
Explores how sound, image, language, and beauty shape human experience—bridging creative practice, cultural analysis, and conceptual storytelling.

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BRIEF PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

With over a decade of experience in writing, editing, and communications, I bring a humanities-driven, research-oriented approach to content across sectors including higher education, healthcare, arts & culture, and local journalism.

My background in Literature, Writing Studies, and Philosophy informs a practice rooted in ethical reasoning, rhetorical clarity, and audience awareness — whether I’m restructuring a medical website, reporting on community initiatives, or crafting long-form cultural essays.

TESTIMONIAL TEASER

“His perfectionist approach to research and language finds its ideal supplement in his ability to distill key points from complex circumstances and his professional communication that prevents all possible misunderstandings. His writing style is very clear and accurate, yet it does not lack of poetry and tactility.”
— Ludwig Berger, Research Associate, Institute for Landscape Architecture at ETH Zurich

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CREATIVE PRACTICE: Images & Sounds

In addition to professional communications work, I maintain an active creative practice in photography, video, and experimental sound — exploring urban iconography, environmental systems, and narrative atmosphere.

→ Explore photography, videography & graphic design
→ Explore sound & audio projects