DOLLY PURVIS
WANDERING WITH PURPOSE:
Turning Serendipitous Detours into Unique Opportunities
Journey
I’m a native Atlantan with a deep love for stories — telling them, shaping them, and sometimes rescuing them from poorly designed websites.I’ve never been one for straight lines. My path has taken me through newsrooms, nonprofits, hospitals, churches, and creative studios, with pit stops in everything from photography to policy writing. I’ve worked as a journalist, a communications director, a designer, a strategist, and — in more recent years — a quiet tech whisperer who helps people wrangle content, build brands, and untangle the mysteries of modern marketing.
I earned my Bachelor of Arts in English at Agnes Scott College, where — in the words of one of our many famous alumnae — “minds spark minds.” That phrase has followed me ever since, guiding how I approach both collaboration and creativity. I’ve had the privilege of working with some truly meaningful organizations, including my hometown newspapers, my alma mater, and, most recently, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). I’ve led communications campaigns, redesigned print publications, overhauled websites, and even created animated brand mascots using a strategic mix of AI and Adobe.
Recently, I wrote the bones of a novel called Let the Weird Girls Preach. I’m not sure it will ever be published — but honestly, that’s not the point. The point is to do it — to get all those stories out of my cranium and onto the page. The process gave me a chance to keep some skills sharp and push others further, as I built a multimedia package around the manuscript that includes writing, video, fake podcasting, and simple animation. It’s a strange, joyful experiment in storytelling — and a reminder that making something matters, whether or not it ever sits on a shelf.
I believe that creativity thrives in community. That’s why, most Saturday mornings, you’ll find me volunteering as the photographer for NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. There’s something sacred about documenting the joy of a new front porch or a wall raised by neighbors. It reminds me why I do what I do — to tell the truth about people, place, and purpose in a way that honors the moment.
Curiosity
These days, I’m endlessly curious and always learning. I’ve added AI to my creative toolbox — writing, illustrating, animating, and editing with the help of ethical, well-behaved digital tools. Because good ideas deserve a little magic (and a lot of polish).
When I’m not writing, designing, editing, or decoding someone’s third-hand Wix password, I’m probably hunting for just the right photograph, testing new layout ideas, or organizing the (slightly ridiculous) collection of tech cables I seem to have acquired over the years.
I live in a house kept lively by two very different but equally committed dogs:
– Rosie, a terrier mix who moonlights as Director of Barking at Things That Aren’t a Threat, and
– Aslan, a Havanese who brings courage, chaos, and a shocking amount of bedhead to the table.
I’m never satisfied with the status quo. While I take real joy in finishing things well, the two questions that follow every success are always:
Wasn’t that great?
and
What’s the next big thing?
Curiosity
These days, I’m endlessly curious and always learning. I’ve added AI to my creative toolbox — writing, illustrating, animating, and editing with the help of ethical, well-behaved digital tools. Because good ideas deserve a little magic (and a lot of polish).
When I’m not writing, designing, editing, or decoding someone’s third-hand Wix password, I’m probably hunting for just the right photograph, testing new layout ideas, or organizing the (slightly ridiculous) collection of tech cables I seem to have acquired over the years.
I live in a house kept lively by two very different but equally committed dogs:
– Rosie, a terrier mix who moonlights as Director of Barking at Things That Aren’t a Threat, and
– Aslan, a Havanese who brings courage, chaos, and a shocking amount of bedhead to the table.
I’m never satisfied with the status quo. While I take real joy in finishing things well, the two questions that follow every success are always:
Wasn’t that great?
and
What’s the next big thing?
Curiosity
These days, I’m endlessly curious and always learning. I’ve added AI to my creative toolbox — writing, illustrating, animating, and editing with the help of ethical, well-behaved digital tools. Because good ideas deserve a little magic (and a lot of polish).
When I’m not writing, designing, editing, or decoding someone’s third-hand Wix password, I’m probably hunting for just the right photograph, testing new layout ideas, or organizing the (slightly ridiculous) collection of tech cables I seem to have acquired over the years.
I live in a house kept lively by two very different but equally committed dogs:
– Rosie, a terrier mix who moonlights as Director of Barking at Things That Aren’t a Threat, and
– Aslan, a Havanese who brings courage, chaos, and a shocking amount of bedhead to the table.
I’m never satisfied with the status quo. While I take real joy in finishing things well, the two questions that follow every success are always:
Wasn’t that great?
and
What’s the next big thing?