About

My greatest thrill is to inspire others through the power of words. When my writing makes people laugh, ponder, cry or take action, I know I’ve done my job well.

First, the professional back story…
I did the corporate thing we’re all supposed to do. I studied Communications and Journalism in college and broke into advertising in New York at a Park Avenue ad agency, in a hybrid position as a proofreader, copywriter and graphic artist. I served high-profile clients like Mercedes-Benz at an entry-level salary and found that I had a knack for copywriting. Co-workers called me “multi-talented.” My boss probably called me “inexpensive.”

I was senior copywriter at the corporate headquarters of CVS Health, where I crafted ad copy for national in-store signage and print collateral, CVS.com, emails and more. I was lead writer for ExtraCare Beauty Club and CVSphoto. If you shopped at CVS pharmacy or got one of those “Sale!” emails in your inbox during that time, there’s a good chance I wrote it. I’m sorry.

I was also a Marketing Communications writer at Rhode Island’s Lifespan hospitals. I was lead writer for Lifelines, the Rhode Island Hospital/Hasbro Children’s Hospital newsmagazine, and a key creative player in a huge Comprehensive Cancer Center ad campaign. My contributions earned 8 awards (5 solo; 3 team) from the New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NeshCo) and Ragan Communications, Inc. I interviewed everyone from brain surgeons to cancer survivors and African refugees. I even learned the basics of robotic surgery in a hospital operating room and coached people when they starred in our TV ads.

In the corporate world, I earned a reputation for grab-you-by-the-hair taglines, clever copy and award-winning feature stories. My graphics background served me well when working with designers and writing for visuals. (If you want to see more corporate-y stuff I wrote, visit my corporate portfolio site.)

Writing to the beat of my own keystrokes
My freelance work has appeared in national and regional print and online publications, including the Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine and two cover stories for ASRT Scanner magazine.

As a freelancer, I also edited, ghostwrote and designed trade paperback books, including Love and Valor: The Intimate Civil War Letters, which has since been featured by the Smithsonian and made into a documentary narrated by award-winning actor Brian Dennehy.

I sweat a lot. I do a lot.
My varied passions give me plenty of writing ideas. Holistic health and spirituality are lifelong interests. I’ve studied various martial arts for 25+ years. I’m a professional reflexologist and former instructor of martial arts, Kripalu YogaDance and more. Spiritual retreats and trainings? I’ve done more than I can count. I’m also into cycling, yoga, and I completed my first triathlon in 2021. I love sewing, woodworking and DIY projects; give me power tools and I’ll make things.

What’s the “Z” about?
Blame it on Facebook. When I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into The Land of Facebook, I was one of about 5 billion other Wendy Lewises. I added a “Z” so friends could find me. It was only supposed to be temporary, but then people actually started calling me that. I would walk into my martial arts school and people would yell, “Z!” It stuck.

Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?
Maybe. Through my immersion in the advertising world, I learned of a neat thing called “commercial print modeling,” which led to side gigs as TV and print talent. I’ve done print work for varied clients, including Providence Bootcamp Fitness, Atomic Kickboxing and Honeywell. I’ve appeared in three regional TV commercials and walked the runway at Fashion Week RI. I was even an extra on Sex and the City. My marketing savvy helps me tap into clients’ needs and deliver on-point visuals. I’m also a living art performer with TEN31 Productions in Providence. I’ve performed as trees, statues, Vegas showgirls and much more. It’s fantastic.