About me.
I’ve always been drawn to the mechanics of language—how a well-placed word or subtle shift in tone can bring clarity, shape emotion, or unlock meaning. Over the past 20 years, I’ve built a career helping others harness that power. Whether editing a novel, coaching a student through a personal essay, or fine-tuning a technical report, I focus on bringing structure to ideas and nuance to voice. My approach is collaborative, thoughtful, and grounded in a deep respect for the writer’s intent. What I enjoy most is the process—rolling up my sleeves, working through the language, and watching a piece evolve into its most effective form.
Experience
Senior Editor
Modern Language Association
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Edited hundreds of scholarly articles for PMLA, the flagship journal of literary criticism, ensuring clarity, coherence, and adherence to academic rigor
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Maintained and periodically revised the MLA’s complex house style guide, which governs one of the most widely used citation and editorial systems in the world
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Trained incoming editors and proofreaders in both stylistic conventions and best editorial practices, contributing to the institutional consistency of the publication
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Authored blog posts on grammar, usage, and stylistic clarity, sharing insights with a broad readership of scholars and students
Manuscript Editor
Asian Development Bank
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Line-edited large-scale reports on the political, economic, and cultural dynamics of developing nations in Asia and the Pacific
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Specialized in making highly technical and data-driven content accessible to a broader policy audience without sacrificing precision
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Reviewed and refined documents containing extensive visual data—charts, graphs, and infographics—ensuring alignment between text and figures
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Worked closely with international teams to maintain clarity across translations and adapt content for global publication standards
Freelance Editor
Publishers & Educational Media
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W. W. Norton: Edited anthologies and textbooks, including literary collections used in college-level classrooms
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Penguin: Edited young-adult fiction, balancing narrative voice with editorial structure to appeal to target age groups
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Scholastic: Refined reading-comprehension materials, focusing on pedagogical clarity and age-appropriate tone
Published Authors
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Elisha Cooper – Award-winning children’s author and memoirist
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Chaya Bhuvaneswar – Poet and short story writer
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Joshua Spanogle – Novelist of medical thrillers
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Wendy Hesford – Academic and author of scholarly works in cultural studies
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Writing Coach
TestMasters
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Coached numerous applicants through the entire process of writing personal statements for college and graduate school
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Helped clients uncover meaningful personal narratives and articulate them with clarity, emotional resonance, and purpose
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Provided individualized, step-by-step support—including brainstorming, outlining, drafting, and revising—to strengthen both the structure and voice of each essay