National executive council

I began my official editing career in 2020, connecting with clients as I obtained my certification in editing through SFU. Most of my freelance work has been in fiction and academic writing. Beyond this, I am passionate about accessibility in language and in practice. As a fiction writer as well as an editor, I believe in bridging atypical and accessible writing. I believe that, in tandem, writers and editors have the power to see the world differently and communicate it clearly. I am also passionate about community: connecting with writers and editors in an increasingly isolated industry.

I am a former associate editor and typesetter and currently proofreader in financial documents. I have a degree in English Language and Literature and am a native speaker of English (my parents emigrated from Latvia to England and then Canada following the Second World War). My schooling from kindergarten took place in Canada and although I finished my Hon. B.A. many years ago, I am currently working on the Publishing Certificate at Ryerson. I have had freelance copy editing experience in journals for about 10–15 years now. I was recently a technical editor for the Canadian journal TESL Canada from the University of Western Ontario. This involved editing references and their citations. However, I have also copy edited scientific and highly technical journals from the United States as well, including in such fields as humanities, social sciences, philosophy, futures, management, ultrasound, and medical and education. A current project includes copy editing a memoire written by a first-time writer, something I’m not used to but enjoying very much for the complete about-face from my usual activities.

I have worked as a freelance and/or in-house editor for more than 15 years. As the owner of Red Tree Editing, I edit both commercial (corporate) and creative (fiction/non-fiction) writing. I really love the written word, and I never feel like I’ve heard it all or seen it all. There is always space to keep learning and growing.

Part of my goal in becoming director of member recruitment and retention is to listen to what we editors need to feel supported and fulfilled with regards to our memberships. How can we get the most out of this association, and what can we do to attract more dedicated people? I’m here to listen and give a voice to your ideas and concerns. I’ll do my best to help provide a space for healthy interactions where we uplift each other and feel our investment in this membership is worthwhile.

I’ve been a freelancer since 1977, and have taught editing all over the place. I was a founding member of (F)EAC and have had all sorts of positions on the executive, including president three times and treasurer six times (yikes!). In real life I own and run a writing and editing company called Colborne Communications, where my office is populated with moose paraphernalia. I’m also the publisher at Iguana Books. More importantly, I captain a team in a weekly trivia league, and frequent local pubs and stamp auctions.

I formally launched my freelance editing career in 2023 by completing the George Brown Editorial Skills certificate and started What’s the Idea Editing. I primarily edit non-fiction, including magazines and memoirs, with a focus on film, TV and physical media. I served as Editors Canada publications committee chair from 2023 to 2026, leading the Edit Like a Pro project and coordinating the publication of Editing with Respect and Professional Editorial Standards 2024. I am also an experienced writer and project manager. My original content along with my portfolio and testimonials are all available at whatstheidea.ca. I’m based out of Hamilton, Ontario.