FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, June 10, 2019—The Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) has announced that Donna L. Dawson of Aurora, Ontario, is the recipient of the 2019 Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award.
Dawson was recognized for 10 years of steadfast, reliable and highly skilled support to the association’s landmark professional certification program.
During her time working with the certification steering committee, she helped to create a new exam and served as a marker for several years. However, it is the years she spent as test analyst that have had the most lasting impact on the program.
The role of the test analyst is key to upholding the integrity of the professional certification program. She helps evaluate the validity and reliability of each exam, trains and evaluates markers, and ensures marking fairness and consistency. “The test analyst’s role is one of the most important volunteer jobs within Editors Canada,” said her nominators. Dawson accepted this weighty responsibility and performed the job with care and sensitivity for six years.
Before passing the test analyst reins to another volunteer in 2019, Dawson trained her replacement to ensure the standard she maintained would continue for years to come.
“Without her work, the association’s world-renowned professional certification program could not continue,” said her nominators.
Established in 2010, the Editors Canada President’s Award for Volunteer Service recognizes outstanding service to the organization by member volunteers. From among the nominations received for the President’s Award, one nominee is selected to receive the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award. Recipients of the 2019 President’s Award for Volunteer Service are as follows.
Janine Harker (Editors Ottawa-Gatineau)
Sophie Pallotta (Editors Québec)
Lee Parpart (Editors Toronto)
Mary Rykov (Editors Toronto)
JJ Wilson (Editors Barrie)
Jacqui Woods-Powell (Editors Barrie)
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About Editors Canada
Lee d’Anjou is a founding member of the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada and remains a guiding force in the association now known as Editors Canada. She is a champion of professional standards of editing, a pioneer of the association’s certification program, and one of the association’s most recognized and outstanding volunteers.
Additional information about the President’s Award for Volunteer Service and the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award can be found on the Editors Canada website.
Editors Canada began in 1979 as the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada to promote and maintain high standards of editing. In 1994, the word “Freelance” was dropped to reflect the association’s expanding focus to serve both freelance and in-house editors. As Canada’s only national editorial association, it is the hub for 1,300 members and affiliates, both salaried and freelance, who work in the corporate, technical, government, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. The association’s professional development programs and services include professional certification, an annual conference, seminars, webinars, and networking with other associations. Editors Canada has five regional branches: British Columbia; Saskatchewan; Toronto; Ottawa–Gatineau; and Quebec, as well as smaller branches (called twigs) in Barrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Manitoba, Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph, Hamilton/Halton, Kingston, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Media contact
Michelle Ou
Senior Communications Manager
Editors Canada
416 975-1379 / 1 866 226-3348
communications@editors.ca