When I was young girl in West Texas — sometime after realizing I might not get to be a U.S. senator — I knew I wanted to be a writer and editor. I was good at it. I liked telling stories and constructing interesting sentences, and I often found myself silently judging the grammatical skills of others. I was that weird kid in class who actually enjoyed diagramming sentences.

After receiving a subscription to National Geographic magazine in middle school, I also became enamored with photography, both beautiful and exciting. The idea of capturing what Henri Cartier-Bresson called the “decisive moment” enthralled me. This budding interest helped me realize that I also had a strong creative side.

I served as editor of my high school’s newspaper and worked on the yearbook staff as a designer and photographer, combining my love of words and images. My skills were acknowledged with several University Interscholastic League awards. The Texas Youth and Government program appointed me as the state editor and a national delegate to the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) for two years, which led to me becoming the CONA national editor in my senior year. Attending CONA for two summers at the Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, North Carolina, sparked my love affair with this beautiful state.

Knowing that I wanted to go to an excellent journalism school and having received offers from several prestigious universities, I cried with joy when I received my acceptance letter to the University of North Carolina as an out-of-state student. So I packed my bags and electric typewriter, kissed my mom and dad goodbye, and headed to Chapel Hill. I’ve been a naturalized North Carolinian — and an editor, writer, and graphic designer — ever since.

When I’m not fighting for social justice or researching my genealogy, I help others craft their messages through editing, writing, and graphic design. Precise, accurate editing and clean design have been my passion for more than 30 years. Whether your project is highly technical, persuasive, educational, or whimsical, I can help ensure that your content meets your vision and has the most impact on your intended audience. I am adept at distilling complex information into compelling communication pieces. With experience designing magazines, books, advertisements, direct mail, and more, I can transform your ideas into a creative reality. And as a managing editor for more than 25 years, I can take your project from concept to completion. Rest assured that my keen attention to detail will be your project’s best friend.

I live with my husband and cats in North Carolina, where we enjoy listening and dancing to blues music, visiting with my grown sons, cheering for our favorite sports teams, and watching birds at our feeders and deer in our yard.

Résumé available upon request.