About me
Writing outside my comfort zone
You know those talks about the importance of "stepping out of our comfort zone"?
Those always confused me.
I needed a talk on how to find a comfort zone—and then how to spend some time inside it.
After driving my parents up the wall as a rebellious teen, hitchhiking across the country at 15 (a story for another time, perhaps), dropping my university classes to live and work in Central America—I seemed to be well on my way to a life of adventure.
But it wasn't until I found journalism that the excitement truly kicked in.
Feature writing gave me a reason to meet remarkable people. It let me delve into complex issues and ideas and share what I'd learned.
From the outside, my life might not look thrilling.
I grew up near Vancouver and live in Toronto. I ended up returning to finish my undergraduate arts degree at the University of British Columbia and earned a master’s degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University.
After starting out as a magazine feature writer for publications like Toronto Life and Readers' Digest and as a producer at CBC Radio, I built a career as an advancement communications specialist at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Rotman School of Management.
I now run an independent writing and consulting service, supporting healthcare foundations, universities, independent schools and corporate clients.
When we’re not working, my husband and I spend our time driving our two school-aged kids around to soccer, swimming and birthday parties.
Excited yet? I cherish my career and family—but it’s not quite the thrill-seeking lifestyle I’d imagined for myself.
But then, I spend my time learning from incredible people.
I get to dive into complex areas of research that are changing the potential of medicine, innovative approaches to education and business and so much more—and share key insights through compelling storytelling.
(You can read some of these stories here, find out more about my areas of focus and services here and see some of the awards I’ve received for my writing below.)
I can’t imagine a more adventurous life, and I can’t wait to meet you.
A little more about me
Awards
Best of Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District II Award
2021
National Magazine Awards, Honourable Mentions (4)
2009(2), 2010, 2012
Professional Writer’s Association of Canada, Feature Award Honourable Mention
2012
The Best Canadian Essays, Tightrope Books
2010
The Globe and Mail, “Best Magazine Reads on the Racks”
2009
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) First place for Investigation and Analysis
2009
Education
Master of Journalism – Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto (2007-2009)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Scholarship
TMU Graduate Scholarship
Head of Research/Writer for the Review of Journalism magazine
CBC Newsworld Award for highest level of excellence in broadcast journalism
Bachelor of Arts – University of British Columbia, Vancouver (1998-2003)
Outstanding Student Initiative Scholarship
Student Exchange – La Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, México (2001/02)
Hugh M. Brock Education Abroad Scholarship
GettingItDone® Management Course – Rotman School of Management (2020)
School of Continuing Studies Courses – University of Toronto (2012-2019)
Online Business Fundamentals & Strategies
Creative Writing
Biochemistry and Human Physiology
Speaker/Panelist
Powerful Peer-to-Peer Alumni Communications (2018)
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District II Annual Conference, National Harbor, Maryland
Getting Started In Non-Fiction Freelance Writing (2013)
Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) lecture, Toronto
Make Your Narrative Non-Fiction Dazzle (2012)
Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) lecture, Toronto
Bilingual Judge (2012-2018)
National Magazine Awards
Guest Instructor in Advanced Magazine Courses (2010-2020)
Toronto Metropolitan University journalism program, Toronto
Languages
English, Spanish, French