Professional, experienced and a value-add for your writing and editorial projects. Fourteen years of experience across a range of projects.
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 2005, after taking pre-med along with rigorous science journalism courses to attain my BA. I did this all while studying in three different countries--Italy, Costa Rica and Kenya--to develop a global perspective. While in Kenya, people found out I was a writer and asked me to write about a human rights issue. This was published upon return in Earth Island Journal, entitled "Like Salt in an Island's Wounds" under my maiden name, Laughnan.
Before graduation, to get a grounded sense of the process, I participated in PCR-based genetics research at a lab ("Drinkwater") funded for liver-cancer-gene mapping project. I also worked from 2003-5 at the UW SeaGrant institute for a program called Earthwatch Radio, writing scripts about environmental destruction and science around this. Those years, I additionally served as a pro-bono investigative reporter-intern for a Latino publication covering human-rights issues.
(It might be hard to believe I did all of this, but I'm extremely industrious and actually enjoy writing, so it never felt like work!)
Upon graduation, I moved to New York and worked with a medical society and then WebMD for two years. I was then recruited abroad, to Doha, Qatar, where I worked at Weill Cornell Medical College as a science writer and public relations specialist. Two years later, I was headhunted by Bloomsbury Publishing in Qatar to for its science arm, Qscience.com. A research editor and science writer for our main client, Qatar National Research Fund, I created pop science features/podcasts about discoveries at the university labs there.
In the background, since 2009, I spent all of my free time traveling to advance training as a yoga instructor, specializing in pranayama and Ayurveda. I also became certified as a health coach through the Institute for integrative Nutrition in 2016. So I love to write health and nutrition and yoga articles as well.
Work Terms
I prefer to be approached through e-mail initially. After that, I think it's important to then have a video call to set up expectations around a project. It's key to efficiency that I understand what you want and how I can best meet your needs, and this can be covered most easily in a warm and live conversation. I will produce what you request and you can tell me if you need it edited or tailored more in a certain way.