Email: editor@codysisco.com
Website: http://www.codysisco.com

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I joined the EFA in June 2014. Over the past decade, I’ve ramped up my volunteer activities with organization. I represented the EFA at writing conferences in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Antonio and participated in the Diversity Initiative. I joined the Board of Governors as a member-at-large in 2021, moved into the website chair position later that year, and was appointed by the Board to the co-executive position in May 2022.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

I publish the Made in L.A. Writers fiction anthology series. My literary events company, BookSwell, amplifies the voices of writers from historically excluded communities. My freelance editing business is focused on developmental editing of genre fiction, and I serve as acquisitions editor for RIZE, an imprint of Running Wild Publishing. I also serve on the Board of Directors for APLA Health.

At the EFA, alongside co-executive Katy Grenfell, I am working to improve the value of membership. The $35 member join fee was eliminated. We’re migrating our member database to a new platform. We’re transforming the organization’s approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Finally, after a several-year hiatus, we’re planning for a vibrant and informative EFACON 2023.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I believe the five strategic priorities provide an interlocking, mutually reinforcing, and comprehensive roadmap for the organization. As a current co-executive alongside Katy Grenfell, I can see how making progress on each priority is necessary for the long-term sustainability of the organization and for enhancing the value that we provide to our membership. I am committed to our mission and supporting the ongoing evolution of the organization to make our vision a reality: “a vibrant community of freelance editorial professionals—esteemed for their expertise, inclusive in their ethos, and thriving in their businesses—helping clients launch ideas into the world.”

Email: Zmarcina@aol.com
Website: http://marcinazac.weebly.com

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I joined the EFA in May 2017. It has been a joy to serve as the treasurer since 2019.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of EFA.

I have submitted monthly treasurer’s reports to our Board of Governors. It has also been an honor to work on preparing the budget and responding to points of procedure initiated by the executive board.
Outside of the EFA, I am the editor of the Theatre and Opera Section of The Theatre Times. I interview new writers, schedule reviews, and lay out articles on the TTT portal. At TheaterPizzazz.com, I handle press requests for Tony Voters and submit articles for publication.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

Although I have been a frequent participant in streamlining and systematizing structure and governance, what interests me most about the EFA is expanding the education program.

I appreciated pitching my own class and teaching Finding Your Voice. Through the process, I discovered that the education program is one of the strongest components in our already functioning system.

I believe there is space for creativity and innovation in our education program as we continue forward. EFA webinars are informative and engaging, and I believe we are most brilliant when working together.

Email: september@herrineditorial.com

Website: https://www.herrineditorial.com/

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I have been a member for two and a half years. I offer a fresh perspective and novel ideas for how to increase involvement and attract new members.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

I’m in my fourth year as a freelance book editor working with independent authors. I volunteered for the EFA at AWP in March, and I have been involved in the Seattle writing community for over a decade. An active leader in several writing and critique groups, I am the founder of Writers in Real Life, a group of emerging authors pursuing publication.

I have a professional background in the music industry where I managed numerous projects, including studio recordings, music video production, Kickstarter campaigns, and an international tour. I regularly mentored younger musicians, helping them navigate the notoriously competitive industry.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I see the merit in each of the EFA’s 2022-2025 Strategic Priorities; however, I am most interested in “Engaging and Strengthening Membership.” A diverse, engaged membership means growth and success for all. I believe creative thinking and problem-solving can lead to new and innovative ways to engage members. I offer my unique perspective and experience to grow our membership and inspire involvement at all levels.

Email: lemartindale@gmail.com

Resume: https://www.the-efa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Resume_martindale_l.efa_.pdf

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I have been a member, on and off, since 2001—probably fifteen or so years.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of EFA.

On the West Coast, I’ve created an Editor’s Cafe for Los Angeles EFA members; we meet at a cafe once a month and discuss editorial quandaries and have a great time chatting about work and clients. In Brooklyn, I curated and hosted a reading series for writers, one for the Brooklyn Writers Space. I have juried and read for several writing contests, including Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, The Scholastic Young Writers Competition, and the Brooklyn Arts Council.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I am interested in professionalizing and expanding education. I think there could be more communication and resources in the EFA for writers, including jobs and education. There are plenty of creative people who also do editorial work and reaching out to those people might be beneficial for them. I often wonder if people on the message board would be interested in starting subgroups, such as discussions about fiction, or issues that come up in developmental editing.

I agree that it’s an exciting time to be a part of EFA—the changes made have been welcome and interesting, and I’d be honored to be a part of further growth. Thank you.

Email: sherylholmberg@hotmail.com

EFA profile: http://www.vinehousecreative.com

Sheryl Holmberg is running for re-election as member at large.

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I joined the EFA in November 2013, was a founding member of the PR group, served as proofreader for several issues of The Freelancer, and helped promote the most recent EFA Rates Survey.

Currently, I run the PR initiative, creating a series of press releases for EFA industry events and promoting the Ruth Mullen Memorial Scholarship, EFACON 2023, and other organizational news. I am a member of the HBCU Scholarship committee and the EDIT committee, have recently become editor of The Freelancer, and am part of the team working to promote the EFA strategic plan.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of EFA.

Professionally, I have published poetry, fiction, and feature articles, and worked as a freelance journalist. I was editor-in-chief of a newspaper group producing publications in several cities in two Michigan counties. I served two terms as poet-in-residence with InsideOut Literary Arts Detroit, producing student anthologies in the process.

I have edited more than 20 published books, working as book designer for many. I serve clients across genres and fields, including academic and professional scholarly work, and create marketing materials for authors and businesses, including website copy, print and digital collateral, book cover copy, book blurbs, datasheets, and FAQs.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I have been happy to serve as a board member and would like to continue this work. I like where the EFA is going and enjoy helping get the word out about our endeavors. When I started out as a freelancer, the EFA was an invaluable resource for me. I have been working to promote the resources the EFA has to offer, creating new content to draw people to our website, classes, and events. I specifically want to help promote a sense of community among members, promote diversity (and diverse voices) in our membership, and expand our role in professional development for freelancers.

Website: https://www.trueloveeditorial.com

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I joined in April 2021 and quickly became a regular participant in the Carolinas and Georgia chapter meetings and the Discussion List. I’ve attended multiple educational presentations and workshops.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of EFA.

I was a member of my high school newspaper staff, FFA chapter, quiz bowl team, orchestra, and musical productions. While attending Penn State, I served on the staffs of several agriculture-related publications, as a resident assistant, and as a religious student group officer. I also worked as a feature writer and photographer for a group of local weekly newspapers for 14 years before launching True Love Editorial Services LLC in early 2021.

In the EFA, I’ve been involved with the welcomer program; the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging committee; the publications committee; and the social media committee, most recently launching the EFA discussion group on Clubhouse.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I’m interested in the EFA’s efforts toward becoming a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. DEI principles should undergird all decisions, from who is platformed and what topics are covered in our education and publications to how we make membership accessible and the strategies we use to communicate.

I would like to see the EFA host virtual conferences; cultivate relationships with audiobook publishers and make membership attractive to freelance audiobook narrators and producers; explore co-hosting with NAAFA and the Association of Size Diversity and Health educational seminars for science and medical editors; and, in general, foster an organization in which the dignity and personhood of marginalized individuals is never questioned and always prioritized.

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I’ve been an EFA member since November 2021.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of EFA.

After getting a master’s in journalism from Columbia University, I spent over a decade freelancing as a writer and editor, specializing in the art and technology of filmmaking, and editing a magazine for post-production professionals. I earned a second master’s degree in book publishing at Portland State University. I worked on multiple books and was manager of Ooligan’s (student-run press) digital department. I also wrote and edited articles for the university website, the alumni magazine, and a weekly newsletter. I currently work as a book editor at the International Society for Technology in Education, while continuing to freelance for other publishers and organizations.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I feel I can contribute most to the objective of professionalizing and expanding education. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to demystify complex processes and make them less intimidating and more welcoming—especially to newcomers. As a journalist and filmmaker, I have taught workshops and moderated panels. I have also taught in the Portland State publishing program; my courses there have been Intro to Book Publishing and an overview of audiobooks, a course I designed myself. I’m currently working with Robin Martin on the interior design of this year’s EFA booklets.

Email: cyndi@sanduskyeditorial.com

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I joined the EFA in July 2019.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

I started my freelance editing business in June 2019. I offer copy/line editing and beta reading of fiction as well as medicolegal editing and transcription. I was a member of the board of the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) from September 2018 through August 2021, acting as secretary for two of those years.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

Two of the strategic priorities are of interest to me: “Engage and Strengthen Membership” and “Professionalize and Expand Education.” As a member of AHDI, I currently chair the credentialing commission and have volunteered on several committees and task forces, including conference planning, credentialing, governance restructuring, membership development, and research and development/continuing education. I strongly believe in the value of continuing education and membership in a professional organization, and I would like to help EFA keep members interested and involved and make sure we continue to offer valuable resources as I have helped AHDI in the past.

Email: Hollyhillmangin@gmail.com

Website: http://www.freshasadaisyediting.com

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I’ve been a member of EFA since February 2022, so a little over a year, now.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing, which led to my career choice of being an English teacher. I grew an interest in the day-to-day workings of the Teachers’ Association and became the recording secretary, then newsletter editor. After moving to France, I started beta reading for authors, then alpha reading. Based on my suggestions, a client encouraged me to begin copy editing, and I created my freelance editing business, Fresh as a Daisy Editing, in 2020. Since then, I’ve edited for best-selling and award-winning authors. I’m a partner member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, and my own book, The House on the Lake, won a gold medal in the Wishing Shelf book awards and has been translated into French.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I’m interested in engaging and strengthening membership. I realize the EFA is a national organization, but it has members who are international, like me, and I’d like to help create opportunities for us to get more involved to provide a more inclusive environment.

Email: hilarie.ashton@gmail.com

Website: https://hilarieashton.com/

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

A couple of months. I wish I’d joined much sooner!

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

I have over 15 years of experience in editing, writing, and research in various contexts, including academic publishing, career planning, higher ed administration, and fundraising research. I currently work with the UCLA Labor Center, the Community Foundation for Nantucket, and several small nonprofits on copyediting, content, PR, and strategy projects. As the managing editor for the journal Studies in American Fiction, I provided editorial guidance for authors and consulted with staff on the appropriate lineup of essays for two issues. And in my three years as an assistant editor at the journal Kairos, I re-charged the team’s attention to line editing and developmental editing.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I am most interested in the education priority and its imperative to stay centered in EDI values. As a Ph.D. in English, I have extensive teaching experience in writing, literature, and related disciplines, and I could help hone and broaden the EFA’s educational offerings. I also have extensive experience understanding and teaching histories and presences of structural inequity, and I would want to center underrepresented voices and help lead the charge on inclusive editing.

Email: dom@logicaleditor.com

Website: https://domchatterjee.com/

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

Thanks to the support of friends who fulfilled my birthday wish in December 2022, I finally joined the EFA after a decade-long career as a freelance editor.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

In 2009, while in college, I got my first freelance job as an online editor. A year or two later, I launched into full-time freelance editing through Elance.

My career has recently expanded to include contract positions as manager of communications at a nonprofit and director of communications at a tech company. I currently serve as accessibility consultant for Union Theological Seminary, where I am pursuing an MA in social justice.

Additionally, I am the founder of a mental health organization that centers LGBTQ+ people of color and publishes art and writing. I am honored to see Rest for Resistance (restforresistance.com) listed as one of the EFA’s recommended resources.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I am interested in integrating equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into all aspects of the EFA. It is motivating to see that EDI is mentioned across all areas of the 2022-2025 Strategic Priorities. When I initiated the JEDI and ethics work at a fintech company last year, my focus was to engage all departments and empower leaders to work together toward shared goals. If selected, I would like to support how EDI efforts are connected to engagement, decision-making, and the communications strategy.

Email: thom7263@umn.edu

Website: https://www.the-efa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Resume-Kia-Thompson-2023.pdf

1. How long have you been a member of the EFA?

I have been a member for less than one year. I joined January 2023. Thus, I am seeking a member at large position.

2. Please summarize your editorial/communications/leadership experience, whether inside or outside of the EFA.

My communications/leadership experience spans over 20 years in mostly food service and entertainment. As a marketing assistant, I updated online menus for eight restaurants, sent biweekly eblasts, and helped secure signatures and permits for events. As a box office manager to a small cabaret theater, I resolved ticket purchase issues, accommodated patron needs, and managed performer payouts. The bulk of my editorial experience comes from my position as a writing consultant at the University of Minnesota. I consulted with undergraduate and graduate students—and faculty on occasion—on essays, scholarship or admission prompts, peer-reviewed journal submissions, and resumes.

3. Which of the EFA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Priorities most interests you and why?

I am most interested in the “Coordinate and Optimize Communications” portion of the 2022-2025 Strategic Priorities. I like data collection. Moreover, I understand looking at what the actual numbers are helps piece together what steps are needed to improve communications in the future. Lastly, I think this focus will prove to be insightful for my long-term professional and personal goals related to the collection of quantifiable data to address student writing concerns in higher education.