About me

I work as a freelance proof reader with a number of major marketing, advertising and design companies in London, most recently with Proximity, Salter Baxter MSL Group and Hogarth & Ogilvy on annual reports and a wide range of advertising materials. Additionally, over the years I have proofread a wide range of documents, for companies including Bell Design, Tag International, 23Red, Lick Creative, and Wickes.

I have considerable experience of editing in Word, and have a good working knowledge of Adobe Acrobat and PowerPoint.

Recent Work

I recently worked at Proximity over a period of 5 months on a range of documents and advertising materials. I have also worked in a proof reader role throughout the year with Hogarth & Ogilvy and Salter Baxter MSL Group.

I regularly edit meeting reports for the Commonwealth Secretariat on issues relating to public service reform.

Commonwealth Secretariat: full-time and freelance work

Before going freelance, I was an executive officer (information) with the Commonwealth Youth Programme, Commonwealth Secretariat. Being part of an international, multicultural organisation afforded me the opportunity to work in many Commonwealth countries, preparing documents and reports for ministerial and senior-level conferences and seminars. These experiences enabled me to develop skills in working to tight deadlines and being a team player in a multicultural environment.

As a freelancer, I have worked regularly for many different departments of the Commonwealth Secretariat on a range of publications including:

- Series of reports of consultative meetings of Heads of African Public Services

- Report of Forum for Cabinet Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, Sierra Leone

- Publication on Providing Excellence in Public Service for a New Generation, Points of Contact (POC) Meeting, Caribbean and Mediterranean Regions, Cayman Islands

- Series on Current Good Practices and New Developments in Public Service.

- Series on Managing the Public Service: Strategies for Improvement.

I attended, as a member of the Secretariat team, a Heads of African Public Service meeting in Mozambique in my capacity as consultant rapporteur, and was responsible for compiling the final report and preparing it to print stage.

In addition to preparing copy and editing website content, I have proofread, edited and prepared for printing numerous reports, newsletters and brochures on diverse issues pertaining to Gender, Youth, Health, Fisheries, Forestry (Special Advisory Services Division); Public Service Reform, HIV/AIDS (Governance and Institutional Development Division); legal; trade (Hub and Spokes) and many more, for the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Other Agencies

In addition to undertaking short and longer term freelance consultancies with the Commonwealth Secretariat, I have also worked as a consultant editor with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme; the Commonwealth Foundation; the Commonwealth Business Council; and the Philippine Embassy.

I was contracted to edit a study analysis report on Complaint Mechanisms on Health-related Issues, and prepare a Summary Report of same for Women's Dignity, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Teaching Engllsh as a Foreign Language

Early in my career, I worked in Italy as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language to children and adults, which in addition to honing and putting into practice my English language skills, taught me how to communicate more effectively with a wide range of people.

Editing Services

As a freelance editor, I provide proofreading, copy-editing and general publishing-related services.

I have extensive experience in writing, editing, proof-reading, page layout and preparing for printing a wide range of publications. A major part of my work has entailed liaising with authors, designers and printers in order to produce a high-quality, finished product.

I have assisted in the development of material for websites, specifically on Investment and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and on Commonwealth Small States for the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat. This involved researching, writing and editing content, and updating material on a regular basis. Also for EAD, I researched and compiled a draft Manual of Operating Procedures for the Small States Network for Economic Development.

In addition, I have worked on the production of many publications focusing on pertinent developmental issues of the day, for example, the development of acquaculture in Mozambique, and an operational guide for a Commonwealth Secretariat/European Union trade project, among others.

PAST EMPLOYMENT

1. Commonwealth Secretariat (Commonwealth Youth Programme), Information Officer

2. Banking, Cedar Holdings Ltd, general banking practices

3. Oxford Institute of Languages, Piacenza, Italy, English language Teacher (TEFL)