Originally, I wanted to be a spy.

I got hooked on current events in high school, thanks to weekly speech and debate tournaments. I majored in political science in college, moved to Washington, DC, to specialize in Russian studies, and applied for a job with the CIA.* I made it to the interview stage, but two long days of polygraphs convinced me that a change in career plans was needed. Something less cloak and dagger, more pen and paper. Definitely no electrodes on my head.

First, I joined the Library of Congress as a Slavic bibliographer. Then, after a year in London researching Anglo-Soviet relations, I moved on to the International Research & Exchanges Board, in Princeton, NJ. IREX put me to work reporting on Capitol Hill seminars, summarizing research, writing about scholar experiences, and generating more bibliographies. Over time, IREXers asked me to write more reports, various university types asked me to revise their papers, and book publishers began to call with writing and editing projects. With my client list growing, I moved back to DC, finished a PhD in political science, and became a full-time freelancer.

When I’m not at my computer, you’ll find me at band practice with my husband, at Girl Scouts with my daughter, at the Girl Scout office promoting the Gold Award Alliance, or trying to herd my four office cats.

*Rates higher for projects using invisible ink.