Welcome to Blue Chalcedony Editorial! Established in 2024, Blue Chalcedony Editorial is where I bring my passion for clarity, precision, and authentic voice to my work editing memoir, food and recipe writing, and creative nonfiction. I offer developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading services that help authors express their authentic style.

My Editorial Journey

I launched Blue Chalcedony Editorial in 2024 to work with writers who strive to share their truth through stories of inspiration, compassion, and authenticity. I believe that honest storytelling helps us understand ourselves more fully, recognize the voices of others, and find the readers who are ready to listen. At its best, writing gives us a chance to slow down, explore how we want to be heard, and, ultimately, claim who we are.

From 2019 to 2025, I was the Senior Technical Editor for Nerd’s Eye View at Kitces.com, a financial planning blog aiming to make financial advisors better and more successful. As a CFP® professional and IRS Enrolled Agent, I used my financial planning knowledge to refine complex content for clarity and technical accuracy. Before joining the Kitces team, I spent six years as a financial planner, creating hundreds of comprehensive financial plans. Prior to that, I held administrative roles over several years at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where I developed and edited educational materials and academic content, laying the groundwork for my editorial journey.

I first fell in love with writing as an undergrad at Cal State L.A. when, as a chemistry major, I discovered the Creative Writing Club. The club’s meetings gave me my first experience with writing as more than a private practice; it was also a beautiful way to be heard, to listen deeply, and to build connections with others. Spending that time with other writers and sharing works in progress helped me understand how powerful and vulnerable it can be when words are welcomed with attention, curiosity, and care.

Science and Research Foundations

As a chemistry major at Cal State L.A., I graduated magna cum laude and contributed to research published in journals like Electrophoresis and Analytical Biochemistry. Afterward, I gained hands-on experience as a lab chemist and also spent a brief time teaching 8th-grade science—roles that sharpened my analytical skills and ability to communicate complex information. Later, I researched DNA replication and recombination as a doctoral student at the City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences where I co-authored our lab’s findings in a 2008 Genetics paper. I ultimately stepped away from science but, throughout the years, the training that taught me how to read and question analytically and approach authors’ ideas with thoughtful feedback and curiosity has stayed with me.

Professional Affiliations and Growth

I’m a proud member of the Northwest Editors Guild, ACES: The Society for Editing, Tara Whitaker’s Freelance Editors Club, and the Editors Tea Club.

I also love reading and studying memoir and food writing, and I have my own food blog where I share my favorite recipes, kitchen experiments, and reflections on the stories food can carry.

I completed the Copyediting Certificate program offered by UC San Diego Extended Studies, and I’m in the process of obtaining the Poynter ACES Certificates in Editing.

Beyond Editing

Outside of editing, I enjoy trying new recipes, baking bread, and experimenting with food photography. I’m an avid reader, drawn to stories that come from the writer’s heart, from Stephen King thrillers to memoirs, cookbooks, and transformational nonfiction.

I find solace and beauty in the changing seasons of my tree-filled neighborhood in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and love my collection of houseplants that serve as my home forest (they keep me connected to live plants during the dead of winter). When it’s time to unwind, I can be found adventuring with my elemental shaman through the lands of Azeroth in World of Warcraft. I also find inspiration in and guidance from crystals and oracle and tarot cards, which connect me to my intuition and offer fresh perspectives, all while adding a touch of magic and mystery to my daily life.

Originally from Los Angeles, I now live in Sioux Falls with my partner and three cats.