• Black Editors & Proofreaders directory
• Indigenous Editors Association member directory
• Editors of Color database
• People of Color in Publishing, Freelancer Listing

Note: The editors on this list work independently and are not necessarily affiliated with the Academic Editing Circle. Please contact them directly to discuss your project.

Mark Akelo

• Mark Akelo on LinkedIn
• As a professional academic and book editor, I ensure your writing achieves the desired outcome, hassle-free. By improving grammar, coherence, and persuasiveness, I promote valuable research and narratives, guaranteeing funding and publishing. I’ve assisted numerous scholars in publishing studies in prestigious journals such as Elsevier and IEEE, maintaining a 95% positive client feedback rate. In addition to editing, I coach individuals on purposeful writing and speaking, specializing in ESL writers aiming to advance their careers and education. Whether it’s research proposals or CVs, I handle the technical writing so you can focus on your core business activities.

Alicia Chantal

• Fresh Look Editing
• More than 15 years’ experience in professional communication with a background in public relations. Non-fiction copyediting and proofreading specialist for business communication, human interest, health care, education, and academia (humanities and social sciences), with additional experience editing pre-submission articles on nursing research and public health.

Adebe DeRango-Adem

• Adebe DeRango-Adem’s personal website and Adebe DeRango-Adem on LinkedIn
• I am an editor and author who brings diverse experience in the realms of publishing, cultural programming, and anti-racism and human rights/equity education. I am also a published poet (working on manuscript #4) and an independent scholar (MA English, 2009) where my research focused on Critical Race Theory. I also served as the inaugural Equity, Diversity and Inclusion adviser for Editors Canada, where I launched the first Equity Fellowship in support of editors who identify as structurally disadvantaged. Finally, I am the recipient of the 2023 Richard S. Holden Diversity Fellowship from ACES: The Society for Editing, and the 2023 Marsh Jeanneret Memorial Award from Toronto Metropolitan University, where I completed my Certificate in Publishing. I offer a sliding scale to writers experiencing financial difficulty.

Otito Iwuchukwu, PhD

• Get Fab Editing
• I work collaboratively with physician, pharmacist and professional organizational clients to edit: journal manuscripts, academic profiles, letters of intent and statements of purpose, academic presentations and handouts, grant proposals and donor campaign messages, instructional materials and assessment items.

Dana Johnson

• Your Words Only Better
• A licensed science educator and former scientist, Dana has over ten years of experience copyediting doctoral dissertations, nonfiction manuscripts, articles, and educational materials. Dana brings to all projects a DEI&J lens as well as specialized knowledge in the life, physical, and social sciences.

Rhonda Kronyk

• Rhonda Kronyk Literary Services
• With eleven years’ experience in humanities and social science editing in many subjects, I am comfortable with related academic conventions and style guides, including academic journals. I specialize in helping you fit your voice to your audience – whether you are writing a trade non-fiction, undergraduate, or graduate-level manuscript, with additional experience in editing grants for medicine and science and a specialization in Indigenous content.

Khomotso Leshaba

• Khomotso Leshaba on LinkedIn
• With over 12 years of experience in academic editing, and editing certificates from Queen’s University in Canada and the University of Pretoria in South Africa, I assure you exceptional work ready for publication. I have worked with several companies such as Cactus Communications in India, Enago, Wordvice, and the University of South Africa. I’m currently contracted by Newgen Publishing in the UK as a freelance editor and Regenesys Business School as a full-time academic language editor. Moreover, I’m affiliated with the Professional Editors Guild and the European Association of Science Editors.

Olivia McKenzie

• Olivia McKenzie on LinkedIn
• Over 5 years of experience editing and writing scholarly sources for the humanities and 1 year of experience editing for medical and scientific research. Pursuing a BA in English, with a concentration in Publishing and Editing, and a Writing Certificate from University of Pennsylvania.

Kristine Nemec

• Nemec Writing and Editing LLC
• I provide copyediting, line editing, and substantive editing for environmental and public health documents such as journal manuscripts, grant proposals, and reports, with specialized expertise in ecosystem restoration and air quality. I work with you to enhance your writing to increase your impact. My professional experience includes positions as a researcher and an environmental planner with universities and the federal government. I am a U.S. citizen and an enrolled Cherokee Nation citizen.

Ashley Tillman

• Blue Geisha Documentation LLC
• Ashley is an award-winning, certified Documentation Professional, with over 15 years of writing, editing, and content development/management experience. She has supported the Federal Government, U.S. Military, state/local governments, non-profit orgs, tech/cloud companies, commercial industry, creative/marketing agencies, and academic institutions. Regarded for her adaptability and professionalism, Ashley is thoroughly knowledgeable in documentation best practices and standards.

Nqobile Zulu, PhD

• Nqobile Zulu on LinkedIn
• I have over 20 years of teaching and lecturing experience as an English teacher, Researcher and University lecturer. I have solid experience with all types of texts. With a hawk’s eye for detail that is backed by training and on-the-job experience, I am passionate about teaching and facilitation; coaching and mentoring.

Peaceful Processes Dissertation Coaching and Editing

• Peaceful Processes
• Peaceful Processes is a Dissertation Coaching and Editing service that aims to support Ph.D. students as they complete their dissertation journey and early-career faculty. The business is run by Drs. Margaret Sebastian (Ph.D. in Higher Education and Leadership) and Alicia Johnson (Ph.D. in Biochemistry). Both have extensive editing experience for dissertations, fellowships, and grants, with professional experience in higher education and leadership, sociology, counseling, STEM disciplines, and policy research.

Please email us to be added to this list!

• Your website here
• Brief information about your editorial skills and content areas here.

Please email us to recommend an editor:

• Contact us to provide the name and contact information of an editor you know, and we will email them to ask if they’d like to be included on this list. Thank you!

——— Available for pro bono editing January–March 2025

You may contact any of these editors directly or through the Academic Editing Circle contact page.

Please note that many of our volunteers can only take on pro bono projects the size of a journal article, a book chapter, or one to two chapters of a dissertation. If you have a full book or dissertation project in mind, please talk to your editor to decide together what they can offer that will be most useful to you.

Kristin Batterton

• Detailed Draft Editorial
• Experienced résumé specialist and scorer for the Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW) certification committee. Would love to help boost your résumé or CV. Copyediting, line editing, and proofreading for journal articles and fiction and nonfiction manuscripts. Certificate in editing from the University of Chicago.

Julie Baldwin

• Birdie Baldwin Editorial
• As an editor, writer and researcher, Baldwin focuses on creating clarity for her clients and their complex ideas! Substantive editing helps bring about intentional and memorable writing. Her experience includes editing masters and Ph.D. theses in U.S. history and national security, social sciences, and clinical research; she is now moving into medical editing while pursuing an MS in healthcare communication.

Rachel Freedman Stapleton

• Rachel Freedman Stapleton’s website
• I’m a Settler Canadian academic editor who focuses on developmental, stylistic, and copy editing for academic books, articles, and grants. PhD in Comparative Literature (early modern letters) with experience in humanities (esp. literature, critical theory, history, cultural studies) and social sciences (esp. anthropology, sociology).

Milena Gavala

• Curious G Design Studio (Graphics Editing)
• Offering complimentary online Design Help Desk for referrals from AEC. Walk away with a concrete to-do list on how to effectively use graphic principles (color, line, hierarchy, etc.) to streamline the look, readability, and comprehension of your visuals.

Karen Dewart McEwen

• KDM Editing
• Over five years’ experience as an academic developmental editor and writing coach. PhD in information studies with experience working with authors across the humanities and social sciences.

Gabe Murphy

• Gabe Murphy’s profile at the Office of Collaborative Research
• Gabe led a neurobiology-focused lab at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus and the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and served as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Neuroscience, before transitioning to scientific editing in early 2021. He enjoys learning about and helping to improve text and graphics in most (if not all) scientific disciplines.

Kristine Nemec

• Nemec Writing and Editing LLC
• I provide copyediting, line editing, and substantive editing for environmental and public health documents such as journal manuscripts, grant proposals, and reports, with specialized expertise in ecosystem restoration and air quality. I work with you to enhance your writing to increase your impact. My professional experience includes positions as a researcher and an environmental planner with universities and the federal government. I am a U.S. citizen and an enrolled Cherokee Nation citizen.

Tess Rankin

• Tess C. Rankin: Translation and Editing Services
• Over seven years’ experience editing scholarly texts in the humanities, including journal articles, book chapters, and grant application materials. PhD in Spanish & Portuguese Languages & Literatures, expertise in cultural studies and gender studies, and extensive work with authors writing in English as a second language.

——— Available for pro bono editing April–June 2025

You may contact any of these editors directly or through the Academic Editing Circle contact page.

Please note that many of our volunteers can only take on pro bono projects the size of a journal article, a book chapter, or one to two chapters of a dissertation. If you have a full book or dissertation project in mind, please talk to your editor to decide together what they can offer that will be most useful to you.

Kristin Batterton

• Detailed Draft Editorial
• Experienced résumé specialist and scorer for the Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW) certification committee. Would love to help boost your résumé or CV. Copyediting, line editing, and proofreading for journal articles and fiction and nonfiction manuscripts. Certificate in editing from the University of Chicago.

Gabe Murphy

• Gabe Murphy’s profile at the Office of Collaborative Research
• Gabe led a neurobiology-focused lab at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus and the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and served as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Neuroscience, before transitioning to scientific editing in early 2021. He enjoys learning about and helping to improve text and graphics in most (if not all) scientific disciplines.

Kristine Nemec

• Nemec Writing and Editing LLC
• I provide copyediting, line editing, and substantive editing for environmental and public health documents such as journal manuscripts, grant proposals, and reports, with specialized expertise in ecosystem restoration and air quality. I work with you to enhance your writing to increase your impact. My professional experience includes positions as a researcher and an environmental planner with universities and the federal government. I am a U.S. citizen and an enrolled Cherokee Nation citizen.

Katherine Wiley

• Goldenrod Editorial
• As an editor, I work to help you produce your best writing and thinking. I provide developmental editing and line editing for job materials, grants, journal articles, and book chapters. My subject matter expertise includes African studies, anthropology, critical race studies, gender and sexuality studies, history, Islamic studies, material culture studies, migration studies, and slavery studies.

——— Available for pro bono editing July–August 2025

TBA

(Please contact us to request editing projects for July 2025 or later, and we will be happy to work with you!)

Past and future editors participating in the Academic Editing Circle

These editors have completed at least one pro bono editing project through the Academic Editing Circle. They are currently focusing on paid work, but intend to participate again in the future.

• Sruthi Balakrishnan
• Julie Baldwin
• Jena Barchas-Lichtenstein
• Kristin Batterton
• Emily Brown
• Micaiah “Huw” Evans
• Toni Fitzgerald
• Kyra Freestar
• Rachel Fudge
• Ellen Goldstein
• Ada Hagan
• Sarah Hendess
• Dana Johnson
• Ellen Kuwana
• Barbara Mulvey Little
• Kristine Nemec
• Michelle Olivier
• Micha Rahder
• Tess Rankin

We are happy to welcome volunteer editors at any time!

For Black and/or Indigenous scholars (professors, students, researchers, etc.) anywhere in the world:

Free online courses on advanced tools for writing and editing in MS Word, with editor Hilary Cadman

Hilary has been where you are, frustrated with MS Word and the writing and editing process. Having discovered how to use Word and its many useful add-ins well, Hilary is passionate about helping others to use Word and other tools to work faster and smarter.

• Your choice of courses on using PerfectIt to save time and improve the quality of your documents (on demand, up to 5 spots available per season)
• Your choice of courses on other tools for using MS Word to write and edit more effectively (on demand, up to 5 spots available per season)
• Getting Started with MS Word Styles & Templates—for PC (upcoming class, 1 spot available)
• Getting Started with MS Word Styles & Templates—for Mac (upcoming class, 1 spot available)

Contact Hilary directly to request your free course.

Free online academic writing accountability group, hosted by editor Kyra Freestar

You are invited to join a weekly online writing group for early-career professors, postdocs, graduate students, and others writing academic- and research-adjacent work. This group is designed to support especially women, people of color, first-generation Americans, and first-generation postgraduate students, who frequently do not receive adequate cultural and institutional support for their careers. Everyone is welcome. There is no cost to attend.

Click here to read more about the group.

Click here to sign up for the next 8-week session.

Free review of your academic résumé or CV, by editor Kristin Batterton

To request pro bono résumé or CV services, email Kristin Batterton, CPRW, and mention the Academic Editing Circle. Let’s get your résumé or CV in top shape so you can feel confident sending it out.