Spring 2020 Staff
Matthew Baker, Professor of Editing and Publishing
Major and Minor: BS in Economics; Minor in Business Management; MBA; PhD in Rhetoric and Professional Communication
Hometown: Spanish Fork, Utah
Position on Editing Research Staff: Editor-in-Chief
Dream Job: Professor
Favorite thing about being an editor: Helping people express their ideas more effectively
Do you speak any foreign languages?: Hungarian, and I’m learning Spanish
www.linkedin.com/in/bakermatthewj/
Kalene Gillespie
Major: BA in Editing and Publishing
Hometown: Silverdale, Washington
Position on Editing Research Staff: Co–Managing Editor, Co–PR Director
Dream Job: Associate editor for an outdoors magazine
Favorite thing about being an editor: I like to analyze things and use that analysis to make something better or more understandable.
Unique Hobbies: White-water kayaking and embroidery
What is your perfect pizza?: Real hawaiian (spam, pineapple, and jalapeno)
If you could have dinner with any person—living or dead, real, or imagined—who would it be?: C. S. Lewis
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalene-gillespie-588090a4/
Brady Davis
Major and Minor: BS in Chemical Engineering; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona
Position on Editing Research Staff: Co–Managing Editor, Co–PR Director
Dream Job: Chemical engineer for a national lab
Favorite thing about being an editor: Elevating writing and helping bring novel, unique, and interesting ideas to light
Bucket list items: Hike a 14,000-foot mountain, hike rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon, and fly a plane
Unique hobbies: Distance running and doing triathlons
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradyrdavis/
Anessa Pennington
Major and Minor: BA in Journalism; Minors in Editing and Arabic
Hometown: Valley City, Ohio
Position on Editing Research Staff: Assistant Managing Editor, Art Director
Dream Job: Professor
If you could have dinner with any person—living or dead, real, or imagined—who would it be?: Brené Brown; she helped me understand relationships, mental health, and perfectionism in a totally new way.
Favorite band/singer/group: I don’t even like country music, but my favorite band right now is The Highwomen. Think feminist folk.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anessa-pennington/
Sam Niven
Major and Minor: BA in English; Minors in Creative Writing and Editing
Hometown: Dublin, California
Position on Editing Research Staff: Assistant Managing Editor, Designer
Dream Job: Creative writing professor
Favorite book: My favorite book right now is Dark Harbor by Mark Strand.
Do you speak any foreign languages?: I know American Sign Language and a little bit of Italian.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-niven/
Isabella Nuñez
Major and Minor: BS in Family Life: Family Services; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Rupert, Idaho
Position on Editing Research Staff: Copyeditor, Social Media Team: Instagram Manager
Dream Job: Rehabilitation Counselor/Social Worker
Favorite band/singer/group: Lewis Capaldi
Favorite book: Percy Jackson
If you could be any superhero, who would you be?: Iron Man
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabella-nunez-a754b41a8/
Instagram: @nunez_isabella
Lorin Hurley
Major and Minor: BA in Comparative Literature; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Power, Montana
Position on Editing Research Staff: Copy Editor, Designer
Dream Job: Editor/Designer
Unique hobbies: I don’t know if this is unique, but I really enjoy cross-stitching
One item on your bucket list: There’s this one weird staircase in Machida (Tokyo-Japan) that just leads up into the bamboo and you can’t see the top of it from the street. I really wanted to climb it while I was there, but never got the opportunity.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorin-zylks-653238173/
Elizabeth James
Major and Minor: BA in Editing and Publishing; Minor in English
Hometown: Spanish Fork, Utah
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor and Social Media Team: Facebook Manager
Dream Job: Arts and Crafts Teacher
Unique hobbies: Swimming, crafting, and making floor plans on Minecraft
Do you speak any foreign languages?: Spanish
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethswanjames/
Anna Freeman
Major and Minor: BA in English; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Riverton, Utah
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor, Designer
Dream Job: Author
Favorite thing about being a writer: I love to tell stories!
Favorite thing about being an editor: It actually teaches me a great deal about writing well.
One item on your bucket list: To start flying often: on a hang glider, on a parachute, on a paramotor. Anything.
If you could be any superhero, who would you be?: Supergirl. She can fly.
https://www.facebook.com/anna.freeman.7737
Shaelyn Topolovec
Major: BA in Editing and Publishing
Hometown: Sanger, California
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor, Web and Copyrights team member
Dream Job: A published writer
One item on your bucket list: Go to Mardi Gras.
What must you always have on your person?: A hair tie! It’s a fashion statement with purpose.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaelyntopolovec/
Catherine Niesporek
Major and Minor: BA in Editing and Publishing; Minor in Creative Writing
Hometown: Kingwood, Texas
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor, Social Media & Analytics Team Lead, Twitter Manager
Dream Job: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Favorite thing about being a writer: Creating new worlds to escape into.
Favorite thing about being an editor: Making stories shine.
Do you speak any foreign languages?: Spanish, survival Italian
What is your perfect pizza?: In America: Domino’s GF Pepperoni. In Italy: Salmon and cream cheese
Favorite book: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-niesporek/
Twitter and Instagram: @thecatherineeli
Linde Fielding
Major and Minor: BA in English; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor, Social Media Team: Pinterest Manager
Dream Job: Authour
Favorite thing about being a writer: Getting to be a million characters at once as I write their experiences.
Favorite book: The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindevfielding/
Sarah Riley
Major and Minor: BA in English; Minor in Editing
Hometown: Elk Ridge, Utah
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive Editor and Designer
Dream Job: Novelist
Unique hobbies: I love making pottery and clay sculptures
Do you speak any foreign languages?: No, but I can do a pretty good New Zealand accent
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.riley.165
Matthew Tyler
Major and Minor: BA in Family History and Genealogy, & BA in Editing and Publishing; Minor in TESOL
Hometown: Provo, Utah
Position on Editing Research Staff: Substantive editor and Web Team Lead
Dream Job: Historical acquisitions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Unique hobbies: I enjoy screenwriting. I spend a lot of my time mentoring others to achieve their goals.
One item on your bucket list: My top bucket list item is to enjoy being one hundred years old.
Most memorable thing you’ve done in the past year: I presented for the 10th anniversary of RootsTech on Chinese genealogical practices.
Favorite band/singer/group: The Chemical Brothers
