I am a senior editor and content researcher by way of nursing, law, and ethics, capped with post-graduate training in technical communication. The stops along my professional path are connected by a never-ending pursuit of information. I am a self-confessed information junkie with a passion for sharing that information, especially in writing.

I specialize in working with content in health care, law, and business. I am particularly interested in using plain language and usability principles to make complex information easy to read and use. I also like using narrative to help readers engage with factually accurate content. I use this skill in writing and editing case studies.

My clients are professionals and organizations who strive to distribute information that is engaging to read and useful. Typically, my clients are educators, publishers, and researchers who need to translate knowledge to inform others and make change.

My Skills

WRITING & EDITING — I have post-graduate certification in technical communication, more than a decade of experience in professional editing, and many more years of experience in writing and publishing. Several of my publications have earned awards, been republished, or recognized in other ways. More importantly, I’ve assisted others in preparing and successfully publishing their own content.

HEALTH CARE — My health care background is in nursing. Over a career that spanned more than 10 years, I worked largely in obstetrics and neonatal intensive care with a stop in hemodialysis and another in nursing research doing studies in nursing turnover and patient safety.

LAW & POLICY — I completed my law degree with a focus on health law, then pursued a 4-year post-graduate fellowship in bioethics examining substitute and end-of-life decision-making. My policy experience includes work for public health during provincial downloading of services, development of policy and clinical guidelines when Ontario introduced its consent legislation, issues management for the Ontario Medical Association, and standards development for the Health Standards Organization.

BUSINESS —  I have been editing business cases and teaching notes for an academic publisher for more than six years. That’s thousands of hours of editing content that deals with the full range of business subjects from asteroid mining in outer space to mergers and acquisitions. I’ve also written and published a number of business cases, two of which were nominated for international case competitions.

DESIGN — I am visually literate with formal training in photography and print design, and I have a command of a range of technical skills. I believe that good communication starts with the content and ends with presenting it the way readers need to get it. Aesthetics are part of the equation, but so is knowledge of how people read and how white space, headings, image placement, font, and so much more translate information into usable communication.

Contact Me

I am based in the friendly town of Almonte, Ontario and virtually serve clients everywhere. Send me an email (dawn.oosterhoff@me.com) and tell me about your project.

I am a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and ascribe to CIEP's code of practice for editorial excellence.