From Full-Time to Freelance: Charting a New Path

Andy Vasoyan is a writer covering technology, culture, and the spirits industry. His work has appeared in National Geographic, Slate, GQ, Esquire and Forbes. He lives in Chicago and previously hosted NPR’s Weekend Edition for a station in Southern California.

Emily is a New York-based writer providing copy and content writing, sales enablement, and copy editing services. She is the founder of On the Map Marketing LLC, where she collaborates with brands, agencies, and publishers writing about B2B technology and advertising/marketing/sales. Emily spent 20 years in marketing for leading media companies, supporting the advertising sales teams at Reuters, Condé Nast, Hearst, and Crain Communications.

Tyler Santora is a freelance journalist, editor, and fact-checker based out of Colorado. They specialize in science and health with a focus on cancer, transgender health, and climate change. Previously, Tyler was the Health Editor at Fatherly, where they covered men’s health and wellness, fitness, parenting, and child development. They have written for publications such as Scientific American, Science, Chemical & Engineering News, Live Science, one5c, Cancer Today, BreastCancer.org, and many more.

Karen Blum is a Baltimore-based freelance writer who chairs the ASJA Virtual Education committee. She covers health, medicine and science for a variety of outlets. Her articles have appeared in the Baltimore Sun, AARP, Cure, Medscape, and numerous medical trade magazines such as Anesthesiology News, Pharmacy Practice News, Clinical Oncology News, Rheumatology News and Ophthalmology Management. She also has written newsletter and magazine articles, blog posts and marketing communications pieces for clients including Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the National Eye Institute, Drexel University and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Additionally, she covers AI and patient safety for the Association of Health Care Journalists and does copy editing.

Before hanging her freelance shingle, Blum spent 10 years as a media relations officer for academic medical centers including The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Wearing those hats, she interacted with hundreds of journalists from around the world, managed press conferences and wrote many press releases and speeches. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Blum has never yet missed a deadline and prides herself on excellent customer service with assignment editors

Katherine (Katie) Shaver has worked as a professional journalist for 30+ years, including 26 years as a staff writer for The Washington Post. Her deepest coverage for The Post focused on transportation and development issues. She also has covered education and criminal justice, as well as government and politics. Katie now runs Shaver Communications, a Maryland-based writing and editing consulting business that helps nonprofits, universities, and business leaders tell their stories. She also recently expanded into college essay coaching.