Melva McLean (Editors Manitoba) is a talented and award-winning editor and writer. We are pleased to name Melva as the Editors Canada volunteer of the month for September for her contribution to the success of this year’s Editors Canada conference in Saskatoon, where she was a member of the organizing committee and coordinator for the 2018 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence.
For our first ever conference in Saskatchewan, Melva took care of numerous tasks, from editing session blurbs to contacting partner organizations. Melva also co-presented one session, hosted two more, and participated in speed mentoring. As the coordinator for the Tom Fairley Award, Melva helped to recruit and orient the judges. Thanks to this volunteering experience, Melva has learned about conference organization and what it takes to run a successful virtual volunteer committee.
Away from her volunteer commitments, Melva edits short stories, novels, screenplays, and non-fiction texts in both the humanities and sciences. She is herself a past recipient of the prestigious Tom Fairley Award (2008).
And Melva’s accolades go beyond editing: three of her screenplays have won awards, and Chopin’s Heart—a short film she wrote and produced—was part of a Telefilm showcase at Cannes 2016. She is currently working on her third short film. She plans to retire in 2020 to “do something completely different.”
The featured volunteer recognizes the contributions of our dedicated people who keep Editors Canada going. Volunteers are the backbone of the association, and we are grateful for the many members and affiliates who answer the call when help is needed.
Want to make a difference in your association? Find out more about volunteering for Editors Canada.