A little about me
MY STORYHi, I’m Veronica Garis, an immigrant-turned-U.S. citizen, first-generation college graduate, proud Penn State alum (Go Nittany Lions!), and passionate editor with a deep love for language and how it connects people.
English wasn’t my first language, but I fell in love with it immediately. I moved to the U.S. from Eastern Europe when I was very young and quickly caught up to my new American classmates, heavy books piling up in my room. I’d spend an entire day reading fantasy and mystery novels, stopping only to eat the occasional meal before I was right back at it. I deeply admired the detail and thoughtfulness of each author’s work and I soon determined that I wanted to become a writer myself someday. I used to sit at my small desk and jot down a short list of characters before booting up my parents’ old Dell computer, listening to the fan, and drafting a couple chapters of what I thought would be my debut novel.
That love of language never left me. I majored in English at Penn State with a minor in Women’s Studies, paying my way through school with tutoring and retail jobs while balancing long hours of coursework, Blue Band rehearsals (somehow I made it in!), and editorial/communications leadership roles. I served as Communications Coordinator at Penn State Learning, Editor-in-Chief of The Dangling Modifier and Chief Copyeditor of The Underground, where I learned how to lead with empathy, edit with intention, and advocate for stories that deserve to be heard.
Since graduating, I’ve written and edited for a range of industries — starting at SAP, where my first managers gave me a shot at editing for a global audience. I went on to lead editorial projects at Banyan Hill (where I was promoted to Assistant Managing Editor) and ITR Economics, gaining insight into finance, investing, and the grit it takes to succeed in fast-paced environments.
As a current freelancer, I just wrapped up my biggest project to date: I edited a full-length novel for a client, helped her launch a website, and helped her craft a pitch to agents. I care deeply not just about how something reads line by line but also what it says, who it’s for, and how it will make an impact. I love partnering with people to make their message clear, polished, and powerful.
Now that this project is wrapped up, I’m looking for my next opportunity — whether that’s full-time, part-time, contract, or freelance. If you’re looking for a thoughtful, experienced editor who brings heart, strategy, and strong instincts to the table, I’d love to connect.
While I currently live in Columbia, Maryland, I’ve learned to help companies and clients remotely from across the country. I’m also open to hybrid work in the area. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending my time with my fiancé Kyle and our pets Sunny and Max (who have their own Instagram pages, of course).
