I was born in the Barossa Valley, South Australia, when German was still commonly spoken there. Later, in Sydney, I learnt English from kids in the street at about the age of four. When I completed the HSC, I was listed in the top 100 for first-level English. I have studied first-level English and German at both school and university level, as well as History, Anthropology, and Philosophy at university. I have a Bachelor of Arts (honours in Philosophy) from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of NSW. I am admitted as a Solicitor, but am not currently in practice.
I have been proofreading and correcting documents since I was a teenager. I come from a family of science academics, so I have had experience translating and proofreading scientific papers and theses for them and for other scientists. I have worked as an interpreter and translator for an Austrian chemist promoting a new drug in Australia. I have prepared and corrected Commonwealth Senate submissions. I have proofread the text of public communications for a large organisation. I am particularly experienced with authors who are more used to writing in a language other than English.