Shamontiel (pronounced Shə mawn T L) Latrice Vaughn is a full-time, freelance copywriter, editor and journalist on Upwork. Her primary clients include RamResearch.org, Lifestyle.Reviews, SARIS Media and RETHINK Retail. She occasionally works on PR projects and legal blogs for private law firms. The Chicago native has 14 years of journalism experience (Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, CBS Chicago, Yahoo! Contributor Network); 13 years of editing experience (Kaplan Financial, Sun-Times Network); 11 years of digital experience; and 20 years of social media experience. She is also the author of two novels ("Round Trip" and "Change for a Twenty"). When she's not reading, writing or editing, Shamontiel is a professional dog walker and dog sitter for Wag.
Volunteer
Shamontiel is the 2018-2019 VP of Education, VP of Public Relations and VP of Membership for Unity Toastmasters, a community Chicago Toastmasters club. She was introduced to Toastmasters in 2017 through Toast of TCS, a corporate Toastmasters club. Representing Toast of TCS, she competed at the division level for the 2018 International Speaking Competition before her current membership with Unity Toastmasters. In February 2018, she completed her Competent Communicator certification. In May 2019, she completed Pathways and is now Presentation Mastery Proficient: Shamontiel L. Vaughn, CC, PM5. With the help of her Toastmasters training, she decided to become the 2019 co-host of Do Not Submit Chicago: Rogers Park.
Work
Some of her magazine and blog content can be found in Saybrook University's "Unbound" digital magazine, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology's "Insight" magazine, Pacific Oaks College's "Voices" magazine, Dallas Nursing Institute's blog and The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law's blog.
Before working with TCS Education's higher education affiliates, she spent a year as one-half of the writing team for J. Paye in Brief's law blogging series. Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, AXS, MADE magazine, Gurulife, Sun Times Network, Blavity, Citizens in America magazine, Fate magazine, TheFrisky.com and more.
As a tech enthusiast with a web editing background, her resume includes past full-time employment as a Digital News Editor for the Chicago Tribune, and as a Staff Writer and Web Editor for The Chicago Defender. Her print editing background includes Feld Entertainment and Pearson Education, as well as an Assistant Copy Editor for Kaplan Financial.
Before working with TCS Education's higher education affiliates, she spent a year as one-half of the writing team for J. Paye in Brief's law blogging series. Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, AXS, MADE magazine, Gurulife, Sun Times Network, Blavity, Citizens in America magazine, Fate magazine, TheFrisky.com and more.
As a tech enthusiast with a web editing background, her resume includes past full-time employment as a Digital News Editor for the Chicago Tribune, and as a Staff Writer and Web Editor for The Chicago Defender. Her print editing background includes Feld Entertainment and Pearson Education, as well as an Assistant Copy Editor for Kaplan Financial.
Learn
This Chicago native graduated Cum Laude from Lincoln University (MO) with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing. Shamontiel has also taken graduate school courses at DePaul University in Lincoln Park. Her areas of educational focus were writing, communications, Spanish and criminal justice. She is also a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.
Shamontiel has participated in various political and news events, including promoting and raising money for President Barack H. Obama's presidential campaign; completing canvass assignments for the Affordable Care Act registration; educating curious minds about a vegan lifestyle; and volunteering for organizations such as BEHIV to speak about safe sex, STD and STI testing.
Shamontiel has participated in various political and news events, including promoting and raising money for President Barack H. Obama's presidential campaign; completing canvass assignments for the Affordable Care Act registration; educating curious minds about a vegan lifestyle; and volunteering for organizations such as BEHIV to speak about safe sex, STD and STI testing.
Play
Although reading will always be her favorite hobby, music isn't far behind, specifically positive hip-hop, dance/pop, R&B (primarily Motown and neosoul), smooth jazz, and an occasional country artist. Health and fitness are a priority for her everyday life as a 15-year vegetarian (and struggling vegan that didn't quite work out). She's taken just about every fitness or contemporary dance class there is from belly dancing to WERQ. Her weekly workout routine includes yoga, weight lifting and pilates. Dog walking confirms she'll always get in her 10,000 steps.
When she's not chatting it up on social media or walking dogs, there's a pretty good chance she's traveling to somebody's beach, lakefront, bookstore or vegan restaurant.
When she's not chatting it up on social media or walking dogs, there's a pretty good chance she's traveling to somebody's beach, lakefront, bookstore or vegan restaurant.
©2008 Shamontiel L. Vaughn| All rights reserved
