Writer. Editor. Dog lover. Storyteller.
Those five words pretty much sum up Shamontiel's career and passions, as both a full-time freelancer and a dog sitter/walker. As a former dog owner for 22 years whose condo doesn't allow pets, she found a way to write (her passion) and enjoy four-legged companionship (her fluffier passion).
Who is Shamontiel?
Shamontiel (pronounced Shə mawn T L) Latrice Vaughn is a full-time, freelance copywriter, editor and journalist on Upwork. Her primary clients include Cognizer, Lifestyle Reviews, Pet Struggles, Ram Research, RETHINK Retail and Tess Whittler. She occasionally works on private writing and marketing projects for various 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 and Rover.
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 and Rover.
Volunteer
Shamontiel L. Vaughn, CC, PM5, is currently serving as the 2019-2020 Sergeant At Arms for Unity Toastmasters, a community Chicago Toastmasters club. From July 2018 to June 2019, she was also the VP of Education, VP of Membership and the VP of Public Relations. Shamontiel competed at the division level with a corporate Toastmasters group for the 2018 International Speaking Competition before joining Unity TM. In February 2018, she completed her Competent Communicator certification. In May 2019, she completed Pathways and is now Presentation Mastery Proficient. With the help of her Toastmasters training, she agreed to become the 2019 co-host of Do Not Submit Chicago: Rogers Park.
Work
Her latest work can be found through her current Upwork clients or her Medium account. Past magazine and blog content include 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 her yearlong work in the marketing industry, she spent another year as one-half of the writing team for J. Paye in Brief's law blogging series. (She still occasionally works on PR/marketing work for J. Paye & Associates.) Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, MADE magazine, Gurulife, Sun Times Network, Blavity, Citizens in America magazine and a few others.
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 employment as an Assistant Copy Editor for Kaplan Financial.
Before her yearlong work in the marketing industry, she spent another year as one-half of the writing team for J. Paye in Brief's law blogging series. (She still occasionally works on PR/marketing work for J. Paye & Associates.) Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, MADE magazine, Gurulife, Sun Times Network, Blavity, Citizens in America magazine and a few others.
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 employment 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; journaling about her 15-year vegetarian lifestyle; and volunteering for (now-defunct) charitable 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; journaling about her 15-year vegetarian lifestyle; and volunteering for (now-defunct) charitable organizations such as BEHIV to speak about safe sex, STD and STI testing.
Play
Her weekly workout routine includes WERQ hip-hop dance classes, pilates and Zumba. Dog walking with Wag! and Rover confirms she'll always get in her 10,000 daily steps, too.
When she's not chatting it up on social media or playing with dogs, there's a pretty good chance she's at Toastmasters or a bar for Do Not Submit to hear a juicy story or speech. Or, she's relaxing at somebody's beach, lakefront, bookstore or vegan restaurant.
When she's not chatting it up on social media or playing with dogs, there's a pretty good chance she's at Toastmasters or a bar for Do Not Submit to hear a juicy story or speech. Or, she's relaxing at somebody's beach, lakefront, bookstore or vegan restaurant.
©2008 Shamontiel L. Vaughn| All rights reserved
