Writer ~ Editor ~ Dog Lover ~ Veg(etari)an
Shamontiel (pronounced Shə mawn T L) Latrice Vaughn is a full-time, freelance editor and writer. From 2014 to mid-2023, her primary freelance jobs were via Upwork before transitioning to an independent client base. The Chicago native has 19 years of combined publishing experience in journalism; print and online editing; website building and editing; social media marketing; and four years in mid-level management. Although she started off wanting to be a full-time author and self-published two novels ("Round Trip" and "Change for a Twenty") between undergrad and grad school, she was surprised by her own intrigue in the editing and publishing industry. One paid the bills; the other just paid for her veg(etari)an takeout. She switched gears and has completed 253 interviews (entertainment, business, health, real estate, painting) for various print and digital newspapers and magazines. After leaving Corporate America in 2018, and to get some exercise while working from home, Shamontiel became a dog caregiver. Three years later, she adopted a Hound mix on Juneteenth. No matter the industry, Junee couldn't care less about her bills or her bylines. She has zero issues with interrupting Shamontiel's workday for regular walks, mail carrier announcements and ear scratches.
Work
As a full-time freelance journalist and editor, her primary clients vary every quarter. As of July 2024, her lineup includes the following:
- MARKETING: Fact Checker and Proofreader for a marketing firm covering legal, finance, health and real estate news
- FINANCE: Proofreader for a quarterly financial series about Wall Street news, stocks and bonds
- LEGAL: Web editor, infographic creator and marketing strategist (social media and print) for an Illinois/Michigan attorney
- LEGAL: Newsletter editor for subscribers interested in tech news and business startups, along with legal and investment advice
Outside of the editorial projects above, her latest op-ed bylines can be found on Substack.
Before becoming a full-time freelancer, she dabbled in the marketing industry and completed a co-writing partnership for a legal blogging series. (Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, Go4Rent Magazine and more.)
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 also includes live entertainment (Feld Entertainment) and K-12 education (Pearson Education), as well as her first job in publishing as the former Assistant Copy Editor for Kaplan Financial.
Before becoming a full-time freelancer, she dabbled in the marketing industry and completed a co-writing partnership for a legal blogging series. (Her additional writing clips can be found in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Defender, CBS Chicago, Go4Rent Magazine and more.)
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 also includes live entertainment (Feld Entertainment) and K-12 education (Pearson Education), as well as her first job in publishing as the former Assistant Copy Editor for Kaplan Financial.
Volunteer
Shamontiel L. Vaughn, CC, PM5, ACB, is a former member of Unity Toastmasters, a community Chicago Toastmasters club. She's held five offices in years' past: President, VP of Education, VP of Membership, VP of Public Relations (two times) and Sergeant at Arms. 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 became Presentation Mastery Proficient. In December 2019, she earned certification in Advanced Communicator Bronze. She was also a yearlong co-host (2019) of Do Not Submit Chicago: Rogers Park. Outside of public speaking, she was the 2020-21 condo association board president and 2021-22 condo board treasurer for her residence.
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 (Chicago). 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 is unapologetically into politics, including promoting and raising money for President Barack H. Obama's presidential campaign and completing canvass assignments for the Affordable Care Act registration. In the past few elections, she's also been an Election Judge, a Key Judge and a Cell Phone Judge. On the topic of social justice and health, she occasionally writes about her 19-year vegetarian (and second-round vegan) lifestyle and volunteering for (now-defunct) charitable organizations such as BEHIV to speak about safe sex, STD and STI testing.
Shamontiel is unapologetically into politics, including promoting and raising money for President Barack H. Obama's presidential campaign and completing canvass assignments for the Affordable Care Act registration. In the past few elections, she's also been an Election Judge, a Key Judge and a Cell Phone Judge. On the topic of social justice and health, she occasionally writes about her 19-year vegetarian (and second-round vegan) lifestyle and volunteering for (now-defunct) charitable organizations such as BEHIV to speak about safe sex, STD and STI testing.
Play
Dance choreography is the most enjoyable form of exercise for her, specifically Kukuwa Fitness and WERQ. She's been taking hip-hop dance classes off and on for the past two decades. From 2019 and onward, she finally mastered meditation (after attending countless vegan and vegetarian cooking events) and enjoys weight training. But after adopting her Hound mix, she's just as likely to be strolling around Chicago and randomly mumbling, "Get away from that dead thing!"
