What she wanted to be when she grew up
“A pilot, but women could not be pilots back then. Then, I tried to be a flight attendant—I wanted to travel—but I was too short. It’s neat that my older son is a pilot.”

How she ended up here
When Paulette was first married and was attending journalism school, she worked as a secretary at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia, where her husband was a veterinary student. She eventually earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida. For the next 20-plus years, Paulette worked as an editor for a small daily paper, a large daily paper, and a financial paper. She also reported business news for the local NPR radio station and did freelance work for various veterinary schools. In 2014, Paulette was offered an editing position with Brief Media and Veterinary Team Brief, and she joined Rumpus Writing and Editing in 2019.

Why she loves veterinary medicine
“Most veterinary professionals are in the field because they want to improve the lives of animals, and not for the money.”

Why she loves editing
“I love being able to take someone’s good work and—hopefully—make it clearer and better.”

Who her furry family members are

  • Emmitt (the 18-year-old cat who was rescued from a bird’s nest high in a tree as a kitten and is using every one of his nine lives, despite cancer and kidney failure)

What might surprise you about her
“My husband and I vacationed in Lesotho a couple of years ago. They seldom get tourists, and I have never met another person who has been there.”