I specialize in Clear and Effective Communication (visit page).
I have developed many tools to help with that.

My focus is knowledge transfer/translation for evidence-based content.

Male standing behind a desk, from shoulders to waist. He has his hands on a large stack of files which are on the desk, as are 6 coffee cups and more paper files.

Get some help with a document project

Writing and Editing

I write, edit and structure information using industry and evidence-based standards.

I have extensive experience with substantive/structural editing of large, complex documents.

Target Audience(s)

I develop content for policy makers, multidisciplinary professionals and the general public.

I advise on the broadest target audience for your project and how to match the content to that audience.

Media and genres

These include multidisciplinary manuals and guidelines, research reports, program manuals and educational/training material.

Maude’s work was exemplary. … She has shown energy and initiative by doing extensive background research even when it was not part of the requested work. Her curiosity and professional dedication has enabled her to identify problems in the ideas, arguments or documents so that solutions could be considered and found.

Jennifer Latham, Director, Editorial Services, Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Ms. Downey has an incredible ability to adapt to a wide range of environments and to apply her creative and analytical skills towards high quality products. In dealing with highly complex issues, she mastered the subject to such a level that she in fact identified significant procedural gaps.

Sylvie-Anne Lavigne, Nursing Project Manager, Correctional Service Canada

The person who corralled all the information into a readable, manageable resource was our editor extraordinaire, Maude Downey. Maude’s commitment to assuring clarity of content is commendable, and her good-natured cajoling facilitated the process. The results are a testimony to her talents.

Susan Glover Takahashi, Executive Director, The Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulatory Boards

The editing help Maude Downey provided was absolutely invaluable.

Denis J. Protti, BSc, MSc, FACMI, University of Victoria
Male standing behind a desk, from shoulders to waist. He has his hands on a large stack of files which are on the desk, as are 6 coffee cups and more paper files.

Get some help with a document project

Writing and Editing

I write, edit and structure information using industry and evidence-based standards.

I have extensive experience with substantive/structural editing of large, complex documents.

Knowledge transfer

I develop content for policy makers, multidisciplinary professionals and the general public.

I advise on the broadest target audience for your project and how to match the content to that audience.

Media and genres

These include multidisciplinary manuals and guidelines, research reports, program manuals and educational/training material.

Maude’s work was exemplary. … She has shown energy and initiative by doing extensive background research even when it was not part of the requested work. Her curiosity and professional dedication has enabled her to identify problems in the ideas, arguments or documents so that solutions could be considered and found.

Jennifer Latham, Director, Editorial Services, Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Ms. Downey has an incredible ability to adapt to a wide range of environments and to apply her creative and analytical skills towards high quality products. In dealing with highly complex issues, she mastered the subject to such a level that she in fact identified significant procedural gaps.

Sylvie-Anne Lavigne, Nursing Project Manager, Correctional Service Canada

The person who corralled all the information into a readable, manageable resource was our editor extraordinaire, Maude Downey. Maude’s commitment to assuring clarity of content is commendable, and her good-natured cajoling facilitated the process. The results are a testimony to her talents.

Susan Glover Takahashi, Executive Director, The Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulatory Boards

The editing help Maude Downey provided was absolutely invaluable.

Denis J. Protti, BSc, MSc, FACMI, University of Victoria

Improve your skills with some training

Clear and Effective Communication

I offer customized training to individuals or groups.

Ideal attendees include researchers, reviewers, writers, editors, translators and designers.

I collaborate with attendees to set a realistic short-term learning goal.

Tips and Tools for MS Word

I offer Sharpen the Ax! — my selection of tips and tools for MS Word.

Learn to work more efficiently and collaborate more easily.

  • Work with styles. Learn to create your own for specific needs.
  • Create and modify an automatic table of contents.
  • Use search and replace to se  more efficiently.
Over shoulder view of an African-American woman sitting at a desk, with headphones on. On her screen are the video captures of the 8 people in the videoconferencing session. The group is diverse in age, sex and ethnicity.
Over shoulder view of an African-American woman sitting at a desk, with headphones on. On her screen are the video captures of the 8 people in the videoconferencing session. The group is diverse in age, sex and ethnicity.

Improve your skills with some training

Clear and Effective Communication

I offer customized training to individuals or groups.

Ideal attendees include researchers, reviewers, writers, editors, translators and designers.

I collaborate with attendees to set a realistic short-term learning goal.

Tips and Tools for MS Word

I offer Sharpen the Ax! — my selection of tips and tools for MS Word.

Learn to work more efficiently and collaborate more easily.

  • Work with styles. Learn to create your own for specific needs.
  • Create and modify an automatic table of contents.
  • Use search and replace to se  more efficiently.
Graphic showing miscellaneous tools for project management.

Enhance your project management

I align projects with the relevant vision and mandate.

I develop tools (logic models, databases, forms, etc.) to help plan, standardize, monitor, evaluate and report on projects, and to optimize everyone’s input.

Ms. Downey has an incredible ability to adapt to a wide range of environments and to apply her creative and analytical skills towards high quality products. In dealing with highly complex issues, she mastered the subject to such a level that she in fact identified significant procedural gaps.

Sylvie-Anne Lavigne, Nursing Project Manager, Correctional Service Canada
write this later

Enhance your project management

I align projects with the relevant vision and mandate.

I develop tools (logic models, databases, forms, etc.) to help plan, standardize, monitor, evaluate and report on projects, and to optimize everyone’s input.

Ms. Downey has an incredible ability to adapt to a wide range of environments and to apply her creative and analytical skills towards high quality products. In dealing with highly complex issues, she mastered the subject to such a level that she in fact identified significant procedural gaps.

Sylvie-Anne Lavigne, Nursing Project Manager, Correctional Service Canada