Hello

I’m a creative and accomplished writer, editor, and consultant with a deep love of language; a passion for people and companies that are building a better world; and a penchant for what’s most creative, fresh, and, whenever appropriate, witty. Someone once called me a sharp Swiss Army knife because of my multidisciplinary expertise. I’ll take that.

A published creative writer, I have big love for and interest in the arts and culture. I serve on the board of Rivertown Film and on the advisory board of the new Borscht Belt Museum (I wrote their first brochure).

Most recently, I worked for a renowned PBS and NPR affiliate as a brand developer and writer, a magazine managing editor, and a comms writer and editor. Before that, I led editorial teams at a groundbreaking hands-on science and art museum created by Frank Oppenheimer (yup, brother of that Oppenheimer and brilliantly creative man). That experience amplified my deep, ongoing curiosity about, well, everything (my dad used to call me Ellyn with a “why”). It also grew my love for lifelong learning.

Also, to help put my daughter through school, I once launched a successful baking business based on an old family recipe even though I didn’t have any training or professional kitchen experience. I was honored when my business was recognized as part of an innovative San Francisco Bay Area food movement by a national publication.

Along the way, I’ve had the good fortune to work with wonderful people. You can see some recommendations below; there are more on my LinkedIn page.

After many years in the Bay Area, I'm now based in my native New York, but collaborating with clients everywhere (have words, do travel).

Please reach out if you’d like to work together: ellynhament1@gmail.com. Thanks!

THE PART WHERE PEOPLE TELL YOU WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK WITH ME . . .

“ . . . She is legendary in her field, an outstanding editor, copywriter and storyteller who I highly recommend to anyone looking to take their brand to the next level. “ — Zaldy Serrano, Creative Director at KQED, Northern California’s PBS and NPR affiliate

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“Ellyn wrote for a myriad of my projects for 17 years . . . from deep research pieces about science to the science of the everyday, to marketing/promotional copy. Ellyn's command of voice (easily adapting between styles), her focus on being clear (conveying the information in a way that is understandable to the audience), and her dedication to constantly improving her craft (she wrote amazing guidelines for equity and inclusion for the Exploratorium ) is what really elevates her to being the very best at all-things-editorial. — Robyn Higdon, (Former) Senior Director of Museum Experience, the Exploratorium Museum of Science and Art

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"I can’t say enough about Ellyn as both an editor and a colleague. She is a masterful writer, content editor and copyeditor, who continually looks for ways to update and perfect her craft and to infuse it with creativity. When she worked at KQED, she earned the respect of each of her colleagues for her considerable editorial expertise and as a model of accountability." — Peter Cavagnaro, Director, Communications and External Affairs at KQED, Northern California’s PBS and NPR affiliate

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“She's a multidisciplinary thinker — and doer. She's also an excellent collaborator, teacher, and teammate. I count her as an ally and charter member of my editorial brain trust, one of the few people who understands the value of word wrangling in today's world.” — Karen Wickre of KVOX Media, author of Taking the Work Out of Networking