Team
Team
Patti Ryan - President
Patti Ryan has been working with words for nearly 20 years, first as a reporter, freelance writer, speech writer and corporate communications specialist, and since 2000 as president of Southside Communications Inc.
Background
Patti’s writing has been published in a range of Canadian magazines and newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun and Maclean’s. She has won a Canadian Association of Journalism (CAJ) award for investigative magazine journalism and has been a Gold Medal winner and Top 5 Finalist in the KRW Canadian Business Press awards. Earlier in her career, Patti co-authored a book about management strategies for high-tech companies: The New Innovators: How Canadians Are Shaping the Knowledge-Based Economy.
A member of both the Professional Writers Association of Canada and the Editors’ Association of Canada, Patti holds a degree in English literature from McGill University and a graduate degree in journalism from Carleton University.
Outside of work, Patti has travelled extensively over many months on multiple trips throughout Asia, Africa, Australia and Latin America, and occasionally writes travel articles. She is the volunteer manager of several competitive sports teams, and recently completed a three-year term as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa South Community Association. From August 2009 to March 2010 she was away from her desk, backpacking around Asia with her family. Her travel blog of that epic adventure has entertained more than 60,000 readers.
The Southside network
-
Sarah MacFadyen
Sarah is a dynamic, creative and versatile writer and media consultant with strong ties to the media industry. For 17 years, she was one of the principal decision-makers and visionaries behind CBC Radio programs such as All in a Day and Ottawa Morning. In 2012, she launched a writing business and became a sessional lecturer at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication. Her knack for recognizing what is unique and compelling about a story, situation, product or service is the hallmark of her style. Sarah has a graduate degree in journalism from the University of Western Ontario.
-
Lori Steele
Ten years of art direction in the corporate world of advertising & direct marketing, combined with a love of visual art and design, gave Lori the tools to meet an infinite array of clients’ design needs. Lori works in conjunction with other industry professionals to ensure her clients’ unique messages are communicated effectively. Lori has a strong sense of community and takes great pride in doing business locally. Her satisfied clients from the Ottawa area include Bryson Farms, Kaleidoscope Kids Books, the Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA), Red Apron and Van Dromme Designs. Corporate clients include Royal Bank, Walmart, Providence Healthcare Foundation and Landcare.
-
Josée Latulippe
Josée Latulippe, Southside Communications’ go-to French editor and translator, has been playing with words for more than 23 years. She started her career as a book and magazine editor with St. Paul University’s publishing house, Novalis. Since 2008, she has been working as a freelance editor and translator. Her clients appreciate her professionalism, her attention to detail, the quality of her editorial skills, and her capacity to meet tight deadlines. C’est dans la nature que Josée fait le plein d’énergie et de paix. Les promenades en forêt et les activités de plein air en famille font partie de ses loisirs préférés.
-
Jensen Edwards
Jensen Edwards is a researcher, multimedia editor and writer who has worked bilingually since 2012 as a House of Commons page, a national parks interpreter, journalist and multimedia specialist, where he works with scientists to help connect people with nature. Jensen completed his undergraduate degree in French literature at the University of Victoria and his master’s in journalism at Carleton University, where he was awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship and was shortlisted for the 2018 Uncharted Journalism Award. In his down time, Jensen can be found either riding or fixing his bicycle, or tinkering as the failed inventor of a patent-based blog.
-
Christiana Alexiou
Christianna Alexiou is a writer and editor with experience in journalistic, communications and corporate spaces. She has been published in the Ottawa Citizen, the Montreal Gazette, The Province, the Ottawa Business Journal and The Feminist Word, among other publications. She works on a variety of writing and editing projects for Southside and has experience with several different federal government departments.
Christianna received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa with a double minor in Spanish and law, graduating in the top three per cent of her class. In the near term, she plans to pursue an M.Sc. in Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science while continuing to work with Southside.
As an aspiring polyglot with a passion for languages, Christianna speaks English, French and Spanish fluently and is learning Greek and Arabic.
Our networks
-
Editors Canada
Learn morePatti is a member of Editors Canada, a national association with over 1300 salaried and freelance members across the country.
-
Canadian Freelance Guild
Learn morePatti is a member of the Canadian Freelance Guild, a network that supports and represents freelance workers in Canada.
-
Carleton University
Learn morePatti is a graduate of Carleton University's prestigious School of Journalism and Communication.
-
McGill University
Learn morePatti holds a B.A. (Honours) degree in English literature from McGill University. She graduated as a Faculty Scholar with Great Distinction.
Looking to join the network?
If you’re a talented writer or editor looking for a project, get in touch. You’ll need a university degree (ideally in English, communications or journalism) and relevant experience. An editing certification is an asset if you’re a newer editor.
Please note that we may not respond to all inquiries.