My name is Alyanna. I am a writer, journalist and editor in Toronto.

I earned my Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in 2023, where I graduated at the top of my class in both socio-cultural anthropology and human geography—though I still carry a fondness for my early days as an English Lit major. My academic journey was marked by several prestigious awards, which recognize my contributions and excellence in my fields, one of which you can read about here.

I got my start in journalism at my student newspaper, The Varsity, where I served as associate features editor and later as news bureau chief. During my time there, I wrote over 50 articles covering a range of topics, like university politics, governance, international student life and food insecurity. I also edited, copyedited and fact-checked articles for the publication.

Now, I am the assistant editor at Maclean’s, where I oversee the magazine’s back-of-book section, curating stories on arts, immigration and housing from across Canada. I also edit web essays and memoirs on diverse subjects like cost-of-living struggles, human impacts of environmental disasters, societal trends and many more.

Writing remains my first love, and I always carve out time to indulge in it through my freelance work. When I’m not working, you’ll find me lost in books—classics, literary fiction, historical fiction and literary journalism are my go-tos. (My favourite authors are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Jane Austen.) I also love watching movies and live theatre and exploring Toronto’s dynamic food scene. And yes, you will find me constantly scrolling through Google News—after all, it’s part of the job!