Meet the Team: 2022-23

As you might already know, ROPES is published annually by the students of the MA in Literature and Publishing of the University of Galway. Because of that, each year the journal is looked after by a completely different group of people. The ROPES team of 2023 is multicultural and multilingual, with members from Ireland and around the world. We come from varied backgrounds, but we all are passionate about literature and the arts and have complementary interests within the publishing industry. With this in mind, one of our main goals is to publish an array of works that portrays singular literary voices and perspectives. As a whole, the journal represents an archive of creativity and diversity.

Since publishing is a creative endeavor, we believe it is important to highlight its human nature and that you know who the people are behind ROPES. That’s why we want to introduce ourselves!

Anna Blackburn (she/her)

Hi! I’m Anna and I’m from Chicago, Illinois. I completed my BA in English with Creative Writing at UCD this past year and am so excited to be on the Editorial and Marketing teams for ROPES 2023! My favourite genre to read and watch is dystopian fiction and my favourite author is Victoria Aveyard who wrote the Red Queen series. I love travel, creative writing, concerts, and volunteering with Fighting Words.

Ana García LdeC (she/her)

Hey there! I have a super long name, so I just go as Ana García LdeC. I am from Mexico City, and I’ve also had the opportunity to live in Colombia, the USA, and now Galway. During high school I studied Creative Writing, and went to college in Mexico City to study my BA in English Literature so the Literature and Publishing Master’s at the University of Galway is a perfect fit for me. I am passionate about digital publishing and multimedia storytelling. As for literary genres, my favourites are romance, Victorian, gothic, memoir, modern classics, and popular fiction. The next edition of ROPES has a fantastic new team behind, and I really can’t wait for you to see what we create for you. Twitter: @anagldec.

Alessia Fiorello (she/her)

Hello! I am Alessia and I’m from Bonn, Germany. I completed my BA in English, German, and Comparative Studies this year at the University of Bonn. I am an avid reader and my favourite genres are romance and contemporary fiction. I am excited to be part of the Sales and Marketing team, and I can’t wait for you all to hold this year’s edition in your hands!

Alicia Calvo Hernández (she/her)

Hello, I’m from Madrid, Spain. Just a year ago I was finishing my degree in Journalism and Humanities and working on my final thesis, which was focused on the representation of the home and its intimate and social dimensions in British and Irish contemporary narrative. So, you can say I love houses and literature. Now, since I have had to leave my own house to study this master’s, I’ve made books my home, and I can’t wait to pour this love for literature into ROPES 2023! You can find me on Twitter: @Alicia_CalvoH.

Cassia Blondelot (she/her)

Hi, I’m Cassia. I’m from a tiny village in France, but I moved to Galway a few years back after completing my MA in English Literature and Cultures in Lyon. It’ll be no surprise that I love reading, and I'm fascinated by what languages and translation can tell us about different cultures. I tend to read a bit of everything, from experimental literature to children’s books, although I mostly stick to fiction. I’m thrilled to be a part of ROPES and to get to work on putting great content out there for you to read! You can find me on Twitter: @CassiaBlondelot.

Ciara Harris  (she/her)

I’m Ciara and I’m from Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is a very small coastal city in Eastern Canada. I recently completed my BA in English at Saint Mary’s University, and I’m so excited to be serving as the Managing Editor for this year’s ROPES. I love all kinds of literature, but I have a particular interest in short fiction, and my maritime roots definitely come through in my reading choices; I love any story about the ocean, seaweed, salty breezes, you name it! When I’m not reading, you can find me crocheting knick-knacks for my friends and family or exploring local cafés. Reach out to me on Twitter: @ciarak_harris.

Claudia Madden (she/her)

Hey, I'm Claudia! I’m from Athlone, Co. Westmeath and I recently graduated from Maynooth University with a BA in English. Reading has always been a special interest of mine, especially genres such as horror, gothic fiction and sci-fi. My biggest passion is poetry and I wrote my own collection of poetry for my final year creative dissertation. I’m super excited to be a part of both the Editorial and Production and design teamS for ROPES! You can find me on Twitter: @claudiamadden1996.

Fernanda Ortega (she/her)

Hey! I am Fernanda from Mexico. I graduated from a BA in Latin American Literature at Universidad Iberoamericana. I love reading, writing, and travelling, which is why I’m now in Ireland. I love to read literature from all over the world, and right now I am particularly interested in poetry and translation. You can find me talking about all sorts of books on Instagram: @flowersinthelibrary. I’m really happy to be part of this year’s ROPES team and beyond excited for you to read the next issue.

Isabelle Gahan (she/her)

Hi! I’m Isabelle and I’m from Dublin. I have a BA in English and Film from UCD and a Certificate in Creative Writing from Maynooth University. Like my fellow classmates, I have a huge love and passion for reading, and the genres I love the most are fantasy, historical fiction, and anything a bit magical. I spend my spare time writing, making art, and chasing my ginger cat around the house (it’s true, male ginger cats are himbos). I am so excited to be a part of the Editorial team for this year’s edition of ROPES.

Julie Kathrine Steen Paulsen (she/her)

Hi there, I am Julie. I come from the lovely city of Trondheim, Norway. I have a BA in English Literature from the Norwegian University NTNU, a semester of South American Literature from UNSAM (Buenos Aires), and four years of law school from the University of Bergen. I am planning to write my legal MA thesis on international copyright upon graduating from UG. I have an eternal love for the classics, especially modern American and English gothic fiction, but I have more recently developed an interest in international literature. I am looking forward to contributing to this year’s edition of ROPES as part of both the Editorial and the Sales and Marketing teams.

Katherine Therrien (she/her)

I’m Katherine, or Katie for short! I’m from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, although I’ve spent a lot of time in Scotland. I have a BA in Literature and History from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and an MA in Creative Writing from Edinburgh Napier University. I am a writer as well as a reader and, as a part of the editorial team, I love finding new and daring stories—be they experimental, genre, or personal essays!

Kiki Andrews (she/her)

Hi! I’m Kiki and I’m from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. I completed my BA in Language and Culture Studies with a specialisation in English literature in an intertextual perspective at Utrecht University. I am passionate about the representation of women in books and other stories. As for literary genres, I tend to read a bit of everything, but mostly enjoy contemporary fiction. I am so excited to be serving as Assistant Managing Editor for this year’s ROPES and can’t wait for you to see the 31st edition!  

Mariana Denisse Morales Hernández (she/her)

Hi! I’m Mariana from Mexico City. I completed my BA in English with a specialisation in translation at Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, UNAM. I love all kinds of books, but I am most interested in contemporary poetry, women’s writing, cross-genre writing, and translations. Give me a text that works with images of water, colours, or food—my second passion in life is eating—, and I’ll be obsessed with it for an indefinite amount of time. I’m beyond excited to be a part of the Editorial and Production and Design teams for ROPES 2023! You can find me on Twitter: @marianaden_.

Michaela Shaw (she/her)

Hi there! I’m Michaela and I’m from Sligo. I completed my undergraduate in English and History at the University of Galway just this past year. I have always been an avid reader and writer, and I’m particularly interested in the more unique and avant-garde forms of the arts. I am very proud to be serving as this year’s Sales and Marketing Lead and I am so excited for my team and I to work on some really great events and content for you all.

Olivia Long (she/her)

Hi! I’m from Charleston, South Carolina, and recently completed my undergraduate degree in Publishing at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. I am so thrilled to be serving as ROPES Editorial Lead this year and to work with such a creative and talented team. As to be expected, I’m very passionate about reading, and enjoy reading fantasy, science fiction, and horror series in my free time. I also adore Greek mythology, and my current favourite author is Madeline Miller.

Rachel Cahill (she/her)

Hi! I’m Rachel and I am from a village called Bree in Wexford. I have a BA in English and Digital Methods and Data Literacy from UCD and a professional certificate in Editorial Fashion Styling at the Dublin Institute of Design. I am passionate about fashion, culture, and reading. I act as the creative director and editor of online magazine VAPID, pushing against the stigma for those who simultaneously enjoy engaging with current worldly topics and fashion. I am excited to be working on the sales and marketing team this year! I frequently read fantasy novels. I love cats. You can find me on @theonlyraquelle and www.vapidmagazine.com.

Regina Zavala Corona (she/her)

Hi there, I’m Regina. I’m from Guanajuato, Mexico. I graduated this year with a BA in English Literature. As expected, I love books and my favourite genres include fantasy, romance, gothic fiction, and of course, the classics. I am excited to be part of both the Editorial and the Sales and Marketing teams. Can’t wait for you to see this year’s edition of ROPES!

Róisin Cremin (she/her)

Hi, I’m Róisin. I’m from Mallow, Co. Cork and have recently graduated with a BA in German Studies and Music at Mary Immaculate College. Having studied German for my undergrad, I have a particular interest in translation. Along with translated works, my favourite genres to read are contemporary fiction, romance, literary fiction, and fantasy. I like to write poetry in my spare time and post book reviews on a number of online platforms. I am very excited to be working on ROPES this year as part of the Editorial and Sales and Marketing teams, and I cannot wait for you all to see what we have planned!. You can find me on instagram/twitter: @somethingarosie.

Shannon Kelly (she/her)

Hello, I’m Shannon Kelly! I completed my undergraduate degree at University of Galway in 2021, with a BA in Children’s Studies. In addition to my BA, I have successfully completed higher diplomas in early childhood care from UG and marketing communications from UCD. I have a passion for children’s literature and a great interest in digital illustration. I am delighted to be the Production and Design Team Lead for ROPES 2023 and to have the opportunity to work with the amazing team.

Sinéad Bartley

Hi! I’m Sinéad, and I’m from Killarney, County Kerry. I graduated from UCC with a Bachelors in English in 2021! I love reading and writing, and particularly love theatre and poetry. I am very excited to be part of this year’s Marketing and Sales team for ROPES. You can find me on twitter: @sineadbart.

Tara O’Malley (she/her)

Hi! I’m Tara. I’m from Connemara, Co. Galway and have recently graduated from a BA in Creative Writing, English and Classics at the University of Galway. I’m fluent in both English and Irish. I’m passionate about writing and reading, which is why I’m very excited to be a part of the ROPES Editorial team this year. I love to read poetry, creative non-fiction, and all types of fiction, but particularly anything inspired by mythology and folklore. You can find me on Twitter: @taranimhaille.

Valeria Cecilia Barbon (she/her)

Hey there! I’m Valeria from Italy. I have a BA and an MA in English and Russian Literature and Languages from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. I am an avid reader (and a food enthusiast): I read pretty much anything, from classics to fantasy. I am so excited to be involved in both the Production and Design and Editorial teams to shape this beautiful publication, and I can’t wait for you guys to enjoy it!