Hi, I’m Katie O'Reilly, a creative, research-driven writer and editor with 15+ years’ professional editorial experience. You can find my work in Outside, Runner's World, Sierra, The Atlantic, Alpinist, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Narratively, Buzzfeed, Bitch, and Bustle, among many other publications. From 2016 to 2023, I was the adventure + lifestyle editor for Sierra, the national magazine of the Sierra Club. Previously, I worked as managing editor for a nature-oriented literary magazine (Ecotone), senior editor for a B2B magazine serving the spa and wellness industries (DAYSPA), and as a local reporter for an NPR-affiliate public radio station (WHQR). These days, I’m a freelance journalist and copywriter who gravitates toward climate solutions, outdoor adventure, family and adventure travel, wildlife and other aspects of nature writing, and human reproduction. My strengths include turning complex issues into digestible and compelling mainstream stories, squeezing big ideas into small spaces, and a smart, conversational voice (and decent instinct for knowing when to inject humor, word play, and the occasional pun). My repertoire extends from catchy how-to blogs and roundups to award-winning, multi-thousand-word reported features. I love taking on stories that get to the bottom of a complex question. I also have a passion for penning honest and vulnerable personal essays, silly humor pieces, book and film reviews, and the occasional poem (though the latter’s likely for my eyes only!).
As a writer, my goal is typically either to expand thinking and encourage action for a more resilient world, or to inspire exploration and off-beat adventure. As an editor, I bring thorough knowledge of Chicago Manual and AP styles, CMS management skills, and an eagle eye for line edits and flow. But what I pride myself most on is my dedication to compassionate and collaborative relationships with writers, my knack for helping to cultivate unique POV and logical flow, and my aversion to boring copy.
I earned my MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and my bachelor's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. I was born and raised in Chicago, and have called both California and North Carolina home. Currently, I live outside Missoula, Montana with my astrophotographer husband, curious young daughter, and two rambunctious mutts. When not hard at work, you can find me trail-running, hiking, reading and, for at least half the year, trying to force myself to fall in love with winter via cross-country skiing and a late-night curling club.
