My name is Alyanna. I’m 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. 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 the University of Toronto’s 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.

Today, I’m the assistant editor at Maclean’s, where I oversee the magazine’s back-of-book section. I also edit web essays and memoirs on diverse subjects like cost-of-living struggles, human impacts of policy changes, societal trends and many more.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me learning languages or reading books. (My favourite authors are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Jane Austen.) I also love watching movies and live theatre and exploring Toronto’s eclectic food scene. And yes, I’m constantly scrolling through Google News—it’s part of the job after all!