Editorial Office was founded in 2002 by Alice Ellingham and Gill Smith.

Editorial Office has grown and adapted in line with the development of peer review and online journal submissions systems. We are passionate about future-proofing our role in the publishing sector, working to help you as we continue to improve and streamline processes, as well as utilise new submission platforms and the latest technologies.

Almost 20 years after launch, with cumulative decades of experience within our team, we currently work with over 100 peer reviewed journals across more than 30 publishers and societies in UK, USA and Australasia.

Our team of over 130 staff and freelancers work together to offer you a time-saving, knowledgeable and professional service.

Edit Main Team

Meet the directors.

Alice Image

I am passionate about the challenges that academic publishing brings

Alice Ellingham.Director

With a publishing career of over 35 years, I am still passionate about the challenges that academic publishing brings. With a data-crunching mindset and experience across many journals and systems, my expertise lies in working with our partners to ensure that their peer review is run as effectively as possible.

I’m also a co-developer for Carina Workflow Intelligence, providing our partners with access to transparent task-timing data, to enable evidence-based process changes and developing AI support systems for peer review processes.

Areas of expertise

  • Data analysis
  • Streamlining peer review processes
  • Technology development

Memberships

I am a member of ALPSP, CSE and COPE, plus a founding member of the ISMTE.

Alice Ellingham.Director

Alice Image

I am passionate about the challenges that academic publishing brings

With a publishing career of over 35 years, I am still passionate about the challenges that academic publishing brings. With a data-crunching mindset and experience across many journals and systems, my expertise lies in working with our partners to ensure that their peer review is run as effectively as possible.

I’m also a co-developer for Carina Workflow Intelligence, providing our partners with access to transparent task-timing data, to enable evidence-based process changes and developing AI support systems for peer review processes.

Areas of expertise

  • Data analysis
  • Streamlining peer review processes
  • Technology development

Memberships

I am a member of ALPSP, CSE and COPE, plus a founding member of the ISMTE.

Gill Image

I pride myself on providing our partners with reassuring guidance.

Gill Smith.Director

During the past 20 years, I have been very privileged to have worked with hundreds of journals and the majority of peer review systems.

Be it short term cover or a long term placement, I pride myself on providing our partners with a clear path, reassuring guidance and a professional approach to managing their workflow. I am the senior point of contact for many of our society contracts and enjoy working closely with them and seeing them develop.

Each journal, editor, board member, reviewer and author relies on the competence and integrity of their editorial administration and this ethos is at the root of our training and is instilled in our team.

I very much enjoy working to build solid relationships, ensuring that each partner receives the service that best suits their requirements.

Areas of expertise

  • Onboarding society journals
  • Identifying workflow problems and finding solutions
  • Building relationships and providing excellent customer service

Memberships

I am a member of ALPSP, CSE and COPE.

Gill Smith.Director

Gill Image

I pride myself on providing our partners with reassuring guidance.

During the past 20 years, I have been very privileged to have worked with hundreds of journals and the majority of peer review systems.

Be it short term cover or a long term placement, I pride myself on providing our partners with a clear path, reassuring guidance and a professional approach to managing their workflow. I am the senior point of contact for many of our society contracts and enjoy working closely with them and seeing them develop.

Each journal, editor, board member, reviewer and author relies on the competence and integrity of their editorial administration and this ethos is at the root of our training and is instilled in our team.

I very much enjoy working to build solid relationships, ensuring that each partner receives the service that best suits their requirements.

Areas of expertise

  • Onboarding society journals
  • Identifying workflow problems and finding solutions
  • Building relationships and providing excellent customer service

Memberships

I am a member of ALPSP, CSE and COPE.

Editorial Office Headshot Elizabeth Hay

I love creating workflows and processes that serve authors, editors and reviewers first.

Elizabeth Hay.Associate Director

Having worked for learned societies and Medical Royal Colleges since 2008, I joined Editorial Office Ltd in 2023.

Throughout my career, I have prided myself on creating workflows and processes that serve authors, editors and reviewers first. The service an editorial team can provide is critical to the success of any journal, whatever its size. This means having a team that is knowledgeable, adaptable, professional and approachable to all stakeholders across their various stages of career and publishing experience.

I strive for data driven action, applying learning as I go. I’m also dedicated to improving access, communication and dissemination of research, and helping authors have this in mind when publishing. I have managed and overseen many changes in publishing over the years – both for how these changes affect publishing programmes but also the impact on the society as a membership organisation.

I’m a keen innovator and lateral thinker, who enjoys coming up with creative solutions to challenges and opportunities as and when they arise.

Areas of expertise

  • Improving access to research and its dissemination
  • Innovative improvements to workflows and processes
  • Experience with many learned societies and Medical Royal Colleges

Elizabeth Hay.Associate Director

Editorial Office Headshot Elizabeth Hay

I love creating workflows and processes that serve authors, editors and reviewers first.

Having worked for learned societies and Medical Royal Colleges since 2008, I joined Editorial Office Ltd in 2023.

Throughout my career, I have prided myself on creating workflows and processes that serve authors, editors and reviewers first. The service an editorial team can provide is critical to the success of any journal, whatever its size. This means having a team that is knowledgeable, adaptable, professional and approachable to all stakeholders across their various stages of career and publishing experience.

I strive for data driven action, applying learning as I go. I’m also dedicated to improving access, communication and dissemination of research, and helping authors have this in mind when publishing. I have managed and overseen many changes in publishing over the years – both for how these changes affect publishing programmes but also the impact on the society as a membership organisation.

I’m a keen innovator and lateral thinker, who enjoys coming up with creative solutions to challenges and opportunities as and when they arise.

Areas of expertise

  • Improving access to research and its dissemination
  • Innovative improvements to workflows and processes
  • Experience with many learned societies and Medical Royal Colleges

Our team.

Annette Butler.Editorial Account Manager

Annette Image

Having worked with Editorial Office since 2009, I became a full-time editorial assistant in 2013.

I am currently working with a number of large society journals, using a combination of ScholarOne Manuscripts and Editorial Manager. I believe that my experience across several journals, and using the different submission systems, has enabled me to provide an excellent service.

I enjoy the variety my role provides and the ability to work with people from all walks of life from across the world.

Areas of Expertise

  • Customer relationship management
  • System knowledge and solutions
  • Adaptability to the changing world of publishing

Nicky Cotterill.Editorial Account Manager

Nicky Image

My role within Editorial Office has grown and changed since I joined in 2004.

I work closely with several large society journals and, with my colleagues, aim to provide the very best editorial service possible to all, by utilising my experience and sharing this knowledge with my team.

I pride myself in taking time to build lasting, good relationships with the journal teams and I embrace every opportunity to improve this relationship.

Areas of expertise

  • Large society journals
  • Building long-lasting relationships
  • Providing expert editorial services

Sheila Irwin.Scientific Lead

Sheila Image

My first role with EOL was as a freelancer Editorial Assistant in March 2012 before moving to their scientific team in 2015. I joined the permanent team as Scientific Lead in November 2021.

My background has involved working in a variety of fields within research and manufacturing for the NHS before transferring into industrial sectors of science. This quality assurance background enables me to bring both methodical and analytical skills to my role.

My role in EOL is to manage our scientific team, ensuring highest scientific standard and best practice across all our partnerships.

Areas of expertise:

  • Sourcing and securing reviewers
  • Initial training and continuing develop of our team
  • Resource planning across our scientific partners

Tracy Ronan.Editorial Account Manager

Tracy Image

I joined Editorial Office in 2010 and very much enjoy a varied role and managing large volume journals (in both submission areas and inboxes) through to the full managing editor role.

I relish the opportunity to develop my role further whilst delivering a high standard of service to authors, academic editors and reviewers internationally.

Areas of expertise

  • Managing and balancing freelancer resource
  • Accuracy and eye for details
  • Maintaining high standards of service

Hannah Steer.Editorial Account Manager

Headshot of Hannah Steer, Editorial Account Manager

I joined Editorial Office in 2022, after working with them in the role of Freelance Editorial Assistant for over 10 years.

Prior to Editorial Office, my background was in Journals Publishing as an Assistant Publishing Editor and this experience positively informs my work with our Society and Publishing partners.

I enjoy working with Publishers, Societies, Editors and Editorial Boards managing the day-to-day running of the peer review process. I pride myself on being reliable, methodical and an excellent administrator. I work to identify process improvements, on all journals I am involved with, to ensure that the Editorial Office function is as efficient and effective as possible.

Areas of expertise

  • Delivering an excellent editorial service
  • Process improvement
  • Knowledge across multiple submission systems

Sue Taylor.Editorial Account Manager

Sue Image

I began working with Editorial Office in March 2011. My role has developed and my skills have enhanced as I have worked with a variety of journals and submission systems.

Each journal is very individual and I believe the service they receive should reflect their individuality. The experience I have built dealing with authors, reviewers, editors and partners enables me to carry out my role with confidence. I enjoy developing a close working relationship with our partners to ensure they receive the best customer experience.

Areas of expertise

  • Submission systems – eJP, ScholarOne and Editorial Manager
  • Process improvement
  • Individual client liaison

Wendy Tilley.Editorial Account Manager

Wendy Image

I joined Editorial Office in 2012. I have obtained a wide knowledge of editorial experience working for both large and small journals, including many society journals.

My skill set, using Scholar One and Editorial Manager, allows me to provide short term/short notice assistance to my colleagues and our partners, as required. Working within Editorial Office has given me the opportunity to work with a vast array of journals, editors and reviewers, on a varied range of subjects. I pride myself on establishing and building close customer relationships from the beginning of the partnership.

Areas of expertise

  • Submission systems – Scholar One and Editorial Manager
  • Customer relationships
  • Adaptability to new challenges

Our freelance team.Over 130 experienced and highly trained freelancers

Freelancers

We have teams of freelancers across the country, as well as in Hungary and India, who are customer focussed, extensively trained and completely professional.

Our Editorial Assistants, with the support of our directors, ensure we have a dedicated team who are available to meet your requirements.

How our teams are different

  • Includes life science specialists, educated to degree-level and beyond
  • Flexibility to increase and decrease capacity to meet your changing needs.
  • 7 day a week availability

Passionate about peer review.

Learn more about our teams and the skills they can offer you.