Tali Voron // Publisher // Founder
Tali is driven by her passion for creative writing, community building, and the desire to make the publishing industry a more accessible space. She completed her Bachelor of Arts, Honours at the University of Toronto majoring in English literature, and an MA in the Literatures of Modernity program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Tali is the managing editor of The Ampersand Review and teaches in the Creative Writing and Publishing program at Sheridan College. She is the founder and managing editor at Plume Press, and is a freelance editor. In her spare time, Tali pens down prose, drinks copious amounts of coffee, laughs, spends time with her loved ones, cuddles with her cat Luna, and enjoys [making] terrible puns.
Reilly Ballantyne // Art Director
Reilly is an alumna of the University of Toronto, Victoria College, and graduate of Centennial College’s Publishing program. She is a multidisciplinary creator with a background in visual arts, literary arts, and theatre. You can see her portfolio and blog on her personal site and find her on Instagram and Twitter @ryballantyne.
Julia Yan // Web Developer and Designer
Julia is a University of Toronto student studying Computer Science, specializing in Software Engineering. She has been coding since the tenth grade and hopes to merge her love for art and computers through web development. In her spare time, Julia can be found avidly reading or studying up about all the plants she owns. Read more about Julia on her personal site
Shelly Zevlever // Managing Editor (Chapbooks)
Shelly Zevlever is a reader, writer and blogger. Shelly is currently working on a Master of Information in Library & Information Science at the University of Toronto’s iSchool. You can find Shelly ranting at Read.Sleep.Repeat., Instagram or their personal site
Carine Lee // Managing Editor (Anthologies)
A current graduate student in the English MA program at UofT, Carine enjoys reading, writing, and discovering indie video games. Her literary field of interest is in 20th and 21st century American literature, with a special focus on gender, sexuality, race, and intersectional feminist approaches to queer and postcolonial theory. She spends her free time writing and making music, trying new things, and fueling her minor addiction to musical theatre.
Lamees Shah // Editor
Lamees is a Master of Science student at U of T with a research focus on extreme weather events in Ontario. She enters the realms of art and literature in her spare time as she enjoys reading, taking photos and noting down inspiring words.
Faith Hwang // Editor
Faith Hwang is passionate about inclusivity and diversity within writing and the study of literature. She is currently working as a makeup artist for both MAC and IT cosmetics while studying for her LSATs. Her end goal is to become an immigration lawyer to help those going through the hardships of being a first or second generation immigrant. She wants to watch The Soap Box grow into a great publishing company that also has a focus on Canadian immigrant writers. She spends her free time watching Youtube videos and playing on her Nintendo Switch.
Kalen Chen // Events and Social Media Coordinator
Kalen is an undergraduate student majoring in cultural anthropology at the University of Toronto. They are passionate about community building, social justice, and meeting new people, which makes them very happy to be helping out at The Soap Box! When they’re not drowning in school work, they like to shop hop for pretty washi tapes and find out-of-the-way green spaces to explore in the city.
Marcus Medford // Content Writer
Inspired by the writing of Dr. Seuss and Robert Munsch, Marcus "Roi" Medford has known he's wanted to be an author since he was five-years-old. In 2016 he accomplished that goal by publishing his debut collection of poetry "Book of Mars." Marcus currently works as a freelance writer and editor as well as a sports instructor. Marcus is a list-maker, picture-taker podcaster and over-thinker.