NHT! Staff

Vera DeWaard grew up in Penetanguishene ON and graduated from Trent University in Peterborough. She learned Creative Book Publishing from Humber College and came to Descant and Now Hear This! shortly after. Vera loves to travel, she is an alumnus of the Katimavik volunteer and leadership program and has travelled to the Dominican Republic and Honduras with charity groups such as the YMCA. In her spare time Vera will crochet, read, craft jewellery, and write.

Rachel Hopwood graduated from the University of King's College in Halifax with a degree in Contemporary Studies and English. She grew up in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, but also spent a few years living in Seoul, South Korea as a child. She loves reading (particularly novels), writing, working on crafts and travelling. 

Whitney French writes character-driven fiction, screenplays and poetry in her hometown Bradford, Ontario. She graduated from Concordia University with a B.A in Creative Writing and Child Psychology. She has written articles for Descant and Yo Mama magazine. Whitney has worked in a number of elementary schools in Montreal as an English language monitor and shadow editor for literacy programs. She has also been a facilitator for children with autism for over seven years and her writing is particularly sensitive to the voices and perspective of children and youth.