Marlena is multi-talented. As a professional wordsmith, she has extensive experience working as a publication editor. In November 2023, she moved into doing developmental and copy editing for books written for the non-profit sector.This work brings together her experience as a fundraiser and in communications for non-profits. She has done extensive work in direct mail writing, design and production; legacy giving; donor communications; website text and marketing materials. Her keen eye for functional design and typesetting allows her to also do graphic design.As a Founding Partner and Vice-President of Bequest Insurance, Marlena works with charities to help create income streams from gifts of insurance products, and educates donors on the benefits of using insurance to increase their charitable giving, decrease their taxes and give more to their heirs. She and her husband Jack Bergmans have written two books on this topic.Marlena can also be found on stage, performing contemporary music, Broadway songs and jazz with Toronto's a cappella chorus SoundCrowd. She also designs and creates jewelry, and loves cross stitching and crocheting.
Listed skills include Fundraising, Newsletters, Philanthropy, Nonprofits, and 14 others.