Rachel Vega-DeCesario – Editor

🌟 About Me

I'm a seasoned and dedicated editor with nearly a decade of experience, currently as an Editor at The New Press, an independent nonprofit publisher. Previously, I held roles in editorial at Hachette, managing editorial at Simon & Schuster, and began my career with internships at Columbia University Press and the David Black Literary Agency.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with authors, activists, and advocates to bring urgent, socially engaged books to life. I’ve collaborated with budding authors and bestselling writers alike, including Elie Mystal, Alyssa Hardy, Alec Karakatsanis, Noam Chomsky, Patricia J. Williams, and adrienne maree brown.

I’m especially drawn to stories that interrogate power, imagine alternative futures, and uncover hidden histories. I have significant experience editing nonfiction across categories, from criminal justice and environmental justice to history, politics, fashion, and queer and gender studies. On the fiction side, I've been lucky enough to edit speculative fiction, especially in the areas of climate fiction, science fiction, and dystopian narratives.

As an editor, I seek to engage the part of me that is still a reader, so while I maintain a critical and analytical eye, I am thoughtful in every aspect of my approach. Whether you’re looking for a developmental editor to shape your manuscript, a sharp-eyed copyeditor to polish it, or simply a fresh perspective, I offer insightful, compassionate, and deadline-driven care to every project. My goal is always the same: to help bring your voice forward and make sure your project is the most resonant version of itself.

🗣️Testimonial

“I felt so lucky to be working with Rachel every day of writing this book, and I see this book as a co-creation with her. I would like to thank Rachel for helping me let go of text so that the book was manageable, streamlining its narratives, and having the vision and foresight to see the throughflow of ideas so the book could be coherent. I would also like to thank Rachel for encouraging me to use my voice and to be bold! Every draft she returned energized me to keep going to make the book the best it could be.”

--Rebecca Kormos, author of Intertwined: Women, Nature, and Climate Justice (winner of the Studs and Ida Terkel Award)