Mary is a lifelong reader and has worked with words for nearly 30 years. She has two Masters degrees, one in English and one in Creative Writing. She runs a writing and editing business, Little Red Pen, and is the editor for Manu Scripts, an Ōtepoti small press. She is also an associate at Mātāwai, a consultancy that works alongside many of Ōtepoti's grassroots and community organisations.

Mary has strong ties and networks across Ōtepoti and is actively involved in community events and organisations. She is Chair of the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival and holds governance roles with Ōtepoti Community Builders, the Māori and Pasifika Education Trust and Corso Ōtepoti. She has also served as a judge for the New Zealand Plain Language Awards.

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