About us
creative
editorial
solutions
We are a Canberra-based company providing writing and text editing services for all types of publications. We specialise in government, legal and parliamentary (Hansard) editing. Our company was founded in 2010 by our senior editors Wendy Elliott and Kirsten McNeill.
Apricot Zebra has worked on projects across a wide range of subject areas, including agriculture, environment, health, law, infrastructure, social services and defence. Our public sector clients benefit from our direct experience of the processes and concerns of government agencies and of the context in which they operate.
Meet our editors
Our team
Our editors have recognised editing qualifications and professional experience spanning government, parliament, commercial publishing and education. Our 2 senior editors have more than 50 years of editing and publishing experience between them.
Kirsten McNeill AE (Senior Editor)
Kirsten McNeill has almost 30 years of experience as an editor. She is accredited by the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd and holds an AGSVA Baseline Security Clearance. She has been a senior editor at Apricot Zebra Pty Ltd for 16 years. From 2013 to 2017 she was consultant editor to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. From 2016 to 2023 she was the editor of the Australian Institute of Administrative Law AIAL Forum journal.
Before starting Apricot Zebra in 2010, Kirsten was the Senior Legal Editor with the Australian Government Solicitor in Canberra and was responsible for editing and producing legal publications for government clients. From 2001 to 2007 she was a Hansard editor in federal parliament. From 1996 until 2001 she worked with the Law Book Company and its predecessors in Sydney, editing journals such as the prestigious Australian Business Law Review and legal textbooks such as the organisation’s key publication Miller’s annotated Trade Practices Act (1997–2000 editions).
Dr Wendy Elliott
Wendy Elliott has more than 25 years of experience in editing, writing and publishing roles. In her 16 years as a senior editor at Apricot Zebra she has completed numerous writing and editing projects for government agencies, universities and other organisations. She has an AGSVA Baseline Security Clearance.
Before starting Apricot Zebra in 2010, Wendy was Assistant Director of the Publishing Unit at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. From 2006 to 2009 she was Senior Communications Editor at the Australian Government Solicitor. She was a Hansard editor in federal parliament and in the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2002 to 2006.
Wendy began her publishing career as a non-fiction editor at Penguin Books. She has a Graduate Diploma in Editing and Publishing from RMIT University and a PhD in history.
Lauren Fisher AE (Editor)
Lauren has had 9 years of experience in the editing and publishing industry and is accredited by the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd. Before she joined Apricot Zebra in 2025, her editing work included developing teaching and learning materials for a wide range of school subjects; training manuals; school magazines; and annual reports.
Lauren has a strong background in education – her previous positions have included teaching English and history at senior secondary level and developing online courses for high school subjects in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. This work has given her a deep understanding of the needs of the user. She holds a Master of Research in English Literature and a Graduate Certificate in Editing and Electronic Publishing from Macquarie University.
Diana Dellecese (Editor)
Diana joined Apricot Zebra in 2024. She has a background in freedom of information administration, working for government with law firms, courts and solicitors to subpoena and FOI deadlines and requirements. She has also worked in medical settings: outpatient clinics, imaging departments and COVID-19 testing clinics.
Diana holds a Graduate Certificate of Writing from Swinburne University and a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University, with majors in literary studies and sociology. She is studying for a Graduate Certificate of Editing and Electronic Publishing and a Master of Arts in writing and literature.
Amanda Holder (Editorial Assistant)
Amanda has a background in law enforcement and criminal intelligence, writing intelligence reports and assisting investigations. She holds a Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing from RMIT, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, with a major in criminology. She joined Apricot Zebra in 2025.
Amanda volunteers for Editors Victoria on their Professional Development subcommittee, helping to deliver a range of editing workshops for members of the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd.
