About

Jon Quijano, a first-generation American, was raised amidst the vast prairies of North Dakota. His unique heritage, stemming from his Colombian immigrant father and his mother of Norwegian and German-American descent, imbued him with a diverse cultural tapestry. Based in Stillwater, Minnesota, nestled along the picturesque St. Croix River Valley, Jon employs his skills in both writing and photography to explore the rich history and intricate ecology of this watercourse, as well as the vibrant communities that thrive along its banks.

PUBLIC SPEAKING EVENTS

• Washington County (MN) Historical Society talk: Native American Mounds of the St. Croix Valley (March 8, 2023)

WRITING & EDITING

• 2001-2003: Editor-in-Chief - Upper Mississippi Harvest (St. Cloud State University literary journal)

• 2006-2008: Caption Editor - CaptionMax

• 2006: The Dragon’s Eye (3-act stage drama for Swearing Jack Productions)

• 2008: Historical documentary screenplay Wells Lewis: Lost Heir to a Minnesota Son

• 2009: Historical documentary screenplay Rosalie Wahl: Vision for a Better World

• 2010: Historical documentary screenplay Through 1968, we learn about gold

• 2011: 4 upper-grade educational books (Red Line Editorial):

  • Make Your Own Horror Movie (ISBN 9781429675284)

  • Make Your Own Action Thriller (ISBN 9781429675291)

  • Make Your Own Comedy (ISBN 9781429675307)

  • Make Your Own Sci-Fi Flick (ISBN 9781429675314)

• 2013-2017: Knowledge Management Analyst - Ameriprise Financial

• 2017-2022: Editor of Patient Education - M Health Fairview Health Services

• 2022: The Time In Between (self-published poetry collection)

• 2023: Managing Editor of Health Information - Mayo Clinic

• 2023 - present: Managing Editor for a children’s educational book publisher

• 2024: Three middle-grade STEM-themed educational books:

  • Apples (ISBN 9781682774007)

  • Sunflowers (ISBN 9781640268548)

  • Tomatoes (ISBN 9781640268555)

• 2024: Launched freelance writing and editing service, EasyWord Writing & Editing (https://easywordwritingandediting.com)

AWARDS & HONORS

• 2008 Grand Prize at Minnesota Historical Society Greatest Generation Film Project: Best Depiction of the Post-War Boom

• 2001 Robert L. Carothers Distinguished Writers Award

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• 2003: Bachelor of Arts, English (Literature and Writing)

• 2008: FINRA Series 6 financial certification

• 2011: FINRA Series 63 financial certification

• 2022: Health Literacy Specialist certification

Skills, Roles

• Photography

• Copy editing

• Developmental editing

• Technical editing

• Educational editing

• Proofreading

• Fact checking

• Health information writing

• Financial writing

• Creative writing

• Poetry

• Historical writing

• Storytelling

• Public speaking

Headquarters: Stillwater, Minnesota, USA

Email: jonathan.f.quijano@gmail.com