Elise Chatelain, PhD, is a writer, editor and educator with 20+ years of experience in academia, hospitality and communications. Her strength is in fostering creative work through support and collaboration.

She currently runs Dismantle Magazine and Dismantle Writing Services with co-founder, colleague and best friend Sara T. Bernstein. 

Elise and Sara founded Dismantle Magazine to support innovative writing on fashion, culture and politics. They pay contributors for their valuable labor while maintaining a grassroots foundation. Since 2018, the publication has been funded solely by readers via their Patreon community. 

More recently, the pair established Dismantle Writing as a full-service writing agency that emphasizes the power of words to build better worlds. Elise and Sara work closely with clients to reach their goals as writers and entrepreneurs.

When Elise isn’t writing web copy, editing a manuscript or putting together the next issue of Dismantle Magazine, she’s teaching. She works part time as a university instructor and also leads yoga classes and writing workshops.

A Louisiana native, Elise enjoys hanging out with her family and friends, taking long walks in beautiful cities and swimming. She also loves spending time in Mexico with her partner and their dog, “Peligrosa.”