Born under the sign of Taurus, as a teenager a horoscope reading predicted Marianne Taflinger would work in editing and publishing as a lifelong career.
Decades later, the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Senior Writing Coach is retiring after a long and successful career in editing and publishing that saw her work as everything from a best-selling publishing acquisitions editor to an educational materials author and editor, capped off by a six-year tour as a highly regarded CHDS Master’s Program thesis advisor.
Taflinger is slated to retire on Sept. 30.
Taurus is “the builder, slow and steady,” the Indiana native told CHDS Strategic Communications during an interview, describing her editing and publishing career. She said the horoscope reading piqued her interest in the editing and publishing industry and she worked for more than two decades as an acquisitions editor in the social sciences, principally psychology, at the college level, publishing several bestsellers including CogLab, Sniffy: The Virtual Rat, Sexuality Now by Janelle Carroll, and Abnormal Psychology by David H. Barlow and V. Mark Durand.
When she moved on, Taflinger said she was told that she had been “three times as productive” as the average editor in terms of revenue and profits, which she said “would have been nice to know because I certainly wasn’t treated that way.”
Taflinger left educational publishing to attend the Monterey Institute of International Studies where she earned a Master of Public Administration in 2008. After that, she edited educational materials for deploying troops at the Defense Language Institute, then joined the newly established Naval Postgraduate School Graduate Writing Center for a few years before starting the last leg of her professional career at CHDS in 2018.
Working with senior-level homeland security officials on writing their master’s theses has been challenging and rewarding, Taflinger said, noting that the students are typically highly motivated but often haven’t done any significant academic research and writing in many years. She said the best compliment she has received from CHDS students is that they still hear her voice in their head when they write and submit anything even after they leave.
“Students have told me when I write something I hear your voice [asking], ‘So what?’ at the end,” she said. “Message is delivered and internalized. Excellent. What you want is students who learn how to write from what you taught them, who walk away with those tools.”
Taflinger said one of her proudest accomplishments at CHDS was working with Master’s alum John White (Cohort 2205/2206), an Arizona Attorney General’s Office supervisory special agent, on the first CHDS Master’s thesis on Christian Nationalism in the U.S. entitled, “Theology of Control: Christian Nationalist Violence and Hostility.”
John White’s thesis
Theology of Control: Christian Nationalist Violence and Hostility
She said she worked “intensively” on the thesis with White, praising his work ethic throughout the process, and added, ”I feel very proud of his demonstrated progress in making a persuasive argument by the end.”
Dr. Lauren Wollman, CHDS Director of Research and senior faculty member, said “Marianne’s legacy will be that, for many of our Master’s alumni, she was the necessary and, in many cases, sufficient variable to complete their thesis. Candid, straightforward, and indefatigable, Marianne hunted down those who needed her and stayed by their side until the job was done. I’ve not seen a work ethic like hers, like from an internal compass, that drives her to contribute, innovate, dig in on the hard work. She is a cherished teammate who leaves us for her next adventures with only our love, respect, and gratitude.”
CHDS Master’s Program Manager and Adjunct Professor Dr. Lauren Fernandez said Taflinger will be greatly missed.
“When someone like Marianne retires, it is bittersweet,” Fernandez said. “I am glad that such a hardworking person now has the time to pursue her personal interests, and sad that the Master’s Program is losing a no-nonsense professional who deeply cares about the success of people in our program. Her influence has been felt at every stage of the program. Participants first met Marianne in an orientation Zoom, where she helped participants develop skills for reading academic papers. During the first IR, her self-designed, highly popular Mad Creativity workshop helped people identify and explore issues they’re interested in studying. She personally reviewed every introductory paper, providing thoughtful feedback on writing, organization, and attribution. The participants who received her coaching for course papers and theses emerged stronger, more confident writers. When they present their work in the Capstone class, they could count on Marianne being in the audience.”
“I will miss her quiet leadership and strong convictions. Marianne, thank you for sharing your craft, your example, and your service.”
Dr. Florina Cristiana Matei, CHDS Senior Lecturer, called Taflinger a “pillar of CHDS Research and Writing process, in general, and, of course, in particular, as she helps and advises students and faculty navigate the intricacies of writing clearly, logically, and concisely. She also uses her excellent writing skills to publish, which reinforces her professional standing in CHDS. Beyond being an outstanding professional, Marianne is also a great friend to many students and faculty!”
Taflinger said she decided to retire while she still had time to pursue her passions including helping at-risk youth through her work with Court Appointed Special Advocates and other youth mentoring work and international travel. A collector of African art and decorated CrossFit athlete, she said she has taken eight overseas bicycle tours including in the West African nations of Mali and Senegal and has been researching similar trips to South and East Africa, including Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania, among others. Semper Gumby will live on.
