LEADERSHIP

Name & Title

Description

Bio

Todd Tuell
Co-Regional Advisor

To provide support, encouragement, and leadership to writers and illustrators of all levels and continue to strive for better ways to meet the needs of our membership. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions!

Together we oversee conference and workshop planning, field questions from volunteers, members, and interested others, and assist the other volunteers in completing their tasks, among other fun things.

Todd is a freelance journalist with most recent work appearing in the Spotlight Magazines, the Broomfielder, the Broomfield Enterprise and the Boulder Women's Magazine. Todd most enjoys outdoor activities with his family from running to hiking and skiing. He works from home and raises two elementary age children, Maxim and Gabriella, and a new baby, Alexandria.

Denise Vega
Co-Regional Advisor

To provide support, encouragement, and leadership to writers and illustrators of all levels and continue to strive for better ways to meet the needs of our membership. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions!

Together we oversee conference and workshop planning, field questions from volunteers, members, and interested others, and assist the other volunteers in completing their tasks, among other fun things.

Denise believes that without SCBWI, she would not be where she is today with her children's book career. She connected with both of her critique groups and made editorial contacts through RMC-SCBWI conferences and learned invaluable writing, revising, and submitting lessons from other members. Her first novel for young people, Click Here To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade), won the 2005 Colorado Book Award for Young Adult Literature and other accolades. She has published two other young adult novels —Fact of Life #31 and Access Denied (and other eight grade error messages), the sequel to Click Here--as well as two picture books. She has also published articles, short stories, and poems in both the children's and adult markets. Denise loves french fries but can't stand cheese and lives with her cheese-loving husband and three children in Denver.

Bobbi Collier-Morales
Illustrator Coordinator

To create educational events for our illustrators and to communicate with them to make sure the Rocky Mountain Chapter is meeting their artistic needs.

Illustration has been a passion in Bobbi Collier-Morales’ life since she was a child. Her career started 28 years ago, and has grown and expanded as the skills, equipment and industry has changed. She’s illustrated for the trade book, mass market, religious and educational markets. In the last three years, she’s added licensing and designing to her resume. “I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve seen our industry change drastically since I started. Learning the ropes takes effort and a good network of others who are professionals to help navigate the publishing maze. I’ve learned from some of the best, had some hard lessons and have been given a hand up by many generous people. I want to return that favor to illustrators who are new to the market.”

Karen Windness
Assistant Illustrator Coordinator

To provide opportunities  for education and mentoring within the author/illustrator and illustrator membership. She works closely with Illustrator Coordinator  Roberta Collier-Morales to foster growth and support for area artists.

Karen Windness began writing and illustrating books at 2 years old and was published a mere thirty years later. (Hooray for Boys and Girls, West Woods Press)

 Karen studied illustration (children’s book focus) at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design where she was a valedictorian graduate in 2002. She has been an active member of SCBWI for over eight years, and met her writer-husband, Steve Windness, at the Fall 2002 RMC-SCBWI conference.

In addition to illustrating children’s books, Karen is best known for her pet portraiture (www.mudpuppystudios.com), and has also created several art licensing lines.

She is very excited about being a part of the RMC-SCBWI team and bringing some new energy and ideas to this fantastic organization.

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS AND PROGRAMS

Name & Title

Description

Bio

Tracy Abell
Conference Facilities Coordinator

Act as liaison between conference and workshop venues and the chapter. Ensure the venue meets our needs during the event, troubleshooting, and answering questions.

Tracy writes contemporary middle grade and young adult fiction, vacillating between joy and terror depending on where she’s at in each story’s unique journey toward “The End.”  When she’s not writing or lovingly reminding her sons to pick up dirty socks and wet towels, she’s gardening, running on the trails or spinning her hoop.  SCBWI is a great community and she’s happy to pitch in.

Jeanne Kaufman
Assistant Facilities Coordinator

Provides assistance to the Facilities Coordinator with all facilities planning and coordinator with the venue, and works with speakers on A/V equipment on site.

Jeanne Kaufman is a writer (and reader) of stories and poetry for children. Her first picture book, Young Henry and the Dragon, will be published by Shenanigan Books. In her other life, Jeanne is a part-time professor of Criminology. She lives in Boulder with her husband and their two daughters.
 

Carrie Seidel
Conference Book Sales Coordinator & Handout Table

To liaison with our conference bookseller to sell member and facutly books and to request and organize all the free goodies publishers send us to distribute at the conference.

Carrie has four kids, four cats, and two dogs - one is four times bigger than the  other. When she’s not writing, she’s either reading or thinking about writing. She’s written picture books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and magazine articles.  She’s terrified of dead spiders and monsters underneath beds.

Glenda Rogers
Assistant, Conference Book & Merchandise Sales

Glenda started her writing career five years ago as a journalist in Atlanta, GA, producing award-winning articles in travel, interview/profile and How-to genres.  Moving to Colorado just over two years ago marked a move for her from journalism to book writing.  She always felt like a novel lurked about in the cobwebs of her brain and so began her first attempt at letting her resident spider spin its yarn.  She is currently in the editing process of that young adult fantasy.

When she isn’t writing or reading young adult novels she’s playing with her hubby and dogs and occasionally finding time to show two of the dogs in the conformation ring.

Cheryl Reifsnyder
Manuscript Critique Coordinator

To gather, sort and distribute all the manuscripts submitted for critiques in conjunction with our annual Letters & Lines conference. Also coordinates the one-on-one critique, pitch and portfolio review appointments.

Cheryl Reifsnyder writes in Boulder, CO, where she lives with one sweetheart, two energetic boys, two bouncy dogs, and a small mammal menagerie. Her articles, crafts, and short stories have appeared in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Cricket, and Spider Magazine, and her book-length fiction is represented by super-agent Gary Heidt of Signature Literary Agency.
 
When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, snow shoeing, crocheting, running, camping, and hiking in the Rocky Mountains—but not all at the same time.

 
Lindsay Eland
Speaker Coordinator
& Assistant Registrar

To collect and organize all the Speaker Applications we receive to help find the very best presenters at our events. Also in charge of the moderators at our Letters & Lines conference and making sure that our guest speakers have everything they need.

Lindsay Eland is a stay-at-home mother of four--five including her husband! Her debut novel, Scones and Sensibility, will be released on February 14, 2010 with Egmont-US. When she’s not writing or rewriting, she loves to spend time with her family, read, run, cross-country ski, and laugh. she is agented by the wonderful Rebecca Sherman of Writers House.

Peggy Vicaro
Registrar

To set up and coordinate all aspects of our supremely slick and efficient online conference registration as well as handle check-in and on-site registration.

Peggy Vicaro, originally from south Louisiana, is the Executive Director of Cottonwood Artists' School in Colorado Springs. Peggy is an aspiring writer who enjoys writing children's stories in her free time. She is a member of the Pikes Peak Writers and one day hopes to write full time.

Gayle Croissant-Madden
Letters & Lines Brochure Designer

Vanessa Appleby
Publicity & Exhibits Coordinator

The Publicist generates interest and awareness with aspiring writers & illustrators of the resources and events provided by our regional chapter of SCBWI. This volunteer maintains current Public Relations efforts (including Event and Press Releases, promotional materials) as well as planning and launching new initiatives.

The Exhibits Coordinator maintains a list of conferences and events where RMC-SCBWI could have a booth (CCIRA, Teen Lit Conference, CLAS, etc), arranges for the booth, represents SCBWI at the booth and/or arranges for other volunteers and/or authors and illustrators to be at the booth.

Lisa Brown-Roberts
Host Coordinator

Coordinate members willing to host an out-of-town attendee to an event and those out-of-town attendees looking for a place to stay.

If you would like to offer a place to stay to an out-of-town attendee, download the Host Form.

Chris Liu Perkins
“Big Sur in the Rockies” Coordinator

To organize and oversee the Big Sur in the Rockies Children’s Writing Workshop, co-sponsored with literary agent Andrea Brown, where writers receive help with their manuscripts from editors, agents, established authors, and each other.   

Before Colorado, Chris lived in Kansas City, California, Boston, Atlanta, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Germany. She writes nonfiction and fiction, often about Chinese history and culture. Her writing has appeared in DIG, Highlights for Children, Appleseeds, Skipping Stones, and various publications for grown-ups. Her nonfiction book, The Tombs of Mawangdui, will be published in 2011 by Charlesbridge. She enjoys time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, quilting, and learning tai chi.

Wally Clark
Summer Retreat Coordinator

To organize the summer retreat at a location conducive to both work and relaxation, with a powerful facilitator who will squeeze blood from the turnip that is our talent.

Wallace Clark, a long time RMC-SCBWI member, has loved to tell stories since he was first late home from kindergarten.  A retired physicist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder and now a free-lance technical writer, he is working on a novel involving society, robots, and artificial intelligence.

Michelle Pumphrey
Mentor Program Coordinator

LOCAL AREA EVENTS

Local Area Coordinators organize smaller events for their specific geographic area. These events could be something as small as a meeting or schmooze, or as big as a one-day workshop led by a local author or illustrator. Local area events are designed to provide instruction and inspiration between larger regional events. For more information about specific events in your area, see the Chapter Events page.

Name

Area

Bio

Greater Boulder/Longmont

Leni Checkas is a stay-at-home mom of one (the lucky girl).  She waits to be discovered for her witty writing with heart in hand and a head full of imagination.  She enjoys life, loves to laugh, and packs as much of it into one day as she can, including biking, swimming, and just general playing around.

Carrie Seidel

Greater Denver

Carrie Seidel has four kids, four cats, and two dogs - one is four times bigger than the  other. When she’s not writing, she’s either reading or thinking about writing. She’s written picture books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, and magazine articles.  She’s terrified of dead spiders and monsters underneath beds.

Sally Burr

Greater Colorado Springs

“Events ranging from social gatherings to half-day or full-day workshops will be presented in the Colorado Springs area.  As I get to know each you, I hope to understand what specific programs you would like to see.  Please call or e-mail with your ideas, speaker suggestions, comments, or just to say hello! “

Sally’s experiences include wife, mother, gramma, friend, English Lit degree holder, founder/administrator of the Black Forest Arts & Crafts Guild scholarship, real estate appraiser, swimmer, gardener and passionate children’s book writer/illustrator.  She is excited to be the Colorado Springs area coordinator and eager to see what new adventures await!

Teresa Funke

Northern Colorado

Teresa R. Funke leads meetings, schmoozes, parties and more for SCBWI members and others in Northern Colorado. She is the award-winning author of Remember Wake and Dancing in Combat Boots, both adult fiction books. In 2007, her children's book, Doing My Part, was released. It's the first in Teresa's new Home-Front Heroes middle grade series about child characters in World War II. Though fiction, all of Teresa's writings are based on the experiences of real people. Teresa is also a popular speaker, workshop leader and  writer's coach.

Penelope Stowell

Southern Colorado

Jodi Gallegos

Western Slope

Liz Norcross

Wyoming

Liz Norcross grew up in Utah and graduated from BYU with a B.S. in Molecular Biology.  She lives in Casper, WY with her husband and four young children.  If she had any spare time, she would spend it reading and writing middle grade and YA fiction.

CHAPTER INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

Name & Title

Description

Bio

Lacy Boggs
Managing Editor,
Kite Tales Newsletter

As the Managing Editor of the Kite Tales newsletter, Jennifer sets the schedule for publication, plans the content of each newsletter (consulting with RAs and Assistant Editor), and then generates content. Generating content involves fielding article queries, posting calls for articles on appropriate listservs, approaching members to be featured in an article or to write about an area of expertise, conducting an interview or writing an article herself, and coordinating with the Assistant Editor. Once all the content has been assembled, she copyedits, formats, and organizes the materials before sending everything to the Layout Artist.

In addition to the above responsibilities, Jennifer coordinates and/or conducts interviews with key conference speakers for the Fall Conference.

A’ra Blair
Assistant Editor
Kite Tales Newsletter
Member News
Events Editor for Kite Tales Listserv

Assistant for Big Sur of the Rockies

As the Assistant editor of Kite Tales, A’ra collects the member good news for the Flying High section and compiles upcoming member events such as book signings or readings; classes; meetings; schmoozes; and workshops taught or hosted. In addition, A’ra is responsible for posting upcoming contests, publicity opportunities, and industry news. The information she collects for Kite Tales is also posted monthly on the listserv, so watch for her call for submission around the first of each month and posting of these announcements around the twentieth.

A’ra also assists Chris Perkins with the Big Sur of the Rockies Children’s Writer’s Conference. She helps w/coordinating rooms and travel between attendees, managing reservations, and creating a database of attendee emails for future group collaboration, as well as helping Chris assure a smooth and fulfilling workshop experience for all who attend.

A’ra grew up in Buffalo, New York, served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a nurse for 24 years and settled in Colorado in 1990. She presently works as an RN for the Department of Corrections. Her writing career has spanned a host of experiences from freelance writing for local newspapers, a variety of medically related organizations, and website content for professional businesses such as attorneys, not for profit organizations, and a complimentary and alternative medicine center. In addition to assistant editor of Kite Tales, she’s an independent editor and writing coach. She has a BA is in English and Communications and a degree in Journalism from the Ft. Meade school of journalism. She’s also licensed as a spiritual counselor and Life Balance Management Coach.

Lisa Brown-Roberts
Listserv Manager

To periodically obtain the membership list from national in order to send members notifications of events and to make sure all the information fits on a 4.25 x 5.5 inch  card!. Also, to maintain a record of members who pay to have Kite Tales and conference materials mailed to them as hard copies, and to send welcome letters to new members.

Carolyn Gard has been writing for kids for thirty years, interspersed with having to have real jobs to pay mortgages or college tuitions. The most interesting of these jobs was working at the state legislature—finding out way too much insider information. She’s currently a volunteer naturalist for the city of Boulder and takes school kids for hikes in the mountains.

YOUR FACE HERE

VOLUNTEER NEEDED!
Historian/Archivist

Sort and organize existing documents and photos into chronological and event order, determining which are important for our chapter history. With assistance from other members, try to identify people in photos and note them. Scan and digitize important documents for eventual inclusion in a digital photo album. Maintain documents and photos of ongoing events.

Contact Co-Regional Advisor Todd Tuell for more information.

Rebecca Talley
Panel Coordinator

Receive and process author and illustrator form data for those who wish to participate in panel presentations. Also receive panel requests, working with schools, libraries, and other organizations and institutions to provide panels for them.

Denise Vega & Todd Tuell
Website

Maintain and update the website to keep members and others informed of new events, member happenings, and other news. Includes updates on RMC-SCBWI page of the main SCBWI website.

See bio for Co-Regional Advisors.