We are proud to welcome our Willamette Writers Board of Directors. The board was elected unanimously by the membership at our annual meeting last night. Our volunteer board serves the organization, leading the vision, mission, and direction of the organization. As we welcome our new board, we say goodbye to board chair, Kathleen Colvin. Kathleen started our Vancouver Chapter and led the board in development and fundraising strategy. We look forward to reading Kathleen’s writing far into the future!

Here is your 2024-2025 Willamette Writers Board of Directors:

Maren Bradley Anderson is a writer, editor, teacher, and alpaca rancher in Oregon. She was the Editor-in-Chief of The Timberline Review for four issues, and is the Managing Editor of PURE Insights. She is a published novelist, a produced playwright, and has had essays appear in several national publications. Aside from her work on the Timberline Review, her work for Willamette Writers includes being a chapter chair in Corvallis for four years, being a member of the Willamette Writers Buzz Team, and many volunteer hours at various conferences meetings. Maren gladly joined the Willamette Writer’s Board in 2023 as Secretary and serves as a member of the Governance Committee.

Curtis C. Chen (陳致宇) is the author of the KANGAROO series of funny science fiction spy thrillers, and lead writer on the Realm original podcast show Echo Park. His short fiction has appeared in many places, including PlayboyMagazine. From 2017-2021, Curtis served as Secretary of the Board for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA). In 2010, Curtis co-founded Puzzled Pint in Portland, Oregon, then oversaw its growth into a global charity and served as President until 2021. He joined the Board of Willamette Writers in early 2022 on the Governance Committee, and is doing his best to help build a resilient community.

Jodie Fish serves as the Treasurer of the Board. Jodie works closely with the Executive Director and the board to maintain the finances and records of Willamette Writers, including leading the Finance Committee, overseeing regular financial reporting, handling the filing of annual tax returns, and guiding the board on various financial matters. In the coming year, Jodie will work to ensure financial sustainability and transparency for the organization. Jodie is a licensed Oregon CPA, writer, and artist.

Jay Gilmore (they/them/their) is an academic librarian and computer technology researcher in Pennsylvania. They have served in a variety of roles at Willamette Writers including administration, programming as chapter chair,  and currently as a member of the Board of Directors as of 2021. Jay is a fiction writer who specializes in sci-fi, fantasy, surrealism, horror, and all things queer. Jay plans to continue serving on the Board as well as the Governance Committee into the 2024-2025 program year and hopefully for many more years to come.

Gail Pasternack has been a member of Willamette Writers since 2010 and joined the Board of Directors in 2015. Since stepping up as President of the Board, she has worked closely with the Executive Director and the board to run the daily business of Willamette Writers. She serves on the Governance and Finance Committees to build stronger support systems and ensure financial sustainability of the organization. She has over thirty years experience as an educator and working with nonprofit organizations. She has published short stories and essays, and as a trained storyteller, she tells re-envisioned folktales to live audiences.

Kathy Saviers had been a Chair for the Salem Chapter of Willamette Writers for about a decade before she joined the Board of Directors in 2019. After retiring from forensic investigations for law enforcement agencies, Kathy started writing police procedural novels with heavy emphasis on forensics. Also after retiring, she joined another nonprofit where she embraced the role of maintaining their financial records. Now, she offers advice on the budget and fiscal responsibility of Willamette Writers as an active member of the Finance Committee.

Roni Stinger joined the Board of Directors in 2023 and serves on the Governance Committee. Willamette Writers’ mission to support writers across diverse genres, career goals, and levels of experience is one she values highly. She’s excited to help support the maintenance and growth of this thriving community organization. A published author with a background in social work and entrepreneurship, she’s been a member of Willamette Writers since 2020 and has attended occasional Salem Chapter meetings and events since moving to the area in 2012. Roni is currently writing Penumbra of Innocence, a five book paranormal suspense series.