STAFF
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It takes more than a full year to prepare for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, so some members are active year-round, while others serve primarily at the conference itself. The Conference Committee is chaired by the Conference Director, who is responsible for holding meetings as needs dictate. Typically the Conference Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the Colorado Springs area. For more information about how you can become involved in planning a future conference, or to find out when and where to find the next Conference Committee meeting, please email our Conference Director.
CONFERENCE DIRECTOR – JENNY KATE
Jenny has been a communicator and public relations professional since 2001. She has been quoted by the New York Times, CNN, FoxNews, and Time Magazine, and wrote her first novel in the second grade. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, judges contests for the Utah League of Writers, and freelanced for New York literary agent Ethan Ellenberg. She co-founded Writer Nation and is the author of the “Marketing for Writers Who’d Rather Write” book series.
CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATOR/BOOKSTORE COORDINATOR – LAURA HAYDEN
Laura is one of the founders of the Pikes Peak Writers and served as it first president. She’s been associated with PPWC since its inaugural year, 1993. In addition, she’s held the position of PPWC director for an unprecedented eight years (non-consecutive).
Laura is the author of thirteen books, four short stories and a novella and has been published by Berkley, DAW, Tyndale, St. Martins, Zebra, Cumberland House, Harlequin, TOR and Bell Bridge.
PROGRAMMING & FACULTY – KAREN FOX
When not embroiled in the adventure and romance of her latest characters, Karen shares her house in Colorado Springs, CO with her husband, her granddaughter, and four cats. She has published eight paranormal romance novels, one short story and one young adult novella. Her second book, SOMEWHERE MY LOVE, was a 1998 RITA Finalist for the Romance Writers of America. She’s currently at work on a young adult urban fantasy and new romance.
ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR & FLASH FICTION COORDINATOR – TORIE FOX
Torie is a Business Intelligence Analyst, more commonly referred to as the “Report Guru” at a local bank headquarters in Denver, CO. An aggressive multi-tasker by day, and a social moth by night, she either traverses the world, or ignores it entirely, with her husband and small army of pets. When she’s not writing, or re-writing, or re-writing the re-writes, she is devouring books of all genres. With her main inspirations being R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series and the TV show Supernatural, most of her stories have a horror twist of some kind – but she’s really a lovely person. Really.
TRANSPORTATION – BOWEN GILLINGS
Bowen is an award-winning author featured in the Fresh Starts anthology, Allegory e-zine, and the Stories Alive!, Voices and Views, and Rocky Mountain Writers podcasts. He is an active member of Pikes Peak Writers and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Learn more about him at storiesbybowen.com.
REGISTRAR – CHARISE SIMPSON
Charise is a recovering IT executive and longtime Pikes Peak Writers member. She has served as Treasurer for six years and on the conference committee for over ten years. She finds ongoing inspiration in the PPW community, and agrees their annual conference is truly “The Friendliest Writers Conference.” Her writing projects include a humorous travel memoir and a true crime story from the 1940’s.
WEBMASTER – SHARON MANISLOVICH
Sharon has a broad background in the technology field – teaching, constructing, and supporting website applications and infrastructure for over 25 years. She is currently working as a Web Systems Administrator, supporting over 150 websites and 55 servers.
Sharon has taught computer software courses for Delaware Technical & Community College, UCCS Adult Education, Colorado Springs IBEW, PPLD, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, and an assortment of private corporations.
MOBILE APP (SCHED) COORDINATOR – JEFF SCHMOYER
Jeff Schmoyer, a recovering tech entrepreneur, tries to find humor in the everyday world around him. He’s had several of his short plays produced, and a flash fiction story published in the Pikes Peak Writers anthology, Journeys into Possibility. Several titles in his new Snack-Sized Mystery, series are now available. Find more at JmarsInk.com.
BALLROOM COORDINATOR – DEBORAH BREWER
Deborah joined Pikes Peak Writers a decade ago, seeking help writing a mystery. When the novel was completed, she stayed for the camaraderie. An editor for the PPW anthologies Dream and Journeys into Possibility, she is also a contributing editor for the PPW blog Writing from the Peak.
EMCEE – JOHNNY WORTHEN
SCHOLARSHIP COORDINATOR – CATHERINE DILTS
Catherine is the author of a dozen published novels, and her short stories regularly appear in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. She recently retired from her position as an environmental compliance specialist with a global corporation. A former recipient of a conference scholarship, Catherine decided the time was right to pay back PPWC for setting her on the path to publication.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR – MANDY HOUK