My poetry journey began at age nine, when I was given a small book of Haiku by my older sister. At 11, I wrote my first chapbook—actually a book report on a day at the zoo—as a series of haiku with illustrations of the animals. Sadly, there was only one hand-written copy of the book and my teacher kept it. As for the volume of haiku, it’s still on my bookshelf, well-thumbed.
Fifty years later, my second chapbook was published. In 2012, Holding: from Shtetl to Santa, was chosen by Green Fuse Press as part of their series highlighting Women of the Wisdom Years. In between those two chapbooks I had a career as a community organizer, grant writer and technical writer, but always wrote poetry. I raised my family in Fort Collins and slowly finished my Bachelor’s Degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Colorado State University.
I am a technical writer, an editor, publisher, and a poet, as well as a consultant on organizational development. I have four decades of experience writing technical documents and reports for government and nonprofit agencies. My work includes 15 years in County government and 10 years as a freelance editor with State government. Along the way, I have written, edited and designed many newsletters, reports, and fundraising and promotional materials for community events as well as evaluated and managed hundreds of proposals for funding. From my first grant proposal to now, I have loved the balance of technical skill, ability to follow (and write) precise, clear directions, as well as the creative side that allows for truthful, convincing storytelling.
These traits led me to help found, and fund, a shelter for domestic violence victims and their families, and three multi-agency community centers—as well as run a community garden and an arts & humanities council.
I have been involved in the nonprofit community since I sold my first candy bar at age twelve to help buy a new stove for a group home. During my tenure as Executive Director of a United Way I led successful fundraising campaigns that doubled our revenues to $1 million annually and increased volunteer involvement from 100 to 200 participants. I wrote proposals that resulted in the creation of low cost offices for United Way and an incubator for emerging service agencies. A new program to serve at-risk high school youth was innovative in engaging counselors and community professionals as group leaders. For these far-reaching actions, our agency was named the Outstanding Small-City United Way in America.
Since 1970, I have lived in northern Colorado, including stints in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Poudre River, and an1885 home on a still-working cattle ranch. I worked as a community organizer serving low income neighborhoods and small communities for over 25 years. I am also a fearless fundraiser for a good cause. I have secured and managed more than $15 million in grants for education and human services programs. One of my favorite things to do is to work with volunteers, which resulted in many years of serving as a trainer for volunteer managers and agency leaders.
Now, I prefer to edit poetry and organize poets and writers.
I am currently a member of the Columbine Poets of Colorado, the Colorado Poets Center, and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. For over a decade I served on the Board of the Loveland Poet Laureate Program.
I am also a partner in BOOKBUILD, a comprehensive service for poets who want to self-publish. We offer a variety of services including editing manuscripts (developmental & content copy editing and proofreading) and providing book design, formatting and covers.
