About Us
Leaders
INLANDIA is led by talented and committed Board of Directors with input from an inclusive and diverse regional Advisory Council. The work of the organization is accomplished by a strong committee system of the board and advisory council and a small, dedicated staff of volunteers.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Dr. Surekha Acharya
Professor of English and Anthropology at Riverside City College; holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from UC Riverside.
Maureen Alsop
Author, A poetry editor for the online journal Poemeleon and Inlandia: A Literary Journal; poetry award winner; and leader of the Inlandia Creative Writing Workshop in Palm Springs.
Judith Auth
Retired Library Director, Riverside Public Library; Children’s librarian for 35 years; curriculum coordinator for University of California, Riverside’s Life Society; co-chair of the Program Committee.
Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds
Associate Publisher Black Voice Newspaper; Adjunct Faculty, English Department, La Sierra University; Director of Black Voice Foundation, concentrating on Media, History and the Arts.
Larry Burns
Author; Director of Career Services, DeVry University, he holds an MFA Creative Writing and teaches it at the University of Phoenix. Larry serves on the Finance Committee.
Gayle Brandeis
Author, Associate Professor in the M.F.A. program in Creative Writing Program at Antioch University, Los Angeles. She serves on the Publications Committee and is the fiction editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey
Ching-In Chen
Poet, author, a Kundiman, Macondo, and Lambda Fellow, and the author of The Heart’s Traffic (Red Hen Press). MFA in Creative Writing, University of California, Riverside; former Inlandia Intern.
Mary Curtin
Playwright and novelist, author of the play Name of My Own; Professor of English (retired), Riverside City College; former Chair, California Council of the Humanities; participant in Inland Empire Humanities Coalition; member of the Board of Directors.
Julianna Cruz
Author and educator; she serves on the Publications Committee and coordinates the website’s For Youth page.
Robert DuBose
Librarian, Teacher at La Sierra High School; he is a member of the Board of Directors and serves on the Program Committee
April Durham
Author, artist, Director of Small Wonders Foundation and Chair of the Riverside Cultural Consortium. She is the co-editor of the Inlandia Creative Writing Annual Anthologies.
Ellen Estilai
Writer; retired Executive Director, Riverside Arts Council and Arts Council for San Bernardino County. She is the Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Marketing Committee.
Theresa Hanley
Director, Museum of History and Art, Ontario; former Curator, Mission Inn Foundation and Museum; participant in the Inland Empire Humanities Coalition. A member of the Board of Directors, she is the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee.
Sant Khalsa
Artist; Photographer; Chair, Art Department, California State University, San Bernardino. She serves on the Finance Committee.
Dr. Judy Khronenfeld
Poet, Lecturer Emerita University of California, Riverside Creative Writing. She serves on the Publications Committee and is an editor of Inlandia: A Literary Journey
Jeff Kraus
Director of Governmental and Community Relations, University of California, Riverside. He is the President of the Board of Directors.
Karen Rae Kraut
Storyteller, variety entertainer, comedienne, singer, and teaching artist and workshop presenter. She earned a masters degree in storytelling from East Tennessee State University.
Gloria Macias-Harrison
President, Crafton Hills College; active in the Inland Empire Humanities Coalition’s Chautauquas in 1990s. She serves on the Advancement Committee.
Malcolm Margolin
Publisher at Heyday; publishing partner of the Inlandia Institute.
Beatriz Mejia-Krumbein
Artist; Author; Chair, Art Department, La Sierra University; Director, Brandstater Gallery, La Sierra University.
Dominique McCafferty
Former Local History and Special Collections Librarian; founder and writer, The Queen’s Own Blog—Inlandia Author Interviews.
Cheryl McCarthy
Business developer; actress, played Mine Okubo in Name of My Own by Mary Curtin; Executive Vice President of Surado Solutions. She serves on the Publications Committee.
Douglas McCulloh
Artist; photographer; writer; author of Dream Street; partner/owner of the marketing and graphics design firm Geographics. He is the Vice President of the Inlandia Institute’s Board of Directors.
B.J. Mylne
Former Chair, Riverside Cultural Heritage Board and Riverside County Heritage Commission; a member of Riverside’s pioneering William Irving and Mathew Gage families.
Luz Negron
Artist and member of several Riverside community groups, including Riverside Museum Associates, Multicultural Council, Riverside Heritage Consortium, Save Our Chinatown Committee, Riverside Community Arts Association, and Riverside Arts & Culture Consortium.
Ruth Nolan
Assistant Professor of English, College of the Desert. She is the editor of No Place for a Puritan. She leads the Inlandia Creative Writing Workshop in Riverside. She serves on the Publications Committee and is co-editor of the Inlandia Creative Writing Annual Anthologies.
Julie Paegle
Poet, Assistant Professor, English (Creative Writing and Literature) California State University, San Bernardino.
Cati Porter
Poet, editor and publisher of Poemeleon. She is the chair of the Publications Committee and of the Literary Laureate Program. She also edits the Inlandia Institute’s online literary journal – Inlandia: a Literary Journey.
Connie Ransom
Artist, realtor, longtime Riverside arts and culture advocate.
Diana Ruiz
Communications Director for the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District. She serves on the Marketing Committee.
Jo Scott-Coe
Writer, editor and Associate Professor of English (Creative Writing) at Riverside City College. She serves on the Publications Committee.
Susan Straight
Author; National Book Award Finalist; Edgar Allan Poe, Lannan Foundation and Guggenheim Fellowship awards recipient; Professor, Creative Writing, University of California, Riverside. She is the 2010-2012 Inlandia Literary Laureate.
Jean Waggoner
Author and Associate Adjunct Professor at the College of the Desert. She leads the Inlandia Creative Writing Workshop in Idyllwild.
Dr. Deborah Wong
Ethnomusicologist; Professor, Chair, Music Department, University of California, Riverside
Reggie Woolery
Digital media artist, curator, educator and cultural arts consultant. He is the co-chair of the Programming Committee.
Dr. Katherine Wright
Retired Superintendant, Alvord Unified School District
Jill Vassilakos
Librarian/University Archivist, California State University, San Bernardino. She serves on the Program Committee.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jeff Kraus, President
Douglas McCulloh, Vice President
Ellen Estilai, Secretary
Theresa Hanley, Treasurer/Chief Fiscal Officer
Larry Burns
Robert DuBose
Cheryl McCarthy
Diana Ruiz
Sant Khalsa
Jill Vassilakos
STAFF
Marion Mitchell-Wilson, Director
Mario Suarez, Associate Director
Khristen Godfrey, Graphic Design Assistant
Mike Sleboda, Program Assistant,
Kathy Aaron, Fund Development Associate,
Malcolm Margolin, Co-Publisher
Rohini Acharya, Graduate Student Intern
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP LEADERS 2010
Maureen Alsop: Palm Springs
Ruth Nolan: Riverside
Jean Waggoner: Idyllwild
