OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board members meet monthly to plan programming, events, workshops, and literacy outreach efforts. Board Members serve two-year terms and are elected under our bylaws. We post Director vacancies here and in our emailed newsletters. We extend a huge thank you to all past Board Members for their service!
Founder and President
MARIANNE MONSON
Marianne (she/her) is the author of twelve books for children and adults with an emphasis on women's history. Her book Frontier Grit, released in 2016, was nominated for an Amelia Bloomer award by the American Library Association. Marianne holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has taught writing at a number of colleges and universities. When she moved to Astoria with her two teenage children in 2017, she felt for the first time she was truly home.
Digital Media Coordinator
FLAX GLOR
Flax Glor’s short films and narrative music videos have won awards and been screened at prestigious venues like Cannes Independent and the Bay Area Short Film Festival. He has a Master’s degree in screenwriting, is the author of Filmmaking Simplified, and works as a script analyst for an industry marketplace while teaching at Clatsop Community College.
Development
LOGAN GARNER
Logan Garner lives and writes in Warrenton, Oregon. With a background in conservation, science communication and grant management, he works as the Youth Programs Manager for the Local Workforce Development Board. His poetry and fiction have been featured in the Elevation Review, Flying Island, The Purpled Nail and others. The 2023 recipient of the Neahkahnie Mountain Poetry Prize, his first poetry collection is Here, in the Floodplain (Plan B Press, 2023).
Partnerships
KAMA O'CONNOR
Kama (also writing as Kristine Lynn) has published six novels, with six others slated for publication in 2024. Her short stories and essays have been widely published in magazines like Zone 3, Military Spouse Magazine and others, and her story, "Daisy-Chained" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Northern Arizona University and teaches writing at Clatsop Community College. When she isn't writing or drinking espresso, she's often found enjoying her new Oregon coast home with her daughter and puppy.
Secretary
DEB VANASSE
Deb (also writing as Vanessa Lind) began publishing in 1997 and now has over 25 books with traditional and independent presses. During her 36 years in Alaska, she co-founded 49 Writers, a statewide writing center. She enjoys writing about strong women from the past, especially those who’ve got a secret or two, and she likes to keep readers turning pages with characters who aren’t easily forgotten. She has a serious book-buying problem, never turns down a cup of tea, and gets her best ideas while walking her boxer dog at the beach.
Treasurer
REN MCKEON
Ren McKeon is a small business CFO, helping female entrepreneurs grow into a deeper relationship with their numbers. Through her client work, coaching, classes and writing, she encourages a holistic view around finances, with a focus on values and people first. Her career has included classic corporate accounting as well as entrepreneurial ventures in copywriting and metalsmithing. New to Astoria in 2022, Ren is originally from New York and her favorite things currently include houseplants, this wild coastal weather, learning and writing.
At-Large Member
KAREN BALTIER-LONG
Karen lives in Hammond, OR with her husband and two rescued chihuahuas. She has dabbled in writing since she was very young and would like to devote more time to this in the future. She spent most of her career working as an Administrator at various California law firms, but is happy to be living on the beautiful Oregon Coast now. In her spare time, she organized a book club that has been going strong for two years here locally. She enjoys travel and is a film fanatic who enjoys all types of films except horror films!
Intern
ASHER FINCH
Asher Finch (they/he) is a student at Clatsop Community College and Editor-in-Chief of CCC’s in-house literary publication, Rain Magazine. They are currently preparing for the journey of a BFA in Creative Writing from Oregon State University, with the aspiring goal of becoming a writing instructor. Asher is published in Rain and has other work out on submission. Their time away from class is often spent in his local bookstore, though Asher can be echo-located by following the sound of their laughter.