SANDY ASHER
Variety and quality characterize Sandy’s work, which includes nineteen books, more than three dozen plays, and over two hundred articles, stories, and poems published in magazines. Her best-known play, A Woman Called Truth, has been produced by more than 250 school, community, and professional groups in the United States and Canada; she was honored with the American Alliance for Theatre and Education’s Charlotte Chorpenning Award for a distinguished body of work in theater for young audiences. She’s also the editor of three collections of fiction, including With All My Heart, With All My Mind: Thirteen Stories About Growing Up Jewish, winner of the 1999 National Jewish Book Award in children’s literature. A frequent guest speaker at conferences and schools, Sandy has served as writer-in-residence at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, and has taught writing workshops for people of all ages. Sandy's latest book is an anthology she edited with poet and author David Harrison. Dude! Stories and Stuff for Boys will be published this summer by Dutton. Her newest picture book, Too Many Frogs, won North Dakota's Flicker Tale Award, was chosen for the Texas Library Association's 2x2 reading list, and has been nominated for the Florida Reading Association's Children's Literature Award and the NY Library Association's Best of the Season Award.
Workshop: Writing Your First Novel

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SUZANNE BLOOM
Suzanne is the author and illustrator of several books for children, including A Splendid Friend, Indeed–chosen as the 2007 PA One Book; Treasure; No Place for a Pig; and We Keep a Pig in the Parlor. She is also the illustrator of Melissa Parkington's Beautiful, Beautiful Hair; My Special Day at Third Street School; and Girls A to Z. She lives in McDonough, New York. You can visit Suzanne's website at www.suzannebloom.com.
Workshop: Visual Art of the Picture Book

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ANDY BOYLES
A lifelong interest in science led Andy to his position as science editor at Highlights for Children and Boyds Mills Press. From dinosaur fossils and rain forests of Madagascar to environments closer to home, Andy’s encounters with the natural world and those who study it are recorded in countless interviews and articles. A member of the National Association of Science Writers, he has received numerous writing and editing awards.
Workshop: Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication
Workshop: Room to Create: A Working Retreat for Children's Writers and Illustrators

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DOMINIC CATALANO
Dominic holds an MA in fine arts, an MFA in illustration, and most recently was awarded a PhD in art education from Ohio State University. He is an assistant professor at Bowling Green State University in northwestern Ohio. Dominic has illustrated twenty-five trade and mass-market picture books, four of which he also wrote—Wolf Plays Alone, Frog Went A-Courting, Santa and the Three Bears, and Mr. Basset Plays. His work has also appeared in numerous children’s magazines and reading series.
Workshop: Visual Art of the Picture Book

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CAROLYN COMAN
Carolyn Coman’s acclaimed novels for children and young adults include The Big House, Many Stones (National Book Award finalist and a 2001 Michael L. Printz Honor book), Bee and Jacky, What Jamie Saw (National Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor book), and Tell Me Everything. She has taught fiction writing at Harvard Extension, Harvard Summer School, and the Chautauqua Institute. For eight years she was a faculty member of the Vermont College MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program, and is currently on the faculty of Hamline University’s new MFA program.
Workshop: Whole Novel Workshop (June)
Workshop: Whole Novel Workshop (October)

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JOY COWLEY
Joy's love for children's literature is "a commitment that borders on obsession." Her novels and picture books regularly receive top honors. Countless children know her classic Mrs. Wishy-Washy. Among her recent titles are The Rusty, Trusty Tractor; Big Moon Tortilla; Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses; Red-Eyed Tree Frog; Starbright and the Dream Eater; Mrs. Goodstory; and Where Horses Run Free. Her book The Silent One received the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year award and has been made into a film shown on the Disney Channel. Hunter, published by Patti Gauch for Philomel, was named New Zealand’s Children's Book of the Year for 2006. In 1990, New Zealand awarded its Commemorative Medal to Joy for her service to Children's Literature. In 1992, she received the Order of the British Empire, which acknowledges her distinguished service to the arts and sciences.
Workshop: Writing from the Heart: A Guided Writers' Retreat

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LINDSAY BARRETT GEORGE
Lindsay Barrett George was born in the West Indies and grew up in New Jersey. She received a BFA degree from Manhattanville College and an MFA degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she majored in drawing and printmaking. After her studies in the Midwest, Lindsay returned to the East Coast and worked as a fine-art printer in New York City. She later got a job in publishing and worked as a designer in a children’s book department. Lindsay left New York City, had two children, and now spends her time creating children’s books.

Lindsay’s published works include the popular "Who's Been Here?" books from Greenwillow: Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?; Around the World: Who’s Been Here?; In the Snow: Who’s Been Here?; and In the Woods: Who’s Been Here? Her most recent books include The Secret; Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse; and Alfred Digs. Lindsay has also coauthored and illustrated Beaver at Long Pond and illustrated Box Turtle at Long Pond.
Workshop: Visual Art of the Picture Book

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TIM GILLNER
As the Boyds Mills Press art director, Tim is directly responsible for the design and art direction of all Boyds Mills Press books. Tim has taught book illustration at Marywood University for the past five years. He is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Society of Illustrators in New York City.
Workshop: Visual Art of the Picture Book

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KIM T. GRISWELL
Kim has been the coordinating editor of Highlights for nearly six years. Her service has spanned the worlds of publishing and teaching, leading her to positions as senior editor, book development manager, a university instructor, and a teacher with the Institute of Children’s Literature. She holds master’s degrees in teaching writing and in literature. She has taught writing workshops across the country on such topics as Focusing Nonfiction, Mystery Writing, Creating a Sense of Place, Writing for Children’s Magazines, and The Hero’s Journey. A prolific writer and committed editor, Kim has published more than two hundred short stories, articles, and columns. Her children’s book, Carnivorous Plants, was published by Kidhaven Press in 2002. Recently, Kim was awarded a two-month writing residency at the Sitka Center for Arts and Ecology in Oregon.
Workshop: Finding Your Voice

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KATHLEEN HAYES
Kathleen Hayes, currently editor of Highlights High Five™, has taught graduate courses in early childhood education at Bank Street College, worked with New Jersey public school teachers to create hands-on, outdoor science projects, and was the primary consultant and project manager of Bank Street’s collaboration with Macmillan/McGraw-Hill’s 2008 science program (PreK-2 materials). She also coauthored Classroom Routines That Really Work for Pre-K and K Teachers, (Scholastic, 2002) and has written science leveled readers for Macmillan/McGraw-Hill and Time for Kids.
Workshop: Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication

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HELEN HEMPHILL
Hailed as a strong new voice in children’s literature by Kirkus Reviews, Helen is the author of the middle-grade novel Runaround (Front Street, 2007), named one of the year’s top ten romance books for youth by Booklist, and the critically acclaimed young-adult novel Long Gone Daddy (Front Street, 2006). She holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College and an MA in English literature from Belmont University. Helen is an education artist in residence for the Tennessee Arts Commission and a member of the Southern Artistry register at the Southern Arts Federation. Visit her on the Web at www.helenhemphill.com.
Workshop: Plotting the Novel

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PETER JACOBI
Peter Jacobi is a professor emeritus and visiting Riley professor at Indiana University’s School of Journalism, and a former professor and associate dean of the Medill Scholl of Journalism at Northwestern University. He serves as music columnist and critic for the Bloomington Herald-Times as well as columnist on writing techniques for the professional newsletter, Editors Only. His schedule still includes, annually, a number of workshops on writing, editing, presentation skills, and handling the media. His journalistic background spreads across the print and broadcast fields: as arts critic and writer for various newspapers, including the Chicago Daily News and The Christian Science Monitor; as editor of and freelancer for magazines; as newswriter, assignment editor, and on-air reporter for radio and television, including ABC and NBC News. His two guidebooks, The Magazine Article: How to Think It, Plan It, and Write It and Writing with Style: The News Story and the Feature, are standard journalistic references.
Workshop: Writing Memorable Nonfiction: Pleasures and Possibilities, Problems and Practice
Workshop: Life in the Spotlight: Author Opportunities After Publication

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PAUL KOWALCZYK
Paul is a longtime forester with deep firsthand knowledge of the Pennsylvania woods. As
manager of the forest surrounding Boyds Mills House, he directs efforts to maintain the forest as
a healthy habitat for wildlife as well as a source of timber.
Workshop: Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication

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BARBARA KRASNER
More than sixty of Barbara’s articles have appeared in Babaganewz, Calliope, Cobblestone, Footsteps, and Odyssey. In 2005, she served as one of the judges in the SCBWI Magazine Writing Merit Awards. In January 2006, she received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. Barbara is a veteran of the Room to Create workshop and has led a Highlights Foundation workshop on magazine article writing. She is currently at work on a biography and two historical novels for young people.
Workshop: Room to Create: A Working Retreat for Children's Writers and Illustrators

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MARTINE LEAVITT
Martine Leavitt is the author of Dragon’s Tapestry (1992), Prism Moon (1993), Taker’s Key (1998), and The Dollmage (2001). Tom Finder (2003) was the winner of the Mr. Christie Award, and Heck Superhero (2004) was a finalist for the Governor General's Award. Her most recent book, Keturah and Lord Death, was a finalist for the National Book Award and was a Booklist top ten in the categories of fantasy, romance, and women’s history books for youth. Leavitt has a BA from the University of Calgary and an MFA from Vermont College, and is a member of the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts. The creative project she is most proud of is her seven children and nine grandchildren, all of whom have been critically acclaimed.
Workshop: Whole Novel Workshop (October)

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SOLON MORSE
Solon is an ecologist, illustrator, and Web-programmer on the staff of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. His primary interests lie in community ecology, conservation, and education. He has participated in a number of large-scale research projects in the Midwest, which examined the impacts of forest management on migratory birds and other wildlife. Currently he teaches several courses for the Peterson Institute and—with John Wiessinger—is developing the Electronic Naturalist, an online nature education resource.
Workshop: Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication

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WENDY SCHMALZ
Wendy is the principal and founder of the Wendy Schmalz Agency, founded in 2002. Representing a wide range of writers for both the children’s and adult markets for more than twenty-five years, her current client list includes Sandy Asher, Myla Goldberg, April Henry, Robin MacCready, Julie Anne Peters, Seymour Simon, and Sue Stauffacher, to name a few. She began her career at Curtis Brown before moving on to Harold Ober Associates, where she was a principal of the company before leaving to start her own agency.
Workshop: Writing Your First Novel

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CYNTHIA FABER SMITH
Cindy is the art director of Highlights for Children. She has enjoyed designing publications for diverse audiences for more than 20 years, including positions at Science magazine, Insight magazine, The Executive Office of the President, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Cindy’s award-winning designs are based on the intimate connection she sees between the designer and the reader.

Cindy earned an MFA from Vermont College, a BA from Furman University, and a publication specialist certificate from George Washington University.
Workshop: Visual Art of the Picture Book

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JANE RESH THOMAS
Jane is the author of fifteen published and contracted books, including picture books, short fiction, middle-grade fiction, and biography. The Comeback Dog, Saying Good-Bye to Grandma, Courage at Indian Deep, and Lights on the River have won, among other honors, a Parent’s Choice Award, Notable Books and Best of the Best listing by the ALA, and an award from the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs. Jane also is a recipient of the Kerlan Award. Her most recent books are The Counterfeit Princess and Blind Mountain, a novella. Works in progress are two new books about historical figures. After many years on the faculty of the Vermont College MFA children’s writing department, she now teaches in the Hamline University MFA Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
Workshop: Whole Novel Workshop (June)

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RICH WALLACE
Rich is the author of four acclaimed novels for young adults: Playing Without the Ball, Wrestling Sturbridge, Shots on Goal, and Restless. He has also authored a short-story collection called Losing Is Not an Option, and a series of sports novels for middle-grade readers called Winning Season. His columns, profiles, and other features have been published in Highlights, Track and Field News, Runner’s World, and other publications. Rich is a former senior editor at Highlights for Children.
Workshop: Writing For Teens: Advanced Session
Workshop: Writing About Sports
Workshop: Writing for Young Adults (October)

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SANDRA NEIL WALLACE
Sandra has been a writer and TV host for travel magazines, ESPN, Fox Sports, and Canadian Television News. She is a ghost writer for a Running Press imprint and has a monthly lifestyle column in Connections magazine. Her sports articles have appeared in MH-18 (a teen version of Men’s Health), and Highlights published her story “Sandra on Sports,” a profile of her career as a female sportscaster.
Workshop: Writing about Sports

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ED WESELY
Ed is director of the Butterfly Barn Nature Center, which overlooks the Delaware River, where he rears and releases about 400 monarch butterflies each summer. Ed’s environmental education background provides the foundation for his many outreach activities, including numerous publications, lectures, and guided field tours. He is currently developing a natural history Web site.
Workshop: Writing from Nature: Blazing a Trail from Field Journal to Publication

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CLAY WINTERS
Clay, president of Boyds Mills Press, has been in publishing since 1960. Before coming to Boyds Mills Press, he was president of Putnam/Grosset Books for Young Readers, the children's book group of G.P. Putnam & Sons. Clay has taught the rudiments of publishing to aspiring writers and an entrepreneurial course in marketing for several different institutions.
Workshop: A Crash Course in the Business of Children's Publishing

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CAROLYN P. YODER
Carolyn is the senior editor of history for Highlights for Children and has written numerous articles on research and writing history for children. She spent a decade serving as the award-winning editor in chief of Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People; Calliope; Faces; and Odyssey, which led to her position as assistant publisher of Cobblestone Publishing, Inc., overseeing development of its book division.

Carolyn is currently editor of Calkins Creek Books—the history and historical fiction imprint of Boyds Mills Press, publisher of her book George Washington: The Writer. She also reviews juvenile history books for the Civil War Book Review and has been a writer and editor for the New Jersey Historical Society.
Workshop: Real People, Great Stories: The Art of Writing Biography
Workshop: Carolyn Yoder Alumni Writers' Retreat (February)
Workshop: Carolyn Yoder Alumni Writers' Retreat (August)

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