President—Deb Sutton
Deb Sutton wrote her first book while in high school and promptly experienced her first rejection. Her school librarian, Mr. D, told her—kindly—that it lacked originality. This motivated her to not only learn the craft but to expand her horizons. She is a self-published author of the novel, Broken Sidewalks, and has several entries in the Well Versed 2015 Anthology. Her screenplay of Broken Sidewalks won Honorable Mention in the 80th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Deb is a veteran of the Air Force and has a degree in psychology from Truman University and an MSW from the University of Missouri. She’s currently a social worker for the Children’s Division and is involved in her local United Methodist Church.
Vice President—Sara Southard
Sara Southard was elected Vice-President at the March 2024 CWG meeting.
Treasurer-Cortney Daniels
Cortney Daniels was elected as Treasurer at the November 2023 meeting.
Secretary—Barbara Leonhard
Barbara Leonhard is an internationally known prize-winning poet and Pushcart nominee. She is especially indebted to Well Versed 2021 and Spillwords Press for past honors. Her debut poetry collection, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (Experiments in Fiction, 2022), which is about her relationship with her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, is a best seller on the Amazon. Her first book was Discoveries in Academic Writing (Heinle ELT, 2002). Barbara is also Editor for MasticadoresUSA. You can follow her on WordPress at extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog.
Administrative Assistant—Debbie Cutler
Debbie Cutler, a writer of more than 30 years, has been published in numerous mainstream and literary magazines, including Cirque, Wingless Dreamer, Journal of Expressive Writing, The Dewdrop, Pure Slush, Shanti Arts (Still Point Arts Quarterly), Sweetycat Press, The MockingOwl Roost, Prime, Of Rust and Glass, Paddler Press, Red Wolf Journal, Columbia Business Times, Editor and Publisher, Independent Living, Wanderlust, IHRAF Publishes, among others. She has pieces coming out in WayWords Literary Magazine in October 2023 and eMerge Magazine in late 2023. She is the former managing editor of Alaska Business magazine and former editor of Alaska magazine.
Membership Chair—Anne Gifford
Anne has been a writer for years in academic research and curriculum as well as sharing her experiences as an ICU nurse and interfaith hospital chaplain. She’s published in Physician magazine, Fort Worth Star Telegram, and Thanks for the Memories – an Anthology. Her doctoral dissertation on “Family Reunification and Reentry” is the basis of her current work and writing under a US Dept. of Justice grant in the TX prison system. Now semi-retired, Anne is working on two novels; often deciding which one to tackle depending on the mood or character she is in when she sits down.