Board & Staff Members
Clarion West incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1986, with workshop alumni and other interested members of the science fiction community forming its first Board of Directors. With the help of many dedicated volunteers and a core of committed professional staff, Clarion West has produced some of science fiction and fantasy’s top writers and editors. Graduates have received every major form of recognition in the field, including the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards.
Board of Directors
Shweta Adhyam
Chair
Shweta (CW ’17) speaks five languages, belongs to four cultures, has had three careers, loves two cities, and thinks escapism is excellent.
She/her.
Izzy Wasserstein
Vice Chair
Izzy Wasserstein (CW ‘17) is a writer and professor living in California. She likes good conversations, bad jokes, and being bullied by her cat.
She/her.
M. Huw Evans
Secretary
Huw (CW ’12) served as workshop administrator 2014–2017. He writes, edits, and—when time and family permit—reads.
He/him.
Kris Millering
Treasurer
Kris (CW ’09) is a linguist by training, a tech tinkerer by trade, and a writer and photographer by avocation.
She/her.
Stewart Baker
Born in the UK and based in Oregon, Stewart is a librarian and writer of short stories, poems, and games.
(any)
Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas
Nelly (CW ’19) is a Mexican writer and video game localization specialist living in California.
She/her.
M. L. Krishnan
M. L. Krishnan (CW ’19) is a writer and editor who hails from the coastal shores of Tamil Nadu, South India. She works with khōréō Magazine and lives in the Midwest.
She/her.
Jon Lasser
Jon (CW ’16) lives in Seattle. His stories have appeared in Galaxy’s Edge, Diabolical Plots, Underland Arcana, and elsewhere.
He/him.
Alexandra Manglis
Alexandra Manglis (’17) is a Cypriot writer living in New England. She likes long naps and deep time.
Tod McCoy
Tod (CW ’10) runs Hydra House Books, writes contemporary fantasy and poetry, and loves pizza and chimichangas. But not mixed together.
He/him.
Remy Nakamura
Remy Nakamura (CW ’10) lives in the PNW. He is a long-time data and project manager, and is passionate about creating stories and community. He is the one on the right.
He/they.
Dominica Phetteplace
Dominica Phetteplace graduated from Clarion West in 2007. She is a writer and math tutor based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
She/her.
Nisi Shawl
Nisi (CW ’92) has been on the board for over 20 years! They are still writing. Their time as CW’s Communications Director helped tighten their prose.
They/them.
Yang-Yang Wang
Yang-Yang (CW ’14) is an actor and writer. A lover of brevity, and former board chair, he can be found Wednesday evenings on a Fantasy Author D&D Twitch Stream.
He/him.
Staff
Elly Bangs
Database Specialist
Elly attended Clarion West in 2017. She rides her bicycle everywhere and enjoys pie, dream pop, and obscure factoids about outer space.
She/her.
Marnee Chua
Executive Director
Marnee is a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, nonprofit administrator, reader, and loves to scuba dive. She prefers stories with kimchi in space.
She/her.
Amy Hirayama
Events and Residency Coordinator
Amy is a writer, educator, and sumo wrestling fan. She loves forest bathing and cooking elaborate Japanese celebratory feasts.
She/her.
L. D. Lewis
Development Director
L. D. Lewis is an editor and Shirley Jackson award-nominated author. She lives in Georgia on perpetual deadline with her partner, two cats, and an impressive LEGO build collection.
She/her.
Kel Lyle
Classroom Assistant
Kel likes rereading novels, daydreaming on the bus, and staring at blank word documents. They attended Your Personal Odyssey in 2023.
They/she.
Erik Owomoyela
Back-End Developer
Erik built his first website for a Star Trek role-playing group, and then went to journalism school. He attended Clarion West in 2010.
He/him.
Rashida J. Smith
Program Director
Writer, mom, and occasional cellist, Rashida attended Clarion West in 2005. She loves oatmeal raisin cookies, “kissing books” and superhero movies.
She/her.
Jae Steinbacher
Workshop Manager
Jae is a writer, editor, and dual class factotum/sorcerer. They love cats, second world fantasy, and seeing the mountain come out, and they attended Clarion West in 2014. Jae’s been helping run the Six-Week Workshop since 2018.
They/them.
Suzanne Tompkins
Special Projects Coordinator
An independent association manager/meeting planner, Suzanne has been CW’s Office Manager and/or Bookkeeper since 2005. She’s worked on Facilities at many recent Worldcons.
She/her.
Elyse Hauser
2025 Write-a-thon Intern
Elyse Hauser is a Seattle-based writer of environmental nonfiction and science fiction. She loves old-fashioned board games and everything that lives in the deep sea.