Board of Directors; Mission & Values Statements

Current Board Members

Randi Ewing, PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIR. Listen to Randi's interview on WEKU about the 2019 conference here.

Shelda Hale, CO-TREASURER, poet and creative nonfiction/fiction writer and former director, Title III Federal Program, KDE

Leannia Haywood

Tosha Larson

Kristi Maxwell

Lisa Miller

Patrice Muhammad, CO-TREASURER, Sonia Series Chair, journalist, and co-founder, LexTown Media Group

Dani Quintos

Ashley Sipple-McGraw, PRESIDENT, Middle and Upper School Librarian, Sayre School

Ginny Southgate

Katy Yocom, SECRETARY, fiction writer and associate director, Spalding University MFA in Writing

Mission Statement

Of, by and for women, the Kentucky Women Writers Conference Inc. is a nonprofit organization that creates compassionate artistic environments that affirm, challenge, and energize women writers and readers, through an annual conference and programming dedicated to women’s words.

Values Statement

Created in Kentucky in 1979, this conference showcasing the talents and issues unique to women writers has provided fertile ground for women’s words to take root, be nourished, grow, and spread across the nation.

This ground was claimed and named as a response to the under-representation of women writers; the conference and the organization continues as an act of rebellion against the forces, subtle and overt, that seek to overlook, diminish, and marginalize women and nonbinary writers and their words.

This organization believes that representation matters and is committed to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice in our administration, programming, and partnerships. 

This organization embraces the diverse experiences and identities of women and nonbinary writers of all ages, races, ethnicities, abilities, spiritual understandings, orientations, and socioeconomic statuses. We seek to create a shared space where women’s truths can be spoken without apology and welcomed into our events, leadership, and community. In this inclusive and supportive culture where women are seen and respected in their fullness, complexity, and potential, fearless work can emerge.

This organization respects and values women’s time, talent, and leadership, and believes in equitable compensation.

Board members are patrons and volunteers who:

• assist with the annual conference and other programming
• formulate and steward our mission, vision, and values
• advocate for our programs throughout the state and region
• liaison with community volunteers and partnering businesses 
• contribute or raise funds for conference activities
• attend board meetings (7 meetings per year)