2010 Chattahoochee Valley Writers' Conference Steering Committee

John Frandsen, President and CVWC Coordinator

John is a retired research scientist, professor, and Army officer. A past president of the Alabama Writers' Conclave, John has written two as yet unpublished novels and a number of short stories. "It was while I was serving as leader of the Columbus Chapter of the Georgia Writers' Association that I became aware of the richness and diversity of the Chattahoochee Valley's writing community and became convinced that this community deserves the benefits of hosting a first-rate writers' conference."

Henry McCoy, Program Coordinator, Columbus Public Library

Henry began his career with The Alliance Theatre in entertainment production. With extensive experience in educational programming as well, Henry joined the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System (CVRLS) in July 2007 as Program Manager and, as such, develops and coordinates programming for the nine libraries within the System. He is an Emmy Award winning producer of educational television; he helped to create and develop dozens of multi-platform media programs for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He has also been involved in entertainment production for Walt Disney World, helping to produce shows such as their annual New Year’s Eve spectaculars, Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance at Disney”, among others. Henry’s experienced also includes the administration of a successful collegiate conference program at Longwood University in Virginia.

DENNISE BROGDON, Acting Secretary & Assistant Treasure, Chair - Publicity

KENNETH CROOKS, Leader Community Relations

Ken came to Columbus in 1990 to serve as President and CEO of the local Urban League. He currently serves as Executive Director of One Columbus, a community service organization committed to creating unity and respect within the diverse cultures that exist in the Chattahoochee Valley. Crooks admits he has a kinship with the members and friends of the Inaugural CVWC because of the causes, activities and efforts in which he has been involved.

DORAINE BENNETT, Registrar

JILL CHRISTENSEN, Chair, Long-range Planning Committee

CATHY FUSSELL, Member, Long-range Planning Committee

RON SELF, Vice President/Fund-Raising, Liaison with Georgia Poetry Society

Ron is a Columbus lawyer/musician and teaches part-time in the D. A. Turner College of Business at Columbus State University. He hosts an open mic poetry reading at the Columbus Public Library the first Thursday of every month. He is currently president of the Georgia Poetry Society, and his poems have appeared in Atlanta Review, The English Journal, and several state and local anthologies.

BARBARA LIPE, Youth Writing Contests; Member, Long-range Planning Committee

DARLENE SCHRAUFNAGEL, Curriculum & Staffing

NOEL SCHRAUFNAGEL, Curriculum & Staffing

ELSIE M. AUSTIN, Treasurer

Elsie Austin has been a member of the CVWC steering committee since its inception at a Georgia Writers meeting in 2005. She served as registrar for two years and now as treasurer. She is a member of Georgia Poetry Society where one of her poems is included in the annual “Reach of Song 2009” anthology. She’s the author of two screenplays, three novels, short stories and a poetry collection, Volume I, available on CD. She is scheduled to lead a six-week workshop in October 2009 on “The 30 Day Novel” for Columbus State University, Continuing Education.

COLIN MARTIN, Fundraising - Chair

James D. Cummins, Adult Writing Contest Coordinator and Historian

Jim is a retired electronics engineer, who has written three mystery novels under the pen name of James Dona. He has also written a dozen short stories, and over sixty memoirs. He is a volunteer teacher of Memoir Writing and of English as a Second Language.

Jim is a long-time member of Georgia Writers Association, and served one term as a member of the GWA Board.

Jim's website, www.jamesdona.com, displays some of his stories.

  Rachel Williams, Vice President, Chair - Curriculum & Staffing, Chair - Hospitality

Rachael Williams teaches English Composition at Columbus State University and is an alumna of the University of Georgia (AB 1996, MA 1998). In 2007, her article "The Imaginary South of Country-Western Music" was published in Postscript. She is currently at work on a textbook research project, and is completing a novel based on her childhood in Franklin, Georgia.

DON L WILLIAMS, Website Design and Maintenance

Don came to Columbus in 1994. He is a retired Naval Officer and currently works as a technical manager for a local company. For fun, Don is a singer/songwriter and musician. He released his first CD of original music entitled "Dry Rain and Other Southern Folk Tales" in May, 2009. Although he doesn't claim to be a "writer", he has sucessfully completed his first attempt in the November National Novel Writing Month online. Don holds degrees in Computer Science and Engineering.