FACULTY

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

DON TATE, Award-Winning Author-Illustrator

IN PERSON FACULTY

ANOOSHA SYED, Author-Illustrator

AZ HACKETT, Assistant Editor

Viking Children’s

BRITTA JENSEN, Author

JACKIE KRUZIE, Agent

Focused Artists

Conference2026_AgentEditorHeadshot_JemiscoeChambersBlack.png

JEMISCOE CHAMBERS-BLACK, Agent

Starling Literary + Media

KAT FAJARDO, Author-Illustrator

KAYLA CICHELLO, Agent

Upstart Crow

KIRK BENSHOFF, Art Director

First Second and 23rd Street (Macmillan)

ROMY NATALIA GOLDBERG, Author

RUQAYYAH DAUD, Senior Editor

Little Brown Books for Young Readers

VANESSA AGUIRRE, Editor

St. Martin's Press

To view the day-of in-person schedule, view here!

VIRTUAL FACULTY

ALYSSA JENNETTE, Agent

Stonesong

AMY BISHOP-WYCISK, Agent

Trellis Literary Management

ANJANETTE BARR, Agent

Dunham Literary

CARINA LICON, Editor

Henry Holt Childrens

Conference2026_AgentEditorHeadshot_CatherineLaudone.png

CATHERINE LAUDONE, Senior Editor

Beach Lane Books, S&S

MATT PHIPPS, Editor

GP Putnam's Sons

Conference2026_ArtDirectorHeadshot_SashaIllingworth.png

SASHA ILLINGWORTH, Creative Director

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

SIDNEY BOKER, Agent

InkWell Management

STEPHEN BARR, Agent

Writer's House

TAMARA GRASTY, Editor

Page Street

TIANNA KELLY, Agent

Neighborhood Literary

To see which faculty is offering what feedback option (pitches, critiques, etc), view here!

MENTORS

DONNA JANELL BOWMAN, Author

Picture Book Mentor

EVAN GRIFFITH, Author

Middle Grade Mentor

DANA SWIFT, Author

YA Mentor

KEIKO HAYNER, Illustrator

Illustrator Mentor

Read more about the mentorship here!