Meet Our Regional Team

Dr. Miral Azam Khalil is a self-proclaimed voracious reader who found as a young neurodivergent kid that books gave her a place to belong. Dr. Khalil, is a Pediatrician who studies Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is a self-published author of a book titled Meeru's Multan and is a huge advocate for being a voice for children who have no voice and stories in the mainstream media. She is working on picture books that encompass difficult topics like incarceration, having a sick parent, foster children, female femicide, child labor and more. Through her work and research, Dr. Khalil believes that more children should have access to books that are mirrors as “good books are like preventive medicine.”

An award winning author-illustrator, Mirka is best known for her picture book series KITTY & CAT, graphic novel series MOSSY & TWEED, and her nonfiction picture book series LITTLE SEASONS. As a military spouse and mom to three kids, Mirka has learned to adapt quickly to all kinds of situations, and turn challenges into opportunities. As illustrator coordinator, she hopes to foster community through online socials and in-person events, and create momentum for personal growth through webinars, tech sessions, and critiques.

LaTasha Tucker is an award-winning senior writer-editor, educator, and orator. For nearly 20 years, she has developed federal resources (web content, educational materials, and publications) for our nation’s students, parents, teachers, and mentors. Based on her Washington, DC roots, she is actively working on creating compelling stories of young people in urban environments. LaTasha was a 2020 regional scholarship recipient and the 2023-24 Co-Coordinator of the Creative Coaching Groups Mentorship Program. As ARA, she will share her commitment to diverse storytelling by supporting our community in creating more inclusive stories and promoting participation in engaging events.

Brittanny Halper/Handiboe is an illustrator and writer, wife, and mother of three. She loves experimenting with different kidlit genres and styles! She’s a neurodiverse creator so some of her work reflects her own experiences. As a children’s books illustrator, Brittanny tries to wrap up words and pictures on the page like a warm and cozy comfort blanket for the reader. Brittanny illustrated the self published books LULLABY LAND by Rhonda J. Beard, ABC ZOLIA BU by Mann Singh, and HOLLY AND HER HEART by Ella Kunce. She wants to publish her own work one day and as an Illustrator Coordinator she wishes to contribute as much as she can to the kidlit community!

Sam(she/her) is the book coach behind Truant Pen, a YA author, and high school history teacher. She believes that all children deserve to see themselves represented in great books. They deserve your story…and you deserve a chance to tell it! As Critique Group Coordinator, Sam wants to foster community and connection in our chapter. Everyone needs a network of support to create their best work.

Laurie lives in Maryland and is the author of BIG TRUCK PLAYDATE (Beaming Books, 2023). Her stories have themes of finding inner strength, embracing uniqueness, and building empathy. She also loves a good pun and humorous wordplay. As PAL (Published and Listed) Coordinator she helps published authors in the region connect with each other and explore ways to market their books.