San Francisco/South Volunteers

Emily Jiang

Co-Regional Advisor

Anita Tran

Co-Regional Advisor

Seina Wedlick

Co-Assistant Regional Advisor

Susan Cabael

Co-Assistant Regional Advisor

Danielle Heitmuller

Co-Illustrator Coordinator

Anastasia Kleckner

Co-Illustrator Coordinator

Karin Redclift

Translator Coordinator

Emily Jiang, Co-Regional Advisor Emily Jiang is the author of Summoning the Phoenix: Poems & Prose about Chinese Musical Instruments, published by Lee & Low Books. Listed among the Best Children’s Books of the Year at Kirkus Reviews and The Huffington Post, Summoning the Phoenix was awarded The Best Book of the Year from the Chinese-American Librarians Association and an Eureka Honor! from the California Reading Association. A published poet, essayist, and fiction writer, Emily has most recently become an inadvertent lyricist and librettist for choral compositions. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Saint Mary’s College of California and a BA in English from Rice University. When not working or actively writing, she relaxes by singing, composing music, and practice tai chi chuan. After a multi-year hiatus from publishing, she is delighted to rejoin SCBWI and actively contribute to the wonderful community of children's writers and illustrators.

Anita Tran, Co-Regional Advisor Anita Tran is a pre-published children's book author-illustrator who crafts imaginative, big-hearted, humorous stories that build creative confidence and empower children to lead with curiosity, courage, and a sprinkling of chaos. She holds an MFA in Illustration from the Academy of Art University. Born in London to Polish parents, Anita now lives in Palo Alto with her partner and kids in a vibrant cross-cultural home. She loves Lindy Hop dancing, singing, and creating with her kids.

Seina Wedlick, Co-Assistant Regional Advisor, PAL Coordinator Seina moved to the SF Bay Area from the east coast and fell in love with the beautiful weather, diverse landscapes, and close proximity to wine country. When she is not spending time with her husband and children, she can be found exploring bookstore shelves and spending time on the beach. Her debut picture book, Naming Ceremony, was released in 2023.

Susan Cabael, Co-Assistant Regional Advisor Susan Cabael is a perpetual work in progress. She aspires to publish picture books that connect to readers and make people feel seen. As a long-time elementary educator she is surrounded by gorgeous books in her classroom that help her students become more empathetic so they can contribute to a just and inclusive society. Besides writing books she publishes a weekly newsletter highlighting books by and about Asians/Asian Americans, her writing journey, and musings about teaching and life. She loves farmers’ markets, discovery, and restoring her soul with pastries at the beach. Represented by Stefanie Molina-Santos of Looking Glass Literary & Media. Learn more at https://susancabael.substack.com/

Danielle Heitmuller, Co-Illustrator Coordinator Danielle is an animator, illustrator, and an Assistant Professor at Santa Clara University in Digital Illustration and Animation. She is fascinated by the intersection of digital and traditional technologies, and is usually found somewhere between an easel and a computer. She has 20 years of professional experience in Motion Graphics and Visual Effects for film and advertising. Danielle holds a BFA in Animation from Rochester Institute of Technology, and an MFA from UCLA's Animation Workshop. Her award-winning animated films have traveled to festivals around the USA and the globe. Originally from the woods of Connecticut, she has a deep love of flowers, trees and the thin places in nature. She loves cats, hats, and tea. Danielle lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. https://www.heitmuller.com/

Anastasia Kleckner, Co-Illustrator Coordinator A Russian-born illustrator, Anastasia always had a love for storytelling and animals. After graduating with a BFA from Parsons in Illustration, she took to working in eduTech and Epic! where she spent 8 years working with traditional book publishers, big and small, to help fill out Epic's digital kids ebook library. She joined the Regional Team in hopes of building more connections with the local community of creators and seeing what else she can give back with her unique mix of experience. She has always felt that the Bay Area artist scene has an amazingly unique voice and she’s looking forward to helping it grow.

Karin Redclift, Translator Coordinator Born, raised, and educated in Southern Germany, Karin moved to the United States after earning a BS in education (with a fine arts minor). Reading, writing, and children's literature have always been a huge passion. When she started teaching in the US, she collaborated with her colleagues to create and develop a special literacy-based curriculum, which ignited her love for American kidlit. Karin has been working as a German-English translator, proofreader, and editor for the last 7 years and has self-published two books. After being a member of SCBWI California: SF/South for 6 years, she started hosting a monthly virtual Translators' Meet-up in April to establish a friendly and supportive community where everyone can share ideas, have candid conversations, and learn more about the industry.