About Us
Board of Directors
Arizona State Poetry Society (ASPS) is governed by a Board of Directors (BOD), which has all the rights, powers, privileges, and limitations of liability of directors of a non-profit corporation organized under the Non-Profit Corporation Act of Arizona. The Board establishes policies and directives governing business and programs of the ASPS and delegates to various officers, members, and volunteers, subject to the provision of the Bylaws, authority, and responsibility to see the policies and directives are appropriately followed.
President - Katie Sarah Zale
Katie Sarah Zale teaches and tutors writing, and works with Art for Justice projects. She believes in the power of the arts to transform and heal ourselves and the world. She has published four collections of poetry. The Weight of a Leaf came out in Feb. 2024 (Kelsay Books). The Art of Folding was inspired by her travels to Israel and Palestine—a collection of poems as relevant today as when it was first published in 2010. Sometimes You Do Things, published by Aquarius Press’ Living Detroit Series, highlights the history and rebuilding of Detroit, where she was born and raised. In addition to serving as the ASPS president, Katie serves as the program director of the Tucson Arts Poetry Series (TAPS), a reading platform and program of ASPS. She is a certified facilitator of Compassionate Listening (compassionatelistening.org) and a member of Free Time, a University of Arizona program for sponsors and mentors of incarcerated writers.
You can email Katie at katiezale.pres@azpoetry.net.
Vice President - Lisa Jordan
Lisa Jordan(aka L. Jordan), is a poet, performer, artist and disability advocate. She has been focused on combining her passion for written, spoken and body language as art towards a project she calls, “poetry to life”, which she has shared pieces of throughout Arizona. Finding empowerment amongst the community of writers and creatives throughout the state as a disabled person, she wants to share her time helping to support community in the ASPS.
You can email Jordan at Jordan.vp@azpoetry.net
Secretary/Communications - Ashanti Webster
Ashanti Webster lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she is a school counselor & poetry coordinator at a middle school. Her writing was recently published in the anthology Dimepiece: Ten Years of CLI Poetry dedicated to the Community Literature Initiative. She won first place at the MCC NAACP Open Mic for Poetry. She has opened for local Phoenix poets and featured on a local artist’s mixtape. Other creative works include a collaborative poetry video and poetry zine.
You can email Ashanti at Ashantiwebster.sec@azpoetry.net
Treasurer - Kris Perry
Kris has been active in ASPS’ leadership since 2018, serving as secretary, newsletter editor, and membership chair. She is a retired Deacon in the Lutheran Church with an emphasis on global mission work. Kris and her husband split their time between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Tucson, Arizona. Kris also serves as Membership Chair, Editor of The Desert Voice, Membership Director, and Sandcutters Co-Editor.
You can email Kris at krisperry.treas@azpoetry.net
Branch Presidents
East Valley Poets - Jim Platt
Jim is a former paperboy, college-scholarship recipient, dishwasher, construction worker, university graduate-teaching-assistant, a recovering sales executive, and company president. He joined the East Valley Poets to become a better poet. He’s not sure if he has improved but is honored to have become friends with the many talented writers who have taught him so much. He is the founder/editor of poetrytrek.com, dedicated to remembering EVP members from the “Greatest Generation.” You can email Jim at evpoets@yahoo.com
Green Valley Poets' Corner - Richard Chamberlin
Richard has a BA in Journalism from Columbia College in Chicago, is a Vietnam Vet and has worked as a reporter, freelance writer, psychiatric nurse and cab driver. He is the author of a memoir, Hitchhiking from Vietnam, a novel, Nora’s Notion, and three books of poetry and short stories. His most recent book is Easy Living, verse about Southern Arizona and beyond.
Scottsdale Mustang Poets - Christy White
Christy has served the ASPS Board in some capacity most of the years since 1996 when she first joined ASPS. She has served on other nonprofit boards as well and was one of the stakeholders and first committee members that established Arizona’s first poet laureate. Christy has been writing poetry since she was a child and published her first poem in Kentucky at age 12. She has published seven chapbooks and her poetry has been published in a number of regional journals including The Blue Guitar Magazine, Erete’s Bloom, Veil and Four Chambers. Christy’s passion is to help connect the various communities of poets of Arizona, and to that end, five years ago established a monthly email newsletter about poetry events and open mics that is circulated throughout Arizona. You can email Christy at mustangpoets@gmail.com
Tucson Poetry Society - Elaine Powers
Elaine Powers is a retired research biologist who now writes rhyming science-based children’s books. She dabbled in poetry as a child in Peoria, IL, but became serious about writing poetry when she started her book writing second career. Her home is filled with reptilian companion animals and she is active in iguana rescue and conservation. Elaine produces educational materials as part of her work with the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group. She created Lyric Power Publishing, LLC, which specializes in entertaining, educational materials. You can email Elaine at tucsonpoetrysociety@gmail.com
Appointed Committee Chairs
Annual Contest, Christy White
See bio under Scottsdale Mustang Poets
Free Time Writers, Betty King
Betty King is a retired public health professional and teacher for English language learners. She loves the written, spoken and sung word. Criminal justice reform and outreach to incarcerated writers through The University of Arizona Poetry Center program, “Free Time: Writers Inside and Out” is an ongoing volunteer focus.
Fundraising/Grants, David Navarro
David is an author, poet, and haikuist first published in the 1980 Winter Issue of the Purdue University Exponent, Literary Edition. His poetry has appeared in numerous magazines and venues over the years including 12 anthologies by various publishers. Six of his own poetry collections have also been published from 2013 to 2020. He conducted local and online poetry and literature workshops from 2006-2018 including the Tuscaloosa AL Public Library poetry bootcamps from 2007-2009. His professional online publishing and poetry groups have over 10K members. Professionally he was an executive vice president at Citibank and also the CEO of an award winning credit union. He currently serves as a medical writer/editor working with scientists to streamline their clinical trials, studies, and reports. He’s also a minister of a local congregation in Tucson, AZ where he lives. He holds an arts and humanities degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with Purdue University and also has degrees in Communications and Theology with other institutions. Learn more about David’s poetry and writing at DE Navarro (http://www.de-navarro.com).
Member Contests, Allison Fraclose
Allison Fraclose has been writing poetry since sometime in the late 80s. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing, Fiction, and also volunteers with the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators Tucson branch.
Outreach Coordinator, Christy White
See bio under Scottsdale Mustang Poets
Primary Poet’s Coordinator, Karen Morales
Karen is a retired second grade bilingual teacher of 30 years who attended Phoenix College and Arizona State University .She earned an AA degree in Journalism, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees plus 60 additional credit hours in Elementary Education and Spanish. Karen is the author and CEO of The Krayon Kids® children’s book series and is currently completing her 5th and 6th book simultaneously. Karen would like to pursue writing poetry for primary students and teach the children different genres. She would also like to teach performance poetry. “The seeds of Poetry are planted in us when we are very young. (Primary Poets). For more information about thekrayonkids and Primary Poets please visit our website thekrayonkids.com
Sandcutters Co-Editors, Allison Fraclose and Christy White
See bio’s under Scottsdale Mustang Poets and Member Contests
Spoken Word/SLAM Coordinator, B-JAM (Ben Gardea)
Host of the Phoenix Poetry Slam, B-JAM is the 2023 ASPS state champion and is ranked as a top 10 slam poet in the US. Ben is a native Arizonan and married father of three amazing children. His mission is to help facilitate and maintain a strong supportive writers’ community within the valley of the sun. Poetry has changed his life and he wants to be a caretaker of the artform for future generations to explore and become part of, because he knows that poetry can make the most profound impact on human beings.
Program Director for Tucson Arts Poetry Series (TAPS), Katie Sarah Zale
See bio under President. You can email Katie at, KatieZale.TAPS@azpoetry.net
Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB), Jodi Gaski and Steve Chaffee
Jodi Gaski moved from Chicago to Green Valley AZ two years ago to enjoy my retirement in the sunshine. I worked as an RN while raising my son and daughter. I now enjoy the rewards of being a grandmother to Connor and Shealynn. I’ve always loved to read and have been exploring writing now as a revisited passion. I’m excited to be a new member of the ASPS. I am grateful for the welcome I’ve received. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this community. I’m looking forward to chairing TFOB with Steve as co chair in 2025.
Steve was born and raised in western Washington State. He is a United States Navy Submarine Service veteran; a University of Washington College of Forest Resources graduate; and national parks ranger retiree. His poetry has appeared in The Connection, The Avocet Journal of Nature Poetry, Ana Flores’ Poetry of the Wild, Deep Wild Journal: Writing from the Backcountry, two anthologies as well as a featured poet-adventurer on AZPM Spotlight radio and Frank Iosue’s ImUptoMystic YouTube channel. Steve’s book The Arizona Trail: Passages in Poetry was published in 2018 (Wheatmark). He enjoys reading his poetry at a variety of venues. Steve is a proud member of the Green Valley Poets’ Corner and Tucson Poetry Society and is a co-chair with Jodi Gaski of the Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB).
Youth Contest, Christy White
See bio under Scottsdale Mustang Poets
Get In Touch
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