About us

Introducing the new leadership team

 Mary has been teaching writing classes and conducting workshops for community colleges, women’s groups, churches, and libraries since 2011. She is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). 

Mary Potter Kenyon, co-coordinator

Mary has been coming to the conference since 2011, and quickly joined the leadership team.

Mary graduated from the University of Northern Iowa and is a certified grief counselor trained under world-renowned grief expert David Kessler. She is widely published in newspapers, magazines, and anthologies, with essays featured in ten Chicken Soup for the Soul titles. 

Mary is the author of seven books, including the award-winning Refined By Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace and Called to Be Creative: A Guide to Reigniting Your Creativity. Her children's book on grief will be published in 2024.

Sheri Shonk

Susan Hoffert

Mary Humston

Cherie Dargan, Webmaster

Cherie's first novel, The Gift, came out Oct. 2022. She lives in Cedar Falls & has been coming to the Conference since 2011.