2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
PRESIDENT AND BOARD CHAIR Originally from northern New Jersey, Matt has lived most of his adult life in California. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz he joined Out magazine in New York from its inaugural issue, working in advertising and leading their online media team. He returned to California to attend USC, earning his MBA in product marketing, and then his PhD in consumer psychology. He is currently Professor of Marketing (Consumer Psychology) in the Department of Marketing at Mihaylo College of Business, Cal State Fullerton. He has published numerous research articles for academic journals and business-trade and -advice publications. At the same time he has always enjoyed writing fiction, and has done so in fits and starts since childhood. He has finally just finished writing his first novel, and is in the final editing process. He has found tremendous value and camaraderie as a member of the PSWG to help him through that journey.Matt has a passion for geography and weather, and can often be found pouring over Google Earth or scouring radar images and weather alerts. He lives in Palm Springs, a truly inspirational place for writing, with his loving husband and adorable pooch Ollie. VICE-PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF MEMBER ENGAGEMENT Kristina VanKirk Hoffman was born and raised in Northern California. After studying Art History and Political Science at UCLA and Barnard College, she directed Robert Berman Gallery in Santa Monica from 1984-1988 and Ace Gallery in Los Angeles from 1988 – 1997. During that time, she wrote press releases for each exhibition, coordinated exhibitions, acted as docent to museum tours, provided information and loans of artworks to major museums, placed artworks in significant collections and contributed an article to Flash Art Magazine. She then returned to the Bay Area and began her art consultant/interior design business. During that time she volunteered, chaired the annual fundraiser, and then became the President of Marin Charitable serving at-risk youth. In 2012 she and her husband moved to Sonoma, California where she served on the board of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and was the Chairperson for their annual fundraiser. She was also a contributing writer to Valley of the Moon Magazine. She is passionate about education, fundraising, writing and contemporary art. DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Eduardo Santiago's first novel Tomorrow They Will Kiss was an Edmund White Debut Fiction Award finalist and won Latino Book Award for Best Historical Novel. His second book, Midnight Rumba, won the New England Book Award - Best Fiction. His short stories have appeared in ZYZZYVA, Slow Trains, and The Caribbean Writer, and the upcoming Palm Springs Noir. His nonfiction was published in the Los Angeles Times, The Advocate, and Out Traveler Magazine. His screenplay, Proof Sheet (co-written) is currently in post-production. Mr. Santiago teaches creative writing at UCLA Extension and Idyllwild Arts Summer Program. He is two-time PEN Fellow and the founder and curator of the Idyllwild Author’s Series. | DIRECTOR OF MARKETING David is a lyricist and poet. He has songwriting credits on albums released by The Brian Rogers Band, The Painkillers, and The Lasses Rogers Band. He shares his poetry at DJMPoetry.com as he works towards his goal of publishing his first collection. David spent four decades as a global advertising executive, a career that enabled him to collaborate with talented writers, designers, technologists, and anthropologists, as well as study the universal stories that inspire people across borders and cultures. He recently retired from advertising and continues to mentor the next generation of marketing leaders as a guest lecturer, most recently at Villanova, UC Irvine, and Duquesne University. His proudest accomplishment, however, is being a dad to two wonderful young ladies. He recently relocated to La Quinta where he lives with his partner, Sarah, and their lab, Bailey. SECRETARY
Carlotta is an internist and geriatrician physician who completed a medical journalism fellowship for the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) following her residency. She worked there for six years as a contributing editor while working part-time in emergency departments, and as an assistant clinical professor at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. She later practiced internal and geriatric medicine. Following an MBA at Northwestern University (Kellogg), she moved into executive hospital quality and chief medical officer positions. Throughout her career she has journaled and participated in several critique groups, writing narratives about patient encounters. In the last 7 years she worked for a health insurance payer, leading clinical teams in accountable care organizations (ACO’s) and JV’s which partnered with major health systems throughout the nation. She retired in 2022. Currently she is uncovering stories from over 400 letters her parents wrote to each other and loved ones during World War II, where her father fought in the Philippine theater and her mother worked as Rosie the riveter in St. Louis. She also mentors start-up teams launching innovative healthcare technologies. TREASURER, MEMBERSHIPKathy Weyer kathy.weyer@att.net ![]() Kathy Weyer is a writer, having retired from many different professions including Human Resources Administration, Marriage and Family Counseling, and running several non profit agencies. Her experiences in those roles have given her fodder for writing fiction and some fact-based articles that have run in national magazines. A native San Diegan, she recently moved to Palm Springs with her husband of 40 years. She is involved with the Palm Springs Rotary Club, the Friends of the Palm Springs Library, Voices For Children, and devotes her time to creative arts and animal welfare.She lives with her husband and two black labs named Nick and Nora, a black cat named Freddie, who is her office mate and is sometimes helpful, but not always, at the keyboard, and a cockatiel named Socrates.You can find Kathy at www.kathyweyer.com or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/kathyweyerauthor. DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Judalon discovered her passion for history when she was ten. She opened her great-grandfather’s old hump-backed trunk and found a law book and a Texas history from the 1850s. It was love. That love grew to embrace all things antiquarian: books, textiles, jewelry, and furniture, just to list a few. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Anthropology, she went on to become a Social Sciences teacher in California. Her passion for lovely old things led her to extra jobs: opening vintage shops, including a rare book store. |
Support and Volunteer Staff WRITING LABS COORDINATOR EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIP COORDINATOR Mark E. Anderson WebEditorPSWG@GMAIL.COM |