PARTICIPATING MENTORS

2024 Participating Mentors

Below is a list of mentors for the 2024 conference. Please note that this list, as in past years, is subject to change. All of our mentors are volunteers who offer their time and experience to aspiring writers and illustrators. There are sometimes unforeseeable last minute circumstances that may result in a mentor's cancellation.

NOTE: Some of our council members will also mentor at this year's conference.

Editors and Agents

• Paul Acampora, Author
• Foyinsi Adegbonmire, Editor, Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan 
• Stacey Barney, Executive Editor, Putnam/Penguin Random House 
• Marilyn Brigham, Senior Editor, Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids
• Andrea Cascardi, Senior Literary Agent, Transatlantic Media 
• Peter Catalanotto, Author/Illustrator
• Jill Davis, Editorial Director, Hippo Park/Astra Books for Young Readers
• Amy Thrall Flynn, Agent, Aevitas Creative Management
• Shannon Gallagher, Associate Agent, Wernick & Pratt
• Erica George, Author
• Alexandra Houdeshell, Editorial Assistant, Little. Brown Books for Young Readers
• Laura Kincaid, Assistant Editor, Holiday House 
• Lauren Kisare, Assistant Editor, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Thalia Leaf, Associate Editor, Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers 
• Gail Carson Levine, Author
• Sean McCarthy, Agent, Sean McCarthy Literary Agency 
• Claire Morance, Agent, Painted Words
• Janna Morishima, Agent, Janna Co. Literary Agency 
• Kortney Nash, Assistant Editor, Godwin Books/Macmillan 
• Lesléa Newman, Author 
• Lydia Nguyen, Assistant Editor, Abrams Comic Arts
• Anuoluwapo Ohioma, Editor, Freedom Fire and Disney Hyperion
• Annette Pollert-Morgan, Executive Editor, Sourcebooks
• Tova Seltzer, Editorial Assistant, Neal Porter Books/Holiday House
• Tracy Shaw, Art Director, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Ivan Taurisano, Associate Editor, Abrams Children's Books
• Amy Toth, Associate Art Director, Holiday House
• Christian Vega, Editorial Assistant, HarperCollins Children's Books
• Anqi Xu, Literary Assistant, Writers House