Speaker Bios
Keynote Speakers
Brooke Warner
Opening Keynote Speaker
Rob Edwards
Closing Keynote Speaker
Rob Edwards has written two classic animated films for Walt Disney Feature Animation 鈥� the Academy Award, and Golden Globe-nominated The Princess and the Frog, and the Academy Award-nominated Treasure Planet. In 2025, he has three films being released 鈥� Marvel鈥檚 Captain America: Brave New World, Sneaks, and The King of Kings. Rob also consulted on Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph, and Frozen and wrote and directed the award-winning animated short film The Park Bench. He is currently writing projects for Universal, Showtime, and Sony.
Rob is a 20-year veteran of television, where he wrote and produced several television shows, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Full House, A Different World, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Roc, and In Living Color. His graphic novel, Defiant, a best seller in three categories on Amazon, is currently being made into a motion picture by Legion M. Rob is an adjunct professor of screenwriting at the School of Cinematic Arts at USC and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where he also serves on the SUMA Advisory Council.
Conference Presenters
(listed alphabetically by last name)
Mira Advani Honeycutt
She is the co-author of the recently released book, Sideways Uncorked: The Perfect Pairing of Film & Wine and the author of California鈥檚 Central Coast, The Ultimate Winery Guide: From Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. Mira is the curator of The Winemakers of Paso Robles and content curator and writer on Signature Wines & Wineries of Coastal California.
Patricia Alexander
Editor and award-winning author, Patricia Alexander calls her 49-year career fulfilling and 鈥渆clectic.鈥� Her experience includes being an inspirational speaker, a humorist, a newspaper columnist, a freelance writer, a movie and TV reviewer, and a journalist.
Patricia says she even 鈥渇inally鈥� wrote a book: The Book of Comforts: Simple, Powerful Ways to Comfort Your Spirit, Body & Soul, with her late husband, Michael Burgos. An inspirational self-help, it went on to win the Benjamin Franklin Finalist Award for Best Spiritual Book (available for free to non-profits).
Semi-retired, Patricia is now a freelance book editor, and also leader of her Writing Support Group on Zoom, where she guides writers to improve their projects as well as understand the marketing and business of writing.
She adds, however, that her mate, Robert, would dispute the semi-retired part. But, hey! Does a writer/editor ever really retire?
Patricia says, 鈥淣ah! But don鈥檛 tell Robert.鈥�
Tracy Badua
Teri Bayus
Before the world shifted, Teri graced television screens with Taste Buds, celebrating chefs' talents worldwide. For two decades, she savored the roles of food and film critic, and for six years, she led the Central Coast Writers Conference as its executive director. Through countless writing and marketing classes, her passion for nurturing creativity has touched many lives. Teri and her husband reside in Pismo Beach with a mischievous dog, a giant tortoise, five ducks, and three delightful cats. .
Mar铆a Bel茅n Luzuriaga Abad
In Los Angeles, she ran an event production company. As an educator, Mar铆a Bel茅n teaches youth across California, leading workshops at the Cambria Center for the Arts, SLO county libraries, in middle schools, and after-school programs. Her live looping classes empower participants to build rich soundscapes in real time鈥攗sing sound as a tool for both creativity and storytelling.
Dayna Bennett
As an educator, Dayna works with teens, guiding them towards their future goals and aspirations. When she isn't running all over the hills of the Central Coast, Dayna advocates for the Western Monarch Butterfly and volunteers with the Land Conservancy of SLO. Her first novel, A Light Left Behind, is a contemporary romance with elements of the supernatural.
Debbie Black
Kerra Bolton
Before filmmaking, Kerra was an acclaimed political journalist. That work taught her how systems move and how power hides. As a writing instructor, she鈥檚 led courses that inspire creative courage, including Writing with the Ancestors, which sparked an international writing group and a forthcoming anthology. She splits her time between Mexico and the U.S., where she leads her film company, Woodbine Ventures.
Kevin Carver
His debut novel, The Forbidden Parallel, is the first entry in a planned trilogy and was released in 2025 from Provender Press. When he鈥檚 not weaving tales or crafting immersive soundtracks to accompany his writing, you can find him chasing the sunset with his family on the California coast. Find Kevin online at .
Carol Chenot
Carol Chenot is a multifaceted professional from Arroyo Grande, California. She is known for her diverse roles as an entrepreneur, book designer, and community leader. She retired from a 35-year corporate career in Learning & Development where she held senior roles in Executive Development. She has a B.S. from Taylor University and an M.S. in Health Care Administration.
Carol values lifelong learning, and artificial intelligence is now the focus of her business, She designs workshops and offers consulting to make learning new tools (like AI) accessible, understandable and useful for small businesses and solopreneurs. Since 2006, Carol has been deeply committed to her community in the Five Cities where she lives with her husband Ross. She volunteers with Womenade, supporting women and families in need, and she also serves as President of the 5 Cities Women鈥檚 Network.
Kayla Cichello
la Cichello is an agent at Upstart Crow Literary specializing in children鈥檚 literature
from picture books through young adult. She is searching for those voices that make
her laugh and keep the page turning.
Some of her clients include Lupe Ruiz-Flores, author of The Pecan Sheller (Lerner)
and Kirbi Fagan, author/illustrator of The Big Empty (Lerner) and illustrator of the
New York Times Bestselling A Horse Named Sky (Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2023).
Eldonna Edwards
Author Eldonna Edwards is a beloved alumni presenter at CCWC. A born communicator, her engaging personality and warm encouragement consistently win over the hearts and minds of attendees. Whether it鈥檚 writing, editing, finding an agent, negotiating a deal, or marketing your book, Eldonna鈥檚 lively workshops are designed to engage participants in all aspects of the writing process. As both a traditionally-published and indie author of memoir and fiction and an independent editor, she鈥檚 dedicated to helping others learn from her experience and benefit from her successes.
Eldonna鈥檚 memoir Lost in Transplantation chronicles a life-changing decision to donate a kidney to an ailing stranger. Her best-selling novels This I Know and Clover Blue both released to rave reviews. Eldonna is also the subject of the award-winning documentary "Perfect Strangers" that follows one kidney patient and one potential kidney donor in their search for a possible match.
Brenna Humphreys
Brenna Humphreys owns Concentric 360, a marketing strategy agency dedicated to working with architects and nonprofits. She's an NYU Tisch grad with an MFA in Creative Fiction from Antioch Los Angeles, and has earned advertising awards for creative direction. Her fiction and creative nonfiction have been published in the LA Times, Inman News, Kelp Journal, Southern Missouri Press Proud to Be, and others.
Brenna has been an active member of the UCLA Word Commandos and SLO NightWriters. Being a good literary citizen is important to her, so she also serves as President of Central Coast Passport Rotary. She has a blog with her husband about prostate cancer on Substack. When not writing, Brenna spends endless hours walking her enormous dog Odin and trying to master her tennis serve. Find more info at
Luke Johnson
Kalyn Josephson
Lisa Diane Kastner
Lisa Diane Kastner is the Founder of Running Wild, LLC, a content creation, distribution, and licensing company. Featured in FORBES and several other publications, she鈥檚 been named to multiple 鈥淏est of鈥漵. A writer and editor for more than twenty years, she has identified talent including Jamie Ford鈥檚 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Shay Galloway鈥檚 The Valley of Sage and Juniper, and many other authors whose works have been named groundbreaking in their respective genres.
Lisa began Running Wild with the belief that we can change the world through storytelling.
Danny Laker
Her creative background in a Master of Arts in Media Studies, paired with her unique entrepreneurial approach and proven track record as a business leader, her access to a global network of decision makers and ability to connect the dots, are invaluable assets to bringing a film鈥檚 vision to life. Danny鈥檚 involvement in various film productions spans from writing, producing, and acting. This combination led her to found the CinVest platform to support independent filmmakers and the cinematic arts, creating high-value productions with a high return on investment for all people involved.
Juan Luzuriaga
Adam Montiel
His shows have been downloaded in all 50 states and in over 100 countries around the world. Adam鈥檚 signature style isn鈥檛 about asking more questions - it鈥檚 about asking better ones. Based on California鈥檚 Central Coast, Adam is also a live event emcee, producer, and sought-after speaker who believes the best interviews feel less like Q&A鈥� and more like real life unfolding in real time.
Becky Mosgofian
Becky Mosgofian is a seasoned communications professional with 30 years of experience in public relations, marketing, and event planning. As the founder of YOBECKO, Brand Cheerleaders & Storytellers, and a consultant with the Small Business Development Center at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, she empowers entrepreneurs to develop compelling narratives.
Becky holds a degree in Journalism/PR with minors in Business Administration and Studio Art from Cal Poly Humboldt. Her extensive career includes work in television, print, and radio, as well as directing a university alumni relations program and serving as editor-in-chief of its publication before establishing her marketing and PR consulting practice in 2002. She served on the CCWC advisory board for five years and has been a past panelist. Becky is eager to return to CCWC this year to share her proven PR strategies for achieving media success.
Claire Noland
Deborah Paredes
Deborah Pardes is a writer, producer, and facilitator with over 30 years of experience. As VP of Stories & Voices at Swell Audio, she fosters community through transformative audio storytelling, engaging in over 110K Swell conversations. She has designed professional development workshops for organizations like Kaiser Permanente, Warner Brothers, Sony, and Apple. As the founder of Artists for Literacy, she has championed adult literacy, collaborating with the California State 51反差黑料 and artists like Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie.
Deborah has served as a teaching artist at institutions including Oxbow School of Art and Marlborough Prep. A music composer and producer, she has released five CDs and coauthored Climbing Out for Under: A Handbook for Heartbreak. Her latest work includes a children鈥檚 book and music video, Outer Space Balloon.
Mark Parsons
Mark Parsons has written primarily non-fiction for several years, penning over two hundred articles for national publications as well as a pair of non-fiction books before turning to book-length fiction. His first YA novel ROAD RASH (Knopf/Random House) was named to the ALA鈥檚 Best Fiction for Young Adults list, as well as Bank Street College鈥檚 Best Children鈥檚 Books of the Year list.
His newest novel, THE 9:09 PROJECT (Delacorte/Random House) explores the healing power of art. It was a Kirkus Reviews Best of The Year selection, and a Bank Street Best Children鈥檚 Books of the Year 2023 selection. It has received critical acclaim (Kirkus calls it 鈥淎 brilliant literary portrait鈥ryly funny, extremely intelligent, and sweetly romantic鈥� in a starred review) and is being translated into Russian, Polish, and Chinese. Find more info at @MarkHParsons (X), Mark.Parsons.733 (Facebook) and on YouTube.
Leanne Phillips
Leanne Phillips lives, reads, and writes on California鈥檚 Central Coast. She is an award-winning writer, a professional editor, and a certified book coach in fiction and in memoir. Her work has appeared in publications including the Los Angeles Times, The Rumpus, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. She has served as the editor of literary journals including Kelp Journal and The Coachella Review and has volunteered with nonprofit organizations including Lumina Alliance (formerly RISE), SLO NightWriters, and the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.
Leanne earned an MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts from the University of California at Riverside, Palm Desert. She earned a BA in English, with an emphasis in creative writing and a minor in history, from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a copyediting certificate from the University of California at San Diego.
Skye Pratt
Skye Pratt is a writer, editor, and artist with 15 years of experience in journalism, publishing, and travel writing. Through her company, , she offers freelance writing and editing services for a variety of clients, from publications to independent authors. She also created , a travel blog where she shares stories from the road.
In addition to her writing career, Skye teaches acrylic painting for all ages on her YouTube channel, , and will soon be teaching online art and English classes for teens and preteens. Passionate about creative independence, she enjoys the flexibility of being self-employed and working remotely, allowing her to live and work from anywhere.
Shannon Price
Sara Roahen
Stephanie Roth Sisson
Stephanie Roth Sisson鈥檚 first author-illustrated book, Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos, earned three starred reviews: an SLJ Book of the Year, a Bank Street Best Book, and an Orbis Pictus among other awards. Spring After Spring, a picture book about Rachel Carson, was an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book, NSTA Best Stem, CBC Notable, and JLG Selection.
Stephanie was born in Germany and moved often as a kid. Books were steady companions, teachers, and treasures. Now, she considers it an honor to create books for new generations of kids. In addition to her own books, she has illustrated well over 60 books including The Princess Posey Series written by Stephanie Greene. Her latest illustrated book is Orson and the World鈥檚 Loudest 51反差黑料, written by Laura Gehl. Visit
Terry Sanville
His life as a fiction writer began in 2001. Since then, Terry has written and placed over 350 short stories along with two story collections 鈥� 鈥淎 lot more than Hemingway and Fitzgerald but a lot less than Chekhov,鈥� he says, grinning. He enjoys creating characters with imperfect bodies or minds that somehow make their mark and succeed or fail in memorable ways.
Christiane Schroeter
Christiane is the author of The Unlock Your Potential Collection, including Petite Practice Planner, Discover Your Superpower, and How to Master Your Goals. She hosts The Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast, ranked in the top one percent globally, and has spoken at more than 200 events and conferences around the world. Christiane also teaches marketing, entrepreneurship, and innovation at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. When she is not coaching or writing, you can find her sipping a vanilla caf茅 cr猫me and mapping out big moves with small, intentional steps.
Brian Schwartz
His mission: "to bridge the gap between self-publishers and traditional publishing by applying the proven strategies and techniques of successful independent publishers." Innovating beyond consultation, Brian has developed online platforms that cater to the needs of author publishers and NEW for 2025, he's launching a cutting-edge AI tool specifically designed to give authors an advantage and accelerate their time to market. Using these tools and his expert guidance, Brian continues to transform how independent authors navigate the publishing landscape, staying at the forefront of innovation in publishing.
Lauren C. Snowden
Lauren is a professor of Film Studies at Moorpark College, and serves as program lead for the discipline. Whether directing music videos and web series or writing novels and movies, Lauren鈥檚 passion is to tell transformative stories that encourage and inspire others to embrace life鈥檚 journey with grace and hope.
Tonya Strickland
Now based in the Pacific Northwest, Tonya writes for GigHarborNow.org, a nonprofit community news site serving the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. Her work blends storytelling, history, and first-person narrative with the structure and utility of traditional journalism. Tonya is thrilled to return to SLO for the Central Coast Writers鈥� Conference year after year to reconnect with the writing community where her career began.
Debbie Thomas
Today, she continues to write, travel, and celebrate the chaos of life. Debbie is passionate about storytelling that stirs the senses鈥攚hether through words, meals, or moments. Her work invites readers to savor life鈥檚 messiness with curiosity, courage, and a splash of humor. She鈥檚 currently working on her next book and expanding her coloring book series with special editions created in collaboration with wineries.
Sheila Roberts
Jordan Rosenfeld
M. Golda Turner
M. Golda Turner grew up in Lompoc, California. After attending college at CSU Fresno and law school at Santa Clara University, she lawyered for years as a public defender in Northern California, and now lives and writes in San Luis Obispo County.
Her short stories and poems have appeared in publications such as Kelp Journal, Transitions, and Vision and Verse. M. Golda won a first-place Golden Quill Award in 2023 for her poem 鈥淭he Tomorrow.鈥� She served as Poetry Editor for the The NightWriter Review: Winter 2024/2025. Her term as President of the Coastal Dunes Branch of the California Writers Club since January 2024 completes in June 2025. She volunteers as Sunshine Chair for the SLO NightWriters, and is a member of PEN America. Find more information at
Wendelin Van Draanen
Wendelin Van Draanen is an international award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty traditionally-published titles that range from picture books to YA novels and are enjoyed by readers around the world. Two of her books have been produced as movies, including Flipped which became a Rob Reiner directed Warner Brothers feature film.
Additionally, Wendelin鈥檚 non-fiction book on writing, Hope in the Mail, is an informational and inspirational guide for emerging adult writers, and her most recent novel, The Steps (Holiday House, Sept 2, 2025), is a YA thriller described as 鈥淩iverdale meets The Queen鈥檚 Gambit.鈥� To learn more about Wendelin鈥檚 work, visit , find her on social platforms at , or visit Coffee With The Authors on YouTube.
Laurie Woodward
Laurie Woodward is a multi-award-winning author and screenwriter whose published works include Time Murmurations, Finding Joy, The Artania Chronicles series, Forest Secrets, and numerous short stories and poems. Across every project, Laurie champions hope, resilience, and empowerment, showing that true strength is found in staying authentic鈥攚hether facing bullies in the real world or dark forces in fantasy.
Her work has won awards from the Writers of the Future Contest, been featured in A Hudson View Poetry Digest, and reached the screen through projects like the anti-bullying DVD Resolutions. She also co-wrote the memoir Dean and JoJo: The Dolphin Legacy, featured in the IMAX film Dolphins, Robin Williams鈥� In the Wild, and Animal Planet. A former bilingual teacher and peace consultant, Laurie鈥檚 lifelong mission is to inspire others through art. She believes that when creativity is nurtured, it can birth incredible things.