Meet the Directors

Board of Directors

Marian Blue, Secretary, worked as a journalist/essayist for 20 years before publishing fiction and poetry. Her work has appeared in US and overseas newspapers, magazines and books. She has also worked as editor for newspapers, magazines, online publications and books, including Whidbey Island Writers Association’s (WIWA) anthology Sea of Voices, Isle of Story and the organization’s new magazine Soundings Review. A charter member of WIWA, she has served on the Conference team and the design committee of the WWW MFA Program. Whidbey Island inspires her work and play with its myriad educational, artistic and recreational activities and the zeal of the many volunteers who keep the community thriving. She teaches English/Communication for Skagit Valley Community College, South Whidbey Center and Writers Online Workshops (Ohio). She lives deep in the woods with her husband, Wayne Ude, five dogs adopted from shelters and Crow (who is a crow)

Candace Dillman

Antoinette Grove, Treasurer, is the author of many published short stories, humorous essays and poetry. With decades of experience in community service, she has served on the executive boards of a local cooperative preschool, her homeowners association and, for the past six years, the Whidbey Island Writers Association. She also served two years on the Program Delivery Counsel at Eastgate Elementary School, was a member of the planning board for the South Whidbey/Mercer Island Service Unit of Girl Scouts Totem Council for five years and has remained active as a volunteer in several art and literacy programs at the primary school level. Since 1987, she and her husband have owned and operated a small interstate moving business. Grove has been involved in development of the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Program from the beginning, serving on the MFA Program Design Committee.

Mary Ellen Jones

Jo Meador

Bobbi Sandberg

Susan Wilmoth, President, founding member of WIWA and former secretary of the board, brings 21 years of legal, administrative and organizational experience to the Whidbey Island Writers Association. She currently works for an attorney in Langley and serves on the boards of the Everett Civic Music Community Concerts and the Whidbey Island Chorale. Wilmoth is currently working on a collection of short stories, poetry and…the great American novel.

Past Board Members
Candace Allen

Winfred G. Allen, Ph.D.
Deloris Ament
Linda Beeman
Marian Blue

Linda Casale

Cameron Castle
Whitney Christiansen
Elizabeth Engstrom
Ned Goodhue
Toni Grove

Donna Hood
JoAnn Kane

Garr Kuhl
Andrea Leebron-Clay
Gail Madden
Sherry Mays
Don McQuinn
Jerry Mercer
Celeste Mergens
Karol Payne
Nancy Ruff
Bill Russell
Victory Schouten
Wayne Ude