Celebrate International Women's Day this 2026 with our inspiring female authors.
SUSAN HARTMAN
Susan Hartman is a former healthcare executive who now serves as an executive leadership coach. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Brian and their two dogs, Louie and Poppy. Susan’s debut children’s book is inspired by the true story of Poppy the puppy who was lost for 15 days, and the incredible efforts it took to bring her home. A proud mother of two grown children, Susan is thrilled to share this heartwarming adventure with young readers and donate a portion of the proceeds to pet rescue organizations.
JANET HOLASEK WORRALL
Janet E. Holasek Worrall grew up on a farm in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, then a rural area southwest of the Twin Cities. She received her B.A. from Hamline University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Indiana University where she specialized in Latin American history. She was a professor of history at the University of Northern Colorado, teaching for over 30 years. Her research and publications focused on Latin America, Immigration, Italian and German Prisoners of War, and Italian immigration in the Denver area. Janet lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband Arthur and their three children. In 2015, she and Arthur moved to Parker, Colorado, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Janet presently volunteers at History Colorado and enjoys working on its Italian American Preservation collection. In her spare time, she participates in two book clubs, a choir, and continues her lifetime hobby of gardening, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and more, and tending her twenty African violets.
GAIL SONNESYN
Gail Sonnesyn was a teacher and school administrator for 20 years prior to becoming a certified breathwork practitioner and breathing coach. After healing from a life-threatening disease as a young adult, she founded Indigo Breath and Wellness to help others recognize the importance of releasing stress from the physical body in order to maintain good health. Gail finds refuge in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and is the proud mother of twin daughters.
CARRIE DAWN
Carrie Dawn was born in New York, graduated from California State University of Northridge with a BA in Liberal Arts, and has been an Early Child Development Educator for over 35 years. Discovering the joy and enthusiasm of preschoolers is her greatest inspiration, and reading stories from Wiggleberry World has been a lifelong dream. Carrie is also an award-winning Fine Art Photographer and Light Painter. She currently resides in San Diego, California, and is the proud mother of two young-adult daughters.
BETH DOKOLASA
Beth Dokolasa holds a master’s degree in communication management and has built a career in the natural food industry, specializing in training development. A devoted cat lover, she volunteers with the Cat Care Society in Denver, Colorado, where she has served in various roles, including on the Board of Directors. Beth lives in the Denver Foothills with her husband Paul, their daughter Ellie, and their two cats Techno and Digit.
AMELIA JOHNSON
Amelia Johnson is both a creative and a creator: an interior designer, an artist, a writer, and a woodworker. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and sociology, and a diploma in interior design. Born and raised in Canada, she now lives in the United States with her husband and is the happiest when hiking in the forest.
JANET SHEILA COOPERMAN
Dr. Sheila Cooperman is a retired English Language Arts teacher with a PhD in Literacy. She invariably turns to writing to express either her love or ache with issues stemming from losing both her mothers, having children, dealing with divorce, and more recently coping with the death of her Boykin Spaniel. Through the power of words and books, Sheila aims to help others manage grief and adversity.
MICHELLE TRAM
Michelle Tram is originally from Southern California and studies medicine and the humanities in Upstate New York. She is passionate about enriching the diversity of appearances represented in children’s books and hopes her work will broaden the way young readers see themselves and others.
BRIANNA FLORENCE
Brianna Florence earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and enjoys sharing her love for science. She created the Chemistry Saves The Day book series to encourage children to think about chemistry in a fun way. Brianna hopes that her young readers discover the importance of science in everything we do.
KAREN DROPPS
Karen Dropps, author of the young-adult historical fiction My Elbert, holds a master’s degree in Heritage Studies for a Global Society and a graduate certificate in Museum Studies from Regis College, Weston, Massachusetts. Karen followed adventurous careers in academia, museums, and cub scouts. She grew up in New England and now resides in the mountains of Colorado, where she enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with her family and cats.
ELLEN MATIS
Ellen Matis is a Pennsylvania-based author and community advocate whose love of small towns and storytelling inspires her work. With a background in communications and placemaking, she is the founder of Hello Social Co. and the author of the Ellie Mae Explores series which celebrates the charm and character of rural life.
ALEXANDRA ELKHOURY
Alexandra Elkhoury is a Palestinian-Lebanese author with a lifelong passion for reading and storytelling. Since discovering her love for classic literature at a very young age, she has channeled her emotions and experiences into writing. Her work primarily focuses on mental health, exploring its complexity and the many layers that shape human journeys. Beyond writing, Alexandra is an advocate for women’s empowerment, using her voice to champion social causes. Through her heartfelt stories, Alexandra hopes to inspire readers to embrace vulnerability and engage with the nuanced realities of mental health and self-discovery.
REBECCA COOPERMAN-GLUCKSMAN
Rebecca Cooperman-Glucksman has an education in Marketing and works in Advertising. She is extremely passionate about dog rescue and animal welfare. Her family has rescued over 50 dogs since 2016. Rebecca lives in Stamford, Connecticut, with her husband Scott, amazing son Jack, and of course, two beagles Bailey and Buddy.
NANCY HALLOWELL
Nancy Hallowell retired from a 35-year career in marketing and public relations working in non-profit trade association, financial services, technology, and healthcare. Today, she is a youth tennis coach, helping kids discover and cultivate their best selves. Nancy has raised and trained service dogs. As an Alliance of Therapy Dogs member, she is a pet therapy volunteer at UC Health in Aurora, CO.
AFSOON KELLY
Afsoon Kelly graduated from CU Boulder in Economics and International Affairs and has worked in finance, technology, and operations in New York, Boston, and now Denver. She loves water sports, playing tennis, hiking, biking, and spending time with family and friends. In her ideal world, every child has a home, healthy food, and can express their talents regardless of race, ethnicity, or finances.
GAYATHRI R WARING
Gayathri R. Waring is first and foremost a mother, as well as a wife and a daughter. A healthcare consultant by trade, she finds ways to improve people’s lives behind the scenes. Gayathri loves spending time with her family and fur babies. She is an avid tennis player, enjoys finding new books and playgrounds with her son, watches movies, and values downtime.
ROBERTA C STONE
Roberta C. Stone is a retired History teacher with a Master’s in Education as well as a journalist for The New York Times, Connecticut Magazine, and The Connecticut Post. Entrepreneurial in nature, she has a jewelry business, a knitted headwear business, and a travel blog. Roberta is the mother of three daughters and grandmother of six.
PEGGY MAASS LABIUK
Peggy Maass Labiuk is a former US National Team Road and Track Racer, who excelled by being tough, smart, and psyched. She shares her cycling acumen as a World Championships medalist (Individual Pursuit), 2x National Champion (Criterium, Kilometer), and World Record Holder (24 Hour Endurance Record, 490.5 miles, human paced) in anecdotes and coaching notables. Her success in such a broad range of events (track, road, US Olympic and World Championships Teams) and having coached from club to elite levels (British National Women’s Endurance Squad) led to the practical execution of the sport psychology plan presented in Cycle Psyched. While Labiuk now rarely competes, she coaches, trains on the velodrome, and still scores some Strava segment QOMs.
KAREN HOOD DELRASO
Karen Hood DelRaso is an avid traveler who combines her love of adventure with her passion for volunteering and the outdoors. She spent more than two years working at a youth center in Zambia, climbed Mt. Rainer for a breast cancer fundraiser, and is involved with many local organizations, including PHW Coatesville, McKaig’s Nature Education Center, African Education Program, and Total Outdoors. Karen enjoys hiking, horseback riding, rowing, and exploring new locations with family and friends.
GINA MOORE
Gina Moore is a professional writer in medical communications and education. As an endurance athlete, she thrives in trail and road running, as well as mountain, gravel, and road biking, racing in more than ten events annually. Gina hopes to move the dial of female representation in outdoor sports by encouraging girls to be brave and adventurous. Her middle-grade novel Catching Air received the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award.
DIANE PETROZZO
Diane Petrozzo is a retired Human Resources professional and teacher who has dedicated her life to rescuing dogs, in particular seniors. Her love for dogs began at the age of six, when a stray followed Diane’s brothers home and was immediately adopted by her family. Diane was a board member and co-foster coordinator at the Retriever Rescue of Colorado, where she continues to volunteer today. Her mission is to highlight the value of senior dogs and to promote their adoption. Diane is an outdoor enthusiast and can always be seen walking her rescue dog, Remy, to the local coffee shop for a pup cup.
DANIELLE LYNCH NICHOLSON
Danielle Lynch Nicholson is an award-winning former newspaper reporter and editor who resides in Pennsylvania with her family. When Danielle finds an unfinished writing assignment from fourth grade in a keepsake box, she decides to complete the story and publishes Bump Under the Rug (2021). The book celebrates imagination and inspires young girls to face their fears. It received the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award and the Readers Favorite 5-Star.
SYLVIE FEGHALI SMITH
Sylvie Feghali Smith immigrated to the USA with her family in the eighties. While acclimating to the culture of her new country, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. and M.E. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Sylvie lives in South Carolina as a proud wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, software engineer, patented inventor, hiker, traveler, yogi, and tennis player. In 2019, Sylvie succeeded in visiting all forty seven South Carolina state parks.
ZEINA HAMAD
Zeina Hamad earned her Master of Education from Marymount University and taught elementary school for over ten years in the United States, Spain, and Dubai. She has always enjoyed reading and learning, especially through travel experiences. Zeina loves the outdoors, dancing, and painting.
LAUREN ZURCHER
Lauren Zurcher was born in Boston, Massachusetts and moved to Denver, Colorado when she was a kindergartner. She attended a bilingual elementary school where classes were taught in both English and French. Lauren began her journey as a lifelong writer at the age of six when she wrote about family vacations across the world in her journal.
