Napa Valley Writers, launched in 2013, is one of the newer branches of the California Writers Club (CWC).
Meet the members of the CWC Central Board.
CWC Central Board Officers and Appointees
Compiled by Linda Brown
President – David George, Mt. Diablo. During his 10 years of membership, Dave has held a number of board-level positions at both Mt. Diablo and Berkeley branches, as well as the Central Board. In 2009, Mt. Diablo awarded him lifetime member status, which means he no longer pays dues but has all the duties and privileges of active membership. Dave’s writing career includes short stories, poems, and nonfiction. He explores the ironies found during his 30-year high tech business career and his encounters with the wildlife of rural California. Among his many awards, he recently received First Place in the CWC- San Francisco/Peninsula’s Jack London Annual Writing Contest. He is currently writing a novel based on his Irish ancestral roots and an anthology of modern fables about the natural world.
Vice-President – Margie Yee Webb, Sacramento. Author/photographer of Cat Mulan’s Mindful Musings: Insight and Inspiration for a Wonderful Life, and Producer of FEMME: Women Healing the World, Margie Yee Webb served as the CB’s Member At-Large, a position appointed by the CB president, from July 2008 – July 2010, and Sacramento Branch President from July 2007 through June 2011. She has been CWC Central Board Vice President since July 2012. In 2011 the Sacramento branch recognized her ongoing contributions with their branch’s Jack London Award for service. She enjoys connecting and sharing with CWC representatives from all branches. Her other memberships include the Cat Writers’ Association and the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter.
Secretary – Joyce Krieg, Central Coast. Author of the Shauna J. Bogart Talk Radio Mystery Series: Murder Off Mike, Slip Cue, and Riding Gain, all from St. Martin’s Minotaur, Joyce joined the CWC in 2004. She currently leads the CWC-NorCal group, designed the new CWC banner, and the CWC tri-fold brochure. She is resurrecting the CB’s newsletter,The Bulletin. Joyce grew up in the South Bay area “before it became Silicon Valley.” After careers as a daily newspaper reporter, television announcer, radio reporter and newscaster, Joyce settled in as promotion director for Sacramento’s KFBK News/Talk 1530. This experience served her well as background material when she started to write a mystery about a crime-fighting, mystery-solving talk radio host. She currently lives in Pacific Grove, where she is a member of the Central Coast branch and is chief-of-staff to her Abyssinian cat, Topaz.
Treasurer – Sharon Svitak, Tri-Valley Writers. Sharon has been a CWC member since 2009. She writes romance novels and is also a member of the Romance Writers of America. Her published works includeLetters to Ethan, Joe’s Story; “A Book of Memories” (Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grieving and Recovery); “Medical Benefits” (Voices of the Valley – Encore). Sharon hasas held three positions at her branch, likes being on the CWC Central Board because she knows her financial skills and experience benefit all the members of the organization. She also serves as the CB’s Membership Chair and produces statewide membership reports.
Member At Large – Ray Malus, San Fernando Valley Branch. Ray joined the CWC in 2009. He writes fiction, poetry, and essays and published “Ashes In Yonkers,” and ‘Stories You’d Give A Shit About — If I Was Famous”. Ray has served as branch Webmaster, Newsletter Editor, and developed the Member Record Management System (MRMS) that is now used by all branches and the CB. He serves on the CWC-CB because he believes that our greatest strength lies in our state-wide unity.Ray also designed and administered the Member Record Management System (MRMS) that saves volunteers lots of time and makes it easy for those who want to share contact information a way to connect within their branch.
Public Relations Director – Donna McCrohan Rosenthal, East Sierra. Donna joined the East Sierra Branch CWC in 1998 where she has held the positions of president, secretary and program chair. At the CWC regional level, she chairs CWCSouth (www.socalwritersshowcase.com). At the CWC state level, she serves as a representative on the Central Board and from 2009-2010, oversaw the CWC Centennial.Donnahas written for newspapers throughout California and national magazines including Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Bakersfield Magazine, Desert Companion, and AAA Car & Travel Monthly. She authored over a dozen books aimed at preserving popular culture. One, The Honeymooners Companion: The Kramdens and the Nortons Revisited, became a classic of its kind and has remained in print for 20 years. She has appeared on A&E Biography and Oprah and spoken at the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Television and Radio.
Literary Review Editor – Dave LaRoche, South Bay. Dave LaRoche has represented the South Bay Branch at the Club’s Central Board for six years. During that time he has spearheaded several changes in CB, including using the Internet to conduct official business and reducing expenses. Dave also serves as VP of South Bay, has served as branch president 2007-8 through 2010-11, and was the editor of WritersTalk, the South Bay newsletter the preceding three years. He currently serves as the CB’s Standards and Policy Chair, established and edits the annual CWC Literary Review. Until January, he administered the CB’s electronic discussion forum. Dave also founded and for three years chaired the NorCal Group, a regional association of Northern California Branches bent on furthering communication and activities among the twelve northern branches. Dave is a fiction writer with some thirty short stories completed or published. He just finished the first draft of a novel he plans to release this year. He says he holds the CWC responsible for his writing enthusiasm and success, and for his healthy longevity, he credits “a good cigar”.