Current Students

Rai Ahmed-Green

Creative Nonfiction '21

Rai Ahmed-Green is committed to writing about the struggle and necessity of finding joy where it exists. Her writing explores the nature of truth in memory, often captured in essays about home, nature, love, and grief. Her current projects include a collection of nonfiction essays about love in its many facets and an Afrofuturistic novel that questions the relationship between God and humanity.

Sanne Bergh

Creative Nonfiction '22

Sanne Bergh is a first-generation American writer who grew up on the coast of Half Moon Bay with roots in the Netherlands. She lived in Hawaii for the better part of her twenties, joined Peace Corps in Mongolia, hiked from Mexico to Canada, and is both a dog and cat person. She has a BA in Literary Journalism from UC Irvine.

Tanya Castro

Poetry '21

Tanya Castro is a LA born Pisces but was raised in Oakland, California. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Poetry at Saint Mary's College of California. She loves to travel, the show Friends, and her dog Oreo. Tanya's work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Acentos Review, Anser Journal, Floresta Magazine, and FEED Lit Mag.

Eric Christiansen

Poetry '21

Eric Christiansen is a poet from Northern New Jersey currently living in Oakland, California. His writing has been featured in the Brick City Speaks series and can be found in Small Orange Literary Journal. When Eric is not writing or working, he enjoys playing soccer, skateboarding, hiking, and making music.

Anneke Cronander

Fiction '21

Anneke, a mother of three gifted and challenging boys, is a fifth generation San Franciscan. She holds bachelors degrees in psychology and creative writing from Seattle University. She is a cancer survivor and dog person.

Sandra Cross

Poetry '22

Sandy Cross lives in Stinson Beach, and is a retired lawyer, a grandmother, beach walker, mountain hiker, gardener, a member of the Board of the Marin Poetry Center, and is thrilled to be returning to her first love, poetry.

Katie Doarn

Fiction, '22

Originally from Ohio, originally originally from Virginia, Katie is new to the Bay Area and excited to pursue her MFA in Fiction. When she’s not buried in a book, she can be found exploring the natural world or baking cinnamon rolls. YA is her jam, and she hopes to one day publish a novel or two.

Mikaela Dunitz

Creative Nonfiction '21

Mikaela Dunitz is a writer and teacher living in Berkeley, CA. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Creative Nonfiction at Saint Mary’s College. Mikaela writes about fractures in families and the often fraught mosaic of female sexuality.

Natalie Dunn

Poetry '21

Natalie Dunn is a writer living in Berkeley. Her work can be found in the Kenyon Review, Siglio Press, Pithead Chapel, and the Atticus Review. She likes swimming in the bay in the mornings.

Loisa Fenichell

Poetry '22

Loisa Fenichell is a graduate of Purchase College (SUNY), where she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature. Her work has been featured or is forthcoming in various publications, such as Winter Tangerine Review, The Rising Phoenix Review, Porridge Magazine, The Nervous Breakdown, and more. Her debut collection, 'all these urban fields,' was released July of 2019 by nothing to say press.

Edith Friedman

Poetry '22

After trying her hand at lawyering, organizing, and managing projects for social change, Edith is thrilled to be writing instead of wishing she were writing. When not at the computer, she enjoys her adventurous family, making dinners and dust-catchers, and dancing.

Julia Gardner

Poetry '21

Julia Gardner is a poet and former teacher from the DC area. She organized the Liquid Arts writer’s workshop in Busan, South Korea where she performed spoken word. She is passionate about education, mental health, and feminist issues. When she’s not writing, she can be found running or discovering new music.

Jenyth Gearhart-Utchen

Poetry '21

Jenyth serves as the Poet Laureate of San Ramon, and her poetic work includes traditional and experimental forms for multiple voices and occasions. A multi-genre writer and teacher, she recently completed a memoir about the first class of recruited female athletes at Stanford. Volleyball is her life metaphor.

Nick Golden

Creative Nonfiction & Fiction '21

Self-proclaimed (and frequently mentioned) nerd - Nick loves books, movies, sports, history, being weird, and poor timing with laughs. Some authors he likes are Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, and J. R. R. Tolkien – just some underground authors. He lives in Oakland and works for a NPO in Alameda.

Daisy He

Creative Nonfiction '21

Daisy He was born in a town along the Yangtze River, China. She studied in Beijing and Texas, and worked in Shanghai. She believes writing is to communicate with one's inner self.

Kathleen Herald

Fiction '21

Kathleen loves The Beach Boys, Mister Rogers, chocolate cake, middle-of-the-day showers and being an enneagram 7. If you meet her, she will probably ask you to list five things that you love too.

Danielle Herrera

Fiction '22

Dani is from the simmering Central Valley of California and graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 2018 with her BA in English. She writes short stories and flash fiction, and her work is forthcoming in Crack the Spine. If not writing, find her listening to true crime podcasts or napping in the sun.

Joe Imwalle

Poetry '21

Joe has been reading and writing poetry for over 25 years. His poems have rarely left his journal. Now they want out. Some favorite poets are W.S. Merwin, Denise Levertov, Kenneth Rexroth, Heather McHugh, Jim Harrison. In addition to writer, he’s a dad/husband/friend/teacher/musician/hiker/cyclist.

Marrion Johnson

Fiction '21

Marrion is a Black, queer writer based out of Oakland, California. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Marrion utilizes fiction to examine the complex realities facing Black communities including memory, legacy and freedom.

Connor McCaslin

Fiction '21

Connor grew up in Austin, Texas, an aspiring engineer by all accounts - robotics, programming, the works. However, an inciting incident occurred along the way, and now he has BAs in Theatre and Creative Writing from Colorado College. He likes stories, perspectives, and the most implausible and insurmountable of conflicts. He blames his grandmother.

Roulon McClennon

Fiction '22

As a novelist, screenwriter, poet and journalist, Roulon has a penchant for writing great stories that he really feels passionate about. With 14 screenplays, over a two dozen poems and a novel with another novel on the way, Roulon has clearly established his path toward living his dream in writing.

Courtney Metz

Fiction '21

Courtney is a mother and wife. She took the windy road – getting her BA in Studio Art at UCSB before pursuing her true passion in life: writing. A lover of fantasy and science fiction, she found her way back to the written word by playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Megan Jade Mock Noble

Creative Nonfiction '22

An East Bay native, Megan grew up in El Cerrito and studied English and Creative Writing at UC Berkeley. She spent her high school years and college summers at her local pool, teaching swim lessons. When she’s not writing or in the water, Megan can be found anywhere in the sun, probably singing Taylor Swift.

Joseph Patterson

Creative Nonfiction '21

My name is Joey. I am from Dublin, California and have lived there my whole life. When I’m not hitting the books, I like to swim, play baseball, or do anything else sporty. I’m also very passionate about music and playing guitar. I love people and making new friends, so say “hi” or start a conversation with me!

Lizette Roman-Johnston

Creative Nonfiction '21

Lizette Roman-Johnston is a New England–born writer of creative nonfiction and satire. Her interests include mental health advocacy, Harry Styles, and her cat Stompy. Lizette is a softball coach, a writing instructor, and the social media manager of MARY: A Journal of New Writing. Her work has appeared in The Oakland Arts Review, The Daily Drunk, and The Sad Girl Review.

Kiran Bains Sahota

Fiction '21

Kiran Bains Sahota is a California native who recently graduated from UC Berkeley with her BA in English. Kiran uses storytelling to speak on the cultural realities facing South Asian communities and often explores the qualities of the human condition that sustain life. Her work has been in issues of the Cosumnes River College Journal, CollegeMagazine.com, as well as her own site, SunsetDahlia.com.

Jon Seiser

Creative Nonfiction '22

Jon is a California native and military veteran. He loves good strong coffee, a cool ocean breeze and the solitude of the open road.

Ryan Shepherd

Fiction '21

Ryan is an SMC double alumnus and a WAC Fellow. He seeks to write heartfelt, character-driven fiction and works that revitalize fantasy and science fiction for the 21^st century. He believes strongly in the power of imagination, and that works of the creative mind have the potential to speak deep truths of the human condition while also being engaging and accessible.

Jacqueline Hughes Simon

Poetry '21

Jacqueline Hughes Simon lives, works, and writes in Berkeley, California. But she would rather be in the mountains.

AJ Strosahl

Fiction '21

AJ Strosahl is a writer and small business owner who lives and works in Oakland, CA. Her short story, 'Dayton', was long listed for the Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction in 2020 and her story, '57 Days', placed second in the NYC Midnight Fiction competition in 2019. Her nonfiction has been featured by Women 2.0 and other online outlets. She's currently at work on her first novel and a collection of stories that explores the myriad ways humans try to understand animal consciousness.

Kassandra Tate

Fiction '21

After graduating from SMC with a Bachelors in Integrated Studies, Kasandra is returning for a Masters in Creative Writing. She’s pursuing a career in creative writing. She found inspiration for her poems The Shape of Women and Applaud the Teenage Mother during her studies abroad in Ireland. She is a dedicated, enthusiastic, and passionate wordsmith and teller of tales.

Anna Nicole Torres

Fiction '22

Bouncing from San Diego to Mexico and back again, Anna is a recent graduate of UC Davis who only recently decided to pursue an MFA in creative writing. But for years she’s cultivated a passion for writing and is eager for more experience! When she’s not writing, Anna loves to travel (having visited twelve countries and counting!), visit Disneyland with friends, or sit down and watch a good movie.

Jo Unruh

Creative Nonfiction '22

After years in the military and private sector, Jo broke from her external programming to pursue her dream of being a writer. Jo has a B.S. in English from Annapolis and an MBA from ASU. Through her writing, she hopes to empower others to speak up and to be authentic.

Dakota Valdez

Poetry '21

Dakota received her BA in English from St. Mary’s in 2017. She enjoys writing poetry and memoir. Dakota is a high school English teacher in the Bay Area, as well as a local artist. She paints bridal jackets, bakes a mean dessert, and always has a quote for every occasion.

Soledad Vargas

Poetry '22

Soledad is a California native with a BA in communication studies from Stanislaus State. She mostly writes confessional poetry so the best way to know her is through her writing. Music, plants, trying new recipes, and resting make her happy.

Wesley Wang

Poetry '22

Wesley Wang is a poet from San Francisco and received his BA in English from UC Davis. He is often inspired by everyday experiences and the mundane. In his free time, he enjoys finding new music to listen to, playing video games, and talking with friends.

Samantha Weiland

Creative Nonfiction '22

Samantha is a strong-willed Oregon native with an affinity for rocky road ice cream and spending time in the great outdoors. She would tell you more about herself but she has to take her dog, Bear, for a walk.

Hannah Wohlenberg

Creative Nonfiction '22

As a native Californian who was born in Sacramento, became a dedicated Angeleno during her undergraduate days at Loyola Marymount, and who now claims the SF Bay Area as her home, Hannah is pretty much a move-to-New-York-away from being a brown Joan Didion. In addition to writing, Hannah loves to run, cycle, swim in Lake Tahoe, sip good coffee, and watch sunsets.

Liala Zaray

Poetry '22

Liala is a Bay Area native who recently graduated from UC Davis with an English major. Her work touches on inter-generational trauma carried through the Afghan diaspora and the responsibility of healing. She appreciates a good cup of chai and loves listening to the rubab.

Katie Zeigler

Fiction '22

Katie M. Zeigler is a writer and professor living in Walnut Creek, CA.. She received her BA and MA in English from Stanford University and can't wait to be a student again after (ahem) many years. She serves as the Literary Consultant for Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette and, when not writing, she keeps busy educating her teenage sons on the wonders of 80s music.

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Curated and hosted by a committee of graduate students, the Graduate Student Reading Series showcases the dynamic and welcoming arts community here at Saint Mary’s College.

Thank you to this year's Graduate Student Reading Series Committee.

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