Under the leadership of professors Trina Sotirakopulos and Tony Bowers, College of DuPage’s Creative Writing Certificate is guided by business leaders and subject matter experts.
- Bonniejean Alford, MA (Sociology and Communication), Brand, Identity, and Word Strategist, Alford Enterprises: Through her speaking engagements and writing of various styles and genres, Bonniejean Alford, MA (Sociology and Communication) guides others to understand identity – their own and society’s. She believes people should know who they are, own it, and then share it boldly and beautifully with the world. Bonniejean pens articles and ebooks, maintains an Academic Blog devoted to Social Justice, hosts a podcast radio show about identity (Life’s a Blank), once taught college students how to write about Sociology, and manages a newly launched publishing company (Parking Lot Press). Her memoir, Life’s a Concert, has a planned release date of August 2024. As an educator, Bonniejean was named the 2022 NCHE-NEA Higher Educator of the Year and as a writer, she is a 2024 Silver Anthem co-Awardee.
- Rodney Fair is the Technology Coordinator for Power Rogers LLP, a personal injury law firm in downtown Chicago. He manages end user, device, and applications support for the firm. He is currently writing Information Security as part of a new Cybersecurity Education and Training initiative. He will graduate from College of DuPage in the Spring of 2024. He hopes to encourage future Creative Writing Certificate students at COD as a continuing member of the Advisory Committee.
- Chad Pedigo, Vice President of Development, DuPage Pads
- Kristin Senne, Executive Director – Humanitarian Service Project: Kristin spent 15 years in logistics management before joining the Humanitarian Service Project in 2012 and became the Executive Director in 2013. Kristin is responsible for the strategic planning, donor engagement, fundraising execution, and management of the operation. Through creative writing Kristin shares the stories of need and impact of giving with the community. She supports students in the Creative Writing Certificate program so they can utilize their skills to grow non-profit and for-profit businesses.
- Susan Winstead is the author of essays and short fiction as well as a playwright. Her essays and short stories have been published in numerous anthologies with one anthology - Veterans Voices: Personal Stories of Combat and Peace being placed in the White House Library. She has received numerous writing awards in local and national competitions. Two of her three full-length plays have had professional readings through Chicago Dramatists. She is the recipient of writing scholarships through Chicago Dramatists, the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and a Writing Retreat with playwright Paula Vogel. Susan is a past President, Program Chair, and Summer Program Chair with Off Campus Writers Workshop where she scheduled and coordinated nationally and internationally recognized writers and authors to speak and instruct at weekly workshops. She currently serves as President of Janes Stories Press Foundation, an international writing forum for women writers.