Elmer Meza earned his BA in Economics from Dartmouth College in 2010. After graduation, he spent a year studying Mandarin Chinese at Fudan University in Shanghai. Elmer began his career as an Americorps VISTA member at New York Cares where he helped to build a local volunteer base for select NYC public schools. Since then, he has focused on technology and data management at Prep for Prep, Oliver Scholars, Delivering Good and most recently at The Brotherhood Sister Sol.

Over the past 25 years, Maya Nussbaum has grown Girls Write Now into one of the nation’s leading institutions creating change at the intersection of gender, race, age, and poverty. In addition to being the first writing and mentoring organization of its kind, Girls Write Now continually ranks among the top programs nationwide for driving social-emotional growth for youth. Under Maya’s stewardship, the nationally award-winning nonprofit has mentored the next generation of writers and leaders to impact businesses across industries, shape culture, and change the conversation. Maya has been distinguished three times by the White House, including by the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities and as a White House Champion of Change.

Christine Obiamalu (she/her) is a creative strategist, singer-songwriter, and yoga instructor based in Brooklyn, NY. Born in California and raised in Nigeria, Christine earned her B.M. in Music Business from NYU, where she developed a passion for community-centered arts and youth empowerment. She has worked across digital communications, content strategy, and wellness education, supporting artists, nonprofits, and mission-driven brands. Her work is grounded in the belief that storytelling—whether through music, mentorship, or mindfulness—can transform lives. With experience in performance, creative program design, and digital engagement, she’s passionate about building spaces where underrepresented voices are seen, supported, and celebrated. At Girls Write Now, Christine is excited to bring her love of narrative, community care, and joyful collaboration to the work.

Emily comes to Girls Write Now with experience in both family philanthropy and nonprofit development supporting holistic, community-based work with youth and whole families that advances equity and social justice across Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Emily has a Liberal Arts degree and an MS in Public and Urban Policy Analysis, both from The New School. Emily has lived in New York City since 2007. She is a compulsive bookworm, is always planning her next travel adventure, and has recently taken up surfing.

Ayana Danae Perkins is a Community Coordinator in the Curriculum & Events Department at Girls Write Now. She began at the organization as a Fellow before moving into a key role where she manages the planning and production of Community Studios—monthly, genre- and topic-based workshops curated by members of the GWN community. Ayana also produces the organization’s College Chat events and works within the Curriculum & Events team to support curriculum development and integration into the Learning Management System.

Emily Rigby (she/her) comes to Girls Write Now with a love of writing, meaningful experience developing curriculum for nonprofit organizations, and a long-held belief that there is no limit to the ways that people can express their thoughts and ideas. There is nothing that sparks her interest more than a complicated, messy protagonist whose story challenges and questions the status quo – and long-form,YouTube video essays. She holds a BA in Creative Writing and Psychology from Ithaca College and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and is excited to share her passion for stories in all forms as a member of the Girls Write Now team.

Lisbett Rodriguez (she/her) is a Dominican-American lifelong learner bringing her love of stories, community and service-oriented work. She was previously a Girls Write Now mentee and graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor of Arts in English. As an undergraduate student, she contributed to producing two publications of the Brooklyn College literary magazine, The Junction which provided her with the tools to support in producing the annual Girls Write Now anthology for three years and counting. In August 2022, she became a Salesforce Certified Administrator after developing a strong interest for systems and databases. She’s passionate about work that centers and uplifts women and gender-expansive folx and has previously worked with two women’s organizations, Legal Momentum and the Brooklyn College Women’s Center. In her free time, she enjoys watching feel-good shows, spending time with friends and playing video games.

Erica Silberman fell in love with Girls Write Now when she group-taught a playwriting workshop for them in 2005. Through the years, she has stayed involved with the organization as a mentor, a teacher in various outreach programs, and a member of both the Program Advisory Committee and the Host Committee. Erica has an extensive and wide-ranging background in the theatre as an actress, playwright, director, teacher, acting coach, and producer, as well as experience in the design world. She formerly served as co-president of the Women in the Arts and Media Coalition and on the board of the League of Professional Theatre Women. Erica is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and the Dramatic Question Theatre, where she runs a monthly literary and music salon.

Katie Della Mora is a writer, producer and sketch comedian. Her work has appeared online, at festivals and onstage at UCB and Peoples Improv Theatre NY, Planet Ant in Detroit and more. She has performed Off-Off Broadway, at PIT NYC SketchFests, Quickie Film Fest, UCBT’s Sketch Cram, Del Close Marathon and many more. She’s written for four sketch comedy teams and the short comedic play she co-wrote appeared at UCBT NY in fall of 2019. She has also created content for national brands and digital platforms. She is proud to be a Girls Write Now mentor and enjoys teaching writing and acting.

Kayla Dudley (she/her) is a poet, educator, and artivist dedicated to using storytelling as a tool for social change. A recent graduate from John Jay College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Africana Studies, she explores the intersections of identity, justice, and healing through her work. She is the CEO/Founder of Healotry, a workshop series that invites participants to confront silence and reclaim their voices through creative expression. Her poetry often centers on love, resilience, and the lived experiences of Black women and queer communities. She aspires to continue blending art and advocacy as she pursues her graduates in creative writing and Africana Studies.

Mariah Dwyer is a Girls Write Now mentee alum and a member co-chair of the Editorial Committee for the Print Anthology. She previously worked as a Publicist at Little, Brown and Company and Fortier Public Relations.

Gabriela Galvin is a health journalist based in Washington, D.C., whose work focuses on the relationship between policy and people. Her reporting has taken her across the country, including California’s Central Valley and the Texas-Mexico border, as well as rural communities in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Washington.

Fiona Hernandez graduated from college last year with her B.A. in Journalism. Ever since she was a child, she watched the Today show every morning with her family. That inspired her to go into journalism because she wanted to travel around the world and share other people's stories. She loves to read, write, travel, and meditate. Her passion for journalism, communications, and public relations has shown her that storytelling is a powerful tool. She is excited to share her writing with all of you and create new stories!

Mentor Donna Hill is a multi-published author with more than 90 published titles to her credit. Three of her novels were adapted for television. Most recently, her novel Confessions is B-Flat is be adapted for the screen with Amblin Partners and Executive Producer Octavia Spencer. Donna has an MFA in Creative Writing and is currently an Assistant Professor at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.

A native Brooklynite, Kayah Hodge is a Digital Creator at Macmillan Publishers and member of the Girls Write Now Anthology Committee. The recent alumna of Hamilton College specialized in Creative Writing, honed her voice as a lover of literature, and was recently featured in Carnegie Hall's Afrofuturism display. Outside of writing mixed genre material, Kayah enjoys spending time learning new recipes and cooking with love. Her favorite authors include Jacqueline Woodson, James Baldwin, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She particularly appreciates work that sheds light on immigrant experiences and the vastness of underrepresented cultures.

Becca James in an editor living in Astoria, Queens.

This is Lauren Kiel’s third year as a mentor with Girls Write Now. She works at Bloomberg Media, where she is general manager for Bloomberg Green, an editorial brand focused on climate news and analysis. Lauren enjoys reading and caring for her plants, and she looks forward to getting to travel again soon.

Vahni Kurra (she/hers) hails from disparate parts of the American Midwest with roots in Southern India. She recently earned a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Kenyon College, where she co-edited Hika, Kenyon’s oldest, student-run literary magazine. Vahni’s work centers on themes of displacement, and her personal essay, “Banana Republic,” was published in Oyster River Pages. She is currently the book review editor for Sweet: A Literary Confection. Vahni has always been a strong advocate for the rights of women and trans* folks, as she has interned for NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and helped facilitate a peer support program for Kenyon students impacted by sexual assault. Vahni is excited to blend her passions for gender equality and creative writing as she works with Girls Write Now to ensure that all mentees have the same opportunities that she did to pursue their artistic and personal dreams.

Alejandre Lamas-Nemec is a Cuban-American poet and writer, and a member of Bryn Mawr College’s class of 2029.