Girls Write Now is pleased to welcome three remarkable women to our Board of Directors: Ellen Archer, Marie Dolan, and Galina Espinoza. Our all-women Board is comprised of leaders from publishing, finance, law, education, and more.
“I am passionate about the written world and equally passionate about female empowerment.” — ELLEN ARCHER
Ellen is President of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Trade Publishing, reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Linda Zecher. An experienced leader in publishing, consumer brands and multimedia, Archer spent 15 years at The Disney ABC Television Group. For five years she was President and Publisher of Hyperion Books, then a division of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for building the company’s digital business, spearheading cross-platform initiatives, and releasing over 100 New York Times bestsellers. Most recently, Archer consulted for start- ups and non-profits, providing strategic advice in content development, marketing, and business planning. Archer holds a BA in English Literature from Hamilton College. She serves on the Foundation Board of New York Women in Communications and is a member of The Women’s Forum of New York and Golden Seeds, an early stage investment firm with a focus on women leaders. Archer is based primarily in HMH’s New York headquarters.
“Writing gives me that wonderful feeling that I am creating something beautiful.’ When I read those words by mentee Janae Lowe in the 2015 Girls Write Now Anthology, I thought, I want to be part of this! I have always believed in creative expression, but I didn’t realize how powerful a change agent it could be in transforming the lives of teenage girls.” — MARIE DOLAN
Marie recently moved to the city and is a museum guide at The Whitney Museum of American Art. She is a former board member of Child Advocates of Connecticut and a longtime volunteer with Planned Parenthood. Marie also served as an elected representative of the Town of Greenwich. Earlier in her career, Marie worked at JP Morgan Chase and Institutional Investor Magazine. She graduated from Lafayette College with dual degrees in English and Government. Marie lives in New York City with her husband and has two college-aged daughters.
“Most people can’t imagine BEING something until they can SEE themselves represented. As a woman of color — a Latina — I believe my board presence would send a valuable message to a community that is desperate for role models.” — GALINA ESPINOZA
Galina, an award-winning editorial executive, is currently Senior Director for the Strategic Content Unit at NBC News. In this position, she focuses on the development and execution of broadcast and digital editorial franchises for brands including TODAY, Nightly News, and Meet the Press. Previously, she was the GM of Digital Properties for Major League Soccer, where she focused on growing the Hispanic fan base. Her earlier leadership positions include Co-President and Editorial Director of Latina Media Ventures, the parent company of Latina magazine and latina.com, and Senior Editor for People magazine. A frequent on-air commentator, with numerous appearances on shows like Access Hollywood and NPR’s “Ask Me More,” her personal essays have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, and Marie Claire. She holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.