Storyteller Summit

Jamie Ford is the great grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who emigrated from Hoiping, China, to San Francisco in 1865, where he adopted the western name “Ford,” thus confusing countless generations.

Jamie’s debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two and a half years on the New York Times bestseller list and won the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. It was also named the #1 Book Club pick in 2010 by the American Bookseller Association and is now read widely in schools all across the country. This multi-cultural tale was adapted by Book-It Repertory Theatre, and has been optioned for a stage musical in NYC, and for film, with George Takei serving as Executive Producer.

An award-winning short-story writer, his work has been published in multiple anthologies, from Asian-themed steampunk set in Seattle in the Apocalypse Triptych, to stories exploring the universe of masked marvels and caped crusaders from an Asian American perspective in Secret Identities: The first Asian American Superhero Anthology, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology. He’s also written in other genres: speculative, dystopian, crime noir, and middle-grade horror.

His latest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, was named #1 IndieNext list pick for August 2022.

He currently lives in Montana with his wife, his dogs, and his imaginary friends

Chenoa Egawa is Lummi and S’Klallam of Washington State. Her Lummi and S’Klallam grandparents were multilingual, speaking Lummi, S’Klallam, several Coast Salish languages of neighboring tribes, and English. They were carriers of the profound ways of life of the First Peoples – as caretakers of our Mother Earth – through their interrelationship with their homelands and waterways; through their stories, songs, prayers and ways of life.

Chenoa is dedicated to upholding and amplifying the wisdom of her elders and ancestors, sharing teachings about our interconnectedness, our responsibilities to this sacred life, to one another and to the Natural world. She is a ceremonial leader, medicine carrier, singer, speaker, published author (The Whale Child and Tani’s Search for the Heart), artist and nature photographer. She is also a Senior Level Qigong Instructor through the Ling Gui (Spiritual Turtle) International Healing Qigong School.

Keith T. A. Egawa is a published novelist; a graduate of the University of Washington’s Creative Writing program; and an enrolled member of the Lummi Indian Nation. As with his first novel, Madchild Running (Red Crane Books), Egawa’s predominant subject matter is contemporary urban Native America. 

Egawa’s stories mirror the impact of historical events, illustrating how both history and the unique experiences of individuals contribute to shaping the American Indian of today.  Egawa’s experience in the field of social work has provided him with both inspiration and insight into his subject matter. In addition to literary readings for adult audiences, Egawa has conducted writing workshops and presentations for Native youth throughout the country.

Elisheba Wokoma is a multi-media artist, curator, and poet. After earning her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, Johnson operated Faire Gallery Café’, a multi-use art space. She later worked with the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture as a project manager in the Public Art Program. She is now Co-Founder and a free-lance curator at Seattle’s amazing Wa Na Wari collaborative project.

Along with her father, Charles Johnson, she created the thrilling young adult science-fiction series, The Adventures of Emery Jones, Boy Science Wonder. Seattle’s Chatwin Books is relaunching this series with the release of the third book, The Tomorrow No One Wanted, as well as releasing revised second editions of books one and two. 

Ellie Peterson is the author and illustrator of multiple picture books, including the Washington State Award Winning book How to Hug a Pufferfish. Her work is inspired by 20 years as a science teacher and her experience growing up as a biracial army brat. 

You can find her making art in her backyard studio or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband, two kids, and her dog Daisy. Look for her next book How to Crash a Kite (Norton Young Readers) in Spring 2027. Learn more at elliepetersonbooks.com

Jessixa Bagley is children's book author/illustrator with a background in fine art and comics. She has had work featured in publications such as: New American Paintings, Nickelodeon Magazine, Highlights Magazine, and Illustoria Magazine. Her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, received numerous awards and accolades including the 2016 SCBWI Golden Kite Award for best picture book text and a 2016 Washington State Book Award. Her picture book Laundry Day received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Honor Award for writing. Many of her picture books are also Junior Library Guild Selections. 

In her work, she is drawn to animals and emotional themes inspired by her own experiences. Jessixa also teaches and speaks about writing and illustration. She often illustrates for other writers and artistically collaborates with her husband, Aaron Bagley. Jessixa lives in Seattle, WA with her husband and son. She is represented by Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary.

Ms. Matsukawa is an award winning broadcast journalist with more than 40 years in the industry.  She retired after 36 years as an anchor and reporter at KING TV in Seattle. She previously worked at KOMO TV in Seattle, at KPTV in Portland, OR and at KRCR in Redding, CA.

Ms. Matsukawa received two Northwest Regional Emmy Awards, one in 2017 for her series “Prisoners in Their Own Land” about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and another in 2018 for “Shane Sato: Portraits of Courage” about a photographer's mission to photograph Nisei veterans who served as part of America's “Greatest Generation.” In 2022, Ms. Matsukawa was presented with an Imperial award from the Government of Japan:  “Rising Sun: Gold and Silver Rays” recognizing her efforts to build strong relations between the people of Japan and the United States.  

She is an alumna of the Japanese American Leadership Delegation, a program of the US-Japan Council.  In 2024, she received an Icon Award from the Very Asian Foundation for community service and trailblazing a path for future journalists.

She is a co-founder of the Seattle Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association and a co-founder of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington.

Ms. Matsukawa graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Communication ‘78 from Stanford University and received an MA in Communication from the University of Washington ’96. Ms. Matsukawa served as Miss Teenage America 1974, which allowed her to travel outside her native Hawaii. She and her husband reside in Western Washington and have a grown son.  Her first children’s book, Brave Mrs. Sato, based on her real life babysitter and real life grandmother who was a picture bride, was published in November 2023. Her memoir Being There: Memoir of an Asian American Journalist was published in May 2026

Caskey Russell is from Seattle Washington, and has lived in Washington State (Bellingham, Seattle, Kirkland) Oregon, Iowa, Wyoming, and New Zealand. He is a father, a professor in Fairhaven College at Western Washington University, a musician, and an enrolled member of the Tlingit Nation (Eagle / Kooyu Kwáan) of Alaska.  

He received his BA and MA in English from Western Washington University, and his PhD in English from the University of Oregon in 2001.  His dissertation examined Tlingit Intellectual Traditions.  He teaches courses in poetry, songwriting, and literature.  He is the author of The Door on the Sea, the first novel in a fantasy series titled The Raven and Eagle Series.

Neetal Parekh is a social innovator through experience, lawyer by education, and a storyteller at heart. She authored the best-selling book "51 Questions on Social Entrepreneurship" as an introduction to the evolving discipline of social enterprise, using business models to create social impact. 

Neetal collaborated with illustrator Zoe Almon Job to launch the 'Pineapple Friends' children's book series to share ideas of problem solving and social impact with young learners. This fun, joyful, and instructive series with a beloved group of animal friends introduces four-to-ten-year-olds to concepts of design thinking, building a simple version of an idea, and pitching an idea. Each book features an interactive activity and young learners can engage with a fun, 'chat' experience online after reading, to further connect with the Pineapple Friends' characters and practice lessons in the book. An online platform is available to support teachers, schools, and home educators with curriculum ideas, activities, and resources to teach concepts in the books.

In moments of quiet and play, you can find her in nature, spending time with her nephews, family, and friends, or happily listening to an audiobook