VISION
Our vision is to is to create a lasting contribution to the literary arts by providing a sanctuary where writing is nurtured, honored, and shared.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is to nurture writers of all backgrounds, genres, and levels of experience in a supportive environment that builds community, stimulates new thinking, energizes creative expression, and optimizes productivity.
INCLUSIVITY
The Writers' Colony nurtures writers of all backgrounds, which means we want to ensure everyone considering coming to The Writers' Colony and participating in our programming feel welcome, included, and encouraged. This goal is being realized by the following actions:
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We seek out feedback and participation from our Writers in Residence who come from marginalized communities.
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We seek out organizations who serve people from marginalized communities for collaboration and feedback.
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With the assistance of alumni DW McKinney, we have developed an Ambassadors program to connect potential Writers in Residence with our alumni from similar backgrounds.
For more information on our inclusivity efforts, please contact us at director@writerscolony.org.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Allyn Lord
President of the Board
Allyn Lord recently retired as director of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History. She has spent over 35 years in Northwest Arkansas museums, including the University of Arkansas Museum and Rogers Historical Museum. The author of several history and museum books, she published the book "Historic Monte Ne" in 2006 and is now writing a biography of "Coin" Harvey. She recently received two lifetime achievement awards for museum work.
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Elise Roenigk, Treasurer
KJ Zumwalt
Vice President
KJ Zumwalt is a long-time Eureka Springs resident. She has been an award-winning restaurateur for more than 20 years, currently chef/owner of KJ's Caribe Restaurant and Cantina Mexican Restaurant in Eureka Springs. She is originally from Arkansas and attended Harding University, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Marketing. She loves to kayak, hike, and swim in the great outdoors of the Ozarks in Northwest Arkansas.
Laura Matson Hahn
Secretary
Laura was born in Chicago, raised in Northern New Jersey, educated in Rhode Island and Michigan, lived in Pennsylvania, and recently moved to Arkansas. She received a Master’s in Communications and spent 30 years working in communications, cutting her teeth on the then new cable TV industry, and moving into corporate communications. Her attention then turned to crafting her novel, The Heart Code, an homage to bohemian culture inspired by her life-long commitment to the philosophy of living according to the heart’s voice and wisdom. Later, she shared her gifts with students of creative writing and performance of literature, two of her deepest joys. Upon relocating to Beaver Lake in 2018, she and her husband dove into the country life raising guinea hens and dogs, developing their 3 acres, and participating in community activities.
Joe Coykandall
Board member
Joe has worked only in the nonprofit sector for the last 20 years of his career, having retired as Executive Director for Finance for Educational Testing Service. Most recently he served as President and a Director of the Grassy Knob Voluntary Fire Association. He has also served as CFO of San Antonio Housing Authorities, one of the nation’s largest public housing authorities. Prior to his work with nonprofits, he was EVP and CFO of a large, Arizona based, public utility company in addition to being a Director on numerous corporate boards for banks and investment companies.
RoAnne Elliott
Board member
RoAnne Elliott, originally from New Haven Connecticut, grew up in Chicago, completed college and graduate school in Illinois, and worked in K-12 education in Iowa and Minnesota. After retiring from her position as a school curriculum director she relocated to Fayetteville. An active community member, with an interest African American history, RoAnne led a three-year community project to establish a memorial marker in honor of three enslaved Washington County victims of racial terror lynching in 1856. Her community involvement has also included serving as a volunteer with the Fayetteville Public Library, and with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Arkansas. RoAnne reads widely, writes daily, and enjoys swimming, golf, photography, bird watching and long walks with Claudette, her amazing standard poodle.
Tricia Evans
Board member
Tricia Evans is a retired community college Dean of Business serving in Seattle and Southern California. Prior to that she has experience training in industry, sales, marketing and advertising. Since retiring, working has meant fixing-up rentals wielding paint brushes and taking kitchen appliances apart to detail. She lived in the Philippines in her 20’s and again as a retiree for a total of about 15 years. Both times allowed for traveling around Asia and hometown community involvement in education, tourism and contributing to the local newspaper. Like most folks who move to the Eureka Springs area she visited a friend, and the rest is recent history.