RWA Board of Directors

Contact the Board at [email protected].

Officers

President: Jacki Renée

I am Jacki Renée, a storyteller. Many writers search for the right words to hook the reader. I write from the heart to connect with people.

Music is my muse, sparking my inspiration to write. Reading is my passion, and I am known to curl up with a good book for hours. Writing is my pleasure, and I write romance celebrating Black and Interracial Love with a host of diverse characters.

I have two adult daughters and two grand-dogs, and enjoy cooking, sewing, and DIY projects. I am committed to volunteering, writing, and mentoring new writers.

President-Elect: Jennifer Bokal

Jennifer D. Bokal penned her first book at age eight. An early lover of the written word, she followed her passion, becoming a full-time writer. From there, she never looked back. Jennifer considers herself to be a writer of romantic suspense and consistently writes books for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. But she has published over 25 spicy romance novels in a variety of genres.

She earned a Master of Arts in creative writing from Wilkes University and joined the Romance Writers of America. In 2025, she was elected as President-Elect of RWA. Happily married to her own alpha male hero, Jennifer and her husband live in upstate New York with their three beautiful daughters, two spoiled dogs and a kitten who aspires to be a Chihuahua.

Secretary: Betty Bolté

Betty Bolté is an award-winning author and editor of fiction and nonfiction. She earned a Master’s Degree in English, emphasizing the study of literature. She’s authored 30+ books, including her recent release of Snow on Magnolias, a historical Christmas romance set in north Alabama; the Fury Falls Inn historical fantasy series set in North Alabama; historical fiction novels Becoming Lady Washington, and Notes of Love and War, set during WWII in Baltimore. A Maryland native, she lives in Alabama with her husband of 35+ years. Learn more at www.bettybolte.com.

Treasurer: Brooke Wills

Brooke Wills was a controller, CFO and consultant, including working in Dublin, Ireland, for over three decades. Then she decided it was time to pursue her dreams of writing. After living most of her life in San Diego County, this SoCal girl left the corporate world, sold her house, packed up all her worldly goods and moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to live on an island in the middle of a forest.

A member of RWA since 1998, she has been treasurer for three online chapters as well as for other organizations. She enjoys writing contemporary romance and mysteries.

Directors-at-Large

Gail Chianese

I’m Gail Chianese, a multi-published author of contemporary romance and paranormal romantic suspense. My writing, no matter the genre, consistently delivers humor, sassy heroines (like me), and stand-up heroes, creating narratives enriched with the warmth of family and friends—because love ‘em or not, life is boring without them.

I’m loving life and living my fantasy with my husband, one precious pup, and two adorable cats who rule the roost. Beyond writing, I like to ghost hunt, paint, and I’ve always got a book to read. As a Navy wife, I’ve lived in eight states (and explored all 50), plus two countries besides the US. I’ve lost track of how many I’ve visited, but plan to add more to the list.

Marian H. Griffin

I have been writing in one medium or another most of my life. I got to focus that energy when I joined RWA in 1999. Since then, I have had eleven novellas published in multiple genres and am working on a couple of series for self-publishing.

I’ve worked in bars, restaurants, country clubs, a TV production studio, and a local TV station. I’ve enjoyed them all but was always ready to move on until I became Marian the Librarian for 32 years. I look forward to writing for many years to come.

Monica Jorgensen

Monica Jorgensen, writing as Kathleen Samuels, knew the moment she picked up a Sweet Valley High book that happily ever after endings were the only books to read. She joined RWA in 2011 when she decided to follow her dreams of becoming a romance author. She has two published works and has been included in two anthologies. She was on the board of Rainbow Romance Writers for two years and thoroughly enjoyed bringing the chapter back to life. She makes her home in Southern California with her two college age children and two crazy dogs, Piper and Finn.

Ursula Renee

Ursula Renée writes historical fiction set in the early to mid-twentieth century, when people began challenging society's conventions and expressing their individuality.

Since joining RWA in 2009 she has served as the PRO Liaison, Vice-President and President of RWA/NYC. She has also served on the RWA University Committee.

Ursula joined RWA in hopes of improving her writing skills. What she discovered was a community of supportive writers who understood the ups and downs of being a romance author.

Besides writing, Ursula enjoys photography and traveling. She lives with her son and two cats.

Sasha Summers

SA Today Bestselling Author Sasha Summers writes stories that celebrate the ups and downs, loves and losses, ordinary and extraordinary occurrences of life. Sasha pens fiction in multiple genres and hopes each and every book will draw readers in and set them on an emotional and rewarding journey. When not writing, she’s reading or spending time with her family somewhere in the Texas Hill Country.

Kathy L Wheeler

Kathy L Wheeler | Mia Augustine is an award winning author of some forty plus contemporary and historical novels and novellas that range from sweet to spicy. Her courageous heroines save themselves. Their heroes just need to be there to catch them… after the fact.

She loves the NFL, NBA, musical theater, travel, reading, writing and, just to scratch the singing itch... karaoke. She and her musically-talented husband migrated to the Pacific Northwest with their loveable and neurotic dog Angel, who lives up to her name—mostly.

Advisors

PRO Advisor:

Bio: Coming soon.

Chapter Advisor:

Bio: Coming soon.

PAN Advisor: L. E. Sterling

Inspired by my childhood roaming across Canada in a van, I’ve authored multiple novels that somehow blur together romance, fantasy, science fiction, dystopian fiction and YA. I joined RWA as a PAN member in 2016 because there is always something important to learn, and RWA has the people to learn it from. While I’ve lived all over Canada, I now reside in the French-speaking suburbs of Montreal, Quebec, where I enjoy the romantic, lost-in-translation life of an anglo ex-pat.