Advisory Committee

Ben Brotemarkle

Dr. Ben Brotemarkle is Executive Director of the Florida Historical Society. He is author of four award-winning books on Florida history and culture, including "Beyond the Theme Parks: Exploring Central Florida" (1999), and most recently "Crossing Division Street: An Oral History of the African American Community in Orlando" (2005). Dr. Brotemarkle has been Professor of Humanities at Brevard Community College, where he was named Distinguished Educator and Barnes and Noble College Booksellers Endowed Faculty Chair of Academic Excellence.

Lissette Mendez

Ms. Lissette Mendez joined the Florida Center for the Literary Arts in August 2004 as Program Coordinator. Ms. Mendez is a writer who has published poetry and creative nonfiction in anthologies and national literary magazines, as well as a variety of articles for Miami-based magazines and newspapers. Most recently she worked in the Publications Department of Miami Dade College as Editorial Director, responsible for the content of all College publications and advertising. She has also taught creative writing and composition at Miami Dade College and Florida International University. Ms. Mendez is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Library and Information Studies at Florida State University.

Chrissy Jackson

Chrissy Jackson is President of the Florida Writers Association, a nonprofit professional organization of more than 1,100 emerging and established writers, publishers, and editors concentrated in Florida but also reaching into more than 20 other states. She joined FWA shortly after it was founded in 2001, and within ten months was elected Vice President. In 2005 she also became FWA's Conference Director, a function she continues to fill. In November 2007, Ms. Jackson co-founded the Florida Writers Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to promoting literacy throughout Florida. Ms. Jackson is an award-winning author herself, with publication credits in several genres, including more than 30 nonfiction books on property management.

Faye Roberts

Faye Roberts is Executive Director of the Florida Library Association. As a child growing up in Virginia, her goal was to live next door to the library. A former social worker in Virginia and Kentucky, she entered librarianship as literacy coordinator for the Suwannee River Regional Library. Her library experience is with Florida public libraries and she served as director of the Columbia County Public Library in Lake City, FL from 1994 to 2004. Roberts holds a B. A. in Sociology from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA and an M.S.L.S. from Florida State University.

Tara Zimmermann

Tara Zimmermann has been with Florida Center for the Book since 2001. She has developed and produced hundreds of author events, writer's workshops and literary events including Broward County Library's first One Book, One Community reading program and five National Endowment for the Arts Big Read initiatives. Prior to joining Florida Center for the Book she was a buyer for an independent book store in South Florida for six years. Florida Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Center for the Book at the library of Congress, brings readers and writers together, promotes books, reading and libraries, and celebrates the literary heritage of Florida.

Janine Farver

Executive Director of the Florida Humanities Council. [biography pending]