Carolyn Butcher, President

Carolyn Butcher was elected President of the Board of Speaking of Stories at the organization’s Annual General Meeting on May 10, 2002.  She earned her MA in English literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently working towards a Ph.D. at UCSB, specializing in the works of James Joyce.  She has presented papers at a number of conferences including: 15^th Annual Miami J’yce Birthday conference, Miami, Florida; Eleventh Annual Conference on Virginia Woolf, University of Wales, Bangor; and in June, 2002, Carolyn will speak at the 18^th International James Joyce Symposium, Trieste, Italy.  She has a particular interest in how various communities are influenced by (and how they can influence) texts such as James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.  A life-long community activist, Carolyn served for 17 years on the Board of Directors of WISE Senior Services in Santa Monica – 3 of them as President of the Board.  After moving to Santa Barbara in 1992 she concentrated her efforts on achieving academic qualifications, but also served for a time on the Women’s Board of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.  Originally from England, Carolyn’s professional background is in journalism and public relations.  “Geoff Hornby, who has been the President of the Board for the last 3 years, is going to be a tough act to follow,” She says. “Thanks to him, I am taking over an organization which has a solid footing in this community and a strongly committed Board of Directors.  I see the next few years as a time of healthy growth as Speaking of Stories expands its theatrical and educational programs to promote the appreciation of literature.”  Carolyn’s passion for Speaking of Stories lies in her fascination with the power of the written word not only to touch the emotions of the reader/listener, but also to be a catalyst for dramatic life-changes such as those often experienced by students of Word Up!, the organization’s educational outreach program.

Return