In the Spotlight

SOUTH FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION HOLDS VIRTUAL MEETING

Board of Directors Election, Keynote Speaker Dr. Justin Koren to Present

MIAMI, FL – The South Florida Writers Association (SFWA) will host its monthly meeting for members only at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, via Zoom.

“We are excited for June’s virtual meeting, which will include our annual board of directors election,” said Beverly Melasi-Haag, SFWA President. “Our attending membership will be able to vote electronically and then enjoy an address from our keynote speaker, Dr. Justin Koren as he discusses his journey as a writer and educator, with a focus on the research aspect of writing.”

Dr. Koren has served the Miami-Dade County Public School District for 15 years, as both a teacher and school administrator. A proud graduate of the public school district, and a Miami Herald Silver Knight Award Winner, he is passionate about education and works tirelessly in support of children from all walks of life.

Dr. Koren earned his BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University; his MS in Education from Nova Southeastern University; holds certification in Change Leadership from Cornell University; and his Ph.D. in Educational Research from Curtin University in Western Australia. He has also studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Following the horrific tragedy at Southwood Middle School in 2004, Dr. Koren returned to Miami from New York City to write and produce Defining Code Red, a stage play that explores the devasting, enduring effects of school violence that pervades long-after the media moves on. The critically acclaimed play was heralded the “gutsiest play performed in South Florida” by Miami New Times.

A genuine believer in lifelong learning, Dr. Koren has presented to international audiences, and has published research findings on the topic of student motivation in academic publications.

Dr. Koren has received accolades for his work as a director, playwright, community activist, teacher, and school administrator. He currently serves as Assistant Principal of Miami Killian Senior High School and is a candidate for the Miami-Dade County School Board, District 9. He is in the process of publishing a new book with the working title, Residual Insanity.

Procedures for Electronic Voting during the June 6th SFWA Remote Meeting

As the South Florida Writers Association (SFWA) continues to operate remotely due to the pandemic, we have a plan to allow members to vote during the June 6th (remote) meeting. Our Website Director, Billy Jones, has devised, tested, and confirmed the voting procedures. He will also facilitate the technological aspects of the meeting via Zoom application (link access forthcoming).

Here are the members' electronic voting procedures during a remote meeting:

You will log into Zoom on June 6th, using the provided instructions.
You will receive an electronic poll on your device when it is time to vote. It will pop up on your device's screen (i.e. computer, smartphone, or tablet).
You will select and cast your vote as instructed on the screen. Your vote will be anonymous.
You will have a couple of minutes to cast your electronic vote.
The final count of all votes will be displayed live on the screen. Again, your individual vote is anonymous.

Note: We will only need to use the above procedures for any contested positions. If someone runs unopposed (or uncontested), then we will cast a vote (or motion) of acclimation to declare the candidate the winner.

The South Florida Writers Association (SFWA) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit educational and membership organization dedicated to literary arts and support of writing and writers in our community. Our mission is to establish and maintain a forum for fellowship, education and information among writers in the South Florida area to encourage excellence and promote interest in literary achievements in the community. SFWA monthly meetings are held the first Saturday of every month. Due to Covid 19 Pandemic, virtual meetings will be held for members only. To become a member, please visit: www.southfloridawriters.org.

For future SFWA events or general inquires, please contact the following:

MADELEINE GOLDMAN

Director-Public Relations

CONNIE GOODMAN-MILONE

Director-Community Relations

JONATHAN ROSE

Director-Programs

Home