THE TEAM
Reach out anytime, ask questions, we're here to help.
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ROBIN VAN ECK (she/HER)Executive Director
Robin has been with the AWCS in various capacities since 2003. First as a member learning to write, as a board member for several years, as office personnel and eventually, when there was more team to manage, Executive Director.
Robin is a writer like everyone else with several short stories and personal essays published. Her first novel, Rough, came out in November 2020. |
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KIM FIRMSTON (HE/SHE/THEY)Youth Programs & Education
Kim is a published writer of YA novels, short stories, and articles, and has plays produced worldwide. She is a writing mentor and instructor for the AWCS, the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, and the Alexandra Centre Society’s DramAntics Theatre camp. Kim specializes in collaboration projects with people of all ages.
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PRECIOUS DE LEON (SHE/HER)Community Engagement & Adult Education
Precious writes poetry, essays, and short stories through the lens of a Filipino Canadian settler in Mohkinstsis. Following her stint as a business journalist and editor in the Middle East, her creative writing journey started with a mentorship, which led her to work for AWCS with a focus on cultivating community connections, for and with writers and organizations.
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NICOLE ZYLSTRA (SHE/HER)Festival Director
Nicole is a writer, songwriter, performer, and arts educator with a deep love of storytelling. She has spent over two decades working across the creative spectrum—as a playwright and new play developer, improviser, director, and communications pro—bringing programs and events to life in Calgary’s expanding arts scene. Nicole holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Calgary and a BA in English from McGill. She teaches public speaking and storytelling at Mount Royal University and is thrilled to support the vibrant writing community at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society.
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NICOLE ROCHE (SHE/HER)Communications & Marketing
Nicole writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction, occasionally dabbling in creative non-fiction. With nearly twenty years of corporate experience in training and development and communications consulting, she brings a deep understanding of human connection and storytelling to her creative work. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communications and diplomas in Business and Design, and is completing her Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Calgary.
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JILL ROBERTS (SHE/HER)Youth Education Support
Jill Roberts is a writer, filmmaker, and communications leader. From brand building to world building, her career has spanned advertising, information design, video and event production, and leading creative teams in developing digital experiences for museums worldwide. Now as the lead for AWCS In The Classroom, she will be bringing the fun of writing and creating into schools all over Alberta and beyond.
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SHAYLA STOKES (SHE/HER)Arts Administrator
Shayla is a queer illustrator, animator, and director. She holds a Bachelor of Design in Character Design/Illustration from Alberta University of the Arts, and a minor in Animation. Her first animated short-film Purrsonnel has won numerous awards and laurels at international film festivals, and she represented her university’s animation program at the 2019 Festival du
nouveau cinéma in Montreal. Shayla was raised by her mother, a New York Times Bestselling Author, who fostered a life-long love of storytelling, and she is excited to return to the literary community she grew up surrounded by. |
