Staff & Contributing Members
-
Steve Gillis | Founding Executive Director
Steven Gillis is the author of six novels and two short story collections. A founding member of the Ann Arbor Book Festival Board of Directors, and a finalist for the 2007 Ann Arbor News Citizen of the Year, Steve taught writing at Eastern Michigan University. In 2004 Steve founded 826Michigan, a mentoring program for students. In 2006 Steve co-founded Dzanc Books. Steve lives in Ann Arbor with his wife Mary, and two dogs, and regular visits from their kids, Anna and Zach. Steve can be contacted at steve@dzancbooks.org and barkingman@aol.com
-
Charlene Choi | Director of Programs
Charlene Choi is a writer, editor, and creative director with a dedicated and driven focus on cultural and literary arts programming. She is co-founder of Dzanc House and has directed and taught poetry and writing at The Poetry Center in Western MA, the Iowa Youth Writing Project, 826NYC, and has served as Literary Programs Director at Flying Object, Associate Coordinator at PEN American Center, Associate Coordinator at The National Books Critics’ Circle, Associate Editor of LIT Magazine and more. Currently, she serves as Director of Programs with Dzanc Books.
-
Michelle Dotter | Publishing Supervisor and Accounts Officer
Michelle Dotter earned a degree in Creative Writing before beginning her editing career with MacAdam/Cage Publishing in San Francisco. Before coming to Dzanc, she also worked with MP Publishing, Cameron + Company, Once Magazine, and myriad independent authors. She has worked with New York Times bestselling authors, along with winners of the National Book Award, the Whiting Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and recipients of other honors. The first three books on her shelf are CMoS, The Subversive Copy Editor, and the hilarious O Thou Improper, Thou Uncommon Noun, and her quintessential Dzanc titles are The Archive of Alternate Endings by Lindsay Drager and My Red Heaven by Lance Olsen.
-
Amanda May Moore | Creative Director and Residency Coordinator
Amanda May Moore is the Creative Director and Residency Coordinator of Dzanc House, where she moves fluidly between roles—curator, facilitator, caretaker, dreamer—shaping a space where artists gather, ideas spark, and rhythms of belonging take root.
Through curatorial exhibitions, arts and risograph programs and events, Amanda helps shape the living practice of creativity and connection, with visionary groundedness, tending to the daily needs of the residency home while nurturing the wider ecosystem that blooms around it. With a steady presence, Amanda’s efforts are to hold space for artists to thrive and for the community to grow in trust and shared wonder.
Whether organizing a show, working alongside a neighbor, or sweeping the floor before a gathering, Amanda May brings intention, warmth, and a deep belief in the power of place to hold and transform us.
-
Paola Ortega | Design Intern and Program Coordinator
Paola Ortega is the Design Coordinator and Communications Intern at Dzanc House, where they bring their attention to detail and executional savvy to every project. In addition to their work at Dzanc House, Paola serves as an Executive Assistant at Readeezy and previously interned at Dzanc Books, gaining valuable experience in both the publishing and design fields.
They hold an English degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where they graduated in 2023. Paola has a passion for creating editorial illustrations, often contributing to newspapers and magazines in their free time, and they find joy in merging their love for art and storytelling.
A proud Midwesterner, Paola resides in the region with their quirky tuxedo cats and a thriving collection of plants, bringing life and color to their space. With a blend of creativity, organization, and a deep love for their community, Paola continues to make an impact in the design and literary worlds.
-
Jeff Kass | Contributing Writer and Creative Writing Lead Instructor
For decades, Jeff Kass has been a visionary and an inspiration to young writers, fostering creativity and self-expression in the classroom and beyond. As an English and Creative Writing teacher at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, MI, he has nurtured the talents of countless students, igniting a passion for storytelling and the written word.
Kass is also the founder of the Literary Arts Program at The Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s renowned teen center, where he served as program director for 20 years, shaping the next generation of creative minds. An award-winning author, he has penned poetry collections, My Beautiful Hook-nosed Beauty Queen Strut Wave and Teacher/Pizza Guy, which earned a 2020 Michigan Notable Book award. Additionally, his work includes the thriller Takedown, the YA novel Center-Mid, and Knuckleheads, Independent Publishers Gold Medal-winning collection of Best Short Fiction in 2011.
Kass’s newest poetry collection, True Believer, was released by Dzanc Books and consists of poems connected in one way or another to Marvel Comics. With a legacy of inspiring young writers and a dedication to the literary arts, Jeff Kass continues to leave an indelible mark on both his students and the literary community. Read his recent interview with A2Pulp here. Read his recent interview with A2Pulp here.
-
Shane Collins | Contributing Artist and Creative Writing Lead Mentor
Shane Collins is a Contributing Writing Mentor, Poet in Practice, and workshop series leader specializing in theatre and performance arts at Dzanc House. Dedicated to empowering and mentoring youth through the arts and currently directing his third original production at Pathways High School, Shane is a passionate leader who strives to creates artistic opportunities for young people. Shane's dedication to cross media arts, from music, theatre, performance, poetry, and the written work is prevalent throughout his dynamic portfolio of multi media arts and leadership.
-
Matthew Kirkpatrick | Contributing Writer and Creative Writing Lead Instructor
Matthew Kirkpatrick is a Professor of Creative Writing at Eastern Michigan University. He is the author of the short story collection Light without Heat, the novella The Exiles, the novel The Ambrose J and Vivian T Seagrave Museum of 20th Century American Art, with a new novel forthcoming from Texas Review Press in 2025. His writing has appeared in many literary journals, including X-R-A-Y, The Rupture, The Rumpus, and more. He lives in Ypsilanti, MI with his wife, the writer Susan McCarty, an associate professor at Oakland University, and their daughter.
-
Ashanti Campbell | Contributing Artist and Creative Writing Lead Mentor
Ashanti Campbell is a Lead Writing Mentor, Poet in Practice, and workshop series teacher specializing in literary and cultural arts at Dzanc House. A writer, mentor, performer, and recording artist, Ashanti's creative work spans across media and genre. Ashanti is the host of TheShantiSho, a podcast where he interviews artists from all walks of life, discussing their music careers and the art of staying centered in the chaotic world of creativity. In addition to his work as a podcaster and musician, Ashanti serves as a mentor to aspiring young artists and poets, guiding them through the challenges of the creative process while encouraging them to stay true to themselves. His belief in the transformative power of art fuels his mission to empower others, particularly in the realms of poetry and music, helping them find their voices and navigate the complexities of their artistic journeys.