Contact/Committee
For general questions, e-mail us at lccsantafe@leftcoastcrime.org
We'd like to introduce the volunteers who are working hard to make Left Coast Crime 2011 in Santa Fe a success. Though a diverse group, our love for mysteries and the mystery community unites us. We hope to do a wonderful job for you and that your experiences with us—from inquiries to the actual event—are all good ones.
To email our committee members, substitute "@" for "(at)".
Chair: Pari Noskin Taichert
Email: Pari (at) parinoskintaichert.com
Pari Noskin Taichert has been writing ever since she could hold a crayon, but it took her decades to get published. Her mystery series from the University of New Mexico Press includes The Clovis Incident, The Belen Hitch and The Socorro Blast. Two of her books garnered Agatha Award nominations—for best first novel and best novel. Pari is also 20-plus-year veteran in the public relations industry, the founder of the Anthony-nominated web log Murderati.com, has won regional and national awards for her freelance feature writing and was silly enough to agree to chair this convention. So much for staying out of trouble...
Registrar: Sarah Schwartz
Email: Schwartzsa (at) comcast.net
Sarah Schwartz moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Seattle, Washington, eight years ago to write mysteries while the sun dried out the moss carpet clinging to her Pacific Northwest-nurtured north side. Sarah worked as a librarian before setting out to write full time. She has completed four novels and several short stories and lives in some equanimity with her unpublished voice.
Program Chair: Robert R. Kresge
Email: Rkresge777 (at) comcast.net
Robert R. Kresge (Rob) has written four historical mysteries in the Greenhorns series (Wyoming, 1870s) and a Civil War spy novel based on real events, sort of Cold Mountain meets The Day of the Jackal as well as several modern short stories. Before retiring from the CIA in 2002, Rob worked on Southeast Asia, North Korea, Iraq during Desert Storm, gray market arms dealers, and sanctions against the former Yugoslavia. He spent 10 years in the Counterterrorist Center, where he was a founding member in 1986. On September 11, 2001, Rob was the senior analyst responsible for warning of terrorist threats to US interests. In addition, Rob has been a speaker, briefer and teacher on terrorism, economic sanctions, and the Intelligence Community and spent 30 years in the Army Reserve.
Auction Chair: Christine Goff
Email: chris (at) christinegoff.com
Christine Goff wanted to be a writer from the time she penned her first book, The Haunted Mansion. Well, okay, so it was third grade, and the book was more of a short story. It was still the spark that kindled the flame that fanned a burning desire to one day publish a novel. Several false starts later, she is now the award-winning author of the bestselling "Birdwatcher's Mystery Series," two of which were finalists for prestigious Willa Literary Awards. Her series focuses on environmental concerns through bird-related issues. Her most recent title, Death Shoots a Birdie, a finalist for a Colorado Authors' League Best Genre Fiction Award, exposes the effects of development on a fragile environment while highlighting the antics of a group of eclectic birdwatchers bent on unmasking the killer of the keynote speaker at a birding convention. Currently, Christine is working on a thriller set in Israel. Her latest promotional idea—a springtime karaoke tour of Tokyo, coinciding with the Japanese release of her second novel, Death of a Songbird, in 2011.
Hotel Liaison: David Haughawout
Email: phoebe99999 (at) comcast.net
I love mysteries and conduct a monthly mystery book club. I also have over 30 years experience
in the hotel/hospitality industry. So my LCC 2011 position as host hotel/convention liaison is a
great blend of my interests and skills. Now if I could just solve the great mystery—why red wine
doesn't go with fish.
Publisher Liaison: Toby Gottfried
Email: toby (at) gottfried.org
Volunteer Coordinator: Bill Gottfried
Email: wggmd (at) gottfried.org
Toby is an Immunobiochemist—presently retired but was very active in AIDS diagnostics and research. She is most proud, however, of being a grandmother to 4 great children. Bill is a Pediatrician who presently works with the State Medical society as a surveyor of Quality Medical Practices.
Both were formally introduced to the field of Mystery in 1985 at Bouchercon in San Francisco and have attended almost all Bouchercons since that time.
They received the Don Sandstrom Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in Mystery Fandom in 2008; were the program chairs at the largest to date Bouchercon, held in Monterey, CA in 1997; and were chairs of the very successful Left Coast Crime conventions in 2004 (Monterey, CA) and 2009 (Hawaii). They have attended all of the LCC conventions. Bill and Toby were Fan Guests of Honor at the first CrimeFest in Bristol, England and have been participants in Janet Rudolph's Mystery Readers International reading group since 1985. They also have "chaired" their own summer reading group, Mystery Addicts, for about 18 years. Bill and Toby presently own about 16,000 mysteries, some of which they have even read.
Advertising & Sponsorship Co-Chair: Joseph Badal
Email: josephbadalbooks (at) aol.com
Joseph Badal worked for thirty-five years in the banking and
financial services industries. He is currently CEO of Joseph Badal & Associates, Inc., a financial and management consulting firm.
Prior to his banking career, Joe served in the U.S. Army in critical,
highly classified positions in the U.S. and overseas and earned
several military decorations. Joe has had two thrillers published (The
Pythagorean Solution and Terror Cell). His third thriller novel (The
Nostradamus Secret) will be released in early 2011. Additionally, Joe
has published numerous articles in business and trade journals and
speaks at civic and corporate meetings and conferences nationally.
Treasurer: Olin Bray
Email:
Ohbray (at) nmia.com
Advertising & Sponsorship Co-Chair: Susan Zates
Avid mystery reader.
Awards Co-chair & Program Book: Lucinda Surber
Email: webmaster (at) stopyourekillingme.com
Lucinda is half of Stop, You're Killing Me!—an Anthony award-winning web resource for lovers of mystery, crime, thriller, spy, and suspense books. A former elementary school teacher, Lucinda created Bookworm for Kids—a resource for teachers, parents, grandparents, and all others interested in encouraging children to love reading.
Awards Co-chair & Program Book: Stan Ulrich
Email: editor (at) stopyourekillingme.com
Stan, former lawyer, is half of Stop, You're Killing Me!—an Anthony award-winning web resource for lovers of mystery, crime, thriller, spy, and suspense books.
Welcome Committee: Cecilia Runkle
Email: sp4449 (at) centurytel.net
I have attended local mystery-reading book groups and Left Coast Crime since
LCC3. For me, conferences are better enjoyed by volunteering. Interested in
making this conference the premier "warm-welcome" experience for all who
attend? I would love to hear from you.
Webmaster: Sue Trowbridge
Email: trow (at) interbridge.com
Sue, a lifelong mystery reader, is the official Left Coast Crime webmaster. While she lives in Northern California, she is a frequent visitor to New Mexico, considering it a home away from home. Her answer to New Mexico's state question is "green."
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