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Charis Circle Board of Directors

Board Of Directors

Charis Circle recruits board members from a broad cross section of Atlanta feminist communities. If you are interested in serving on the Charis Circle Board or as part of one of our board’s volunteer committees, please send a letter of introduction to info@chariscircle.org.

Specific responsibilities differ among various board members, but all are equal members of the board with equal and shared responsibility for the vision and mission of Charis Circle.

Board Biographies

Susana Morris, Board Chair

Susana M. Morris, Assistant Professor, received her Ph.D. from Emory University and her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College. A specialist in contemporary African American and African Caribbean literature, her research interests include the politics of family and intimacy, gender and feminist theory, and black sexualities. She is the author of Close Kin and Distant Relatives: The Paradox of Respectability in Black Women’s Literature, from the University of Virginia Press. She has also published articles in journals such as The Griot: The Journal of African American StudiesSigns: Journal of Women in Culture and SocietySouth Atlantic Quarterly,and Women’s Studies Quarterly. She is also a founding member and contributing writer for the popular feminist blog, The Crunk Feminist Collective

 

Ellen Rapier, Treasurer 

Ellen Rapier has been an avid supporter of Charis Books and Charis Circle since first coming to the bookstore as a freshman at Agnes Scott College in 1998.  She has worked in the back office of a local, independent Broker/Dealer for nearly a decade.  In that time, she has offered financial literacy workshops to youth and adults in Atlanta, including through Charis Circle.  She brings her passion for financial health, especially in social justice circles, to her work as Treasurer for the Circle.   Ellen lives in Roswell with her husband and two children.

 

 

 

Zanetta Byers-Harris, Board Development
A native, Atlantan, Zanetta Byers-Harris is the Human Resource Manager at Create Your Dreams, a long-term, youth enrichment program dedicated to nurturing the talents and dreams of students living in underserved areas of Atlanta. If you are interested in serving on the Charis Circle board of Directors, please contact Zanetta via info@chariscircle.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenny Hoffner, Grants and FoundationsJHoffner-headshot

Jenny Hoffner works with American Rivers to engage communities to secure sustainable water supplies through water efficiency.She holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Human & Natural Ecology from Emory University, and M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

 
 
 
 
 

Maria Jackson, Communications

Maria is a 4th generation Georgia Peach, who graduated from Georgia State University with a BA in Sociology and Print Journalism. Surprisingly, this didn't lead to instant riches, but has led to a life rich in experience and relationships. Maria is co-owner of LuvFatTax.com; an online store for plus size clothing that's affordable, some vintage, all adorable.  You can find her writing at Shakefire.com where she critiques television, film, and conducts interviews with cast and crew. Her sweet, dulcet tones can be heard weekly on the Nerdgasm Noire (nerdgasmnoire.net) podcast.

 

 

K.J. Lewis, Marketing

When not at Charis, K.J. Lewis is an Episcopal Service Corps fellow who staffs the Job Survival Helpline at 9to5.  K.J.  enjoys asking questions, hand-me-downs, Jasmine (Charis' dachshund), and snacks. .

 
 
 
 
 
 
Susan Landrum, Volunteer Coordinator
Susan Landrum is a native of Atlanta and first stepped into Charis as a senior in high school to be a part of the Young Women’s Writers Group led by Linda Bryant. This transformative experience forever shaped her understanding of intersectional feminism and planted the seeds of love for community building and development. After four New York winters at Vassar College and a stint in gorgeous Seattle, Susan made her way home. She worked at Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV) for five years as a volunteer and development director before returning to Georgia State University for a Master’s in Social Work. Susan is currently the Manager of Development & Outreach for VOX Teen Communications, Atlanta’s home for uncensored teen publishing and self-expression. She is fueled by plenty of coffee, books, friendship, family, and the earnest love of a hound named Elvis. Susan is honored to be a part of the Charis community and looks forward to supporting and furthering its vital mission!

 

Anne Pollock, Individual Donor Development

FBprofilepic (1)Anne Pollock is a faculty member at Georgia Tech in the interdisciplinary field of science and technology studies. She is the author of Medicating Race: Heart Disease and Durable Preocupations with Difference. She grew up in northern Michigan and spent over a decade in Boston, where she earned degrees and was active in queer feminist and antiwar organizing.  She came to Atlanta in 2008, and is glad to have escaped from the snow.  She and her partner live in Midtown, travel relentlessly, and love coming to events and browsing books at Charis.

 

 

 

Dartricia Walker, Fundraising Chair     

Dartricia is a student at Kennesaw State, pursuing a BS in Human Services with a concentration in Nonprofit Organization and a minor is Gender and Women’s Studies. When not attending school she enjoys local coffee, brunch, books, and long hikes with her dog Gambino. 

 

 

Charis Books Co-Owners

Charis Books employees do not serve on the Charis Circle Board in official or unofficial capacities, but they are vital pillars of the Charis Circle support team and often help with strategic visioning and support Charis Circle’s community efforts by outreach and publicity in the bookstore.  

Sara Luce Look (Charis employee since 1994, Owner since 1997) She is co-owner and book buyer at Charis Books & More, Atlanta’s independent feminist bookstore, where she has been a bookseller since 1994. Sara co-founded Atlanta’s Lesbian Avengers and has also served on the boards of several non-profits, including The Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, The Atlanta Pride Committee, and The Georgia Breast Cancer Coalition. Sara graduated from Emory University in 1992, with an undergraduate degree in Women’s Studies and Creative Writing. Originally from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, she came South for college and stayed. Sara@charisbooksandmore.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angela Gabriel (Charis employee since 1999, Owner since 2005)

Angela is a Charis Books co-owner who manages consignment, sidelines, and school book fairs. When she’s not at Charis you can find “Miss Angela” teaching Pre-K at City Schools of Decatur. Angela currently serves on the board of Our House.  Angela@charisbooksandmore.com