Kelsye is an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and creative community organizer with over 20 years of expertise in writing, editing, and publishing. Passionate about empowering writers, she has guided hundreds in uncovering their stories, honing their craft, and connecting with audiences.

As the Director of Gutsy Creatives and Managing Editor of Avasta Press, Kelsye leads initiatives that foster creativity and support for writers. Her background includes significant roles and partnerships with literary organizations such as Hedgebook (which provides residencies for women writers), LitReactor, Artist's Trust, and Blurb, as well as Amazon’s CreateSpace.

A dynamic and sought-after speaker, Kelsye shares her insights on writing, publishing, and entrepreneurship at prestigious events like Book Expo America, the AWP Conference, Geekwire, The San Francisco Writers Conference, PubCamp, Book Publishers NW, Portland Book Fest, and the Whidbey Island Writers’ Conference, among others.

In addition to her speaking engagements, Kelsye has taught a course on the Business of Digital Publishing at the University of Washington, spent three years teaching English at Kwansei Gakuin University, and lectured on the Democratization of Publishing at The Evergreen State College. She earned her BA in Writing and Art Activism from TESC and interned at the independent literary press Red Hen Press during her graduate studies in Publishing Arts at Antioch University Los Angeles.

A fierce advocate for supportive writer communities, Kelsye has founded and nurtured multiple writers' groups, the longest-running of which has been meeting for 17 years.