LEE COMER
Communications Coordinator
lcomer@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Lee served as Email Marketing Coordinator for NewFest, The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival. They were previously Marketing Associate for Brew Dr. Kombucha and Library Assistant for the Reed College Performing Arts Resource Center. They hold a BA in Literature/Theatre from Reed College, where they also studied Creative Writing.
RUTH DICKEY
Executive Director
rdickey@nationalbook.org
Ruth Dickey has spent over 30 years working at the intersection of community building, writing, and art. From 2013 to 2021, she served as Executive Director of Seattle Arts & Lectures, which brings the best writers and thinkers to Seattle stages and classrooms. A builder and believer in big dreams, Ruth has had the pleasure of leading organizations in Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; Cincinnati, OH; and Seattle, WA to dramatically expand their community impact. She holds an MFA in poetry from UNC-Greensboro, and a BS in Foreign Service and an MA in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University. Ruth was a 2017 fellow with the National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program, and served as a judge in Fiction for the 2019 National Book Awards.
EILEEN ENG
Director of Finance & Operations
eeng@nationalbook.org
Eileen is a nonprofit operations professional with over 9 years of dedicated service in the New York City area. Eileen has previously worked at Volunteers of Legal Service, Youth Represent, and The Doe Fund where she supported their mission through Finance, Administration, Human Resources, and Development operations management. Eileen holds a BA in Political Science and Globalization Studies from the University at Albany, SUNY.
NATALIE GREEN
Director of Programs & Partnerships
ngreen@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Natalie was the Manager of Los Angeles Programs at PEN America. She holds a BA in English and Creative Writing from UCLA, is co-chair of the Brooklyn Book Festival Bookends committee, and organizes with North Brooklyn Mutual Aid.
TASNIM HUSSAIN
Education Programs Manager
thussain@nationalbook.org
Prior to joining the National Book Foundation, Tasnim Hussain served as the Program Manager at Writopia Lab where she led educational programming and youth-centered initiatives. She holds a BA in English Education from CUNY Hunter College.
EMILY LOVETT
Production Manager
elovett@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Emily worked as the Artistic and Development Liaison at the Orchard Project and as a freelance dramaturg. She has held positions at Second Stage Theater, Court Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The University of Chicago Press. She holds a BA in English Literature and Music from the University of Chicago.
COLIN MCDONALD
Senior Digital Manager
cmcdonald@nationalbook.org
Colin has spent more than 15 years working as a web developer and digital project manager for nonprofit and education organizations like Green-Wood Cemetery, The Museum at Eldridge Street, and The City University of New York. He holds a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
LAUREN MULLEN
Senior Manager of Awards & Honors
lmullen@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Lauren served as Manager of Individual Giving at the Art Students League of New York. She has also held roles in advertising production at BBDO and Sound Lounge. Lauren holds an MA in Arts Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.
ALE ROMERO
Director of Marketing & Communications
aromero@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Ale Romero served as the Associate Director for Marketing and Communications at Junior Achievement of New York. She has worked with organizations such as Girls Who Code and Glasswing International. Ale holds an MA in International Relations from the Barcelona Institute for International Studies in Barcelona, Spain and a BS in Business Management and Political Science with a minor in Women’s Studies from Stony Brook University.
MEG TANSEY
Director of Development
mtansey@nationalbook.org
Meg Tansey has more than 20 years of experience building development operations for nonprofit organizations and political campaigns. Prior to joining the National Book Foundation she spent almost six years as the Development Lead for The Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn. She was previously Director of Major and Institutional Giving at City Harvest, and has worked with national institutions including StoryCorps and the community development organization LISC. Meg holds a BA in Political Science from Boston University and an MFA in Fiction from The New School.
MADDIE FRIEDMAN WILLS
Development Manager
mwills@nationalbook.org
Maddie has over seven years of experience working in development and communications for nonprofit organizations. Before joining the National Book Foundation, Maddie served as the Development and Communications Manager at Austin Sunshine Camps. She holds a BS in Public Relations from the University of Texas at Austin.
KIRA WILSON
Awards Coordinator
kwilson@nationalbook.org
Before joining the National Book Foundation, Kira Wilson held various roles at contemporary art galleries in New York. Most recently, she served as Archivist at CLEARING, and previously worked as an Artist Liaison and Gallery Assistant at Storage, and as Curatorial and Production Coordinator at Larrie. Kira holds a BA in Art History with a Concentration in Visual Arts from Barnard College.