Staff & Board
Executive Director
Holly Lange, a key part of the festival since its start, takes a page from years of experience in event management, fundraising, volunteer coordination and public relations. Her role continues a narrative thread of engagement with projects unique to the state, including the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History, B.B. King Museum, Mississippi Museum of Art Centennial and Crossroads Film Festival.
Literary Director
Ellen Rodgers Daniels opens the next chapter in her forays into the heart of Mississippi culture. This Rolling Fork native brings a curious mind and a keen eye to the task, honed from her dozen years as a bookseller at Lemuria, her work as a gallery assistant at Fischer Galleries and her fine art photography, which has been shown in galleries throughout the Southeast.
Community Engagement Coordinator
Jackson native Tonja Murphy is thrilled to join the team after serving on the Board of Directors. Tonja puts her love for community, students, and books to use with the Mississippi Book Festival, as she takes on the role of Community Engagement Coordinator.
Site Coordinator
Shannon McLaughlin joins the team this year to tackle the Capitol complex and manage the site. Thousands of square feet fall under Shannon’s purview and she will work hard to make sure every inch of the festival site is ready to go. She is thrilled to be part of an event that touches on her art background and showcases her native Mississippi.
Volunteer Coordinator
A loyal volunteer since the first Mississippi Book Festival, Virginia Powell is putting her volunteer experience to good use as Volunteer Coordinator. She is delighted to channel her passion for community work and good books to make each festival volunteer experience exceptional.
Board of Directors
- Daphne Chamberlain, Tougaloo, MS
- John Evans, Jackson, MS
- Richard Howorth, Oxford, MS
- Jamie Kornegay, Grenada, MS
- Jon Levingston, Clarksdale, MS
- Jean Medley, Jackson, MS
- Jere Nash, Jackson, MS
- Scott Naugle, Pass Christian, MS
- Peyton Prospere, Jackson, MS
- Karen Redhead, Jackson, MS
- Lyn Roberts, Oxford, MS
- Polly Rosenblatt, Woodville, MS
- Sharman Smith, Jackson, MS
- Robert St. John, Hattiesburg, MS
- Charlene Thompson, Jackson, MS
- Valerie Walley, Jackson, MS
- Malcolm White, Jackson, MS
- Neil White, Oxford, MS
Board of Advisors
- Meg Annison, Mississippi Lottery Commission
- Katie Blount, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- Tracy Carr, Mississippi Library Commission
- Beth Ann Fennelly, University of Mississippi
- Craig Gill, University Press of Mississippi
- Chris Goodwin, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- John Hooks, The Eudora Welty Foundation
- Mari Irby, Mississippi Public Broadcasting
- Pam Junior, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- Robby Luckett, Jackson State University / Margaret Walker Alexander Center
- Ebony Lumumba, Jackson State University
- John Marszalek, Mississippi State University / Ulysses S. Grant Library
- Sarah McCullough, Mississippi State University / Ulysses S. Grant Library
- Preselfannie McDaniels, Jackson State University
- Nina Parikh, Mississippi Development Authority / Mississippi Film Office
- Stuart Rockoff, Mississippi Humanities Council
- Ellen Ruffin, University of Southern Mississippi
- Maggie Lowery Stevenson, Mississippi Development Authority / Visit Mississippi
- Sarah Story, Mississippi Arts Commission
- Steve Yates, University Press of Mississippi