Who We Are
Devoted leadership from across the state!
Executive Director
Ellen Daniels
Ellen is a lifelong Mississippian originally from Rolling Fork. Ellen served as the festival's Literary Director from 2019 to 2021. In September 2021, she became the Executive Director, where she continues to draw on her longtime love of books and her extensive relationships in the publishing industry. In addition to her prior work as a gallery assistant at Fischer Galleries and her own fine art photography training, Ellen also brings more than a decade of experience at Lemuria Books to her leadership position. She has lived in Jackson since 2006, where she currently resides with her husband and their two children.
Development Director
Rebecca Hardy
Rebecca has spent more than 20 years championing causes that bring people together, from classrooms to community festivals, and everything in between. As the Development Director for the Mississippi Book Festival, she brings deep experience in relationship-building, fundraising, and community engagement. She’s played key roles with the Mississippi Arts Commission, Ballet Mississippi, the International Ballet Competition, and the Junior League of Jackson, and previously served as Volunteer Coordinator for the Mississippi Book Festival. Rebecca is a former educator with a Master’s in Elementary Education from Delta State University, an active member of First Presbyterian Church, and a devoted supporter of the creative and cultural life of Mississippi. She lives in Belhaven with her husband, Ty, their two children, and two dogs.
Community Engagement Director
Tonja Murphy
Dr. Tonja Murphy brings over two decades of experience in community programming, youth development, and literacy advocacy. As Community Engagement Director for the Mississippi Book Festival, she leads Turn the Page, a dynamic statewide initiative that connects students with award-winning authors through school visits, book giveaways, and creative writing activities. She also has a key role in producing the festival’s signature KidNote program, which reaches thousands of students across Mississippi each year. Drawing on her nonprofit background and working with school districts, Tonja blends her passion for books, community, and young people to create spaces where students can see themselves in stories and believe in their voices. Her work bridges the gap between literature and lived experience, shaping a new generation of engaged readers and confident storytellers.
Development Associate
Jordan Perry
Having spent most of her career in the non-profit sector, Jordan brings to the festival nearly a decade of experience in fundraising, capacity-building, and event logistics. Through her work with the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Mississippi Arts Commission, she’s seen first-hand the breadth and impact of our state’s rich cultural heritage and looks forward to building on the festival’s success to broaden its reach even further.
Operations and Administrative Coordinator
Charlie Grant
Charlie joined the festival team full-time after several years of increasing involvement, first as a volunteer and then as seasonal staff. As Operations and Administrative Coordinator, he manages relationships with the festival's diverse exhibitors—from food vendors and independent authors to community organizations and booksellers—while also providing technical support that helps streamline operations across the team. Originally from Alabama, Charlie has embraced Mississippi as his home and was immediately captivated by the festival's impressive scale and historic Capitol setting during his first visit. His experience coordinating community events brings valuable organizational skills to the festival's operations, helping ensure a smooth experience for exhibitors and attendees each year.
Site Coordinator
Shannon McLaughlin
Shannon joined the festival team in 2020 to oversee all aspects of on-site logistics in and around the State Capitol complex. She brings to the role years of experience planning large-scale events like Bright Lights Belhaven Nights, among others, and is thrilled to use her arts background to help showcase her native Mississippi.
Board of Directors
- Meg Annison, Jackson, MS
- Tracy Carr, Jackson, MS
- Daphne Chamberlain, Jackson, MS
- Elizabeth Crews, Blue Mountain, MS
- John Evans, Jackson, MS
- Chris Goodwin, Jackson, MS
- Gwendolyn Harmon, Jackson, MS
- Betty Jo Harris, Natchez, MS
- Richard Howorth, Oxford, MS
- Pam Junior, Jackson, MS
- Jamie Kornegay, Grenada, MS
- Holly Lange, Ridgeland, MS
- Jon Levingston, Clarksdale, MS
- Jean Medley, Jackson, MS
- Helen McComb, Port Gibson, MS
- Sarah McCullough, Starkville, MS
- Jere Nash, Jackson, MS
- Scott Naugle, Pass Christian, MS
- Peyton Prospere, Jackson, MS
- Ellen Ruffin, Hattiesburg, MS
- Emily Simmons, Jackson, MS
- Robert St. John, Hattiesburg, MS
- Talya Straughter, Jackson, MS
- Valerie Walley, Jackson, MS
- Mary Alice White, Jackson, MS
- Neil White, Oxford, MS
- Betty Wilson-McSwain, McComb, MS
Board of Advisors
- Katie Blount, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- Alex Brower, Mississippi Library Commission
- Matthew Casey, University of Southern Mississippi
- Beth Ann Fennelly, University of Mississippi
- Craig Gill, University Press of Mississippi
- John Hooks, The Eudora Welty Foundation
- David Lewis, Mississippi Arts Commission
- Robby Luckett, Jackson State University / Margaret Walker Alexander Center
- Ebony Lumumba, Jackson State University
- John Marszalek, Mississippi State University / Ulysses S. Grant Library
- Preselfannie McDaniels, Jackson State University
- Michael Morris, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
- Anna Neel, Mississippi Public Broadcasting
- Lis Pankl, Mississippi State University
- Nina Parikh, Mississippi Development Authority / Mississippi Film Office
- Stuart Rockoff, Mississippi Humanities Council
- Elizabeth Simmons, Mississippi Board of Education
- Eric Tribunella, University of Southern Mississippi
- Steve Yates, University Press of Mississippi