Education

Mills College
MFA in Creative Writing
September 1991 - May 1995 
Oakland
Focus on poetry and creative nonfiction/memoir
Baldwin Wallace college
Bachelor of Arts, Magna cum laude
September 1966 - June 1970 
Berea
Double major in Government and Psychology; minor in English
University of Minnesota
Journalism
January 1972 - May 1974 
Minneapolis
Graduate level courses in news and magazine writing

Publications

April, 2019
"Love Note from a Man I Never Met"/580 Split literary magazine issue 23/ Oakland
Essay about a young woman's encounter with a mysterious stranger who drops a love note on her cafe table.
December, 2020
"Tiny Houses Empower Local Youth"/Local News matters / Oakland
How homeless youth worked with volunteers to build a tiny home village at the Oakland Coliseum.
August, 2018
"In a Zydeco Trance"/Dance in the spirit journal/ Oakland
An essay exploring the healing power of connection through Zydeco dance, the happiest music on earth.
February, 2021
"The Joys of Being a Grandparent"/The Rossmoor News/ Walnut Creek
The important role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren.
April, 2012
"The Resurrection of Wonder Woman"/IN FACT BOOKS, edited by lee gutkind / Pittsburgh
Explores the emotional and ethical impact of organ donation from the perspective of a grieving mother.
April, 2012
"The Gravity of Love"/This I believe: on motherhood/ New York
Shows how the death of her oldest daughter influenced the celebration of the younger sister’s wedding as told in the voice of the mother of the bride.
February, 2013
Swimming with Maya: A Mother's Story/dream of things PRESS/ Chicago
An emotionally honest exploration of what it means to love and lose a child - and how radical generosity through the donation of her organs changed a mother's grief.
February, 2021
"Seniors Build Desks for Young Scholars"/Local News Matters/ Berkeley
Elders organize volunteers, raise funds, and build desks for elementary school students students of essential workers.
March, 2021
Laurie Stern created a new perfume, Luminous Lemurs, to help save the endangered animals by donating to a Madagascar reserve.

Professional Experience

Writer
The Writer's grotto
September 2015 - Present 
San Francisco
Member of a community of working writers and narrative artists who connect in physical and virtual space, pooling our talents to support each other, mentor and teach others, and engage the wider world. The Grotto fosters a literary culture that is generous in spirit and deeply inclusive, elevating writers of all backgrounds.
Editor
kaiser health education
September 1998 - August 2015 
Oakland
Edited complex clinical information for the My Doctor Online website, providing Kaiser members with accurate, up to date health information.
Editor
Pacific Bell
August 1987 - September 1997 
San Francisco
Edited the company's management magazine, managing a group of talented freelance writers and providing editorial direction for the publication. Won multiple International Association of Business Communicators awards for editing excellence.
Reporter, Columnist
worthington daily globe
August 1976 - April 1978 
Worthington
Covered education and courts, as well as writing numerous feature stories and a weekly column.
Freelance Writer
Self Employed
September 2015 - Present 
Walnut Creek
Write articles and essays for a variety of publications including Local News Matters, The Rossmoor News, The Sacramento Bee, Creative Nonfiction Magazine and a variety of literary journals.