Upcoming

October 11, 2025.  Authors’ Showcase, Loussac Public Library, Anchorage, 1-4 p.m., in celebration of Alaska Book Week. The free event is co-sponsored by Alaska Center for the Book. Kathleen is one of 20 Alaskan writers & authors who will be on-site and in conversation about their books.

Recent

September 4-18, 2025.  Guardiagrele, Italy (Abruzzo). Participant in “Benedictine Footprints” small group retreat, facilitated by Judith Valente, Chicago, author, and former president of the International Thomas Merton Society.

June 19-22, 2025. Speaker, plenary panel, “Merton & the American West.” Regis University, Denver, Colorado.

April 16, 2025.  Poetry Parley, The Writer’s Block bookshop and cafe, Anchorage. Kathleen served as one of the featured readers on a program to honor former Alaska Writer Laureate and distinguished Alaskan poet, Tom Sexton (1940-2025).

April 2024. Kathleen presented a workshop in the Lake District of England on “The Spirit of Place” at the conference of The Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain & Ireland. April 5-6, 2024, Rydal Hall, Ambleside, England.

November 4, 2023. “Mountains of Contemplation” — Kathleen designed and presented interactive webinar and workshop on behalf of St. Columba’s Retreat House, Inverness, California.  (Kathleen is a founding member of the St. Columba’s Contemplative Retreat Center. )

July 14-24, 2023. St. Columba’s Retreat Center,  Inverness, California.  Writer-and-scholar in-residence.

June 2023. The 17th General Meeting of the International Thomas Merton Society, St. Mary’s College, South Bend, Indiana. “Sophia Comes Forth Reaching”

July 12, 2022. Northern Renaissance Arts & Science Reading Series, UAA’s Fine Arts Recital Hall. For the closing week of University of Alaska Anchorage’s low-residency graduate program in creative writing, Kathleen gave a public reading, along with former UAA-MFA faculty member and novelist, Valerie Miner.

May 3, 2022. UKRAINE:  Kathleen participated in a panel and community conversation at Kenai Peninsula College, Kachemak Bay campus, in Homer, Alaska, to share perspectives about current events surrounding Russia’s invasion of sovereign, democratic Ukraine.  Panelists included history and economics professors, writers, and others with personal ties to this part of Eastern Europe. Panelists shared their insights about Russian and Ukrainian history and how this conflict is challenging the world. Free and open to the public.

April 10, 2022. Co-presenter with Alaskan author, Joan Wilson (The Book of Timothy), Spokane, Washington.

November 9, 2021. Featured Speaker, “Tuesdays With Merton,” a national podcast series, presented monthly by St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana, and the International Thomas Merton Society. Title of Kathleen’s talk:  “From the Inner Frontier to the Last Frontier: Thomas Merton’s 1968 Journey to Alaska.”

June 2021. Presenter, 17th General Meeting, International Thomas Merton Society, Notre Dame University (virtual conference). “On the Necessity of Pilgrimage“

March 2020.  Judge, Poetry Out Loud, statewide poetry competition for Alaska high school students

January 27, 2021. Featured Poet & Curator, Poetry Parley Virtual Event, “Poets of Central & Eastern Europe” (in commemoration of 75th anniversary of the ending of the Second World War in Europe)

October/November 2020. Designed and taught four-week webinar for 60 participants, “Thomas Merton: Spiritual Explorer for Our Times.”  Sponsored by UAA/Opportunities for Lifelong Learning.

November 16, 2019. Author Reading & Luncheon speaker, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s, women’s group (Women at the Well), Anchorage, Alaska

November 15, 2019. Alaska Quarterly Review, public event, The Writer’s Block Bookstore & Cafe, Anchorage, 7:00-9:30 p.m.; one of three featured writers presenting a dramatic reading of two AQR short stories. Master of  Ceremony: Ron Spatz, founder and editor-in-chief, AQR.

October 22, 2019. Guest speaker, Thomas Merton Symposium, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

June 27-30, 2019. Presenter, International Thomas Merton Society, 16th General Meeting, Santa Clara University.

May 4, 2019. Instructor, “Merton the Literary Man”, seminar for 49 Writers, Anchorage.

April 27, 2019. Guest speaker, New York City, Corpus Christi Chapter of the International Thomas                          Merton Society.

April 6, 2019. Featured Writer, Beyond the Stacks annual fundraiser, Anchorage Public Library

March 8, 2019. 49 Writers instructor, “Merton the Literary Man,” Juneau, Alaska.

March 6, 2019.  Author Reading & talk, Alaska State Museum, Juneau. We Are All Poets Here

February 13, 2019.  Author Presentation, OLE Program (UAA); 9:15 a.m.

March 6, 2019.  Speaker, Alaska State Museum, Juneau, Alaska–49 Writers and the Alaska State Council on the Arts, sponsors. We Are All Poets Here

March 8, 2019.  Instructor, 49 Writers workshop: “Writers, Seekers, Pilgrims,” Juneau, Alaska.

March 27, 2019. Associated Writing Programs conference, Portland, Oregon.

April 6, 2019. Guest Author, “Beyond the Stacks,” fundraiser for Loussac Public Library, Anchorage

April 8, 2019. 49Writers craft talk & seminar, Anchorage.

January 16, 2019. Book signing, We Are All Poets Here, Barnes & Noble, Anchorage, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

November 10, 2018. Author Reading, Thomas Merton Center of Pittsburgh, noon to 2:00 p.m.

November 1. Author Reading, We Are All Poets Here. Kenai Peninsula College, Kenai/Soldotna, Alaska; McLane Commons, 6:30 p.m., Presentation and reading for KPC’s Showcase speaker series.

October 14, 2018. Author Reading, We Are All Poets Here, Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, guest speaker at Sunday Forum, 9:00 a.m. to 10:15, 2824 East 18th Avenue, Anchorage. “Reflections on Thomas Merton’s 1968 Alaska Journey.”

October 15-18, 2018. Author Reading & community talk, We Are All Poets Here, Yakutat, Alaska.

October 4, 2018. Author Reading, We Are All Poets Here, Alaska Professional Communicators, luncheon guest speaker. Kinley’s Restaurant (3230 Seward Highway, Anchorage), 11:30 a.m.

September 28-29, 2018. Author Reading & presentation, “Thomas Merton in Alaska” Conference, St. Elizabeth Anne Seton’s, Anchorage, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Merton’s 1968 sojourn to Alaska. Conference speaker & event organizer. Over 200 Alaskans participated in this historic conference.

September 12-15, 2018.  Speaker, Alaska Historical Society Annual Conference – “Tundra & Ice: History in Alaska’s Arctic,” Nome, Alaska.

Alaska Writer’s Guild Monthly Program: Author & Publisher Presentation. The Writer’s Block Bookstore & Cafe, May 8, 2018.

Homer City Library Book Club, June Book: We Are All Poets Here Author Reading. Homer City Library (500 Hazel Ave, Homer, AK 99603), 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., June 26, 2018.

April 6-8, 2018. Thomas Merton Society of Great Britain & Ireland Oakham Conference. Panel presenter, “Showcasing Contemporary Merton Work.”

March 1, 2018. 49 Writers Craft Talk. “On the Literary Road with Thomas Merton: Writing as a Pilgrimage,”  Indigo Tea Lounge, Anchorage.

February 6, 2018. UAA Campus Bookstore We Are All Poets Here Presentation and Discussion. “On the Frontiers of an Inner Life: Thomas Merton’s 1968 Journey to Alaska.”

January 27, 2018. Book Launch Party, We Are All Poets Here. The Writer’s Block Bookstore & Cafe, Anchorage, Alaska.

June 22-24, 2017. Panelist, Notre Dame University. “Writing as an Act of Resistance,” South Bend, Indiana.