Anne Ierardi is an artist, writer, and minister. She is an award-winning author of the memoir “Coming Alive,” the story of her coming out as a lesbian, ordained counseling minister, and artist, published in 2022. She illustrated with twenty-one of her paintings “Walking with Grief: A Healing Journey.” She lives in Yarmouth Port with her wife Judy of 44 years and an energetic toy poodle named Dolce.
Dr. Sarah Johnson is a Public History Consultant who conducts historical research, writes, and lectures about 19th-21st century American history. Her knowledge of American material culture was honed through twenty years of teaching undergraduate and graduate design students to critically analyze objects in museum collections within broader frameworks of culture, communications, and technology so they could become more informed designers and makers of objects. She has extensive public history experience, working with museum collections, local historical societies, and on digital projects to make historical artifacts and images more accessible.
Polly Kreisman is a writer, producer and 15-time Emmy winning investigative reporter and actor who lives in Larchmont, NY. She plays Mom to two kids in college. And to two dogs, a badly-behaved Standard Poodle puppy and a foster fail. She likes riding horses (English), Barre, yoga and hiking almost anywhere in the world.
Heather Northrop has 16 years of experience in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and investor relations. As Founder of Heather Northrop Consulting LLC, she provides nonprofit fundraising, board development, and leadership advisory services. Heather graduated cum laude from Bucknell University. She enjoys yoga, reading, hiking, traveling, local volunteering, and spending time in Central Park and Riverside Park. Heather was introduced to Gateless Writing in early 2022. She has greatly enjoyed the creative process and connections she’s formed with other writers.
Alysa Osvog style is warm and wise, welcoming clients to build a relationship within themselves, through simple tools to regulate the nervous system, manage stress and anchor in self worth. Alysa graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a degree in Business Marketing, then continued her education at Florida International University in Industrial Organizational Psychology. In 2012 Alysa became a Certified Yoga Therapist, leading groups primarily in therapeutic settings. In 2017, she discovered writing to be incredibly cathartic and fun. In 2017, Alysa became a Certified Gateless writing coach to help others move through words. Alysa is committed to sharing the benefits of ancient wisdom with modern science, inspiring personal practices to thread into a life worth living and loving. Although I am not a classically trained chef, this is the 8th retreat cooking for Gateless- I love the entire experience and look forward to nourishing you!
Natalie Schriefer, MFA is a freelance writer and editor. Her work often focuses on shame, queerness, coming of age, and pop culture. She loves asking people about their fictional crushes (her most recent is Lt. Riza Hawkeye from Fullmetal Alchemist). A Best of the Net nominee, Natalie's work has appeared with CNN, HuffPost, Wired, and NBC, among others. When she isn't at her desk writing, she's outside walking or learning a new sport.
Rebecca Wineland: "After discovering that PR was not for me, I helped fascinating elders put their lives into words in order to share them with their families until presto -- I had a family of my own with three daughters under the age of two. That kept me busy, and I toggled between family and teaching English until -- presto again -- my children were grown and gone. So I cooked up a screenplay idea that took me by the hand and led me from L.A. to Atlanta to Rhode Island and to the Colombian jungle and the Andes Mountains and then back home to incubate the idea. Now I'm waiting to see if this story wants to be born or if another adventure awaits."