Society of Scribes Board Candidates Ballot 2025

Cynthia studied calligraphy at Yale’s School of Art, now Senior Professor Emerita at Long Island University where she taught Color, Painting, Drawing, 2D design, and Calligraphy (Western and Non-Western). Her 9th art-related book, 100 New York Calligraphers, includes the work of a number of SoS members. Her ten children’s books of rhyming haiku poems feature cursive handwriting in place of type, as a response to schools no longer teaching kids to write script.

Debra is a Pennsylvania-based calligrapher, graphic designer, and teaching artist. A lifelong lover of beautiful writing and New York City, she began studying calligraphy through the guild system, where her first teacher was Alice Koeth. Over the past 34 years, Debra has completed numerous public and private commissions and served as a teaching artist with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, bringing calligraphy and book arts to students of all ages. She has held leadership roles in, and teaches calligraphy and related arts through the Calligraphers’ Guild of Northeastern PA, the Philadelphia Calligraphers Society, and the Society of Scribes NYC. Debra remains dedicated to both learning and teaching, with a mission to make the art of beautiful writing accessible to all.

Nancy has served on the board since 2009, first as recording secretary and currently as treasurer. She has a background in engineering and spent years working in the financial industry before becoming the mother of twin girls. Calligraphy is her welcome diversion and she is committed to supporting the Society of Scribes.

Judy is a freelance calligrapher and engraver who previously served on the SoS board for 18 years. She rejoined in 2011 as workshop co-chair. Judy is the author of 100 Keys to Great Calligraphy and co-author of the 22 and 23 editions of The Speedball Textbook and Lettering Arts, the coffee table book Lettering Arts (1993). She is committed to seeing that SoS and calligraphy continue to flourish!

Eva is a freelance calligrapher and designer with an avid interest in the lettering arts. She has done work for museums, foundations as well as corporate and private clients. She volunteered for special events before being elected to the Board of Governors in 2007 and subsequently served as president for three years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the Mannes College of Music and currently serves on the Board.

Sheila first became interested in calligraphy when her 8th grade art teacher introduced her to broad edged calligraphy markers, and she couldn't stop experimenting with them. She lost touch with calligraphy as she attended art school and started her career as a graphic designer, picking it up only now and then for a friend's wedding or the occasional certificate. Many many years later her husband gave her the gift of a calligraphy class at the Society of Scribes and it reignited a passion for calligraphy, lettering arts and the integration of words and art. An avid learner, Sheila would like to ensure this knowledge is preserved and available for all; especially those who don't even know it's there! Joining the SoS board has introduced her to new ways of preserving it, passing it on and in the process meeting so many wonderful like-minded friends.

Adrian was introduced to East Asian brush calligraphy in college, and he continued to practice while teaching English in a rural Japanese town. He later studied graphic and typeface design at SVA. Adrian currently works in the information technology field. His first formal introduction to Western calligraphy was at an SoS workshop a few years ago, and he has been an avid participant in classes and events ever since. Adrian believes strongly in the value of writing by hand and the lettering arts. He hopes to contribute to the work of the SoS to preserve and extend these traditions.

Barry is a freelance calligrapher, bookbinder, boxmaker, and instructor residing in Manhattan where he operates a studio quite appropriately in the shadow of the New York Public Library. He has been totally involved in calligraphy for more than 48 years, and served on the Board of Governors from 1979-1991, including 8 years as Workshops Chairman, and Faculty Chairman for Innovations ’86, the SoS sponsored conference in Hoboken. He has taught workshops throughout the US, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and is directing much of his attention now to the future of calligraphy and its great legacy in Western culture.

 Anna is a freelance calligrapher and calligraphy instructor living in Hoboken, NJ. She first served on the Board in the 80s and 90s. As a Newsletter editor then, and again in the 2000s, her favorite feature was the annual April Fool’s insert. She is grateful for the many mentors, friends and calligraphic opportunities that have come her way over all these years thanks to the Society of Scribes, and is happy to see a talented new generation enthusiastically involved in the SoS!

Rachael was formally introduced to Calligraphy in early 2019, and her fingers have been stained by ink ever since. In search of the most elegant letterforms, learning new scripts and techniques are the fuel for her conquest in calligraphic excellence. Rachael holds a BFA from the University of the Arts in Graphic Design with a double minor in Business and Advertising, as well as a certificate in Type Design from the Cooper Union, Type@Cooper Extended Program. Rachael has completed a wide variety of courses and workshops in calligraphy with topics ranging from Casual Script Sign Painting to Off-Hand Flourishing & Ornamental Penmanship. In her typographic upbringing Rachael was inspired by the words of Tobias Frere-Jones and studied under Hannes Famira at UArts, this eventually led to her passions in calligraphy. Previously dissuaded by the lefty-curse of smudging, Rachael turned to typography and type design to fulfill her creative desires in letterform. It wasn’t until a workshop taught by Nina Tran that Rachael ‘rotated the page’ and started her calligraphic journey anew with a different perspective. Rachael’s journey with the Society of Scribes began with volunteering to install the Alice exhibition at the Herb Lubalin center in 2024. Rachael then went on to become the society’s Recording Secretary and graphic designer. She led the charge in redesigning the look and feel of the societyofscribes.org website, along with the visual language presented on the society’s social media pages. With a background in restaurant branding Rachael’s love for visual communication systems helped her to easily create a strategy for using Alice’s calligraphy in the society’s branding system to pay homage to the history of Society of Scribes but in a way that felt new and exciting.

Laura is a product designer and freelance calligrapher whose journey into the lettering arts began at the School of Visual Arts, where she studied graphic design. Her passion for typography naturally led her to the Society of Scribes in 2013, where she has found not only exceptional instruction but a vibrant community of fellow calligraphy enthusiasts. Grateful for the mentors like Sheila and Julian Waters she has met through SoS, Laura is committed to promoting the practice and love of calligraphy to both longtime members and newcomers alike. She looks forward to fostering the same welcoming environment and creative opportunities that first drew her to the Society, ensuring that the art of beautiful writing continues to thrive in New York City.

Chi has always loved letters and the written word. She enjoys freelancing and teaching calligraphy/papercrafts. She’s been an enthusiastic workshop-taker and has served on the board since 1998 doing membership and other things.

Phan is on the editorial board of the newly revived Notes from New York, the newsletter of the Society of Scribes.

He has served on the Board of Governors since 2016 and hopes to continue in this position to promote calligraphic literacy to an unsuspecting public.

Jessie is a Lettering Artist currently working out of a studio in Philadelphia called TrueHand. Jessie has been working professionally since 2001 focusing specifically on hand drawn lettering and calligraphy. Jessie’s paintings also focus on letters and are inspired by all sorts of older references. She likes a modern take on classic compositions. Jessie is proud to be a board member with Society of Scribes and works mostly with social media and is very excited to hold a position on the board! She also loves to teach workshops specifically for tattooers that want to understand better ways to approach their lettering work.

Susan is a former graphic designer whose calligraphy and design work has been commissioned by corporations and private customers. Her training has included national and international educational calligraphy conferences as well as courses in botanical art and illustration. Susan has taught in art schools, libraries, and privately. Her work is included in the book, 100 New York Calligraphers. She serves on the Board of Governors of the Society of Scribes, and is a member of IAMPETH. The Society of Scribes has provided a constant source of learning and inspiration. It has been an honor to serve the organization for many years including co-chair of the SoS annual Holiday Fair.

Chavelli is a graphic designer who started seriously studying calligraphy with Myrna Rosen during her undergrad years at Carnegie Mellon. Many years later she rediscovered her love for calligraphy while in the Type@Cooper typeface design program and since then she has had the pleasure of studying with many amazing lettering artists. She runs her own eponymous design studio and is grateful to be able to infuse her design work with her growing calligraphy skills. A lifelong lover of letters, she loves being part of SoS though which she aims to further promote the practice and enjoyment of calligraphy and its related arts.