California Poets in the Schools would like to acknowledge and thank Julie Valin for her years of dedication as Area Coordinator for Nevada (and surrounding) counties. Julie Valin trained as a Poet-Teacher for CalPoets in 2009, under friend and mentor's guidance, Chris Olander. Chris and Julie worked together as partners for many years and as Julie says: "He taught me everything I know about CalPoets!" Around 2013, Will Staple passed the torch of Area Coordinator on to Julie. It was a privilege that Julie took seriously. She served as assistant editor for CalPoets' anthologies for a few years around that time. Julie was the Executive Editor of the Anthology for 2016 - Where Animals Move Like Planets (foreword by Molly Fisk), and 2017 - Singing the Feathers of Freedom (foreword by Dana Gioia). Julie has passed the Area Coordinator position of Nevada County to Kirsten Casey.
Julie says: "I'm going to miss the AC meetings we used to have at the State Poetry Out Loud competition, and all of you wonderful people, but I will still be connected and happy to support Kirsten in her vision!"