The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow / Board and Staff

VISION

Our vision is to is to create a lasting contribution to the literary arts by providing a sanctuary where writing is nurtured, honored, and shared.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (WCDH) is to nurture writers of all backgrounds, genres, and levels of experience in a supportive environment that builds community, stimulates new thinking, energizes creative expression, and optimizes productivity.

INCLUSIVITY

The Writers' Colony nurtures writers of all backgrounds, which means we want to ensure everyone considering coming to The Writers' Colony and participating in our programming feel welcome, included, and encouraged. This goal is being realized by the following actions:

We seek out feedback and participation from our Writers in Residence who come from marginalized communities.
We seek out organizations who serve people from marginalized communities for collaboration and feedback.
With the assistance of alumni DW McKinney, we have developed an Ambassadors program to connect potential Writers in Residence with our alumni from similar backgrounds.

For more information on our inclusivity efforts, please contact us at director@writerscolony.org.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joe Coykandall

President of the Board

Joe has worked only in the nonprofit sector for the last 20 years of his career, having retired as Executive Director for Finance for Educational Testing Service. Most recently he served as President and a Director of the Grassy Knob Voluntary Fire Association. He has also served as CFO of San Antonio Housing Authorities, one of the nation’s largest public housing authorities. Prior to his work with nonprofits, he was EVP and CFO of a large, Arizona based, public utility company in addition to being a Director on numerous corporate boards for banks and investment companies.

Vice President

KJ Kumwalt

KJ Zumwalt is a long-time Eureka Springs resident. She has been an award-winning restaurateur for more than 20 years, currently chef/owner of KJ's Caribe Restaurant and Cantina Mexican Restaurant in Eureka Springs. She is originally from Arkansas and attended Harding University, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Marketing. She loves to kayak, hike, and swim in the great outdoors of the Ozarks in Northwest Arkansas.

Elise Roenigk

Treasurer

Secretary

Jude Gaillot

Jude Gaillot is an open-source software developer and former journalist. A native of New Orleans, he published an arts and entertainment newspaper in Pensacola, Florida, in the late 1990s, and now lives in Eureka Springs. He is working on his first book, Welcome to Eureka Springs: The I-Sh*t-You-Not History of America's Quirkiest Town.

Janet Allured

Board Member

Janet Allured, Ph.D., retired Professor of History and Women’s Studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is currently adjunct professor of Women’s History at the University of Arkansas. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles on southern women and has co-edited several volumes in Louisiana history, including one in the University of Georgia Press’s series on southern women entitled Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times (2009). Remapping Second-Wave Feminism: The Long Women’s Rights Movement in Louisiana, 1950-1997, was also published with Georgia (2016). She is currently working on books about southern progressive women in the twentieth century.

Will Morris, JD, LLM

Will Morris is an experienced attorney specializing in estate planning, probate, and tax law. A graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law and Southern Methodist University, where he earned his LLM in Taxation, Will combines large-firm expertise with a client-centered approach, offering personalized, flexible services and fixed-fee engagements.

In addition to his legal career, Will is a passionate writer. After years of crafting unpublished poetry and prose, he embraced his creative voice to author a forthcoming book, set to be published next year. Inspired by feedback from his editor, a colleague of Joseph Campbell, Will honed a distinctive "philosopher’s voice" to guide his writing, mirroring his thoughtful approach to mentoring others in their creative journeys.

Born in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and raised in Hawaii, Will has a deep appreciation for family and community. Married to Lisa Bercher Morris for over 40 years, he is a proud father of three sons and grandfather to three. Will’s dedication to education, mentorship, and lifelong learning is evident in his work with nonprofit boards and as a writing judge at the Writers Colony, where he encourages others to discover their own voices. Through both his legal practice and creative pursuits, Will strives to inspire and empower those he serves.