Cherilyn Parsons

Cherilyn Parsons: Visionary Founder & Executive Director of the Bay Area Book Festival

Cherilyn Parsons is a visionary leader and experienced executive in the arts and journalism industries. She is the founder and executive director of the Bay Area Book Festival, a world-class literary festival that has featured over 1,250 notable authors and 400 distinct literary events over the past five years. In response to the pandemic in 2020, she quickly pivoted all programs to virtual formats, overseeing the production of more than 80 high-quality literary events with approximately 200 authors and over 100,000 viewers, with more programs underway for 2021. Parsons is skilled in designing creative and intellectually challenging literary programming featuring some of the world's most important and groundbreaking authors.

She has managed a dynamic organization with staff and volunteers working under tight resources and deadlines. Her expertise lies in structuring opportunities for corporate sponsorship and philanthropic giving, securing funds and stewarding donors and sponsors. Parsons determines the organization's marketing direction and collaborates closely with media sponsors representing the Bay Area's leading outlets.

With a Bachelor's degree in English and emphasis on Writing from UCLA, Parsons went on to complete a full fellowship in Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. She has also studied at the Ingmar Bergman Estate in Sweden and Hedgebrook in Washington State.

Prior to establishing the Bay Area Book Festival, Parsons has held positions such as Assistant Dean for Advancement at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Director of Development and Strategic Initiatives at Center for Investigative Reporting, Travel Writer, Book Reviewer, and Essayist at Freelance Writer & Editor, and President at Strategic Communications, Inc.

In addition to her impressive professional background, Parsons serves as the public face of the festival, locally and worldwide, and speaks strongly and enthusiastically on behalf of the festival and literary culture overall.