Cherilyn Parsons

Cherilyn Parsons: Founder and Former Executive Director of the Bay Area Book Festival

Cherilyn Parsons is the founder and former executive director of the Bay Area Book Festival, a major literary event held annually in Berkeley, California. Here are the key facts about her:

• Founded the Bay Area Book Festival in 2013 and served as its executive director from 2015 to June 2023123
• Under her leadership, the festival grew into one of the largest literary events in the U.S., featuring over 1,600 acclaimed authors from the Bay Area, U.S. and around the world23
• The festival presents 250-300 authors across 100 events each year, attracting 10,000-20,000 attendees3
• Parsons personally raised the majority of the festival's revenue, which grew from $600K to $1.2M annually3
• She also founded Women Lit, a literary program focused on women authors, in 20183
• Parsons stepped down as executive director in June 2023 but will remain involved as a trusted advisor12
• She plans to pursue her own writing, rest, and rejuvenate after nearly 11 years of building the festival1
• Parsons moved to Paris in late 2023 and was awarded a "talent visa" for international renown in July 2024, allowing her to work unrestricted in France3

In summary, Cherilyn Parsons is the visionary founder who built the Bay Area Book Festival into a major cultural institution over the past decade. Her departure marks a transition for the festival as it enters its second decade.