POETS LAUREATE

Alan Semerdjian is an Armenian-American writer, a musician, and an educator. Recent recognitions include two Pushcart Prize nominations; a Frontier New Poets Award; poems in Poetry International, The Brooklyn Rail, Fence, and Hanging Loose (forthcoming); and a tweet...

Paula Curci is a spoken word poet, broadcaster and school counseling educator. For nearly two decades, Paula has hosted and produced Calliope’s Corner - The Place Where Poets and Songwriters Meet, on 88.7FM Radio Hofstra University. Her radio show is a Press Club of...

Evelyn Kandel received a B.S. from Columbia University and an M.A. from Long Island University. She completed various programs including The Art of Poetry from C.W. Post College and the Hutton House Lectures. Evelyn is a former Marine Sgt. Serving during the Korean...

Peter V. Dugan was born and raised on Long Island. He is a graduate of Chaminade High School, Mineola 1976, Farmingdale State College, Melville, NY Degree: Associate of Arts and Sciences 1995, and The New School for Social Research, NY, NY. Degree: Bachelor of Arts....

Lorraine Conlin is the Nassau County Poet Laureate (2015-2017). She is on the board for the Bards Initiative. As Special Events Coordinator of Performance Poets Association, Lorraine hosts events and readings at Sip This in Valley Stream and also at the Bellmore Bean...

Mario Susko is the author of 31 poetry collections and the recipient of numerous awards, including the 1997 and 2006 Nassau Review Poetry Award, the 1988 Premio Internazionale di Poesia e Letterature “Nuove Lettere” (Italy), the 2000 Tin Ujevic Award for the best book...

Dr. Opyr holds a Doctor of Arts Degree from St. John’s University in English and American Literature, a Masters of Education in Counseling and Psychological Services, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology from Springfield College. She has served the...

Nassau County Poet Laureate for 2009-2011 and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association 2016 Long Island Poet of the Year, Gayl Teller received an MA from Columbia University and another MA from Queens College, CUNY. Her seven poetry collections are At the Intersection...

Maxwell Corydon Wheat, Jr. was acclaimed Nassau County Poet Laureate on June 24, 2007 by the poetry community of Nassau County,with the support of poets from the greater Long Island area. Max’s love of poetry and his philosophy that "if you can enjoy poetry, you can...