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Board of Directors

Our organization is completely volunteer founded, organized, and maintained. We are grateful to the dedicated members who donate their time, expertise, and energy to the betterment of IAMPETH and our community.

Christen Turney

President

Marketing director by day, scribe by night/weekend/any moment in between, Christen lives in southeastern Virginia with her husband, Will, and sweet pitbull, Niko. Born and raised in New Jersey (and she will let you know it), Christen is a long-time pianist, amateur baker, serial crafter, snowboarder, podcast host and author. In her free time, you'll find Christen at the beach sketching and painting the beautiful greens and blues of the Chesapeake Bay, or attempting beach calligraphy on a sandbar.

Mike Ward

1st Vice President

Michael Ward is a professional penman, artist, dancer, and instructor located in Vancouver, Canada. He specializes in Spencerian Script and is known worldwide for his ornate signature designs. In additional to his penmanship practice, Michael has pioneered the technique of debossing and hand foiling calligraphic designs onto leather. He is passionate about teaching and sharing his love for the art of penmanship.

Debi Zeinert

2nd Vice President

Debi is a left-handed calligrapher from the Chicago area. As a child, she remembers tracing the graceful capital M's written by her grandmother on her birthday card envelopes. And before she even heard the word 'calligraphy', she would cut pretty alphabets out of magazines.

Jennifer Cathey

Immediate Past President

Jennifer has lived most of her life in Texas, but she and her husband, Blake, always enjoy traveling and learning about different cultures. A retired nurse, she now has time to devote to her many interests, grandchildren, and precious dog Winston, a Havanese/Poodle mix. A dear friend diagnosed Jennifer with Multiple-Muse Disorder because she’s never met a craft or hobby she didn’t want to try!

Kalo Chu

Membership Director

Kalo is a Hong Kong-based calligrapher, specializing in Engrosser's Script and Spencerian. She founded "Kalo Make Art" in 2015 to promote calligraphy, handwriting and penmanship. Since attending her first IAMPETH conference in Portland in 2016, Kalo has been captivated by the warmth of the calligraphy community.

Kestrel Montes

Webmaster

Kestrel, a former Spanish and math teacher, is founder of LearnCalligraphy.com and the creative force behind INKMETHIS. Aside from serving her own students and clients, Kestrel is perhaps better known for creating innovative tools and resources for the calligraphy community. Kestrel's own success as a professional artist paired with her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership, gives her a unique skill set to create quality educational opportunities and enhance professional community building.

Caroline David

Assistant Webmaster

Caroline is a DC based calligrapher and stationery designer who has been enthralled with all things pen and ink since her time working in the Special Events Department at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She is now the owner of Plume & Flourish, an art and calligraphy studio where she inspired by historical styles. When not entranced with the magic of words written by hand, she is cuddled up with her three rabbits, Brandon, Oliver and Emilia.

Cassie Thomas

Penman's Journal Editor

Cassie is an illumination enthusiast whose journey into calligraphy was sparked by an ornate gold inkwell that sat on her grandfather's desk when she was young. This inkwell inspired her to take her first calligraphy class where she learned of IAMPETH and later attended her first conference in Portland, Oregon in 2016. Cassie works professionally as a Media Buyer and Marketing Manager and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her Silken Windhound, Arlow.

Marie Hornback

Recording Secretary

Marie is a professional teacher and trainer of cursive handwriting, pointed pen scripts and broad edge hands. Marie is also an etiquette coach and teaches dining skills, business, and international protocol. She keeps chicken and bees and bakes her own bread. Marie also enjoys sewing, baking, and traveling.

Sondra Simon Goldman

Treasurer

Sondra Goldman, of New York City, is a professional calligrapher and engraver for many high profile celebrities and brands. Before launching her calligraphy business, Sondra worked as an accountant both in CPA firms and corporate offices. During her free time, Sondra loves to knit, bead, and play golf with her husband Sy.

Nancy Markisohn

Assistant Treasurer

Nancy is a lifelong crafter. Her youngest always joked that there was no need to go to a craft store, as everything they sold was already in the home. She was hooked after her first calligraphy class in 2013. This was after years of buying the “Teach Yourself Calligraphy” books from Michael’s that were never opened until long after the pens had dried out. Nancy has been hooked on attending IAMPETH conferences since her first in Indianapolis.

Tamara Stoneburner

Member at Large

Tamara Stoneburner is a professional calligrapher/fine artist and the owner of Gracestone Calligraphics, an independent studio started in 1997 and located in Northern Virginia. She specializes in commissions ranging from weddings and anniversaries to awards and certificates to complex family tree charts to resolutions and retirements, as well as other hand-rendered personal and customized calligraphic art pieces.

Amy Owens

Member At Large, Scholarship Chair

In her free moments while raising four handsome sons, you can find Amy decorating epic birthday cakes, walking with her identical twin sister, and planning her next fountain pen purchase. She has worked as an architect, owned her own wedding stationery design company, homeschooled those four boys, and currently teaches the art of beautiful handwriting at a private school in Cincinnati.

Jody Meese

Certificate Chair

Jody Meese, the talent behind Mil Plumas Calligraphy & Engraving, is a renowned calligrapher based in the California Bay Area. A former professional flutist, she holds music degrees from the Hartt School and CalArts. Jody is a past president of IAMPETH and is recognized in the Book of Honor for implementing innovative programs to benefit the Membership.

Robert Hurford

Historian/Archive Chair

Bob Hurford has been a calligrapher and graphic artist for more than forty years, with proficiency in a variety of hands and offhand flourishing. He is the former Editor of the Penman’s Journal covering fifteen years over two separate terms. He is a penmanship historian and past member of the Questers, having lectured on the History of American Penmanship and demonstrated handwriting to many groups throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Karissa O'Keefe

Media Chair

Karissa O'Keeefe is an attorney by day and a professional calligraphy during nights and weekends. She provides calligraphy and invitation design services for luxury weddings under the name Pretty Written Things.

IAMPETH is grateful for the members who have dedicated their time and expertise to the betterment of the organization. Board Members serve voluntarily at the pleasure of the membership.

Chart of Past Board Members

About IAMPETH

IAMPETH Today

IAMPETH is an international, non-profit association over 1500 members strong dedicated to practicing and preserving the beautiful arts of calligraphy, engrossing and fine penmanship. Founded in 1949, it is the oldest and largest penmanship organization in the United States.

IAMPETH is a leader in calligraphic education, and dedicated to helping novices and experts alike improve their lettering and artistic skills. Our Archive Collection of the works of past masters is the richest and most comprehensive collection of American Penmanship in the world.

IAMPETH's goals are to 1. Practice and teach the beautiful arts of calligraphy, engrossing and fine penmanship 2. Restore the teaching of penmanship in schools 3. Improve the handwriting of young people, and 4. Preserve and share with others the rich tradition of American Penmanship.

IAMPETH embraces the full range of lettering arts - from historic illumination and gilding, to text lettering, engrossing, broad-edge and pointed pen scripts.

Our Annual Conference, held every year since 1949, is a wonderful week of learning the pen arts taught by some of the best penmen and calligraphic artists in the country.

Our History

Founding Members: Eileen Richardson, Fred Richardson, J.J. Bailey, H.J. Walter, Charles Begin, Rene Guillard, Enrique Benguria

In 1949, while building a cottage on an island in Lake Nipissing, Ontario, Eileen and Fred Richardson had a vision in which penmen could get together and share techniques and ideas not just about doing fine penmanship, but teaching the art as well. The following year a group of master penmen met at Lake Nipissing and formed a group called the International Association of Master Penmen and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPTH). In 1973, the letter 'E' was added to recognize the contributions of engrossers and remains as we know it today, IAMPETH.

Those present with the Richardsons were their mentor, J.J. Bailey of Chicago, H.J. Walter of Chicago, Charles Begin of Quebec City, Rene Guillard of Evanston, IL, and Enrique Benguria of Cuba. This group's main interest was to find a way to restore penmanship in schools and improve the handwriting of young people.

Since that first gathering on Lake Nipissing, the organization has met every year, attracting both young and old alike who share the love of calligraphy, engrossing and beautiful penmanship.

Here are some historical photos from some of the early IAMPETH conventions. Pictured are past President P.Z. Bloser (Zaner-Bloser), E.A. Lupfer of The Zanerian College, Louis DiGesare and Mrs. F.B. Courtney (wife of the late pen wizard).