Panel of Judges

Doralee Brooks is a facilitator for the Madwoman in the Attic poetry workshops at Carlow University and professor emerita of the Community College of Allegheny County in Developmental Studies. She is a fellow of the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project (95) and Cave Canem (97 and 99). Doralee holds an MEd from the University of Pittsburgh and an MFA from Carlow University. Her poems have appeared in several journals and anthologies including Voices from the Attic, Paterson Literary Review, Pittsburgh Poetry Review, and Uppagus. Doralee’s chapbook, When I Hold You Up to the Light, won the 2019 Cathy Smith Bowers Chapbook Contest published by Main Street Rag. She is City of Asylum’s Poet Laureate of Allegheny County 2022-2024.

Alexa Bocek is a writer, poet, and educator from Pittsburgh, PA whose work has appeared in The Claremont Review, Literary Heist, and Dime Show Review, among other publications. She was a staff member of BatCat Press (2017-’19), where she worked to edit, publish and hand-bind collections of poetry and prose. She was also a staff editor (‘18) and then the managing editor (‘19) of Pulp Literary Magazine. Alexa's work as a staff educator at SLB Radio Productions includes teaching poetry and writing workshops for teens and helping Pittsburgh youth find avenues to get their voice heard.