Meet Our Staff

Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Angela Neil, a fiction writer, poet, and teacher from Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Secondary Education with a Creative Writing Minor from Shippensburg University (2021) and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Wilkes University (2025). Beyond writing and teaching, Angela is at home in woods that are lovely, dark, and deep. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring all forms of art, and devouring romantasies like there’s no tomorrow.

PR Chair and Social Media Manager

Veronica is the PR and social media manager for Roots and Branches. She has been a member of the group for a year and is rediscovering her talent for writing. Veronica earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a Secondary Education certification from Shippensburg University. She uses her skills from her previous life as a teacher as a sales assistant for 9 radio stations in the Harrisburg-York-Lancaster area. She was born and raised in Harrisburg and currently lives with her husband, Nathan, in Mechanicsburg, PA. In addition to writing, Veronica is an avid reader, Peloton rider, and is active at her local church in Camp Hill. 

Associate Editor

Mel Ruth is a Direct Support Professional by day and writer by night. She has a BA in English Lit and Creative Writing as well as a MFA in Creative Writing: Poetry. Mel’s chapbook “A Name Among Bone” won the Cow Creek Poetry Prize in 2021, and her poetry has appeared in many journals such as Hawai’i Pacific Review, Pleiades, and more. Mel survives on coffee and enjoys crafts in her free time.

Fiction Editor

Trent Betham is a fiction writer and poet in his free time and a technical proposal writer during the work week. He graduated from Shippensburg University with a Bachelor's degree in English. Trent loves a good story, whether it's books, movies, video games, music, or TV. He has been writing since he was a teenager, but outside of writing, Trent loves anything horror-related, trying to book tickets for every new movie in theaters, getting pushed around at concerts, and eating as much good food in a day as possible.

Fiction Editor

In their undergrad, Rylen Quinn Thomas (he/him, they/them) studied psychology and comparative religion at Cleveland State University. Throughout their life, they have spent multiple years caring for and connecting with individuals with developmental disabilities in a personal and professional capacity. After 5 years working for in-home care companies and day programs, their disillusionment for the system sent them back to their other lifelong passion: storytelling. They attended Wilkes University where they earned an MFA in creative writing and completed a full length dystopian sci-fi and fantasy manuscript. Now, they are determined to see these worlds collide for the benefit of both respective fields. They enjoy being a part of the writing and disability communities, and teach workshops that reimagine the accessibility and application of writing foundations.  

Poetry Editor

Dale E. Crowley is an author residing in central Pennsylvania with his wife, Carol. After a successful career in accounting, Dale pursued his passion for literature, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Shippensburg University. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2022. His academic background and life experience inform his writing, adding depth, clarity, and emotional honesty to his work. Following the release of his first collection of poetry entitled “Solid as an Oak, Yet Like a Willow, Weeping.” Dale followed up with a second anthology, “Lanterns.” Dale continues to explore the path of creative writing by working on a collection of short stories. While a new genre for him, he is anxious to take this journey. This pursuit reflects his personal philosophy of never being too old to create a new image of yourself by chasing a lifelong dream.

Creative Nonfiction Editor

Elizabeth Cunningham is an avid reader, writer, gamer and jiggsaw puzzle enthusiast.  She is the Creative Nonfiction Editor for Roots & Branches but her love is with fantasy and science fiction.  Elizabeth is from Downingtown, PA, just outside of Philadelphia.  She earned her B.A. in English Literature at Elizabethtown College and her M.A. and M.F.A. at Wilkes University.  If she's not at her desk, she's running around outside with dogs!

Multi-Genre Reader

Logan J Tytus graduated from Penn State University with a B.A. in Film Production and a Minor in Creative Writing. He enjoys writing science fiction, historical fiction, horror, and fantasy. When he was young, he was captivated by the wonder of stories and has wanted to tell his own ever since. He is a filmmaker at heart, but his passion for writing blossomed in college, and he can’t wait to continue appreciating meaningful stories with the Roots and Branches community.