Kate Buckley’s keen interest in the lives of children comes from working closely with them as they navigate their way through today’s complicated, confusing and often violent world.
Kate has taught underserved children in a Head Start program, facilitated support groups for adolescent girls in LA and Santa Fe, worked in the Los Angeles public schools as a Teen Advocate in the Teen Abuse Prevention Project, and facilitated a drug and alcohol prevention Life Skills program in the middle schools of Santa Fe. Whether writing, facilitating or coaching, Kate changes lives. She creates confidence in thinking, writing and having a voice in the world.
After listening to children and teens share their stories and struggles, Kate was inspired to write for them. Her YA novel, “Choices” (2009), won many awards, including a Gold Mom’s Choice Award for YA fiction, (2010), the Eric Hoffer Book Award for YA fiction (2010), and a BOTYA award for YA fiction from Foreward Magazine (2009). “Choices” was also used in the Santa Fe public middle schools by Planned Parenthood of New Mexico for their Girls Groups.
Kate introduced PEN USA’s PEN in the Classroom (PITC) writing workshops to teens in New Mexico and completed six PITC residencies in the middle and high schools of Santa Fe. Each student received an anthology of their work published by PEN. Kids can be tough reviewers but as one student told his teacher: “This is the most valuable help I’ve gotten with writing—ever.”
Kate also developed and wrote screenplays and teleplays in Hollywood for Imagine, ABC, CBS, and many others. She is a member of PEN USA, the Writers Guild of America West and SCBWI. She holds an MA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College and an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Kate lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Kate Buckley Bio
Pen in the Classroom
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