Natalie Havlina lives and teaches writing in her hometown of Boise, Idaho. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Florida international University and a Juris Doctor with a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental Law from the University of Maryland School of Law. Prior to her teaching career, Natalie represented environmental nonprofit organizations in federal litigation.

Reina Lipkind completed her MFA in Creative Nonfiction this past spring. She teaches medical students at UM, albeit infrequently and from afar these days, after decades practicing Emergency Medicine. Most recently, Reina has been actively engaged in omphaloskepsis.

Freesia McKee is author of the chapbook How Distant the City (Headmistress Press, 2018). Her words have appeared in Cream City Review, The Feminist Wire, Painted Bride Quarterly, CALYX, Gertrude, So to Speak, Nimrod International Journal, and the Ms. Magazine Blog. Freesia is a staff book reviewer for South Florida Poetry Journal and lives in North Miami.

Samantha Leon earned her MFA in Poetry from FIU in 2020. She was the 2019 Christopher F. Kelly award winner and a finalist in the 2019 So to Speak poetry contest. Her poetry and literary journalism have appeared in The Colorado Review, The Iowa Review, Tupelo Quarterly, Poets.org, and So to Speak, among others. Her creative nonfiction is forthcoming in an anthology by Jai-Alai Books. She lives in Miami where she is a B2B marketing professional.

James L. May is the author of The Body Outside the Kremlin, a murder mystery set in an early Soviet prison camp, published by Delphinium Books. He holds an MFA from Florida International University, along with a BA from Cornell. He grew up in New Jersey, has lived in Miami and New Orleans, and now resides in New York City. His short fiction has appeared in Tigertail, and he has reviewed fiction for The Florida Book Review, Gulf Stream Literary Magazine and New Orleans Review.

Lily Starr earned her MFA in Poetry from Florida International University in May of 2020. Originally from Cecil County, Maryland, her poetry and creative nonfiction explore rural spaces in America, absurdism, and a sense of fantastic imagination. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and journals, including but not limited to Muzzle Magazine, The Journal, Electric Literature, Small Orange, and Fugue.

Annual FIU MFA Virtual Alumni Reading