Welcome and Intro with Sarah Baker

Welcome to the 2024 SCBWI Summer Conference #scbwiSummer24! We received a warm greeting from Sarah Baker, Executive Director of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Sarah encouraged us to meet others via the Coffee Lounge hangouts as well as other socials, to check out the Portfolio Showcase. All the links are in the conference schedule.

Sarah talked about some of the other exciting upcoming events at the conference, and she encouraged us all to check out the Conference Portfolio Showcase, where 154 members' artwork is on display. She congratulated everyone who entered.

Next up: SCBWI Success Story Panel, moderated by Alvina Ling, featuring SCBWI members Pamela Harris and Amy Kumph.

Sarah Baker (she/her) is the Executive Director of SCBWI, where she leads the SCBWI staff and works closely with the Board of Directors, the Advisory Council, and the official SCBWI volunteers. She joined the SCBWI staff in 2011. Sarah graduated from UCSB with a major in Studio Art and began her career in children’s book publishing at Penguin Young Readers Group, where she designed children’s books. Sarah is also a children’s book illustrator, with her debut illustrated picture book coming out in 2026: Becca and Bubbe's Bucket List, written by Laura Gehl, published by Rocky Pond Books.

It's Day 2!!!

Sarah Baker welcomes us all to Day 2 of the conference and asks the attendees to share some the key takeaways from Day 1!

I belong!

We are not alone.

Take naps to recharge

Remember your joy.

Don't doubt yourself.

The money side of things.

There's another packed day ahead. And, we're off as Sarah introduces our next keynote speaker, Doug Salati. 

Don's miss checking out the Portfolio Showcase. 

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If you want to view the full conference, register at https://www.scbwi.org/events/summer-conference-2023. Replays of the conferences will be available until September 10, 2023. 

Welcome by Sarah Baker

It's our first time back since 2020. Last minute cups are being filled with coffee, and everyone is flooding the ballroom to hear SCBWI's Executive Director Sarah Baker welcome the 2023 attendees. 

A huge thank you  to Kim Turrisi, the SCBWI Conference Coordinator, for her hard work to bring us all together, as well as the rest of the SCBWI staff. 

Last night the portfolio show was held, and the who's who of the industry came to view. Not only that, but they were delighted by what they saw. So much talent on display! 

It's been three years since the last in-person conference. Sarah hopes we'll be fully immersed in books and our book lives together in person. That we'll celebrate and encourage each other all weekend, and as we move forward creating books for young people. 

Over 200 hundred people are here for the first time! Folks are here from all over the country and the world. There are writers, illustrators, and translators that are both published and pre-published. 

And here we go, as Sarah introduces long-time SCBWI member MARLA FRAZEE! 

Welcome and Introduction Sarah Baker – SCBWI Executive Director

It is such a treat to see newly appointed SCBWI Executive Director Sarah Baker welcoming us to this year's summer conference! Only returning to the dance/pool party/kindred kidlit-spirit-a-thon that is an in-person SCBWI conference would rival what is about to happen online this weekend — arguably one of the greatest Zoomed conferences one could hope to attend during the last few years of, as Sarah says, uncertain and frankly damaged times.

Sarah says: For those of you who are new to SCBWI, welcome! You've taken an important and courageous step into yourself and into the wider world. 

You'll also find a supportive and creative community that lifts one another up this weekend. Sarah makes a special shoutout to longtime SCBWI member and success story, our latest Newbery Award winner, Donna Barba Higuera (catch her closing keynote on Saturday 3:15 PST/6:15 PST!)

Opportunity is the word Sarah wants us to pause on. Listen for openings from agents and editors, take advantage of Q & A opportunities, buy books from the online conference bookstore recommended or made by the speakers you hear this weekend, do your best to be sociable online with your fellow conference mates and maybe you'll find a new pal to meet up with locally or at the next in-person conference in 2023!

Sarah closes by saying that the FUN PART OF THE CONFERENCE STARTS RIGHT NOW, and with that we get our excellent opening keynote, Dhonielle Clayton!!!