The PEN/Faulkner Foundation

Our Mission

PEN/Faulkner’s mission is to champion the breadth and power of fiction in America.

Read our History

Our Values

PEN/Faulkner is dedicated to the idea that fiction creates empathy within and among communities and advances civil discourse. American culture thrives when stories from diverse perspectives enrich our lives. To further these ideals, we cultivate a vibrant landscape for writers and readers of fiction both locally and nationally.

Our Team

Our Board Members

Emeritus Board of Directors

Louis Bayard
Jackson Bryer
Susan Keselenko Coll
Molly Elkin
Renée Gardner

Ginny Grenham
Patricia Griffith
Mary Haft
Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
Willee Lewis

Tracy McGillivary
Frazier O’Leary
Lisa Page
Bethanne Patrick
George Pelecanos

Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Susan Shreve
Katherine Field Stephen
Deborah Tannen

Honored Former Board Members

Conrad Cafritz
Thomas Caplan
H.G. Carrillo *
Stephen Goodwin

Nick Kotz *
Beverly Lowry
E. Ethelbert Miller
Azar Nafisi

Diane Rehm
Mary Lee Settle, Founder *
Susan Stamberg *

Lou Stovall *
Mary Kay Zuravleff

* deceased

Voices from PEN/Faulkner

Announcing our new Board Co-Presidents

Jun 8, 2026

Anne K. AaronElizabeth ShreveKatherine BoonePEN/Faulkner is thrilled to announce that Anne K. Aaron and Elizabeth Shreve have been elected to serve as Co-Presidents of the organization's Board of...

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PEN/Faulkner Student Writers

May 11, 2026

Maria and her Magical Powers Erikah, 5th grade Hi! My name is Maria, my best friend Kate calls me Magical Maria because I have some powers that most people don’t have. I am also a really great...

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