The Islanders Behind the Festival

Group of seven people standing indoors, smiling, with a wooden wall and large window behind them.

Meet the Team

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a light blue shirt, a silver necklace with a rectangular pendant, and pearl earrings, posing outdoors with a blurred background of greenery, water, and trees.

    Jane Danielson

    CO-PRESIDENT

    Jane is the owner of Eagle Harbor Book Co., a beloved destination on Bainbridge Island for over 50 years. After a lengthy corporate career in product development, Jane moved into bookselling and found her passion. Before buying the store with her husband in 2016, Jane was the Events Manager and a tireless hand-seller of books – her favorite pastime. In the time she’s been at the store, Eagle Harbor Books has hosted hundreds of author events. Participating in the Bainbridge Book Festival is the logical evolution for a lifetime champion of books.

  • A man with a gray beard and thinning hair holding a microphone and speaking at an indoor event.

    David Harrison

    CO-PRESIDENT/TREASURER

    David Harrison is an emeritus senior lecturer at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Policy and Governance, where he taught public policy and nonprofit management.   He was founder and executive director of the Northwest Policy Center.  He has served as chair of the Bainbridge Island Land Trust and the Bainbridge Community Foundation, and as a member of the Bainbridge Island School Board.

  • Close-up photo of a woman smiling outdoors with sunglasses on her head, wearing a teal jacket, with a blurry background of a cityscape and a bridge.

    Gretchen Gende

    SECRETARY

    Gretchen would be hard pressed to name many moments better than being in the middle of a good story. Books are and always have been in hand and stacked everywhere, balm, escape, challenge and aspiration. She’s recently started working at Eagle Harbor Book Co., glad for work in the world of words. In her past, she was an attorney in Seattle, then transitioned to public policy work in California, before happily returning to the PNW and starting a family. Since 2003, three kids and two dogs have complicated time management, and she’s been trying to catch up, keep everyone going, and get organized ever since. Gretchen is excited to play a part in the Bainbridge Book Festival.

  • A woman outdoors with sunlight on her face, smiling, with a background of green foliage.

    Darlene Kordonowy

    Darlene is a former mayor of Bainbridge Island and beloved member of the Bainbridge Book Festival Board. Darlene has served on many councils and boards including Kitsap Transit, Kitsap Consolidated Housing Authority, and Puget Sound Regional Council among many others. Her passion for island community and literature shine in her work for the Bainbridge Book Festival.

  • A woman with curly gray hair and blue eyes, wearing a black top and a silver necklace, standing in front of a glass window with a blurred outdoor background.

    Joy Archer

    Joy Archer is a writer and narrative strategist for enterprise tech companies. Her career has included executive storytelling, keynote development, brand and strategy consulting, and a lot of weedy, nerdy details. She and her husband completed a 2-year Pacific Ocean circumnavigation aboard their sailboat in 2023. Joy is writing a memoir about this odyssey. Years ago her love of writing and reading drove her to set a goal to read 52 books a year, a goal she accomplishes with much joy. When she's not reading, Joy spends time with her husband, two cats, and three grown daughters.

  • Madeline Mulligan

    FESTIVAL COORDINATOR

    Madeline Mulligan is a writer, event runner, and bookseller from coastal Connecticut. With a degree in Creative Writing and Classical Studies from Hamilton College in upstate New York, she is a nerd about anything to do with Ancient Greece or good fiction. More often than not, you can find her drinking far too many cups of coffee, working on her novel, or watching Gilmore Girls (again). Madeline is thrilled to be a part of the bookish community on Bainbridge Island.