Writers in the Schools welcomes Giuseppe Taurino as new Executive Director

The long-running literary and education nonprofit Writers in the Schools recently announced writer, educator, and arts leader Giuseppe Taurino as its new Executive Director. Taurino began his role on September 1, 2023.

“Writers in the Schools’ mission is to connect children and youth with professional writers and spoken word artists to unlock the joy and power of storytelling and creative expression. Giuseppe’s profound dedication to creative writing, education, and community engagement will undoubtedly elevate our mission and impact the lives of countless young writers,” said Kalinda Campbell, WITS Board President, in a statement.

Taurino comes to WITS after having served nearly a decade as Associate Director of the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. His previous roles include Manager of Capacity Building Initiatives for Houston Arts Alliance and Executive Director of Badgerdog Literary Publishing in Austin. A graduate of the UH Creative Writing Program (MFA, 2006), Taurino is an award-winning writer who has been active in the Houston literary community as a Fiction Editor for Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts and a co-curator of the Poison Pen Reading Series.

While Taurino is new to WITS’ leadership, he has had a long relationship with the organization, which began with his teaching writing workshops to young students in 2003.

“Between my time in grad school and the year following it, I worked as a WITS writer-in-residence at over 40 placements. I felt proud of the work I found myself a part of,” wrote Taurino in an open letter to the community.

“Here was a program (WITS) that not only facilitated the telling of young people’s stories but celebrated them. A program that granted permission and built a community that created a space for young people to engage the worth of their experiences and imagination because of the value they brought to the world,” he said.

Founded in 1983, WITS works with local educators, writers, and spoken word artists to teach students the craft of writing. Programs include creative writing summer camps and free workshops and public readings at parks, libraries, hospitals, and community centers.

WITS also co-sponsors and coordinates the Houston Youth Poet Laureate program, established in 2016 as one of the longest-running programs of its kind in Texas, as well as the Meta-Four Houston Youth Slam Poetry Team, which is currently ranked as the Top Youth Slam Poetry Team in the country.

Taurino says that he believes that engaging children in the joy of reading and writing is transformative and empowering.

“Looking ahead, my vision for the organization is simple. I want Writers in the Schools to be an organization that acts with conviction,” Taurino said. “And I unequivocally believe that WITS helps bolster the work of educators by unlocking pathways toward critical and creative thinking, which are the foundation for lifelong education in and out of the classroom.”