Coordinator: Deb Bouziden
One Coordinator, 20 to 30 shepherds needed.
Coordinator is responsible for signing up about twenty shepherds, training them in their duties, making assignments of shepherds to speakers, and consulting with the shephers on carrying out their duties.
Under direction of the Shepherd Coordinator, shepherds are assigned to a speaker to provide help to them during the conference. Shepherd duties may include taking a speaker to lunch (or coordinating lunch arrangements with one or more attendees who wish to take the speaker to lunch), making copies, double-checking room setup, welcoming participants into the room, introducing speaker for his or her presentation, assisting with handouts, watching the clock, getting extra chairs, being timekeeper for their presentation, and assisting in any other reasonable way.
Shepherds should have a special name tag that designates their important job, and they should be stationed at the same place in every room, usually by the door.
Why volunteer to be a shepherd? Shepherds may have the opportunity to discuss their writing with their assigned speaker, agent, or editor, and also are honored at the volunteer reception held during the conference.
If you would like to volunteer to be a Shepherd, please contact the Shepherd Coordinator. But don't wait too long. You'd be surprised at how quickly these positions can fill up. But don't shy away either, because we take a waiting list and sometimes need to replace shepherds who have to withdraw for personal or other reasons.