Membership
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We invite you to join Aspen Words, Colorado’s oldest literary center and a program of the Aspen Institute. By becoming an Aspen Words member at any level, you join a community built around a shared love of reading, writing and storytelling. Your annual tax-deductible membership helps sustain programs for writers and readers of all ages. Through well over thirty annual events taking place virtually and in-person, we serve several thousand literary enthusiasts. The majority of our youth programming is offered free-of-charge, and we provide scholarships and fellowships for emerging writers to participate in workshops and other programs. Your membership support makes all of this possible!
How Your Support Helps
Your membership dues provide vital funds for our seven year-round programs that annually serve several thousand literary enthusiasts., including workshops for middle and high school students, scholarships for aspiring writers, community talks with Pulitzer Prize winners and more!
National Council
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National Council members make up our most engaged community of supporters nationwide. Membership dues provide vital funds for our seven year-round programs that annually serve several thousand literary enthusiasts. Through an annual donation of $2,500 or more, National Council members have a direct impact on all of our programs. Members receive unparalleled access to the greatest contemporary writers of our time, including best-of-house reserved seating, along with invitations to private dinners and events with our award-winning and bestselling authors.
Join the National Council and feel the immediate impact of your giving.
As a token of thanks for your support, we are pleased to offer:
- Special access to Winter Words, a series of author talks taking place virtually and in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado.
- Opportunity to attend dinners with authors in private Aspen homes.
- Premier reserved seating at all events held in Paepcke Auditorium.
- Invitation to a private dinner preceding the Aspen Words Literary Prize in New York City.
- NEW! V.I.P. access to the Aspen Literary Festival in September, featuring 40 different authors.
- Access to the Summer Words panels featuring authors and publishing experts.
- 20% discount on books purchased at Explore Booksellers
- Advance registration for Book Ball, the annual gala in Aspen, CO.
- Recognition in select AW marketing materials.
Join the National Council and feel the immediate impact of your giving.
Our Members
Member list last updated 1/31/2025
Platinum Quill – $50,000+
| Anonymous |
| Sallie and Thomas Bernard |
| Isa Catto and Daniel Shaw | Catto Shaw Foundation |
| Lauren Johnson and Marissa Mandel |
| Linda Vaughn |
Golden Quill – $25,000+
| Brent Johnson |
| City of Aspen |
| Arnold & Anne Porath | in memory of Denny Vaughn |
Silver Quill – $10,000+
| Claudia and Richard Balderston |
| Erin and Douglas Becker |
| Jody and Jeff Black |
| Suzanne Bober and Stephen Kahn |
| Mr. Michael and Lisa Cader |
| Soledad and Robert J. Hurst |
| Rebecca Henry and Harry Gruner |
| Melony and Adam J. Lewis |
| Beth and Josh Mondry |
| Nicole and Allan Mutchnik |
| Helen and Wally Obermeyer |
| Lynne and Peter Rigby |
| Serena Koenig and Mark Tompkins |
Laureate – $5,000+
| Alpine Bank |
| Basalt Education Foundation |
| Edie Barvin |
| Ella and Scott Brittingham |
| Lauren K. and John P. Driscoll |
| Les Dames d’Aspen |
| Jody Guralnick and Michael Lipkin |
| Sharon and Lawrence D. Hite |
| Diane Goldberg Hunckler and William J. Hunckler III |
| Marcella Larsen |
| Dave Oberman |
| Mary and Patrick Scanlan Advised Fund at Aspen Community Foundation |
| Marcella Larsen | |
| Dave Oberman | |
| Mary and Patrick Scanlan Advised Fund at
Aspen Community Foundation |
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| Jeannie and John Seybold | |
| William and Ginny Weathers | |
| David Jones and Mary Gwen Wheeler | |
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Publisher – $2,500+
| Meredith Bell |
| Timothy Brown |
| Andrea and Christopher D. Bryan |
| Ms. Margo Calvetti |
| Alpenglow Foundation & John Hobby Catto Family |
| Kelly Doherty and Michael Woodrow |
| Torrey Dill |
| Mr. Barry Dubin |
| Alice and David Elgart |
| Debra and Jonathan Fitch |
| Mimi Gitlin |
| Meredith Bell |
| Sue and R. R. Hopkinson |
| Carol S. Marks |
| Laurie Michaels |
| Alexandra Shaforost Newberger and David Newberger |
| Ann O’Brien Household |
| Susan O’Bryan |
| Cathy O’Connell and Fred Venrick |
| Michael Onufrak |
| Esther Pearlstone |
| Hensley and James Peterson |
| Lisanne and Jim Rogers |
| Penny Meepos |
| Paul Schneider and Erin Kelley |
| Lisa See and Richard Kendall |
| Danette Stephens |
| Ms. Emily Terry |
| Patricia K. Tisch |
| Amy and Jeffrey Verschleiser |
| Gloria Wallace-Greene |
| Vivian Wise |
Literati– $1,000+
| Carol and Ken L. Adelman |
| Lisa and George Baker |
| Judith Bleiler |
| Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum |
| Terri and Tony Caine |
| Tracy and Bubba Eggleston |
| Paul and Barbara Freeman |
| Eric Harrison |
| Carol and Mike Hundert |
| Sheila and Bill Lambert |
| Ms. Erin Lentz |
| Liza and Jonathan Mauck |
| Jordan Ray |
| Chuck and Stacy Rosenzweig |
| Bucky Schafer and Caroline Tory |
| Adelaide and Michael Waters |
Scribe – $250+
| Trish Aragon |
| Ms. Catherine Baker-Pitts |
| Anita and James Bineau |
| Adrienne Brodeur and Tim Ryan |
| Gretchen Cole |
| Mrs. Holley Darden |
| Lady and Chip Fuller |
| Sarah Girgis |
| Louisa L. Goldsmith |
| Jessica Herzstein and Elliot F. Gerson |
| Marrianne Magnuson |
| Dr. Sidney Mandelbaum and Diane Oshin |
| Ms. Barbara McLaury |
| Barbara Olcott |
| Mr. Peter Olson |
| Candice Olson |
| Matt Owings |
| Allison and John Pattillo |
| Kelley and Mark Purnell |
| Barbara Reid and David Hyman |
| Eric Ringsby |
| Susan Small Savitsky and Gerald Savitsky |
| Kerry Schmidt |
| Sarah C. and Richard W. Shaw |
| Paula Sherk |
| Ms. Chloe Shirley |
| Ms. Celina Spiegel |
| Rebecca Stirling |
| Kate Valdmanis |
| Ellen Valentine |
| Jennifer Causing and Peter M. Waanders |
Wordsmith – $100+
| Ms. Allison Alexander |
| Maria Armstrong |
| Ms. Lilia Ashjian |
| Jennifer Barth |
| Sarah Beattie |
| Peter Bellande |
| Marnie P. and John Bermingham Jr. |
| Liz and John Bokram |
| Lisa Bowman |
| Daniel Brabec |
| Amanda Britt |
| Marcia Butler |
| Maureen Callahan |
| Jeannie Carter |
| Dakota Cloud |
| Eme Cole |
| Evan Corrales |
| Debra Crawford |
| Pamela Cunningham |
| Tina Davis and Martin J. Sprinzen |
| Brian Dean |
| Mariah Dickson |
| Ms. Amelie Dieux |
| Barbara Dills |
| Laura Donnelley |
| Doc Eason |
| Laura Thielen and George Eldred |
| Sarah Melissa Evans and Joshua A. Rice |
| Sylvia Falk |
| Lynn Fletcher |
| Cole Folwell |
| Mr. Aram Fox |
| Annie Garrett |
| Celia Gregory |
| Annalise Giueter |
| Katie Hake |
| Cynthia Houben |
| Michele Howard |
| Judith Humelt |
| Sandy and James Inglehart |
| Asha John |
| Sandy and Peter Johnson |
| Jacqueline Kaplan |
| Ms. Paige Kaptuch |
| Ms. Stacey Kelly |
| Beth Klein |
| Mr. Brian Kuebler |
| Scott Lasser |
| Ms. Pamela Mackey |
| Matthew McDonnell |
| Elizabeth Meador |
| Corinne Neustadter |
| Pat and Michael Otte |
| Ms. Deborah Packer |
| Ms. Alina Pitman |
| Gabrielle and Bob Rafelson |
| Lysa Reed |
| Marilee and Gregg Rippy |
| John Ristine |
| Holly Meeker Rom and William Rom |
| Clare and Marius Sanger |
| Ms. Colleen Schafer |
| Nancy and Mark J. Silverman |
| Donna and Elliott K. Slade III |
| Eden Steele |
| Susie Steiner |
| Thomas A. Stevens |
| Sara Striefel |
| Francis Stuckens |
| Ms. Beverley Cathcart Tarika |
| Janis Taylor |
| Harry Teague |
| Mr. Dave Teitler |
| Michael Tierney |
| Regina Torsney-Durkin, M.D. |
| Tarn and Randy Udall |
| Richard M. Jennings |
| Ruth Wade |
| Becky and Craig Ward |
| Laura Werlin |
| Jiyue Yang |
| Leah J. Zell |
