Elena Karina Byrne is a visual artist, teacher, editor, Poetry Consultant and Moderator for The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and former 12 year Regional Director of the Poetry Society of America. She has organized readings for the University of Southern California's Doheny Memorial Library, the J. Paul Getty Center GRI, and the Chateau Marmont. Currently she is Literary Programs Director for The Ruskin Art Club and the Museum Of Contemporary Art's Night Vision poetry programs. She is also working with the West Hollywood Book Fair's Planning Committee and with Red Car studios on several short film projects including, Muse of Fire and Why Shakespeare?

Elena was the 2005 Poetry Co-Editor for The Los Angeles Review. She was one of three judges for the 2006 PEN USA Literary Award in Poetry. A ten-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Elena's many recent publications, among others, include, The Yale Review, Paris Review, American Poetry Review, Poetry, Volt, Pool, Denver Quarterly, Colorado Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Antioch Review, Verse, The Journal, Tri-Quarterly, Poetry Daily Anthology, Anthology of Magazine Verse & Yearbook of American Poetry, Spunk and Bite: a writer's guide to punchier, more engaging language and style, and Best American Poetry 2005. The Flammable Bird (Zoo Press) is now available through Tupelo Press & Consortium; her new book, MASQUE, is forthcoming with Tupelo Press in 07; forthcoming works in progress include, The Fable Language (poetry), and Insignificance (essays).