Meet Our Team
These fantastic women make the Women in Publishing Summit and other immersive events, as well as the entire supportive WIP community, happen. Find Our Next Event HereAlexa Bigwarfe, Founder and CEO
Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today Bestselling Author, military veteran, and the founder of Write|Publish|Sell and the Women in Publishing Summit, the largest virtual conference for women in publishing. She has written twelve books, teaches entrepreneurship as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina, and hosts Alexa’s Publishing Chat, a top 5% globally ranked podcast. In 2025 she received the Celine Aziz Legacy Award for elevating women’s voices through accessible publishing education. Her focus is teaching authors to build real businesses around their expertise, because royalties alone rarely pay the bills: speaking, services, digital products, and collaborations. Through WIP Society she supports authors and publishing professionals with the network, marketing strategy, and platform growth to make that happen. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her three teenagers.
Operations Team
Joy E. Rancatore
Director of Programs and Engagement
Joy E. Rancatore is the Director of Programs and Engagement for Women in Publishing. A long-time writer and editor and self-proclaimed word nerd, Joy loves helping authors and publishing industry professionals learn and grow. As an award-winning indie author and editor, Joy knows the value of collaboration and community. She loves her life in Southeast Louisiana with her supportive and loving husband, Tony, their two nearly grown children, and as many furry creatures as her family will allow.
Events Team
Catherine E Walker
Women in Publishing Summit Assistant
Catherine Walker is part of the event logistics and administrative team for the Women in Publishing Summit. With over a decade of experience in administration, she brings organization, warmth, and a caring spirit to every detail, helping create a seamless and welcoming experience. Guided by the belief—and WIP motto—that “We are Better Together,” Catherine is passionate about supporting women, fostering connection, and celebrating voices and stories that deserve to be heard.
Jess Kotzer
Event Planner
Jess Kotzer creates systems that keep Write|Publish|Sell and Women In Publishing moving. She builds streamlined databases and automations that take complex operations and make them run in the background, so the team can stay focused on people and content.
Sales & Marketing Team
Julie Ball
Director of Partnerships
Julie Ball is the Director of Partnerships for the Women in Publishing Summit. She works closely with founder Alexa Bigwarfe to build and grow sponsor relationships that fuel the WIP community. With over 20 years in sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship, including leading a media sales team and building a subscription box brand to a six-figure exit, Julie brings a sharp eye for the partnerships that actually move the needle. She is married to Kenny, high school homeschooling mom to McKenna and dog mom to Bobo (mini labradoodle) and they live in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She loves the WIP community for the same reason she loves this work: watching women-led businesses find the right people to grow alongside.
Raewyn Sangari
Creative Director
As Creative Director for Write|Publish|Sell and the Women in Publishing Summit, Raewyn Sangari makes marketing feel approachable, creative, and community-driven. She leads the design and content strategy behind the brands’ workshops, events, and social presence, helping authors and publishing professionals grow their visibility with confidence.
As the Social Media Expert inside the WIP Society, she hosts a monthly Social Media Q&A and Content Co-Working session, showing up as a real collaborator for the community. Whether she’s crafting graphics, building launch campaigns, or fostering connection in the DMs, Raewyn’s mission is simple: to make showing up and connecting with readers feel less overwhelming and a lot more fun.
Communications Team
Lauren Udoh
Executive Assistant
Lauren loves handling customer support and service-related requests. She will streamline your concerns and make sure they are delivered to the appropriate team member. Working as an Executive Assistant for most of her career, she has developed and expanded her skills to establish the ultimate customer-to-client experience outside of the corporate world. Lauren prides herself on being a continuous learner and being flexible to adapt to changes in an evolving society. Outside of the office, you can find her traveling with her family, practicing yoga, or just snuggled up with a good book and her yorkie-pom, Ruby.
Cay Templeton
Facebook Manager and Networking Guru
Cay Templeton loves meeting and helping people … if she can get you to laugh and boost your spirits, that’s an added bonus. These skills serve her well as the Facebook Manager and Networking Guru for the Women in Publishing Summit.