Established in 1980 The Valley Contemporary Poets is a non-profit organization committed to the cultivation and advancement of poetry in the San Fernando Valley. The VCP continues to produce readings and events with local poets to encourage and develop fresh voices. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SCOTT M. MILLER was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1978, under the sign of the Lion. He holds a degree in Mathemati
cs from MIT and remains a software developer even as he pursues a writing career, in an effort to achieve the elusive left-brain/right-brain balance. In 2008, he completed an MFA program in Poetry from Antioch University Los Angeles. Scott has lived in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Michal, since 2003. He has been published in Barefoot Muse and poeticdiversity, and has featured at a number of readings in the Los Angeles area. He also serves as a poetry editor for The Splinter Generation, an online journal dedicated to encouraging the voices of younger writers. JASON BRAIN
Lifelong Angeleno, Jason Brain’s favorite hobby is breathing. When he isn’t breathing, Jason is an emerging Spoken Word Poet and Photographer; Founder and Captain of the creative arts organization, Soapbox International, and host of Soapbox Sessions open mic since 2006; plus, he’s Editor-in-Chief and author at up-and-coming small press, Poetry In Motion Publishing House. Jason writes cerebral, unapologetic poetry for everyman, tapping into the full spectrum of the human condition for inspiration. Honed by over a decade of practice, Jason writes as if there’s no taboo too illicit, no idea too unbelievable, because in his mind, there isn’t. Jason’s 1st poetry collection, Mix Tape Collection: Original Poetry, and a collaborative book of poetry, iWrite: Words & Voices, are both available now on Amazon and through Poetry In Motion Publishing House. In between it all, Jason loves to make time for family and friends, playing sports, deepening his ta**ra, and appreciating the little things in life (like sunsets, deep conversations at midnight, silence, and iced Americanos with two raw sugars). He hopes to meet you soon. CYRUS SEPAHBODI
Cyrus Sepahbodi has been writing and performing poetry for 12 years with multiple features across the US including Detroit, New York, Chicago and extensively throughout Southern California. He received his BA in English for Creative writing in 2012 from CSUN and is an alumni of the California State University Northridge Slam Team. No stranger to the stage he was co-host of The Verity Room Poetry Reading, The Worst Poetry Reading, and currently co-hosts The Lamp Light Poetry Reading in the San Fernando Valley. He is a founding member of Mad About Ink, a group of poets dedicated to reviving the spirit of poetry in society. When he is not engaging in spoken word he plays music and attempts to discover the secret to the perfect home-made burrito. Past Directors
Theresa Antonia
Neil Aitken
Robert Arroyo, Jr. Lisa Cheby
Brendan Constantine
Catherine Daly
Frankie Drayus
Amélie Frank
Jerry Garcia
Claudia Handler
Nicole Harvey
Nan Hunt
Elizabeth Iannaci
Georgia Jones-Davis
Paul Koenig
Rick Lupert
Stosh Machek
Richard Modiano
Jamie O’Halloran
Sherman Pearl
Willie Simms
Margaret Wang
Teresa Willis
Robert Wynne
Eric Howard
Sharon Venezio
