Gillian Conoley

Gillian Conoley is a Professor of Creative Writing (Poetry) at Sonoma State University (SSU), where she has taught since 1994. She holds an MFA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a BFA in Journalism from Southern Methodist University. Her academic roles include founding and editing Volt, SSU's nationally recognized literary magazine, advising Zaum (SSU's student literary publication), and directing Writers at Sonoma, an annual reading series. Her research focuses on modern/postmodern poetry, feminism, cross-genre experimentation, the history of the book, translation, and visual/verbal collaboration.

Her awards include the Jerome J. Shestack Poetry Prize, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and the Fund for Poetry Award. Her book Peace (2014) was an Academy of American Poets Stand-out Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award. Translations of Henri Michaux's work, such as Thousand Times Broken, have been critically acclaimed. Recent publications include Notes from the Passenger (2023).

Conoley has advised numerous students through her teaching and mentorship roles. Her work spans poetry collections, translations, and anthologies, reflecting her commitment to innovative forms and interdisciplinary approaches. She has also taught as a visiting poet at institutions including the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Tulane University.