Hi, I’m Zoë Kirsch. Over the past 14 years, I’ve taught writing in a lot of different settings: coaching high school students through their college application essays, working with graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania, and teaching investigative techniques at Columbia Journalism School. As a reporter, I covered education for outlets including ProPublica, The Atlantic, and Slate, where my work was recognized with awards like the EWA Award for Investigative Reporting and the Front Page Award for In-Depth Reporting.

These days, you can find me reading from my poetry collection at open mics around New York City, querying my middle grade fantasy novel, and running a small publishing company that I founded on the belief that at least some art should be 100% human-made. I also study improv and maintain a longstanding meditation practice, pastimes that have shaped my understanding of what it means to show up, take risks, and stay present for whatever’s unfolding.