Meet The Staff
2026

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Editors-in-Cheif

Aurora Mahoney
Marketing

Aurora is currently a senior at Frostburg State University. She is happy to be following in the footsteps of her great grandfather who graduated from FSU in 1929 by working in publishing for the college. Aurora is an English major with a focus in creative writing. Already, Aurora has written and published two YA novels, with the most recent book being released in April of 2024. You can find her books in local bookstores as well as online!

Although school, work, and writing keeps her plenty busy, Aurora loves to spend any free time she has performing in local theatres as well as relaxing in coffee shops.

This is Aurora’s fourth year working with Bittersweet, and she is thrilled to be a co-editor and hopes everyone enjoys issue 38 of Bittersweet!

Jayme Moyer
Production

Jayme is an FSU junior with a major in English, concentrating in both professional writing and creative writing, and a minor in geography. She works at the tutoring center and is president of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society. She has previously been published in Joining the Conversation and Project Censored, and she plans to have a poetry book about womanhood and Appalachian culture out in 2027.

Jayme spends her time writing, road-tripping, poetry-slamming, and competitive horseback riding. Her cat, Ranger, also keeps her very busy.

Although she's been published in Bittersweet since freshman year, this is only Jayme's second year on the Bittersweet committee. She's very excited to be a co-editor and cannot wait for the next issue of Bittersweet!

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Student Staff Members

Raina Goodine

Raina Goodine is a senior at Frostburg State University majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Raina has published some of her poetry, and plans on publishing a horror novel soon. She also plans on pursuing a Masters Degree in Creative Writing after graduating from Frostburg in May 2026. ​

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Isaac Grater

Isaac is a 21-year-old junior at Frostburg State University getting a degree in English and specializing in creative writing specifically. Isaac enjoys poetry, video games, and any art that makes you think about it after looking at it. Isaac is looking forward to working on Bittersweet and is excited to see all of the submissions.  ​

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Gale Green

​Gale is 27 years old and a transfer student from Allegany College of Maryland. She is an English major with a focus in creative writing and a minor in public relations. 

She spends most of her time at work or school but is always trying to find time for reading, writing, and playing games with her family. 

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Kaylan McCann

Kaylan McCann is an FSU senior studying English with a concentration in professional writing and two minors, which are Spanish and creative writing. She "sorta kinda maybe" writes poetry and fiction. She has an orange cat named Link who is as adventurous as his namesake. Trying every AriZona ice tea flavor is on her bucket list.

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Katy Pennington

Katy is a 23 year old English major at FSU with a concentration in professional writing and a minor in creative writing. She enjoys writing, listening to music, and working on puzzles in her spare time. 

This is her second time working on Bittersweet. Her favorite part of the process is seeing the final product of a semester’s hard work. 

She graduates this spring and plans to go into publishing, editing, and eventually writing her own novel in the future. ​

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Andrew Watkins

Andrew is a senior at FSU studying Emerging Media with minors in Journalism and Creative Writing. He enjoys writing fiction, specifically fantasy and sci-fi, though his only publications have come through journalistic writings with the Allegany Magazine. In his spare time, he likes to play Dungeons and Dragons and participates in community theater. Over the last semester, he opened a bookstore in downtown Cumberland named Lily Books and Cafe, where he continues to work. ​

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Faculty Advisor

Gerry LaFemina

Gerry is a graduate of Sara Lawrence College and holds a MFA in Poetry from Western Michigan University as well as an MA in Literature with an emphasis on Twentieth-Century Literature from WMU. 

Gerry has taught at Kirtland Community College, West Virginia University, Wheeling Jesuit University, Sara Lawrence College, as well as Frostburg State University.

​Gerry is known for his work in poetry, fiction, and music.

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