Our Staff
CEO
Jared Quan is an award-winning bestselling author and Twitch affiliate. He wrote for SI.com and Yahoo. Published works include Changing Wax, Shattered Worlds, LIFTED and Networking.
He has served in roles ranging from President/Director to at-large chair with non-profit organizations Storymakers, League of Utah Writers, TEDxSaltLakeCity, Teen Author Boot Camp, LTUE, Utah Poet Laureate Selection Committee, West Jordan Arts Council, Cultural Arts Society of West Jordan, Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance, and countless other events/organizations. Jared has been a regular special guest at events from Salt Lake FanX to various writing conferences from all over the state of Utah.
Has received awards from two Presidents of the United States, two Utah State Governors, and a Lt. Governor for extensive volunteer work in the community. Received the League of Utah Writers Volunteer and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was one of the four that received the Utah State Governors Spirit of Service Award in 2023. Worked with the Utah Governor to reestablish “Utah Authors Day”. Has been interviewed by several websites and podcasts, including the Writing Excuses Podcast, and First Lady and Friends. Was Director of the Dream Big Project which donated books to West High School and provided digital scholarships to attend a professional writing conference.
Jared has presented and keynoted at conferences, workshops, small classes, and school assemblies on topics from motivation, future proofing your works, dialogue, plot twists, time management, networking, marketing, and leadership. When he isn’t working or volunteering, he is spending time with his family, and working with his two sons who are on the spectrum, one of which had a heart transplant during COVID.
Operations Director
J. Christopher Thompson operated BigWorldNetwork as the CEO for seven years.
James is writer, publisher, and a lifelong geek. He is a fan of storytelling in everything from books to movies.
He is the author of the Lineage Saga and Co-Author of the I, Magi Series with Sean Ricks. He is the recipient of an award from the Lt. Governor of Utah for his volunteer service to the community.
He has been a panelist at FanX, Fyrecon and Utah Remotecon. When he’s not on panels he’s at his home in Lehi with his wife and two sons.
Editor
Ahna Larsen
Ahna Larsen joined Big World Network as an editor in 2019. She specializes in Interior Book Design for both print and digital publishing, but is also an accomplished text editor, doing developmental, style, and copy edits on submitted manuscripts. She launched her first novel in 2022, and has since been both presenter and panelist at Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE).
The truest thing she believes about writing is that stories, like food and medicine and kindness, are meant to be shared. To that end, writing is a skill that needs to be both nurtured and enabled; she is excited to work with BWN to put those resources in the hands of everyone who needs them.
Editor
Casey Fenich
With a rich tapestry of eight years in the self-publishing industry, I've become adept at the art of developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting. My journey has been marked by collaborations with numerous best-selling authors, where I've had the privilege of shaping and refining their manuscripts across a diverse range of genres, including fantasy, romance, historical fiction, and litRPG novels. Having edited and helped to self-publish over 30 books, I bring a wealth of experience and a keen eye for detail to every project I undertake.
Outside the literary realm, I find solace and inspiration on my farm, where I spend my spare time writing romance novels amidst the gentle hum of cattle, chickens, and geese. I also work as a Global SEO Manager, where I can (finally) put my degree in Digital Marketing to use! My passion for storytelling extends beyond the pages of manuscripts, infusing every aspect of my life with creativity and imagination. Let's embark on this literary journey together and create something truly extraordinary.
Board of Directors
Executive Director
Executive Director
Executive Director
Jared Quan
See Bio Above
Board Member
Executive Director
Executive Director
J. Christopher Thompson
See Bio Above
Board Member
Executive Director
Board Member
Jeff Jones
Jeff studied Elementary/Special Education at Northern Arizona University and has worked as a Special Education Paraprofessional for the last 14 years. He is passionate about sports and helping others.
Board Memeber
Board Memeber
Board Memeber
Tawn Krakowski
Tawn Krakowski is an author, narrator, and the founder of Barnstormer Publishing. Her works, originally published by Big World Network, include Darkling Drake, The Pirate Princess, Dragon Defender, and Kai's Inquisition. Additionally, she has narrated and produced several audiobooks, such as May Woodworth's Heart of the Hur
Tawn Krakowski
Tawn Krakowski is an author, narrator, and the founder of Barnstormer Publishing. Her works, originally published by Big World Network, include Darkling Drake, The Pirate Princess, Dragon Defender, and Kai's Inquisition. Additionally, she has narrated and produced several audiobooks, such as May Woodworth's Heart of the Hurricane and April Aasheim's Daughters of Dark Root series, and is currently collaborating with several authors to produce serial podcasts.
Tawn is a former jet-rated Airline Transport Pilot and serial entrepreneur with over 15 years experience as owner/operator of business concepts ranging from mobile beverage vending to a virtual reality arcade. Tawn enjoys gardening, paddleboarding, and gaming, and has never met a cat she didn't immediately want to adopt.
Board Member
Board Memeber
Board Memeber
Greg Briggs
Greg acquired his MBA from the University of Utah in project management. He is a former teacher and district print shop manager for the Snowflake Unified School District.
He is passionate about all things J.R.R. Tolkien, and enjoys a good game of Risk.
Board Member
Board Memeber
Board Member
Theresa Pocock
Theresa is a lover of all things artsy but has only taken one of her talents to the professional level: writing.
She has five published works, including the Ancestry of Sorcery and the Guardians of the Garden series. She also has many unpublished projects.
She is excited to work with the BWNPublishing board and hopes to
Theresa Pocock
Theresa is a lover of all things artsy but has only taken one of her talents to the professional level: writing.
She has five published works, including the Ancestry of Sorcery and the Guardians of the Garden series. She also has many unpublished projects.
She is excited to work with the BWNPublishing board and hopes to help talented authors, no matter their limitations or their creative choices.
Board Member
Amanda Meuwissen
Amanda Meuwissen is a queer author with a primary focus on gay romance, dabbling in every subgenre from fantasy to paranormal to horror, and even occasional contemporary. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband, John, and their two cats.