Tobey Kaplan
Photograph by Eric McAllister
Tobey Kaplan, a poet originally from New York City, has been teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area for over twenty years.
Ms. Kaplan received her B.A. in English/Creative Writing Concentration from Syracuse University, 1975 and
her M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Creative Arts from San Francisco State University, 1983.
She is a master poet-teacher through California Poets in the Schools and regularly conducts creative writing and poetry workshops in public schools.
Additionally, she has served as President of the Board for that organization from 1991-1996.
She is an active member of the Community Colleges and Pedagogy Committees for the Associated Writing Programs and
has selected poetry as a member of the editorial board for Americas Review and Tea Cup.
Ms. Kaplan has given readings in variety of venues, including Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco,
Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, City Books in Pittsburgh, PA, Powell's Books in Portland, OR, and at St. Mark's Poetry Project in New York City.
She was selected as a resident fellow for Dorland Mountain Colony and as an affiliate artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts,
as well as served on the Program Committee for Small Press Distribution,
has been a screener for the SF Bay Guardian Poetry Contest and the American Composers Forum.
She was awarded third place in the 1993 Chester H. Jones Foundation National Poetry Competition for her poem, Descartes.
She has been published in numerous literary magazines and anthologies; a limited edition chapbook
No Turning Back appeared from e.g. press in 1984.
Androgyne Books of San Francisco published a collection of thirty-two poems in a manuscript entitled Across the Great Divide and
Ms. Kaplan won a Bay Area Award from New Langton Arts in San Francisco in 1995.
Tobey Kaplan currently teaches courses in reading, literature, creative writing and composition
at several San Francisco Bay community colleges (DVC, Laney, Chabot, etc.) as well as
humanities, literature and business writing to working adults with the University of Phoenix.
Ms. Kaplan has received grants from the California Arts Council, 1979-1982 to serve
as poet in residence at community mental health centers, and has also taught creative writing
as an adult education instructor at Pleasant Hill Adult School.
She has also worked for Contra Costa County Schools as an instructor in the jails,
and for Project Second Chance as the detention facilities tutor coordinator.
For her entire career, she has been an artist in residence advocate and consultant assisting arts and
education programs in developing artist-based workshops and artist-teacher partnerships.
Ms. Kaplan has given workshops and presentations throughout the country regarding
creative process, poetry, literacy and social change. She periodically collaborates with visual artists, musicians, and dancers.