Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi believes in the power of the spoken word to enlighten, educate and delight all who listen! A versatile performer, emcee and workshop presenter, her stories of wit, wonder and wisdom captivate audiences of all ages whether she is standing in the classroom or on a concert stage. Through her school residency programs, she helps children tell and write their own stories. Her writing workshop “The Writer’s Exchange” is a favorite at local retirement communities. She frequently combines story and art in her workshops and believes that creating a piece of art from images in a story sets the stage for the word to enter, stimulates the imagination and improves access to personal creativity.

Lorraine is co-founder with Karen Pillsworth of “Tall Tale/Short Story Productions. Together they produce storytelling events for grown-ups.

She is also co-founder with Gail Burger, Kusum Gupta and Muriel Horowitz, of the Dutchess Interfaith Story Circle that celebrated its 10th anniversary in October 2014. The circle meets in a different house of worship every month to share stories from a variety of faith traditions and holds an annual Peace Concert: An Afternoon of Sharing Stories.

Her book Wisdom in the Telling Finding Inspiration and Grace in Traditional Folktales and Myths Retold was the winner of the 2008 Storytelling World Resource Award for Special Storytelling Resources.