A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Elena Karina Byrne is a visual artist, teacher, book reviewer, editor, Poetry Consultant and Moderator for The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and former 12 year Regional Director of the Poetry Society of America. Since 1991 she has organized readings for the University of Southern California's Doheny Memorial Library, the GRI at the J. Paul Getty Center, The Metropolitan Transit Authority's Metro Art live Poetry in Motion annual readings, and the Chateau Marmont "Act of the Poet" series. Currently, she is Literary Programs Director for The Ruskin Art Club and the Museum Of Contemporary Art's Night Vision poetry programs. She is also working with the West Hollywood Book Fair's Planning Committee and assisting Red Car studios with several documentary editing projects including, The Big Read, Muse of Fire and Why Shakespeare?

Elena was the 2005 Poetry Co-Editor for The Los Angeles Review and one of three judges for the 2006 PEN USA Literary Award in Poetry. A twelve-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Elena's many recent publications, among others, include, Best American Poetry 2005, The Yale Review, Paris Review, American Poetry Review, Agenda (UK), Poetry, Volt, Pool, Denver Quarterly, Colorado Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Antioch Review, Verse, The Journal, Tri-Quarterly,  Barrow Street, Crazyhorse, Poetry Daily Anthology, Anthology of Magazine Verse & Yearbook of American Poetry, and Spunk and Bite: A Writer's Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language and Style.  Books include: The Flammable Bird (Zoo Press/Tupelo Press 2002)  and her new book, MASQUE, (Tupelo Press 2008); forthcoming works in progress include, This Fable Language (poetry), Voyeur Hour (poetry/ art) and Beautiful Insignificance (essays).