Starina Catchatoorian is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actress based in New York. A recipient of the New York State Council on the Arts grant in literature, her essays have appeared in various publications, including Lenny Letter, Narratively, and Oldster Magazine. Her essay, “The Golden Seed,” was a finalist in the Women On Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest. As a singer-songwriter, her music videos have been screened at festivals worldwide. “This I Know,” which she wrote and starred in, received the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Williamsburg International Film Festival.

Starina has received teaching grants from Poets & Writers and currently leads memoir-writing workshops for both adults and teens. A passionate advocate for arts education, she has served as a judge for the prestigious Scholastic Writing Awards and actively mentors young artists. With a BFA in drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a successful career as a singer-songwriter and performer, Starina is dedicated to continuing to share her stories.