Organized, Inspired, and Just a Little Mysterious.
Who keeps this chapter running, growing, and buzzing with creativity? Meet the powerhouse team behind the scenes. They’re writers, organizers, and mystery lovers who bring it all together. They’re not just board members; they’re the heart of our community.
Izolda Trakhtenberg, President
Izolda Trakhtenberg is a Brooklyn-based playwright, author, musician, editor, and host of the Your Creative Mind Podcast. Her plays have been produced across the USA, including A Slice of Democracy, Expiration Date, and Perhaps, Maybe?. She’s the author of nine books, including Die By The Sword (Cassie Belmont Tarot Reader Mysteries). Her short fiction appears in anthologies like New York State of Crime (Derringer Award finalist), Midlife on Fire, and In a New York Minute. Born in Moldova, raised in Michigan, Izolda holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan and lives with her husband and three cats. https://IzoldaT.com
Elle Hartford, Vice President
Elle Hartford writes cozy mystery with a fairy tale twist. The award-winning first book in her Alchemical Tales series, Beauty and the Alchemist, finds amateur sleuth Red mixed up with murderous beasts and moody beauties, and a set of missing books besides! For other writers and authors looking into “wide” indie publishing, Elle offers coaching as well as the Beyond Writing blog (ellehartford.substack.com) with how-tos and resources. And for free stories and more, sign up for Elle’s newsletter at ellehartford.com.
Theresa Varela, Treasurer
Theresa Varela is an award-winning author whose writings weave mystery, magical realism, and psychological strands together. She has designed the Graciella la Gitana Oracle™ © deck for those who are searching for spiritual awareness and clarity to enrich their lives. Theresa is a board member of the SistersInCrime NY Tristate Chapter and member of the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA), Crime Writers of Color, Queer Crime Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. Her website is www.theresavarela.com.
Bluesky: @theresavarela.bsky.social
Facebook: @theresavarela
John Ferriso, Secretary
John Ferriso is a retired NYPD Sergeant. He is currently a technical Writing Advisor with Sisters in Crime, a Missing Person Instructor with Outliers Writing University, and a Licensed New York State Private Investigator who specializes in missing person investigations. John volunteers his experience as a cold case investigator with the non-profit organization Private Investigations for the Missing. John is referred to as an expert on everything involving missing persons.
His book, ALL IN A DAY’S WORK: An Officer’s Accounts 20 Years NYPD, the 61 short stories of his twenty-year career, has been the topic of podcasts in the USA, Australia, and England. His short story WHAT IF THE POLICE CALLED ALL YOUR CONTACTS? What Would They Say About You? It was published in Psychology Today. His short story, IN A NEW YORK MINUTE: An Officer’s Eyewitness account of the events of September 11, 2001, has been the topic on numerous podcasts. He is writing his new book about how a screenwriter and author can accurately put a missing person investigation into their stories.
John was a former Sergeant of the NYPD’s Missing Persons Squad, field investigating or supervising more than 7,000 cases investigated annually.
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon, Member-at-Large
Elizabeth Kerri Mahon is a native New Yorker, actress and history geek. Her book, Scandalous Women was an RT Book Review Non-Fiction Pick for April 2011. Elizabeth has been featured in the H2 show How Sex Changed the World, as well as The Travel Channel’s Monumental Mysteries, and the ID show Tabloid. A pop culture diva, Elizabeth has written for The Royal Representative, Heroes and Heartbreakers, Ever After Romance, Romance Daily News and Criminal Element, Pretty Evil New York: True Stories of Mobster Molls, Violent Vixens, and Murderous Matriarchs (Globe Pequot Press), her first foray into historical true crime came out in October 2021.
Dawn Barclay (writing as D.M. Barr), Member-at-Large
Dawn M. Barclay is an award-winning author who writes psychological and romantic suspense as D.M. Barr and non-fiction under her own name. Her eight published books include Expired Listings, Murder Worth the Weight, and Saving Grace: A Psychological Thriller. Her newest thriller, Deadly When Disturbed, was released by Level Best Books in January 2025. LBB also published the first of her upcoming multi-volume series, Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide. Dawn recently finished her second stint co-editing a Sisters in Crime NY/Tri-state anthology. New York State of Crime, published by Down & Out Books in the fall of 2024, which includes her third published short story, “Orchestral Removals in the Dark”. Her latest anthology, and first solo developmental and editing effort, is Better Off Dead: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
Dawn offers developmental and copy editing through SuggestedDevelopment.com, and ghostwrites personal histories and corporate profiles through LegacyQuest.net. A member of ITW, she has served as president of Hudson Valley Scribes, vice president of Sisters in Crime-NY/TriState, and the newsletter author/board member of the NY chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Follow her at www.dmbarr.com.
If you’d like to get more involved with the chapter, contact us NYTriStateSinC@gmail.com