Dana Gioia

Dana Gioia is an internationally acclaimed poet, writer, and arts advocate. Born in Los Angeles to Italian and Mexican parents, he was the first in his family to attend college, earning degrees from Stanford and Harvard before joining the corporate world. At 41, Gioia left to pursue writing full-time, becoming a leading voice in the revival of rhyme, meter, and narrative in contemporary poetry. His works include five poetry collections, such as 99 Poems: New & Selected and Interrogations at Noon, which won the American Book Award.

Gioia is also a celebrated critic, known for his influential essay collection Can Poetry Matter?, which helped restore poetry’s relevance in American public life. As Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, he created transformative programs, such as Poetry Out Loud and The Big Read, which brought literature to millions. Later, as California Poet Laureate, he became the first to visit all 58 counties. Gioia has also collaborated with renowned composers and musicians across genres. His lecture promises to inspire an embracing of the enchantment of poetry as a pathway to deeper human flourishing.