The Contributing Writers program provides an opportunity for collegiate and alumnae members to have their work published in Themis and ZTA's online blog.

Contributing Writers featured in the fall 2025 issue:

Kristel Aranas (Delta Alpha Chapter, California State University, Long Beach) is a privacy program manager living in Orange County, California. She is a member of the Long Beach and Los Angeles, CA, alumnae chapters and has been a contributing writer for ZTA since 2016. While she served as Ritual Chair (now called Vice President Member Experience) and Signs Chair in college, she now serves as the Programming Advisor for Delta Alpha. In her free time, she loves playing sports with her friends, traveling across the country and globe, and living in Southern California.

Christy Marx Barber (Alpha Psi, University of Missouri) received her first contributor byline in Themis in fall 2004. She was Themis editor and Director of Communication from 2005 to 2012 and part-time Staff Writer/Special Projects Coordinator from 2014 to 2024. Her special projects included writing the words in the ZTA Historical and Educational Center; Our Shared Purpose, ZTA’s keepsake book; and the next installment of ZTA's history. In the winter 2026 issue, you can read her stories on the Foundation’s partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and collegiate chapter fundraising. In retirement, she enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren, traveling with her husband, volunteering in her community, and serving as President of the Greater Kansas City, MO Chapter.

Katie Jones (Kappa Mu Chapter, Linfield University) is an educator based near Traverse City, Michigan. This is her first time contributing to Themis, but she has previously written for the newspaper Sol de Medianoche and academic journals. While in college earning a BS in Anthropology and a BA in Theatre, she served as Ritual Chair (now called Vice President Member Experience) and Fraternity Education Chair. Though she is not currently involved with an alumnae chapter, she maintains strong connections with her sisters across the U.S.

Carrie Teresa Sage (Theta Chi Chapter, George Mason University) is an English professor and writer based in Washington, D.C. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from George Mason University, a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing (poetry) from Queens University of Charlotte, and a Master of Arts in communication and public relations from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently working on her first collection of essays and poetry. She has contributed writing to various publications, including The Journal of International Education Research, Synonym, Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, The George Mason Review, and The Southern Review of Books.