Swathi Sivasubramanian

Lead Teacher of Young Writers & Leaders Swathi Sivasubramanian (she/her) joined The Telling Room in 2026. Swathi comes to the Telling Room from a decade of experience working with young people, first as a middle school educator and then as a facilitator and program manager for youth-led advocacy initiatives across Maine. Through her teaching and advocacy roles, Swathi has experienced the transformative power of storytelling and grown a deep love for creating spaces with young people where stories can be seeds for connection and change.

The Telling RoomJune 1, 2026YWL

Sonya Tomlinson

Director of Alumni Development Sonya Tomlinson has been teaching with The Telling Room since 2008. Sonya holds a B.F.A. in Design from UNC-Greensboro. Deeply involved in the arts both professionally and personally, she spent nearly a decade as traffic manager and contributing arts writer at The Portland Phoenix and on the events staff at Space Gallery - all the while moonlighting as performing and recording artist Sontiago on Montreal’s Endemik Music. Her heartstrings are tugged in the direction of teaching high school students self-expression through songwriting and poetry.

The Telling RoomMay 31, 2026Staff, YWL