MAFA began in 1980 after two nearby guilds scheduled workshops on the same weekend. A few members of the Princeton Weavers Guild decided to do something about that, and called together a group of guild presidents to form an association “to establish communication between guilds, and to maintain the communication with mutual exchange of ideas.” The MidAtlantic Fiber Association was born.

Sadly, the Princeton Guild is no longer in existence, but we thank those early organizers for getting us started and helping us to carry on with their ideas. Over the years, many volunteers have stepped up to keep the organization going.

We seem to have lost sight, though, of who some of those dedicated individuals were. If you can fill in any of the blanks on the chart below, please let us know, so we can recognize them for all the work they did….And think about it — the early pioneers did it all without computers!

Do you know who did these jobs? Do you have a brochure from any of these conferences prior to 2011? Send an email to president@mafafiber.org

YearsConference VenuePresidentConference Coordinator
1980-81Rider College, Lawrenceville, NJCarlana SargentPat White
1982-83Betsy DillonKava Schafer
1984-85Glassboro College, NJJane DanielsMary Ellen Fanning
1986-87Montclair State College, Upper Montclair, NJAlice Austin
1988-89Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
1990-91Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
1992-93Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
1994-95Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
1996-97Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
1998-99Bucknell U, Lewisburg PA
2000-01Towson, Towson, MD
2002-03No Conference
2004-05National Conference Center, Leesburg, VASuanne Pasquarella
2006-07Marywood, Scranton PAMickie Schneider
2008-09Gettysburg College, PAMickie Schneider
2010-11Gettysburg College, PAMickie Schneider
2012-13U of Scranton, PAMickie Schneider
2014-15Millersville U, PAEllen Dorosh/Ellen TurnerEllen Turner
2016-17Millersville U, PAElisa EigerDonna Mentzer
2018-19Millersville U, PAKaren MillerTheresa Hill
2020-21Virtual ConferenceHelena ValentineMargaret Briggs
2022-23Millersville U, PAMargaret BriggsMargaret Briggs
2024-25Millersville U, PAMargaret BriggsMargaret Briggs

Read more about the beginnings of MAFA here.