Philana Marie Boles

CeleRead was founded by Philana Marie Boles.

As Program Director, Philana Marie Boles brings professional experience, creative accomplishments and an uncompromising integrity to a program she long ago envisioned. 

With a Bachelors Degree in English and Theater arts from Bowling Green State University, Philana is the author of three novels: Blame It on Eve, In the Paint and—for pre-teens—Little Divas.

An independent consultant and inspirational speaker with over twelve years of professional experience, she has worked in the development department of Spike Lee’s Film Company “40 Acres & a Mule Filmworks”, as a media relations associate for Glamour magazine and as an educator in both New York City’s and Ohio’s public and community schools.

Philana’s favorite book of all time is White Oleander by Janet Fitch. Some of her other favorites include: Trying To Sleep In the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant, Friends and Lovers by Eric Jerome Dickey, A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl, The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz and—in the Holy Bible—the Book of Proverbs.  

As a child—and even still now—Philana enjoyed reading: The Best Times of Day by Valerie Flournoy, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Hail Hail Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford and absolutely ANYTHING by Judy Blume. On a regular basis she recommends these books to the children she encounters and teaches, especially her niece Jada , her beloved young cousins and her Godchildren-Kameron and Linsey.