Kristen Gilligan and her husband, Len Vlahos, are the owners of the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colorado. Prior to buying Tattered Cover, Gilligan spent the majority of her career at the national trade association for independent bookstores, the American Booksellers Association (ABA). At Tattered Cover, she works with elementary, middle, and high schools; brings authors to schools; created two Teen Advisory Boards, the Colorado Teen Book Con, and the statewide Colorado Big Summer Read. Gilligan sits on the children’s committee for the ABA and is actively involved with the association. She has two young sons and a black lab.