Robert Casper

Robert Casper brings more than twenty-five years of experience in furthering American poetry within leading literary organizations, most recently as head of Poetry and Literature in the Literary Initiatives Office at the Library of Congress, where he has served since 2011. At the Library, Casper oversaw the U.S. Poet Laureate position and led high-profile initiatives that placed poets in dialogue with the public, expanding the influence of poetry through programs and digital outreach. His work has emphasized collaboration across institutions and engagement with communities throughout the United States.

Prior to joining the Library, Casper served as programs director at the Poetry Society of America and membership director at the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), expanding membership, launching conferences and literary fairs, and increasing poetry programming through strategic partnerships. He also served as the magazine representative on the CLMP board, poetry chair of the Brooklyn Literary Council, and as a member of both LitNet and the Poetry Coalition. 

The founding publisher of the literary magazine jubilat (2000–2021) and a cofounder of the jubilat/Jones reading series, Casper received degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s MFA for Poets and Writers program and from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.