Peggy Rae Sapienza

Peggy Rae (McKnight Pavlat) Sapienza is a second-generation fan originally from the Philadelphia area. She ran Programming and Special Events for ConStellation, the 1983 Worldcon in Baltimore. She ran Exhibits, Registration, the Dealers' Room, Information, Press Relations and the Newsletter (the "Second Floor Division") with Fred Isaacs for Noreascon III in 1989 in Boston. She also conceptualized and managed the ConCourse for which Noreascon III was known. She served as Vice-Chairman for ConFrancisco, the 1993 Worldcon in San Francisco. Her many accomplishments in fandom were crowned by her serving as Chairman of Bucconeer, the 1998 Worldcon in Baltimore. More recently she helped Japanese fandom bring the Worldcon to Japan in 2007 and served as their North American Agent.

Peggy Rae grew up 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. She successfully petitioned her parents to attend Philcon at the age of 12, then her first Worldcon, Pittcon, when she was 16, and her second Worldcon in Seattle in 1961 at 17. She has a degree in economics from the University of Maryland. Her father, Jack McKnight, spent his time in his metal shop machining the first Hugo Awards, when he would have much, much rather been enjoying the 1953 Worldcon. (Jack and Manny Staub were recruited to create the awards at the last minute after several other failed efforts).

She married Bob Pavlat in 1964 and moved to Maryland, north of Washington, D.C. Their two children, Missy Koslosky and Eric Pavlat were in the leading edge of "baby fandom" and attended many science fiction conventions with their parents. Peggy Rae and Bob received the Big Heart in 1983. Bob, a fanzine and convention fan who was inducted into the Knights of St. Fantany in 1976, died in 1983.

In 1999, she married John T. Sapienza, Jr., a noted SF and role-playing game fan (a contributor to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons by TSR and Runequest by Chaosium, and a contributing editor of Different Worlds magazine). They honeymooned in Australia after she ran volunteers for Aussiecon 3 on extremely short notice. She hopes that at least her older grandsons Tommy and Matthew will be fourth-generation fans. The Sapienzas, Pavlats and Kosloskys (including all eight grandchildren) live in Maryland.

Peggy Rae worked as a contractor for the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. in UNIX systems support. She retired in 2000 when she was in the 16th year of a three year contract. She is currently chairing SFWA's Nebula Awards Weekend for 2011 and 2012.