In 2024, Marta Elva was invited as guest speaker at the 61st Annual North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN) in Washington, DC. This is one of the oldest UN simulations for high school students in North America and the world. Since 1963, this conference has been a forum in which a dynamic range of young students come from around the world to seek solutions to the various problems of the world through discussion, negotiation, and debate. Marta’s professional interest in socio-political dynamics captured the attention and imagination of students and staff.

Marta Elva’s first novel, American Tumbleweeds, was published in 2016 by Circling Rivers.  It was selected a finalist of the SARTON WOMEN’S BOOK AWARD that same year. The American Tumbleweeds book tour was managed by her husband Michael, who spent hours on the phone scheduling readings and book signings at libraries and independent bookstores in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. Barnes and Noble hosted readings in Massachusetts, Texas, and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. And the University of Texas in El Paso invited Marta as guest speaker during National Hispanic Heritage month.  American Tumbleweeds is now distributed by Irie Books in Santa Fe, NM.

Marta retired from a career in television production and independent film, working for such notable institutions as National Geographic and WNET, the flagship station of PBS, in New York City, where she received several Emmy nominations.  Marta also served on the Council of the Writers Guild of America East, the union representing screenwriters for the film and television industry. She remains a member of the WGAE as well as the Author’s Guild.

When Marta and Michael left the bustle of New York City, they moved to Matlacha, an old fishing village in southwest Florida. They soon opened a hospitality business located on the shores of Matlacha Preserve on the way to Pine Island. After Michael’s passing Marta continued hosting guests from around the world until 2022 when she moved to Fort Myers, FL. Marta’s filmmaking skills capture this experience in a series of short videos. She documents Matlacha as a tourist destination, while featuring excerpts of everyday life no longer visible.