About the California Jigsaw Puzzle Association
The CAJPA is currently completing the necessary steps to become an official State Organization with the USA Jigsaw Puzzle Association. Additionally, CAJPA is working on its tax-exempt and non-profit organization status.
CAJPA Board Members
Yuewen Chan
Yuewen (@thehungrypuzzler) is always up for some good eats She grew up loving puzzles (not just the jigsaw kind!) and games. She discovered speed puzzling in 2023 and dived into practicing in 2024 after signing up for her first nationals.
Her favorite part of puzzling though are the people in this community she has met (and has yet to meet!). Though she currently resides in SoCal with her husband and two children, she also lived in NorCal for 7 years, where she attended college.
Treasurer
Board Member
Jen Hsieh
Jen has enjoyed jigsaw puzzles all her life. After learning about speed puzzling in early 2024, she started hosting social speed puzzling events to connect with more local puzzlers, and fell further in love with this amazing community. She might have come for the puzzles, but she is certainly staying for the people!
Semi-retired from engineering, Jen is now a full-time mom with two young kiddos and a supportive husband who helps run her events and builds custom shelves for her ever growing puzzle collection. (Jen is adamant that doing puzzles and acquiring puzzles are two different hobbies, and she is 100% addicted to both.)
You can find Jen on Meetup or on Instagram: @foxncatpuzzles
Chair/President
Elizabeth Forsyth
Elizabeth discovered her love of puzzles during Covid and has since participated in speed puzzling events far and wide. Her greatest accomplishment in puzzling, besides fitting her growing puzzle collection into her house, has been placing 9th in Teams at the 2025 Nationals.
In her non-puzzling time Elizabeth is a published author, teaches setting writing goals and how to DIY your own author events, a director at a Bay Area writing non-profit, and has recently founded her own writing organization in Silicon Valley.
You can follow her puzzle adventures on Instagram at @puzzledlizzie.
Jaclyn Taernhed
To be added.
Secretary
Lindsay Steenstra
Lindsay grew up in the Midwest where assembling puzzles was a common pastime, especially in the winter months.
She started speed puzzling when her friend and then volleyball peer started hosting competitions through Pacific Puzzlers in San Diego, CA.
She currently serves as a Founding Member of the CAJPA.