Maria Cork is a creature effects expert who specializes in hair, fur & feathers.  Maria served as coiffeur to Chewbacca on the movie Star Wars: Episode Vll - The Force Awakens.

Jim Vallance is a Canadian Songwriter Hall-of-Famer who wrote many hit songs with artists like Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Heart, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and Bryan Adams. 

George Schlatter is a veteran of over 60 years in network television. As producer, director and writer, George created Laugh-in, Real People and The American Comedy Awards.

Rachel Marie Martin Is the author of The Brave Art of Motherhood, Mom Enough and Get your Spark Back. Rachel is the founder of the online community FindingJoy.net, and she is an impactful influence for moms and underdogs everywhere.

Christopher Michael is an international literary artist and nationally ranked slam poet that uses poetry to address mental health, relationship accountability, and Black American history. Michael is the founder of 310 Brown Street Publishing that aims to make poets immortal.

Arlene Malinowski is a critically-acclaimed solo show artist, writer and coach who has performed for National Public Radio, The Moth, and Victory Gardens. Arlene is the recipient of a Fellowship -3Arts/UIC Department of Disability in the Arts And Culture.

Rob Watzke is an award-winning commercial editor, writer, director and teacher with three ads in the top ten of The Best Super Bowl commercials by USA Today. Rob is the founder of Turbine Arts Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to the exploration of creativity.

Shannon Sedwick is the co-founder of Esther’s Follies comedy troupe & club, an actor, singer and successful entrepreneur who undoubtedly helps to “Keep Austin Weird.”

A versatile director of theatre, film & television with credits ranging from Home Improvement to Friends. Andrew is the creator of the new series tendingthefirepod.com

John Gilkey is an award-winning circus performer, actor, director and teacher who has performed live for more than four million people as principal character with Cirque Du Soleil.

Okoroe "OKCELLO" Johnson is an Atlanta based cellist-songwriter, looper, musical improviser, and storyteller whose work centers on themes and expressions of the African Diaspora while also exploring musical prayer.

Colette Peri is a stop-motion artist, photographer, and creative entrepreneur who weaves her magic into videos for brands like Sony, 3M, Kraft, REI, RedBull, Starbucks, Panera & DoorDash.

Bill Persky is a legendary Emmy-award winning TV writer, director & producer who co-wrote many of the classic episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and created the TV series That Girl before going on to direct 100 episodes of Kate & Allie.

Laurie Berkner is a singer, songwriter, lyricist, author, and founder of Two Tomatoes Records. Laurie has 15 award-winning albums, more than 1 billion total streams, and nearly 450 million YouTube channel views. She has graced the boards of Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House.

Cheri Oteri Is a Primetime Emmy Award nominee best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live playing the likes of Barbara Walters and an overly spirited Spartan cheerleader with Will Ferrell.

One of sports photography’s preeminent visual storytellers and co-founder of Grassroots Baseball, a non-profit that promotes and celebrates the amateur game around the globe.

Phil Hendrie Is a creative comic genius known for concocting a cast of fictional characters all of whom he played live on air while simultaneously serving as the host of his national talk radio program.

JJ Barrows is a color-forward visual artist, comic storyteller and the author of the new book Kinda Funny: Stories by a Full-time Comedian (with Four Part-time Jobs.)

Stephen Wilkes is one of America’s most iconic photographers, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work. With covers on Vanity Fair, Time, Fortune, National Geographic and Sports Illustrated.

The Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason, serves as our sherpa guide through a pantheon of poets: Scott Woods, Aliyah American Horse, Denise Duhamel, Deb Carpenter-Nolting, Sean Patrick Mulroy, Nicholle Laffer & Mighty Mike McGee.