Janice (Jan) Fernheimer
Janice W. Fernheimer is a Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies; Zantker Professor of Jewish Studies; and James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits Faculty Fellow at the University of Kentucky where she co-directs the University of Kentucky-Jewish Heritage Fund Kentucky Holocaust Education Initiative and teaches courses in “Bourbon Writing” and “Bourbon Oral History” in the Certificate for Distillation, Wine, and Brewing. She is also a Stave and Thief Certified Executive Bourbon Steward. In 2024 the Bourbon Women Foundation recognized her as a Woman of Whiskey with the Mike Keyes Ally of the Year Award honoring the trailblazing work of the Women in Bourbon Oral History Project, which she founded in 2021. She currently resides in Lexington, KY with her family and when she’s not writing or teaching, you can usually find her shimmying across the dance floor or cycling across the Bluegrass.
Joshua Sky
Originally from Maui, Hawaii, Joshua Sky is currently a writer for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Heavy Metal Illustrated. He has written for Marvel Entertainment, Humanoids, Sci-Futures, Tor.com, SFWA, Assemble Media, Sun-Man, Mattel and Cartoon Network’s Ben 10. He resides in Los Angeles.
Dan Goldman
Screenwriter, illustrator and narrative designer, Dan Goldman tells stories across comics, animation and video games. His graphic novel Chasing Echoes recounts a road trip of Holocaust survivors’ descendants across Poland to find their family’s land seized by Nazis during WWII. He is currently based in Brooklyn.
Micah O’Konis + Marnina Schon
Micah O’Konis (they/he) and Marnina Schon (she/her) are a real-life couple who create sketch comedy together as Couplet and #NotARabbi. They wrote and performed the award-winning musical comedy More Guns! which ran for two years at Second City and toured to San Francisco. Marnina has also performed as an actor on stage with South Coast Rep, Center Theater Group, Berkeley Rep, and Story Pirates, as well as on screen in the upcoming series Chanshi with Henry Winkler, while Micah writes sketches at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, scores films, and releases music as Lookalike (feat. Marnina on violin and vocals).
Chari Pere
Chari Pere has worked as a creative director and illustrator/storyboard artist on projects for Red Bull, Jockey, Disney, Comedy Central, and Bud Light. She has created content for The Washington Post’s The Lily and Mad Magazine, and has collaborated with NYT bestselling author Gretchen Rubin and actress Mayim Bialik. Chari launched the “Unspoken” Cartoon series as part of the 2024 Jewish Writers’ Initiative Digital Storytellers Lab Fellowship and was named the 2024 JewCE Artist of the Year.
Play Steinberg
Play Steinberg (they/them) is a mapmaker and meaning-maker, drawing connections, queering boundaries and transcending limits wherever they go. With a passion for transformation and making the invisible visible, Play supports partners and clients in unlocking their potential, fostering inner and outer alignment, and realizing their highest purpose. As a visual facilitator and scribe, Play has worked across all sectors and subject matters. As a creative facilitator and coach, Play serves the highest in every client, especially when they don’t yet see it themselves.
Josh Eiserike
Josh is a writer/cartoonist living in Los Angeles whose TV credits include LEGACIES (CW), WARIGAMI (CW) and G.I. JOE: RENEGADES (The HUB). Josh’s published works include the graphic novels THE VERY FINAL LAST GIRLS, CHARM CITY and a handful of pieces in MAD Magazine. Originally from Maryland, Josh previously worked as a newspaper reporter in the Washington, D.C. area, where he covered everything from Congress to the Warped Tour.