Jennifer Dechaine
Biologist and science educator at Central Washington University, Jennifer’s research focuses on the epigenetic (non-genetic) and genetic mechanisms underlying how plants adapt to stressful environments. Understanding how genes and environment interact to help plants tolerate drought, for example , is a first step in improving agriculture productivity in the face of climate change, rapid population growth and heightened competition for land and water.
Kris Alberti
Kris Alberti has blended her extensive emergency services, construction management, and adult instruction background to produce informative safety and disaster response programs for her audiences. Bringing 20 years of real life experience, problem solving, and thought provoking approaches, Kris challenges her classes to find ways to think of their actions in a broader perspective, build a safety culture for teams based on the value of life, and find ways to take care of themselves and others in the process. Kris is passionate about the impact of education and training for responders that makes a difference in their communities. As a volunteer she sees the difference individuals can have in helping their neighbors and responding to emergencies.
Lawrence Golan
Lawrence Golan is known for his inspired performances, imaginative programming, passion for developing new
audiences and excellent public speaking skills — entertaining and educating the audience from both on and off the podium. He is the Music Director of two professional symphony orchestras in the US, is the Principal Conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic in South Korea, and is Professor of Conducting at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music.
Lawrence and his wife Cecilia, who is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, have two wonderful children: Giovanna and Joseph.
Seth Holmes
Dr. Seth M. Holmes, author of "Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies", is a professor, physician and cultural anthropologist whose work focuses on social hierarchies, health inequalities, and the ways in which inequalities are naturalized and normalized in society and in health care.
Stephanie Hsu
Stephanie Lin Hsu is the Founding Director of Yakima Music en Acción (YAMA) that uses El Sistema orchestral training for at-risk children to create healthy community-building and positive social development. She trained at Sistema sites across Venezuela and throughout the U.S. before launching the YAMA program in January 2013. Prior to this, Stephanie worked as an educator and organizer in New York.