Howard Hendrix
Howard Hendrix holds a B.S. in Biology and M.A. and PhD in English Literature, the latter both from University of California, Riverside. He has taught at the college level for over thirty years, and is currently at California State University, Fresno.
Hendrix has published literary criticisms, book reviews, editorials, and numerous works of creative nonfiction.
Hendrix served as Western Regional Director and two-term Vice President of the Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). He was for many years a fixture at UC Riverside’s J. Lloyd Eaton Conference on science fiction literature. Hendrix most recently presented on Philip K. Dick at the April 2016 Philip K. Dick Conference at California State University, Fullerton. He is a founder of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence and recipient of its Peace Pioneer Award.
Kalina Michalska
Kalina Michalska is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside and director of the Kids Interaction and Neuro Development (KIND) Lab. Her work aims at understanding how social and emotional development varies in children and what neurological and environmental factors give rise to such individual differences.
Ketzie Diaz
Ketzie Diaz is an artist and a librarian at the Palos Verdes Library District. She has received multiple state grants for bringing library services out into her community, including a mobile Popup library, and has presented at state and national library association conventions about unique library services. Her favorite part of her librarian job is working with local artists to help them bring their work to the public by showcasing them in the library and helping them to present enriching programs and workshops to the community.
She believes libraries build communities by providing free access to knowledge, wonder, and dreams for all.
Lesley Yadon
Lesley has been fascinated by communication in relationships since undergrad where she studied the nuances of verbal and nonverbal language through the different lenses of her double major in Interpersonal Communication and Applied Developmental Psychology. Following that, Lesley earned a Masters in Counseling and worked with women, children and families in non-profits and education for over 16 years.
Lesley always seeks to find and understand where psychology and spirituality intersect. Lesley became determined to find ways to support mothers postpartum in both mind and spirit.. She now specializes in coaching new, overwhelmed moms who are struggling with worry or guilt by taking them through a program that addresses mind, body and spirit. Lesley believes that every mother already has and already is exactly what she needs to mother her baby. Her advice has been featured in Thrive Global, the Modern Mommy Prepschool, Parent Co, Bustle, Fit Pregnancy, and Mamapedia.
William Yang
As a classically trained musician on the flute and piano, William Yang creates popular contemporary arrangements to fit all occasions. His musical interpretations and character defines his role as a performer and an artist, as he expresses each song with a unique style.
William is currently an Admissions Advisor at UC Riverside Extension and the Director of Speaker Administration at the Project Management Institute, Los Angeles. He has a M.S. in Bioengineering and B.S. in Biological Sciences from UC Riverside, and will be completing his second M.S. in Project Management from UW Platteville in Summer 2017.