Dr. William P. Bintz is Professor of Literacy Education in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum, College of Education, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. His academic background includes a B.A. in English from Christian Brothers College in Memphis, Tennessee, a M.A. in Educational Administration and Supervision from the Universidad de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, and Ph.D. from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He has taught English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 9-12 in Chicago, Illinois, grades 7-12 in Aquadilla and San Juan, Puerto Rico, and grades 7-8 in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In higher education, Dr. Bintz has been a Visiting Lecturer at the Armidale College of Advanced Education in Armidale, Australia. He has also been a faculty member teaching literacy courses at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY, James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and The University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. Presently, he is a faculty member at Kent State University. His professional research interests involve conducting action research projects that investigate the use of picturebooks to teach reading comprehension across the curriculum, K-12, and explore the power and potential of postmodern picturebooks to reconceptualize traditional notions of a picturebook.

Arley-Beth Cravey is graduate student studying for her MA in English at University of Arkansas where she specializes in Cultural Studies. She is a board member of the Arkansas NCTE affiliate, ACTELA; an Officer of the Graduate Students in English Organization at her university; and an Intern at The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. She has recently made conference presentations at the Delta Symposium, GSE Interdisciplinary Conference, LSUS Regional Student Scholars Forum, and Arkansas Philological Association Conference. Her recent writing appears in The English Pub, and her research interests include Icelandic sagas, Old Norse translations, international travel, and oral storytelling. Contact her at acravey@uark.edu.

Susan Decker (D.A., Murray State University) is a Professor of English at Martin Luther College (New Ulm, MN) and Certified Wellness Coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Her research specialties include fine arts integration, Shakespeare studies, English pedagogy & English teacher education, teaching literature, literary theory, and teacher wellness. She can be reached at deckerse@mlc-wels.edu.

Remington Foust recently graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with degrees in English, Writing Studies, and Environmental Sustainability. She will soon begin her master’s degree in Information at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, with a concentration in Libraries, Archives, and Knowledge in Society. Her research interests include banned and young adult literature.

Gail M. Netland Froyd is pursuing her PhD at North Dakota State University. She holds a Master of Arts in Literacy Education, where her graduate research focused on fusing writing best practice with culturally responsive instruction. She has served as a secondary English and reading teacher, postsecondary English instructor, and district curriculum administrator. She served on the Minnesota K–12 Academic Standards English Language Arts Committee as a writing and middle grades expert. Her research centers on secondary writing instruction and examines English language arts teacher readiness to teach writing, with particular attention to beliefs, practice, and system conditions that shape instruction.

Mary Hillmann is the Minnesota state coordinator for Poetry Out Loud, the national poetry recitation program that encourages students to engage deeply with poetry. She serves as the student enrichment program coordinator at South Central Service Cooperative, part of The Minnesota Service Cooperatives, where she supports educational opportunities for students and schools across the region. Her work is driven by a commitment to helping students discover their passions and ensuring that every opportunity is focused on “doing good things for kids.”

Patrick Hueller teaches English at Irondale High School. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota. His poetry collection about teaching, Falling, in Love with Teaching, comes out in September and can be ordered NOW here.

Sophia Epony Kim is an actor and writer. Born in Seoul, Korea, she immigrated to Minnesota with her family at age two. She is the recipient of a Hertog Fellowship, a Mirrors & Windows Fellowship, and grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board. She has performed in the United States and Korea and is currently completing her first novel. Sophia lives with her husband and son in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Marcia Ranft holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Library Media and Information Studies and is a licensed K-6 Elementary and K-12 Library Media Specialist. She is a recipient of the Minnesota State University Award for Excellence in Social Justice Education and is recognized as an anti‑racist educator committed to equity‑centered practice. As a member of Education Minnesota’s FIRE Program, she serves as a Racial Equity Advocate and works to advance inclusive learning environments across the state. She is also the co‑president of the Saint Peter Good Neighbor Diversity Council, where she collaborates with community partners to promote belonging and cultural understanding. In her role as a K–5 Library Media Specialist, she continues to champion diverse literature and equitable access for all students.

Kay J. Walter, PhD, is a Professor of English at University of Arkansas at Monticello where she serves as the British literature specialist and Director of the MFA Creative Writing. She is a Companion of the Guild of St George and a lifemember of Friends of Ruskin’s Brantwood, Ruskin Society of North America, Ruskin Art Club, Carson McCullers Society, Royal Oak Foundation, Arkansas Library Association, and HI USA. She is President of the Arkansas NCTE affiliate, ACTELA, and edits its award-winning newsletter, The English Pub. Her recent writing appears in The Companion, Arkansas Libraries, Arkansas English Journal, FoB Journal, and CEAMAG Journal. She loves collaborating, mentoring first-generation students and early-career teachers, and designing courses that include travel to Europe. Contact her at walter@uamont.edu.