Plenary Speakers

David Peterson

Language Creator

David Peterson is a language creator and author. David is best known for having created the Dothraki and High Valyrian language for HBO’s Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Since then, he has gone on to create languages for many television series and films, including Syfy’s Defiance, Netflix’s The Witcher, Legendary’s Dune, and the CW’s The 100. He is the author of Penguin’s The Art of Language Invention, an intensive introduction to language creation, and the creator of Duolingo’s High Valyrian course. He received a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from UC Berkeley, and a master’s from UC San Diego.

Jessie Sams

Language Creator

Jessie Sams has a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and was a professor of linguistics at Stephen F. Austin State University for 13 years, where she created a conlanging course and taught students how to construct a language from the ground up. She is now a full-time professional conlanger and works with her partner, David Peterson. Her work appears in TV shows and films, including Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, Pixar’s Elemental, Peacock's Vampire Academy, and Freeform's Motherland: Fort Salem. With David she co-hosts the weekly livestream LangTime Studio on YouTube, where they create new languages from scratch and share the process.

Burton Richardson

President/Head Instructor of JKD Unlimited

Martial artist Burton Richardson is the author of 5 books and has been elected self-defense instructor of the year by Black Belt Magazine and inducted into their hall of fame.  He is a full instructor under Dan Inosanto, in Bruce Lee’s JKD Concepts and Filipino Kali as well as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Krav Maga. He was also an original member of the Dog Brothers, has trained UFC fighters, and has choreographed fight scenes in movies such as The Man in the Iron Mask with Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Chuck Smith

Chief Technical Officer, Amikumu Pty Ltd

Chuck Smith is a language enthusiast fluent in multiple languages, who has devoted his career to fostering linguistic diversity and enhancing cross-cultural dialogue. Early in his career, he founded the Esperanto version of Wikipedia, established the first job-search site for Esperanto speakers, and was instrumental in incorporating Esperanto into Duolingo's curriculum. His contributions earned him the "Esperantist of the Year" accolade in 2015. From 2014-2016, he co-organised the Polyglot Gathering, the mecca of global language aficionados and language bloggers. Since then, Chuck has served as the Founder and CTO of Amikumu, an innovative social networking app designed to link language learners with nearby native speakers.

Executive Speakers

Alex Saum-Pascual

Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Alex Saum-Pascual is a digital artist, poet, and professor. She is author of #Postweb! Crear con la máquina y en la red (Iberoamericana-Vervuert 2018) and numerous articles, special issues and book chapters on digital media and literature in the Spanish-speaking world, being featured in The Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies, The Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature Studies, Revista de Estudios Hispánicos, and Digital Humanities Quarterly, among others. As an artist, she is interested in the intersection of female representation in digital media and online spaces as these relate to offline environments in the current climate emergency. Her digital artwork and poetry have been exhibited in galleries and art festivals internationally and have been studied in monographs such as Mujeres poetas del mundo digital (2020), and Ciberfeminismos: Tecnotextualidades y transgéneros (2023), and have been anthologized in the Electronic Literature Collection Vol. 4 (2022). Currently, she is Associate Professor of Contemporary Spanish Literature and New Media at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also part of the Executive Committee of the Berkeley Center for New Media, the advisory board of the Arts Research Center, and the board of directors of the Electronic Literature Organization. 

Leilani Carver-Madalon, PhD

Associate Professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership; Director of Undergraduate Communication and Director of Graduate Strategic Communication and Leadership

Dr. Leilani Carver-Madalon is an Associate (tenured) Professor and Director of Undergraduate Communication and Graduate Strategic Communication and Leadership Programs at Maryville University of Saint Louis. Her writing and expertise have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Huffington Post, The Hill, The International Business Times, USA Today, and other prestigious outlets. She has been awarded two Woman of Distinction Awards: from Maryville University and from the Missouri Athletic Club. Before earning her Ph.D., Professor Carver-Madalon worked in Consulting and Mobile Technologies. Additionally, Dr. Carver-Madalon has lived and worked abroad in Taiwan and China and taught university courses in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Switzerland, England, Australia, France, and Italy. She delivered a TEDx Talk on tactics to increase your confidence and power. Dr. Carver-Madalon volunteers with nonprofits that champion women and girls from St. Louis to Pakistan. Leilani is currently researching and writing a book on practical leadership strategies, hacks, and tactics.

Katie Murphy

Director of Phenotyping and Principal Investigator, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

Katie Murphy is the Director of Phenotyping and Principal Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, a non-profit research institute in St. Louis, Missouri. Her research group is focused on deploying high-throughput phenotyping technologies and applying open-source image analysis tools to understand how plants respond to stressful environmental conditions. She holds a PhD in Plant Biology from UC Davis, where she studied terpenoid production and maize stress with Dr. Philipp Zerbe, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Stanford University where she studied maize anther development with Dr. Virginia Walbot. Katie's goal is to make a secure, sustainable food supply that can withstand future climates. She shares her research on TikTok and Instagram @Real_Time_Science. 

George W. Mahn III, ’92 SAE

Musical Artist, Composer and Producer, Vertical Leap and Gentry Avenue Productions

George W. Mahn III, ’92 SAE, is a musical artist, composer and producer, as well as proprietor of music label, Gentry Avenue Productions. Following successful corporate management positions in business and information technology operations, the artist revived a lifelong dreamand debuted original repertoire to critical acclaim and radio airplay under the band name,Vertical Leap. His tracks have been broadcast regularly on domestic and international terrestrial stations, SiriusXM satellite network, and internet channels since 2002. The genre-bending discography has also underscored marquee programs, motion pictures and arts productions.

Musical collaborations segued into producing projects for clients and in 2013 George took the helm at Regogo Records, where he started working side by side with artists as producer and sound engineer in a state-of-the-art custom designed recording and mixing facility. He has also co-produced artist showcases and live concerts for the studio, including the annual Bob Dance Texas Blues Festival, which has benefited the Dallas Police Department Honor Guard, The Jim Clark Trust and DFW Rescue Me canine adoption, as well as collected coats for homeless veterans of Dallas. He has lead post-production and mixed live audio recordings of these shows, shining the spotlight on great musicians and memorable performances.

Originally from Saint Louis, MO, George earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in English, Literary Analysis, from Westminster College. He previously studied jazz guitar at Webster University. He has served on the Westminster College Alumni Council, and has received accolades for volunteer leadership with the Missouri Gamma Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, as well as the national organization. He is a dual member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), as well as SoundExchange, and actively supports the Copyright Alliance. The lyricist occasionally muses about life adventures via his blog, Vertical Tales.

Marc Cordon

Marc Cordon Creative, The Joy Revolution, LLC 

Marc Cordon, MPH, is a positive psychology coach, multi-time TEDx speaker, and author of the book Beyond Resilient: The Coach's Guide to Ecstatic Growth. He's also the host of The Golden Mic Podcast, a show about personal narrative, social change, and spirituality.

In his coaching company, Joy Revolution, he works with misfit entrepreneurs and leaders who march to the beat of their own drum. Marc's coaching empowers people to claim their joy as they make a difference for others.

As the founder of Marc Cordon Creative, he assists change agents, content creators, and conscious entrepreneurs in getting their message out to the masses through podcasts, TEDx talks, digital academies, PR, authorship, and more.

Marc has a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, a Master of Public Health from Emory University, and coaching awards from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. He was the Associate Director of Health Promotion and Multicultural Programs & Services at Emory University, designing programs and curricula about social justice, positive psychology, and community engagement.

Breakout Speakers

Anthony Laramore

 Attorney

Anthony Laramore has represented clients in cases involving car crashes, trucking crashes, pharmaceuticals, slip and fall injuries, work related injuries, traumatic brain injuries, medical malpractice claims, criminal cases and complex business litigation.

Anthony has been named a top 40 under 40 trial attorney by The National Trial Lawyers for six consecutive years and has been named to Super Lawyers, rising stars, an honor given to less than 2.5% of lawyers nationwide for six consecutive years.

Anthony has also been named a Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney Under 40 Nationwide by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys for 2017 and 2019, and as a Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney in Missouri by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. Anthony has also been given a 10 out of 10 “superb” rating in the areas of Personal Injury and Workers Compensation by the lawyer rating service avvo.com and he has also received multiple client satisfaction awards.

Anthony has successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients, he secured the Largest Judgment in the history of Lincoln County Missouri ($28,000,000.00) in 2018, and represented a group of State Legislatures and the tax payers of Missouri in the Rams Stadium Litigation, a case in which more that $1,000,000,000.00 was in controversy. Outside of law, Anthony enjoys spending time with his children, coaching football and baseball, and is an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan. Anthony is also an active member of Faith Tabernacle Church in Montgomery City, MO.

Anthony has been a lifelong resident of the state of Missouri. Anthony grew up in the small central Missouri town of Montgomery City. Currently Anthony resides in Lincoln County with his wife Kelly and their children Noah, Grace, Avery, Jack, Millie and Emmy.

Greta Morina

Attorney

Greta Morina is a highly accomplished attorney specializing in immigration law, based in Saint Louis, Missouri. She holds a Juris Doctor and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. With a strong educational foundation, Greta  embarked on a career dedicated to advocating for the rights of immigrants.

As the Managing Attorney and owner of Greta Morina Immigration, LLC, Greta focuses on providing expert legal representation to the immigrant communities in St. Louis and the surrounding region. She specializes in handling family immigration matters and possesses extensive experience in preparing immigrant visa petitions and applications for submission to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Greta is known for her exceptional communication skills, ensuring that clients are well-informed about their immigration options and processes.

With a comprehensive understanding of immigration law, Greta has also worked as a Business Immigration Attorney at prestigious law firms. In her role at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP in California, Greta successfully assisted clients in preparing petitions and applications for non-immigrant and immigrant statuses. She  provided valuable guidance in immigration program management and compliance. Prior to that, at McMahon Berger P.C. in Missouri, Greta offered legal counsel to corporate clients of varying sizes, specializing in employment-based immigration for foreign employees.

Throughout her career, Greta has demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, a strong dedication to client advocacy, and a commitment to upholding the principles of immigration law. Her wide range of experiences, from working in a government agency to private law firms, has shaped her into a well-rounded attorney capable of providing top-notch legal representation in immigration matters.

Join us for a discussion with local Missouri lawyers as they discuss “the Language of the Law”. More details to be provided closer to the event.

Zach Imel, PhD, ’01 ΔΤΔ

Professor, University of Utah, Co-Founder, Chief Science Officer, Lyssn.io

Zac Imel, PhD is Professor in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology Program in the Department of Educational Psychology and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Utah. He is also co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Lyssn.io, an technology company focused on using artificial intelligence to assess and improve psychotherapeutic practices. The author of more than 100 scientific publications, his work has been funded by NSF, NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA, PCORI, The John Templeton Foundation, and the Casey Foundation. He is co-author of a primary psychotherapy text, The Great Psychotherapy Debate: The Evidence for What Makes Psychotherapy Work - which offers a comprehensive review of the evidence for the effectiveness of psychotherapy, has been translated into multiple languages, and cited more than 3000 times.  

After graduating in 2001 from Westminster with degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies, he entered graduate school at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he earned his Masters in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Imel received his Ph.D. in August 2009 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Counseling Psychology doctoral program. He completed a pre-doctoral internship at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle. From 2009-2011, he was a clinical research post-doctoral fellow with the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Seattle VA. In 2017, Dr. Imel won Presidential Scholar at the University of Utah, and was named Faculty Fellow by the University Research Committee. He won the Outstanding Research and Scholarship Award from the College of Education, and the Early Career Award, American Psychological Foundation/Division 29 (Psychotherapy).

Merve Fejzula, PhD

Assistant Professor, University of Missouri

Merve Fejzula is a historian of modern Africa and its diaspora, specializing in twentieth-century West Africa's global connections. Her research interests bridge African intellectual and cultural history, Black internationalism, and the history of political thought. She began at the University of Missouri in 2019, after completing her PhD at the University of Cambridge.

Workshop Speakers

Christopher Daily

Superintendent, Missouri School for the Deaf

Mr. Daily has been in the field of education, starting out as a teacher and having over a decade of experience in the classroom setting.  The last 12 years of his career have been in the field of administration, and he currently serves as the Superintendent of the Missouri School for the Deaf.

JoAnn Benfield

Assistant Superintendent, Missouri School for the Deaf

Ms. Benfield has been in the field of education for 17 years. She started as a paraprofessional, then became a HS English/Theatre teacher after returning to and completing her studies at Gallaudet University, where she earned her MA in Deaf Education. After teaching for a few years, Ms. Benfield shifted her focus to deaf education outreach, until she came back to Missouri in 2021 to embark on her current journey as the Assistant Superintendent at her alma mater, Missouri School for the Deaf.

 

Judith Meyer

Freelance Computational Linguist

After completing a MA in Computational Linguistics and Romance Languages, Judith Meyer went on to develop language-learning materials for various companies such as Duolingo, GermanPod101 and Teach Yourself. She speaks 14 languages, including fluent Modern Greek and Chinese, and has read literature in 12 languages. A particular desire for her is to encourage people to study languages with different writing systems - this is reflected in her current focus on authoring "Script Hacking" books that enable anyone to acquire a new alphabet in just a few hours.

Sarah Moreau

Vice President/Community Outreach Officer – ProsperU Director for Central Bank of Boone County

She is a nationally certified credit counselor (NACCC) with over seventeen years of banking experience. Sarah helps clients to achieve financial freedom with budgeting support, credit assistance, and debt management expertise.