Mindy Kronenberg (author, poet) is a widely published poet, writer, critic, and visiting assistant professor of writing and the arts at SUNY Empire State College. Her work has appeared in hundreds of print and online publications around the world, on video, and has been featured in various art exhibits. She is the author of "Dismantling the Playground," a poetry chapbook, "Images of America: Miller Place," a pictorial history, and an illustrated book of poems, "Open." She edits Oberon poetry magazine.

Bernard Smith, born in Glasgow, Scotland and is one of the two Directors of Academic Review for the School of Business. When not writing short fiction or drama, he makes cheese and country wines and most recently he won a silver medal for his t’ej, an Ethiopian honey wine at the Cellar Masters of LA wine competition in November.

Dan Kittay is a web developer in Web Services. He is also a freelance writer, whose articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including the American Bar Association's Bar Leader magazine, Trains magazine, and the Saratogian. He is a photographer who has spent years photographing railroads in different settings throughout the country. Dan can often be found on Fishermans Lane in Schaghticoke, watching the ducks and geese on the Hoosic River, and waiting for a train to roll by.

Connelly Akstens has been a part-time mentor at Empire State for twenty-five years. She is an active volunteer for SpeakOUT Boston, an LGBTQ+ outreach organization. Connelly is currently doing education and outreach in conjunction with readings from her recent memoir, Without Shame: Learning to Be Me. She has been a regular contributor to Adirondack Life, a professional fly-fishing guide, a market gardener and a concert performer and recording artist. She lives in East Greenwich, Rhode Island with her spouse, Susanne Murtha, who holds a degree from Empire State.