Additional Guest Speakers

Jane Albright grew up reading the Oz books, and joined the International Wizard of Oz Club at age 13 to buy, sell, and trade books. In college a display of her books led her to pursue public exhibits and presentations. Today, Jane’s collection fills the third floor of her home, and includes Oz productions, international […]

Shundra Allison, a native of Charlotte, teaches English III, Creative Writing and Literary Magazine at her Alma Mater, Myers Park High School. She is beginning her 27th year of teaching and has aspirations of becoming an Oz scholar. This is her second CTI seminar.

Drew Allison, the founder of Grey Seal Puppets, has performed on television and stage, including The Center for Puppetry Arts and The Smithsonian Institution. He has received awards such as The President’s Award by The Puppeteers of America, and is a Certified Teaching Artist with the South Carolina Arts Commission and with Engaging Creative Minds,  […]

J. L. Bell wrote “A Good Man but a Bad Wizard?” in The Characters of Oz. His past articles on Oz have dissected an L. Frank Baum manuscript, analyzed Dorothy Gale as a conqueror, and explored how Baum used historic stereotypes. Bell’s stories have won the Oz Club’s Fred Otto Prize for fiction several times. […]

Judy Bieber is a Professor of History at the University of New Mexico who focuses on the history of Spanish America and Brazil. She joined the International Wizard of Oz Club in 1977, has served on the IWOC board of directors, and has published articles and book reviews in The Baum Bugle. At IWOC conventions, […]

Dr. Jason Edward Black (he/him) is Professor of Rhetoric, Culture, & and Social Change at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His teaching and research reside at the constellation of social change and rhetorical studies, with a keen interest in popular culture, Indigeneity, and Queer World-Making. The author (or coauthor) of six books and […]

Larry Brenner is an Associate Professor at Bronx Community college, where he teaches film, television, and interpersonal communication. He also teaches playwriting and screenwriting at the Naslund/Mann School of Writing. His screenplay ‘Bethlehem’ (Universal) was a winner of Final Draft’s Big Break Contest. He has also written Labyrinth (Walt Disney Pictures) and Angelology (SONY/Columbia Pictures.) […]

Ryan Bunch is president of the International Wizard of Oz Club and author of Oz and the Musical: Performing the American Fairy Tale, published by Oxford University Press. A musicologist and scholar of the cultures of childhood, he teaches music history at Temple University and childhood studies at Rutgers University-Camden. He is a founder of […]

Elizabeth Cochrane teaches English Language Arts to novice and intermediate multilingual learners in grades 9, 10 and 11 at East Mecklenburg High School. She holds a Masters degree in curriculum design and instruction with emphasis in English as a second language and English language arts from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. This is Ms. Cochrane’s first […]

T. is the owner of Molly’s Puppet Cottage and the Artistic Director at Offsite Connecticut Theatre, as well as the writer of the new musical movie “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – A Psych Rock Movie.” T. also revives classic musical works of the 1800s and early 1900s with Golden Age Theatricals. Revivals have included […]