2025

December 2025

Stacey Foisy

Stacey Foisy is a 4th generation Chicagoland native, a retired Gerontologist and a Full Time Artist with a studio in Chicago. Stacey lives in Evanston with her husband Mark and Ginny the cat.

Mike Fridkin

Mike Fridkin is a lawyer who has recently retired from work in the federal government. In his spare time (which is now all his time) he has begun to tell stories to audiences, whether they want to hear them or not. He also rows recreationally on the Chicago River with the Chicago Rowing Foundation, travels when he can, spends evenings observing the night sky through his telescope, and works with immigrants in the hopes they can see that not everyone wants them violently uprooted from this country.

Connie Kiosse

I was born into a Greek/Macedonian family in Bridgeport,CT. My sheltered immigrant upbringing clashed with the outside world once I began going to school. My introduction to books, teachers, and learning fueled my quest to discover who I truly was and where I truly belonged. I left home at 18 and joined VISTA. I traveled around and settled in Chicago decades ago. Activism, kindred friendships, college, feminism, exploring my sexuality as a bisexual woman ensued. Along with passionate romances, marriage, precious children, writing memoir, co- founding a now 50 year women's book group and creating archival displays along with a varied career helping others has brought me to this wise age of 77. I have embraced my rich heritage and at times long for my original family and home. My heart and soul remain wild.

Sid Murlidharan

Sid is a relative newcomer to Chicago. Having moved here 3 years ago with his wife and cat, Sid works in AI but his interests are in anything but technology. He is a trained martial artist, and advanced level scuba diver with recorded dives across the world. A lifelong introvert with more of an affinity to animals than humans, Sid always likes to challenge himself by learning and doing new things, including storytelling.

Paul Pasulka

This guy claims to be a playwright and poet (paulpasulkaplays.com); psychologist (paulpasulka.com); and photographer (not_yet_dot_com’d). But I know he fibs - a lot. Lady Macbeth and her child definitely did not seek safety in a shelter for homeless families after Macbeth killed her first husband (well, that last part is true). The Snow Queen never smoked marijuana (as far as we know). And Aesop, while awaiting execution, was not visited by talking animals. And while some of his stories - Anna O. (Bertha Pappenheim - the cofounder of psychoanalysis) and La Maestra (Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi) - are at least historically accurate, his autobiographical stories? A face to face encounter with a sympathetic dead rat? Donuts trembling in the face of a nun’s rage? Really? He also wants you to believe that these phantasms have haunted stages throughout North America and in the UK. Gotta be lyin’, right? ‘Cause otherwise, WTF? You can catch him in the acts here and there, and on the YouTube channel he swears exists: Paul Pasulka.

Jackie Wolk

Jackie is a garden-variety neurotic and artsy-craftsy type; aging hipster, frugalista, and navel-gazer. Her repertoire, of as one reviewer puts it, “rampant dynamicism”, includes 25-plus years of history in Chicago’s performance arena doing poetry, spoken word, and original monologues. She is an ensemble member with the fabulous Beast Women Productions. When Jackie is not writing and performing, she is an odd-jobber and volunteer at-large who draws comics, knits, and drinks coffee.

November 2025

Ramon Charriez

Ramon Charriez, Jr. is a Chicago-based comedic artist, improviser, and Co-Founder and President of Salsation Theatre Company, NFP—Chicago’s first and longest-running Latiné sketch and improv troupe, now 27 years strong. With training at the Annoyance Theater, Second City, and Improv Olympic (I.O.) Chicago, Ramon performed on teams like Steel Kitty, Cowboys and Aliens, and Slam Dunk and the Holy Fools. He studied under and advised the late improv guru Del Close, and brought his sharp parody work to shows like The Devil Wears Chanklas and Touched by an Anglo in Chicago and New York City. Beyond Salsation, he has co-created and performed in inventive collaborations such as Word Up!—an improvised poetry slam blending spoken word and on-the-spot comedy—the comedy duo Madre Mia, and Thots & Prayers featuring Salsation alums, all of which reflect his commitment to expanding the boundaries of live, collaborative humor with a distinctly Latiné voice.

Hannah Lund

Hannah Lund is a writer, editor, and Chinese-English translator who lived in China for 12 years before moving to Chicago last year. While in China, she hitchhiked across Inner Mongolia and on the Tibetan Plateau, traveled to every single Chinese province, got a master's degree in comparative literature, led the nonfiction writing workshop for The Inkwell for three years, and somehow came to love durian. Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, Brink, The Shanghai Literary Review, Brink, Atlas Obscura, Narrative, Sixth Tone, and more. She is also embarking on a translation career, with her work being shortlisted for the 9th Bai Meigui Translation Competition and her first book translation due later this year. She was also a finalist for the 2025 Frontline Fellowship in Translation and participated in the NEH Classic Chinese Tale Translation Workshop through UChicago. She is currently based in Hyde Park.

Tom McClurg

TomM was born in the high country of Chicagoland, a.k.a., Chicago Heights, fully 659 feet above sea level. He grew up but not too tall in Park Forest, went to schools, attended Unitarian church, delivered newspapers, watched sitcoms, played semi-public baseball and painted houses. He discovered the joy of theatre at Rich South High and then at Oberlin College, where he learned that he was almost as liberal as anyone and he got better at frisbee. He moved to Chicago to try the Chicago theatre scene, public radio production and environmental activism. He failed notably at all those things. So he took a steady job as a fact checker and dove deep into sometimes blissful family life in Edgewater Glen, where he still lives.

Linda B. Pincham

Linda B. Pincham is a recovering academic and has retired as associate professor emerita in middle and secondary level education, Roosevelt University. In 1997, she relocated from her home in Virginia to Chicago and now considers herself a full-fledged Chicagoan. Since her retirement, Linda has fully engaged with the GeNarrations community at the Goodman and has discovered the joy of writing, telling, and listening to stories. She is an avid but awkward line dancer, but she rocks in pickle ball. She dabbles in improv and loves art shows and jazz. She lives a comfortable life with her black cat, Luna.

Brian Treacy

I've lived in Chicago my whole life. I'm a cabinet maker, industrial design, and remodel homes. I got four kids two marriages and a whole lot of memories. I really enjoy listening and sharing with y'all

October 2025

Rich Berggreen

I’m retired from a career as a geologist. But once a geologist, always a geologist. In retirement, my wife and I trekked to Base Camp on Mt. Everest and RVed the country for nearly 2 years, as a test of our marriage. I would classify myself as a definite science geek, an avid skier and a mediocre gardener. I’m enjoying trying my hand at story writing and story telling.

Jenni Hendrickson

Program manager, mom and cockeyed optimist who has loved Chicago for longer than she remembers, Jenni Hendrickson was born and raised in Greater Los Angeles. She moved to ChiTown in the middle of Winter 2024 and loves the weather (no joke). As the daughter of a prolific storyteller, she enjoys hearing and telling a good story, whether it’s told on an interpersonal level, performed on the stage or written. Jenni uses sincerity and wit to weave together seemingly unrelated details into a full "tape-story" rich with human connection, like a Dickens tale that will warm your heart and just may bring a tear to your eye. Her passions include musical theatre, baseball, history and animals.

Paulette de la Cruz-Johnson

Paulette de la Cruz-Johnson has always lived at the intersection of devotion and daring. A wife, mother, lover, nurse, and performer, she proves that a woman can hold multitudes—and burn brighter with age. For almost three decades, she has served as a registered nurse, graduating from Oakton Community College in 1998 and devoting twenty-seven years to caring for patients with skill, compassion, and resilience. Outside the walls of her nursing career, Paulette’s life is a rich and complicated tapestry. Wife to Shane for 25 years—her sanctuary and steady harbor—she is also mother to Brighid and Hayden, who have shaped her in ways no classroom could. Her motherhood is fierce, tender, and unflinchingly honest. In 2022, she rediscovered her love of theater with The Village Follies, reclaiming her voice as both performer and protagonist. In her fifties, she stepped unapologetically into her truth as a polyamorous romantic and a woman with a thriving kinky persona—a Vixen with a Brat’s grin and a Goddess’s gaze. She now cultivates a polycule of lovers who meet her with the connection, respect, and intensity she offers in return. Paulette’s life is a testament to expansion: steadfast yet untamed, nurturing yet wild, deeply committed to her marriage yet joyfully open to love beyond it.

Kevin Massey

Kevin Massey has done improbably various things in his 59 year life. Kevin has lived and worked in the Middle East. He has experiences working in restaurants, disaster response, emergency rooms, refugee resettlement, and food pantries. Kevin loves watching people do anything on a stage, whether telling stories, acting, performing magic, or creating music. More than anything else however, Kevin is crazy about cats.

Caroline Manley

Caroline lives in Chicago with her family, where you’ll often find her riding bikes along the lakefront or hanging out at the beach. She’s happiest outside when exploring local forest preserves, discovering new state parks, or planning her next national park adventure. A lifelong learner, she’s recently taken classes in ceramics, woodworking, storytelling, and even a little sleight of hand. Caroline is also a nonprofit leader and attorney who thrives on working collaboratively to serve others and strengthen communities.

Farrel Hope Wilson

Farrel Hope Wilson is a native of Connecticut who lived in Baton Rouge for nearly ten years, then made her way to Chicago almost forty years ago. She earned a BA(LSU), an MFA(Theatre School, Depaul) and then acted with several theatres in Chicago. Through Brigid Murphy's guidance she has written/performed several auto-biographical pieces. She is a founding member of Theo Ubique Theatre. Day jobs while pursuing her creative goals include teaching preschool for twelve years, followed by teaching yoga for another twelve years to the present. Recently, Farrel and her husband Phil became thrilled grandparents of a baby boy. What interests and moves Farrel most is the resilience and persistence of the human spirit, mind and body and how these aspects communicate between each other. Sometimes, the result is a human who desires to share their story with others.

September 2025

Mari Georgeson

Mari is a Chicago-based writer interested in comedy, philosophy, and culture. Her 2022 book Hate Hunters is a comedy of manners between the political left and Islam. It follows a group of well-meaning but flawed individuals as they attempt to eradicate hate in the world. She’s been part of the improv scene in both New York and Chicago ever since she took a free intro class in 2016 and noticed afterwards that she had been smiling the whole time. She believes comedy can illuminate hard to reach truths, enter normally forbidden places, and release built up tensions around hot button issues. Raised in the restaurant business, she’s a foodie through and through, but lately has been favoring good old fashioned kitchen table visits with friends.

Kim Germain

Kim Germain is an overeducated introvert whose day job as a university fellowships advisor involves helping college students to write their own stories and envision their best future selves. It is new for Kim to be telling her own stories to strangers, but here we are. She has told stories this year through 20x2 Chicago, The Wild Night, and Miss Spoken*. Kim is an Aquarius sun, Scorpio moon, and Virgo rising, and she is currently going through a Saturn return. She has road tripped through all of the lower 48 plus Ontario. Originally from the suburbs of Detroit and the eldest of 3 sisters, Kim has now lived in Chicago longer than she’s lived anywhere else.

Gary Hardcastle

Gary Hardcastle has been telling stories his whole life, first as a philosophy professor at universities across the US, then as a freelance audio producer in New York City working with the BBC and NPR, and, as of January, 2025, as a newly-minted Chicagoan. Along the way he’s written a few books, raised three kids, and played lead guitar in a kindie rock band. He’s a 2019 graduate of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, and the producer of the podcast Common Ground: Stories from America’s Vintage Movie Theaters. When he’s not on deadline, he loves driving two-lane roads through the middle of nowhere with his wife, Steva, and his two dogs, Babka and Crosby, searching for old movie theaters and the perfect roadside diner.

Jennifer Murtoff

Jennifer Murtoff suffered a brain injury and upper cervical spine injury in a car accident in January of 2019. She was plagued with symptoms that included 24/7 headaches, nausea, dizziness, vibration sensitivity, and bodily slowdowns. She is grateful to have recovered and hopes that sharing her experience will help others better understand and advocate for people with similar injuries.

Robert Powell

Robert Powell is the youngest of 8 children with 7 sisters. Born and raised on the south side of Chicago. He recently served as a community organizer around the subject of ACES (adverse childhood experiences) and the effects of toxic stress. Robert has been in the education space for over 20 years where he has worked in and outside of the classroom. He has been a teambuilding trainer for local school districts, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the National Education Association. (NEA) He has served on the IEA Board of directors and on the 2nd Congressional districts Educational Action Committee (EAC) advocating for policy changes in education to improve the lives of students and educators.
Additionally for the past 25 years he has served as a volunteer in Cook County Department of Corrections as well as the Illinois department of corrections. Robert is currently completing certificate work in biblical and theological studies At Trinity International University. Fun Fact: at age 16 I was the keynote speaker for the American School Food Service Association convention in D.C. and had the opportunity to lobby for the Nutrition is Education act. A bill promoting healthy choices for public school lunches. Most of all I love Story Telling

Theresa Puskar

Theresa Puskar is passionate about everything creative. As a corporate training manager and the founder of Edu-Tainment Productions, she loves to weave creative out-of-the-box magic, storytelling, games and joyful dance to her training. As a professional writer, she has written 2 motivational books and 13 study guides for G&D Media, along with 7 self-published children's books. She feels blessed to have been able to follow so many of her personal dreams...from touring her solo show, to exploring this magical world. She thrives on connecting with nature, her friends and her relatives. She is so grateful for the stories that have shaped her life - both her own, as well as those that so many others have had the courage to share with her. Her dream is that we can all continue to share our stories and in doing so, open hearts and minds; building emotional bridges that will ultimately tear down the veils of fear that keep us separate.

August 2025

Ellen Baren

Ellen Baren grew up in Elmwood Park & Oak Park, Illinois, graduating from Oak Park River Forest High School in 1976. She spent most of her time in the Art Department, learning to work in a wide variety of mediums including ceramic art, the lost wax process of jewelry making, Art History, and of course mixed media featuring 2D & 3D juxtapositions.After studying for a year at The Minneapolis College of Art & Design, she and her friend Nan hit the road in a ¾ ton Ford Truck with their 2 dogs, wormed their way down to Key West then up to New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras, and settled their for almost a year. Eventually, she decided she couldn’t take the heat and the giant Palmetto Bugs running up and down the sidewalks anymore, so she went back home. Soon after, Ellen applied to and was accepted into The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) where she studied among other things Art History, Fabric Art, Ceramics, and Photography. Ellen Received her Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) in May of 1981. Ellen continued to work in Restaurants and Night Clubs including t“The Second City Theater” in Old Town for 23 years. Pretty much always in sales, Ellen’s most recent career has been 20+ years working as a Realtor, helping her clients buy and sell Real Estate.

Will Casey

WILL CASEY is a recently retired Acting Instructor and Academic Advisor at Columbia College Chicago, in addition to being a professional actor and storyteller. Will was initially drawn to Storytelling while working as a Teacher's Aide at Chicago’s Hibbard Elementary School. Numerous teachers at Hibbard had counted on Will’s dramatic skills to enliven readings from a broad range of children’s literature. As he became acquainted with a great range of multicultural folktales, Will eventually dared to “go off-book” and tell the stories in his own words. One thing led to another, and he has supplemented his other performing interests with storytelling appearances at numerous Chicago-area events for the past 25 years. Will’s specialties include: Irish folk and fairy tales and SCARY stories! Thank you all for supporting live performance!

Declan Grogan

Declan Grogan is a Chicago based comedian and writer that performs around the city at improv theaters such as the Annoyance, IO, and the Second City. He’s been an avid story telling fan his whole life, and has practiced the craft through short stories and screen plays, and is excited to try it out in the spoken form tonight.

Nikki Nigl

Possessed by her Midwest sensibility, West Coast calm, and East Coast edge, Nikki Nigl (rhymes with eagle) is a college professor who teaches different forms of communication through movies, TV shows, and a fuck-ton of YouTube clips to get her message across. She also works at Trader Joe’s. Which means she is also good at consoling you when you find out your favorite TJ’s product was discontinued. Oh, and she also irrationally stressed herself out writing this bio. I mean, “How can you really describe someone in a handful of sentences???” Oh wait, I guess she just did.

Kitty O'Day

Kitty O’Day is a former teacher, bartender, hotel maid, and Roman Catholic. She lives in Skokie with her endlessly supportive husband and teenage children, though she occasionally pines for life in Chicago, home of the badly behaved. These days, most of her time is spent writing, wandering around the Cook County Forest Preserve, composing long, elaborate lists, and dreaming of the day her memoir hits the bestseller list.

Giggy Wagner

Giggy Wagner holds a Master’s degree in Composition and Communication from Central Michigan University, where she specialized in the art of creative nonfiction with a focus on narrative storytelling. Though originally from Texas--and having spent significant time in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky-- she brings a touch of Southern hospitality wherever she goes. For the past 12 years, Giggy has proudly called Homewood, Illinois, home and fully embraces the Chicagoland community. At her core, she is an educator, having taught language and communication for 28 years. More recently, she has embraced a new identity: storyteller. For the past seven years, she has told stories to willing audiences, beginning at Homewood Stories and later performing at Stories R Us in Lockport. Now, as part of the team carrying forward the Homewood Stories legacy, Giggy steps into the role of host, producer, and all-around storytelling expert. A self-proclaimed overthinking philosopher, Giggy spends much of her time chasing the elusive Rainbow Connection--that Kermit sings about. She is inspired by the lovers and dreamers who fuel her passion for storytelling.

July 2025

Kandy Christensen

Kandy Christensen is a crafter who loves textiles, every personality test she has taken says she is a knowledge seeker, she is an empath, she sometimes can be seen carrying a vintage camera and she lives with a free range bunny named Sweetie. She works in non-profit administration by day and by night she is a Life Coach.

Raju Hegde

Raju Hegde spent more than 20 years working in community college education. After working several more years in the nonprofit sector, mostly in homeless services, he reached the conclusion that the world is unlikely to improve and is now trying to become a drug dealer and slumlord. The skills set for all this work includes storytelling so here he is - practicing. He has two grown children who still believe the world can be a better place!

Tina Mavalankar

Tina is a Chicago native and full time therapist. She is a part-time improviser and a member of Stir Friday Night, Chicago’s longest running AAPI improv group. Tina is new to being on stage but not to storytelling as she has years of successfully performing for her cats. She is excited to finally tell stories for an audience that doesn’t get the zoomies.

April Pruitt-Summers

April Summers is a self-declared trophy wife, living her best life balancing travel, pickle ball and housework. She worked as a lawyer decades ago, raised three boys and loves Chicago. April grew up in Southern Illinois and comes from a long line of creative, story-telling women. She is herself an accomplished knitter and seamstress, with a Fashion School degree hanging alongside her JD. April has been telling stories to anyone who would listen her entire life, and now she’s ready to tell one to you!

Shayna Rosenthal

Shayna is a nursing student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is eager to graduate next year and move back to Chicago. While she happily calls Chicago home now, she originally grew up in Los Angeles. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog around the city, discovering new music, and watching 80s movies. However, there is one particular hobby that seems to take up the majority of her free time…

Kari Sommers

Kari Sommers is an award winning event producer, former punk rock college administrator at Columbia College, president, Sommers Productions, Founder of the punk dance company, Tight, and Founder of Team Agora an activist yarn bombing collective. Currently Kari is a writer, mother, and wife, with personal expertise in grief, healing ceremonies and rituals (to hell with funerals) and end of life issues.

June 2025

Destiney Hadden

Destiney Hadden is a mother, Detroit native, and 2022 graduate of The University of Michigan. As a youngster, when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she confidently declared, “Retired!” thus beginning her arduous journey along the road less traveled. Currently, Destiney works part-time as a nanny. When she’s not busy wrangling her own rambunctious two year old son, she’s off finding joy in the simple pleasures of life, which for her include writing, singing, dancing, hiking and rediscovering everything that makes her inner child squeal with joy. Destiney is a Leo sun, Aries moon, and Sagittarius rising, and - hold your applause - was born in the year of the dragon to boot! Come with the fire department on speed dial, and she’ll be sure to arrive with a diaper bag well stocked with sunscreen and snacks.

Gibran Hadj-Chikh

Gibran Hadj-Chikh (ji-Brawn Hodge-Sheikh) is a Chicago native by way of Baltimore, Detroit, Dubai, and Pittsburgh. He has made a career out of being in ridiculous situations often involving politicians, engineers, and hippy space machines. He has taken to publishing his memoirs as a series of essays on Medium entitled, “The Department of Crazy: Tales of a Failed Innovator.” He currently lives in Lincoln Square with his wife, extremely teenage son, and their dog, Maddie.

Shawn Murray

Shawn Murray AKA Uncle Alice has dabbled in many crafts for many years- including filmmaking, acting , songwriting and storytelling. Shawn believes that inspiring laughter and light is her super power and purpose.

Joseph Anthony Rulli

Joseph Anthony Rulli is a transplanted Hoosier, living in Chicago since 2006. A 1987 graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BA, History) and a 1992 graduate of St. Meinrad School of Theology (MDiv) he taught Social Studies, Religion, Philosophy and History at the elementary, high school, and university levels. From 1992 to 2006, he served as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. After a major emotional breakdown and having been outed to the bishop, he was “invited” to look for another vocation (btw, no laws or vows were broken). He began writing as a career upon his arrival to his second city in 2006. Since then, he has had two short stories, three brief Chicago histories, and one satirical novel published as well as three stage plays performed around town.

Michele Smith

Michele Smith is a retired Alderman of the 43rd Ward, and has lived in and around Lincoln Park almost forever. She arrived in Chicago in her dad's 1967 Rambler Rebel to attend law school, and fell in love with the city immediately and permanently. Since then, she has been: a law clerk, a federal prosecutor, an in-house corporate attorney, an Alderman, and now a arts non-profit manager. She's also been married, divorced (more than once), a mom, and a very proud grandma. Before all that she was an intern on Capitol Hill, and a bit of a student rabble rouser and a bit of a Nader's Raider. She met her best friends at Chicago Walkers, a race-walking club that meets every Saturday outside the zoo. She keeps promising herself to get back to it more regularly.

Monica Kennedy Volini

Born and raised on the northeast side of Chicago, Monica Volini has survived almost 2 decades of Catholic school and is living to tell. The youngest of 5 children, her Irish-American mother and Italian-American father created a home where laughter, song, activism, compassion and food (!) were paramount to expressing love and connection in an often difficult world. At age 58, she is still trying to figure out just what in the heck is going on....but she thinks she might be close to finding an answer. She is new at getting up in front of others to tell a story, and hopes that what she shares might spark a sense of joy in others.

May 2025

Michelle Coughlin

Michelle has been singing on stage since the age of eight. And has appeared in several cabaret shows the latest at Davenport's and Atlantic Grill with Sami Scot. Her latest passion besides improv is storytelling. She has been part of the Goodman Theatre's Generations program since 2015 and has also performed at The Book Cellar on Lincoln Avenue and twice at Michele Williams Ladies Nite Productions. "My life goal has been to bring joy and laughter through entertaining" Michelle says.

Dolores Hernandez

Dolores is a passionate lifelong learner and dedicated tinkerer who finds joy in exploring new ideas and creating with her hands. As a proud neurodivergent individual, she embraces curiosity and innovation, always finding ways to tell stories with the projects she creates. When she’s not diving into her latest project, she’s a devoted dog mom, showering Hattie and Peanut with love and adventure.

Brandon Loring

Brandon Loring is a Chicagoan and Coloradan, with long and fond ties to both places. Brandon and his wife-and-partner, Stephanie - a Story Lab alum, herself! - live in Chicago with their Westie dog, Snacks. You can usually find him with Steph, Snacks, friends, and family, avoiding work and enjoying the many fine beverages, festivals, and comestibles offered by this great city. Oxford commas forever.

Stephanie Lucas

Stephanie Lucas, by profession, is a speech language pathologist who works with toddlers and their families. As a person, she is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend and Midwesterner. She has an inner child and inner 80-year-old, who are consulted frequently. This may explain both her wide variety of interests and half finished projects. While she has not had official "storytelling" experience, she comes from a line of people who are good at making short stories long when in social settings. She loves hearing the stories and experiences of others, embracing both the similarities and differences between herself and others.

Aaron Meder

Aaron lives in Glenview with his wife and two kids aged 18 and 16. Aaron had a 25 year career in investment management, culminating in his role as CEO of the second largest investment management business based here in Chicago. Aaron decided to leave his “dream” job about a year ago and transition his time and energy to purpose based work, beginning with himself. The future is open and Aaron looks forward to a journey of discovery on his second act.

Carolyn Ou

Carolyn Ou is Executive Director of the Davis Center for Leadership, where she manages a team that designs and delivers brilliant leadership programming for Chicago Booth alumni, students and the extended community. She likes to say that she’s taken a squiggly path to success, having been everything from a marketing copywriter and Dean at a design college, to Big 5 consultant, mompreneur and fiddler/keyboard player in a Chicago kids’ band. Outside of work, Carolyn seems to work even more, taking on a small number of passion projects with leaders and teams in whom she believes deeply, as well as trying to guide and support (rather than over-parent) her teenage kids whom she loves even more deeply. Recently, she's decided to take beginning guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music so that she can break free of her classical piano training and finally learn to speak in the language of chords. Maybe she'll even learn to jam. Tonight is her first live storytelling effort without notes.

April 2025

Jeannie Kay Blaho

Jeannie Kay Blaho is presently a career coach, breaking free from the corporate world after nearly two decades in 2023. She is a Mid-Westerner, born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but has lived in Florida and Colorado before moving to Chicago in the late 90s. Although new to storytelling herself, she started attending StoryLab well before the pandemic. She is married and loves to travel, especially in Europe and Asia. She has recently caught the bug to cruise and has cruised the Danube River, the Mediterranean, as well as the Caribbean. She grew up in the 70s and loves 70s music. She loves going to art museums and has dabbled in pastels and sculpture. She does not have any human children, but she does have an adorably cute miniature double doodle.

Paula Cofresi-Silverstein

Paula Cofresi-Silverstein is an Artist, Educator, Storyteller, and Psychotherapist in private practice. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Fine Arts and Arts Education at Inter-American University in San German, Puerto Rico, and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Illinois. The teacher taught in experimental educational programs and helped pilot the Chicago public school’s Bilingual Program. Upon retirement she continued her work as an EMDR therapist in private practice and returned to the School of the Art Institute and Oakton College to become a full-time artist, creating a body of ceramic art and Goddess sculpture.

Steve Frederick

Steve Frederick was writing stories before he could write. No fooling! An English teacher neighbor helped his older brother write while 4-year-old Steve dictated to her. He’s a career coach who helps people find work that excites them and gets them well paid. An important part of the work is helping people to tell great stories about themselves. Steve has held many jobs. He flipped burgers at Wendy’s for three days until a micromanaging supervisor drove him to hang up his apron for good. He’s assisted with laying headstones in a cemetery; Helped pass laws as a legislative assistant in Wisconsin And revived a dying organization as the Director of the Chicago Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. He is also the author of three kids’ books. Steve lives in Skokie and is married to Andi, a woman who brings amazing stories to kids as the Illinois Director of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

Delilah Orizaba

Delilah Orizaba is a full-time therapist, a part-time standup, and an on-call storyteller. You’ve seen her perform at The Future of Comedy Festival, The Latina Comedy Festival, Laugh Factory and The Steppenwolf Theater. She’s a Scorpio sun; Capricorn Moon and Rising.

Adam Sperber

A Chicago transplant dredged from the mid-Missouri riverlands, Adam grew up immersed in storytelling stemming from his love of radio's Golden Age and on-air comedians like Jack Benny and Gracie Allen as well as the written works of Agatha Christie. Having spent time everwhere from kitchens to academic trivia companies to the Loop, Adam always has some story to talk about, known to go on for hours even after everyone else in the room has left and gone home. These days he loves biking around Chicago in search of the city's best dumplings while working as a bluegrass music teacher (and occasional data analyst).

Jessica Strauss

Jessica Strauss grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and is currently a high school special education and history teacher who teaches politics, civics, and geography in CPS. She is someone who has attempted every hobby and sport, and loves all of them! She also has a love of travel and has been to most of the states and 15 countries (and counting!) It’s about time she tried storytelling to share her life adventures.

March 2025

Eleanor Bartsch

Eleanor Bartsch is a classical violinist based in the Chicago area. She is a member of the first violin section of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra. Additionally, she is first violinist of the critically acclaimed Kontras Quartet, with whom she has toured the US and Europe, appeared as a regular guest on 98.7 Chicago Classical WFMT radio and released two studio albums. Bartsch is Professor of Violin and Head of Strings at Elmhurst University and is a performing member and frequent principal player of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra where she also serves on the board of directors. Born into a family of professional musicians and music educators, Bartsch began violin lessons at the age of 4 in her hometown of St. Paul, MN and continued her studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Betty Brandy

Betty Brandy is a proud mom of four and a newly minted first-time grandma, embracing this exciting new chapter with enthusiasm. While naturally shy, her kids insist she has the gift of gab and can easily strike up a conversation with anyone. Betty has a deep love for sports, particularly football, and enjoys hobbies like reading and movie-going—she managed to watch 107 films in 2024! Food is her “Love Language,” and she finds joy in exploring new flavors and sharing meals with her loved ones. At 53, Betty is focused on truly living and savoring each day with new and interesting experiences, rather than letting life simply pass by. For the past 19 years, she’s worked as an administrative assistant at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). Whether balancing family, work, or her passion for new adventures, Betty continues to inspire those around her with her infectious enthusiasm, curiosity, and zest for life.

Jane Hobart

Jane is a retired 28 year veteran of first and special needs classrooms. Since retiring, she has spent her time traveling to National Parks, hiking, tutoring, volunteering at Treehouse Animal Shelter, dancing, and practicing yoga. Before teaching, Jane did some acting and writing, so, storytelling is harkening back to her roots. Her plan is to make this a permanent part of her glorious retired years.

John Manning

John Manning served for 39 years as professor of electronic media arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, founding the Art & Technology Department in 1982. One of his projects was producing the video faces that appear on the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. His passions include world music & blues, international cooking, conversing with friends, current events, psychology, and -since age 11-electronics. He is the one who always tends to ask, "EXACTLY does this thing work, anyway?”

Chris Turley

Chris Turley gets his kicks by being a lens through which people envision and create inspiring places to expand themselves into. He does this through architecture, photography, a goal setting group and now story telling. He is also a seriously addicted, serial-organizer, a leader in groups ranging from Chicago’s largest photography group to a film club, a business networking group, and in projects for people with developmental disabilities. He is a Chicago boy down to the marrow yet he cares not a nit about sports. Instead, he is on a life quest in search of the best Italian ice (who are we kidding – it’s Mario’s) and is a first responder when a Chicago deep dish pizza is threatened by the likes of ranch dressing and other obscenities. He has a blended family of four kids that are shared with the goodly woman, Julie Goldstein. He bonds immediately with stray animals and ugly children but adults he is not so sure about yet. Approach with caution and if possible, with treats like a flagon of beer or a good Old Fashion.

February 2025

Julie Goldstein

Julie Goldstein is new to the formal story-telling world, although she has a history of telling long and convoluted stories. When asked how she got into the story-telling world, she tells people that an interesting fact about her that they may not know is that she is mom to two children and two bonus stepchildren, all adults who are living their own adventures, and she is adjusting to being a new-ish wife to a fellow who has a history of telling short dad jokes and obscure puns, prompting her to suggest that he also be new to the formal story-telling world. And so here they both are. To be brief.

Ken GoodSmith

Ken GoodSmith is a retired commercial litigation attorney. He was a partner at mega firm Latham & Watkins before fleeing with 2 of his partners to form GoodSmith Gregg & Unruh a month shy of his 40th birthday. He loved the smaller law firm life , but retired to travel while still healthy. Alas, December of 2019 turned out to be a poor time to plan travel. Post co-vid, however, his wife Jennifer and he have picked up the travel pace. Ken and Jen have lived in Oak Park for 44 years They have 3 grown sons, 2 daughter-in-laws and 1 grandson. They are blessed that all of them live in Chicago.

Pete McNamara

Pete McNamara (he/him) was born in Iowa, raised in Michigan, and after stints on both coasts has called Chicagoland home for the past 20 years. Pete lives in Evanston with his wife Shyanmei, two kids, one dog, and two new kittens. When he is not busy catering to his family and pets, he likes to spend his time cooking, running, and watching old movies.

Samantha McGrath

My name is Samantha McGrath, and I am half Japanese and half Irish American. I am the girl who likes to try something new pretty much every day whether it’s an event, a dance, or something yummy to eat. Preferably something yummy to eat. I grew up in Michigan, and have since moved from sunny California to the Windy City.

Sanjna Punja

Growing up in India, far from what many call 'home,' I've spent the last decade crisscrossing the American continent, with Chicago as my latest adventure. By day, I'm a consultant helping corporates ditch linear thinking for a more multi-threaded approach. An avid athlete, I've tried every physical game out there or binge-watched YouTube tutorials about them. Recently, I've been on a mission to live consciously, focusing on my footprint on the world and my community.

Linda Sullivan

Linda is an event host and owner of a small beverage education business here in Chicago called Seyna Secreto. As a former high school teacher, she much prefers her students, nowadays, with a drink in their adult hands. She's a proud dog mom to Audrey and step-sis Ella as well as an expert-pigtailer and pretend-makeup artist to her partner, Eric's, three-year old daughter. Linda believes that stories are the threads that connect us and that the connections between us make us truly human.

January 2025

Jeff Ediger

Jeff owns and operates a small business dedicated to the restoration of architectural elements. Drawing upon his life and work, he composed and performed his first solo show titled "Dwell is a Verb." This show was inspired by a statement made by the Jewish French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, "We dwell; therefore we build architecture"...to which he added the caveat, "Sadly, then, we forget how to dwell." The vignettes in this show derive from his meditative melting down of the symbolic structures of architecture to recover the human capacity that makes them possible. Twelve years later--some things just take a little time--he got inspired to compose and perform a second show, based on a statement made by Rabbi Ishmael, recorded in the Talmud: "All beginnings are hard." This show, titled "Dawn and Other Difficult Beginnings" is a meditation in story (and song) about the various difficulties we encounter in any new venture...but why we should begin them anyway! (This show and a couple of vignettes from his first show are available on his YouTube channel.)

Tim Harrington

Tim Harrington was born and brought up on the far south side of Chicago when there were still street cars going down Stony Island Avenue. He graduated from Loyola University in 1969 and went on to become a civil servant for the City of Chicago. He has no, I repeat no, experience in the performing arts, or for that matter the arts of any kind except bookbinding. He is, however, fatally attracted to artist types as evidenced by his beautiful third wife Loretta. Many of his stories come from his travels and reconnections with family both here and abroad, abroad being in Scotland and Ireland. He is currently enjoying a healthy and vigorous retirement and is trying his hand at storytelling for the very first time.

Rebecca Lindell

Rebecca Lindell has spent decades telling other people's stories — first as an underpaid editorial assistant in the New York City book publishing world, and then as an underpaid reporter at newspapers around the Midwest. More recently, she worked as a somewhat-better-paid communications professional in higher education. Now she's a freelance writer telling stories of her own — and teaching others the art of storytelling through the written word. She particularly enjoys working with college-bound high school seniors panicking over their application essays. She loves showing them that they, too, have funny, compelling, heartbreaking and inspiring stories to tell. Rebecca's second-favorite thing to do after storytelling is hiking. She's hiked in 30 of the 50 U.S. states, and last year accomplished one of her life's dreams: walking the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Annie Roessler

Annie Roessler is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and studied Behavioral Neuroscience in college before completing her PhD in Pharmacology at Loyola University Chicago. In her current role, Annie serves as a scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, leading research and development aspects of early stage products. Outside of work, Annie spends her free time guiding backpacking trips with the Sierra Club, running long distances with Chicago Area Runners Association, and replicating recipes from the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated. Annie has recently returned to Chicago after living abroad in England, and she is delighted to be reunited with Portillo’s chocolate cake shakes.

Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart has always loved hearing and telling stories. She grew up in Skokie, lived quite a few years on the north side of Chicago, and currently resides in the western suburbs. After studying theology and psychology, she embarked on a 35 year career in health care, primarily as a medical speech pathologist. This offered her the honor of walking closely with people in the most difficult situations, and to see the depth of human nature and resilience. When not writing stories, you may find her tutoring immigrant English language learners, singing in choir, or walking among trees. She is likely to stop on a moment’s notice to snap a photo of tree bark, clouds, or reflections in water.

DeWitt C. Williams

DeWitt C. Williams was named after his grandfather, who was named after an abolitionist. DeWitt is from the south side and is the youngest of 11 children, raised by a single mother. He enjoys travel, skiing, scuba diving, hang gliding, and photography. He truly loves movies. Seriously. It's insane. Don't start talking to him about them. He'll follow you home, stand in front of your house, and yell up at your window to keep the conversation going.

Maryilene Blondell

A native Chicagoan~ being the only girl in the home of four alpha males. This, of course, translates into hardly ever being able to finish a sentence, let alone a story. She does not believe there was ever a time when a full sentence of hers was ever finished. She's looking forward to trying. Now, long gone from the testosterone vortex, she has migrated to the estrogen vortex with her three daughters where she fights for her life to get a word in. She schooled them with the notion of letting their 'voices be heard'- which she now, deeply regrets. When she isn't in a bloody battle to finish a sentence...with someone, she's a film producer and writer.