Meet the Speakers
Listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Scott Babinowich
Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services, National Park Service
Scott is the chief of interpretation for the Outer Banks Group of the National Park Service overseeing a visitor services division that interacts with over 3 million visitors a year. A 15-year veteran of the National Park Service, Scott has held various roles at parks across the country, and serves as a part of a national Incident Management Team that deploys across the country to help with a variety of incidents.
Dan Brawley
Chief Instigating Officer of Surfalorus and Cucalorus Film Festivals
Dan Brawley is the Chief Instigating Officer of the Cucalorus Film Festival, an international celebration of filmmaking, performance and justice taking place in multiple venues in downtown Wilmington every year in November. The festival was named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” in 2021.
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Cady Breslin
Marine Educator, North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
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Richard Cadena
Richard Cadena is a recognized trainer in the national Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) and an ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician with 35 years of experience in live event production. He is the author of Electricity for Entertainment Electricians & Technicians, 3rd Edition. As a freelance lighting designer and lighting consultant he has worked on concert tours, television, theatre, motion picture productions, sporting events and more around the world. Learn more about Richard.
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Tom Clareson
Program director, Performing Arts Readiness
Tom Clareson is Project Director of Performing Arts Readiness, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to help performing arts organizations protect their assets, sustain operations, and prepare for emergencies. He also serves as Senior Consultant for Digital & Preservation Services at LYRASIS, consulting internationally on preservation, disaster preparedness, digitization, funding, strategic planning, and advocacy for arts and cultural organizations. Clareson is Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, Board of Directors Secretary of Lancaster Chorale (Ohio), and Vice President, National Board of Advisors, Richard M. Ross Art Museum at Ohio Wesleyan University.
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Mack Coyle
CEO of Coyle Solar
Growing up in Berkeley California in the 1970’s, Mack was raised as an iconoclast. His parents instilled in him the belief that we must each take ownership of this world, and fight for it. He has been a lifelong political and social activist advancing human rights through organizing in the environmental and labor political movements, as well as advocating and advancing ecology with legal and regulatory protections. A lifelong student, he continues to explore the intersection of ecology and corporate economy. Mack’s passion and vision for a better future continue to drive our company values and innovation.
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Bertrand Evans-Taylor
Arts and Culture Social Entrepreneur and Marketing and Publicity Manager for Majestic Collaborations
Bert is an arts and culture social entrepreneur, whose research interests are at the intersection of Black artists, social justice, professional development, and access to careers in the arts, whose work is informed by broad experience across industries.
He recently completed a Master's in Arts and Culture Management with an emphasis in Advocacy and Outreach from the University of Denver, where he was awarded a Community Engaged Fellowship.
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Steven Hardy-Braz
VP of BikeWalkNC
Steven Hardy-Braz is a nationally certified school psychologist, author, interpreter, researcher, and advocate for accessibility and safer roads for all users. Trained at Gallaudet University in psychology, he has been rated as fluent in American Sign Language and has received numerous awards for his work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. He has interpreted for dozens of different bands across the country at music festivals like the Tour de Fat by New Belguim Brewering.
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Lakota John
Artist
Lakota John is a musician, producer and songwriter from North Carolina. Influenced by his dads music collection, he picked up the guitar at 7 years old and since has toured nationally and internationally. Lakota John blends elements of Folk, Jazz, Rock, & Blues, to create his sound while learning alongside mentors.
Matthew Kowal
Co-founder, Majestic Collaborations
Matthew, co-founder of Majestic Collaborations, Majestic Amplifications, and Majestic Water is a festival coordinator, artistic director, spokesperson, musician, and community leader. His consulting work with Performing Arts Readiness spans agencies, festivals and venues in emergency and disaster preparedness. Working with organizations including Denver Arts & Venues, the Canadian Government, brands like New Belgium, and festivals like Tour de Fat, and Five Points Jazz Festival, he has organized hundreds of gatherings since 2005, collectively raising over $5 million to raise awareness and resources to capitalize locally-directed initiatives and inspire advocacy. A passionate skill-sharer, Matthew has used collective leadership to arrive at state-of-the-art festivals that are sustainable, safe, and equitable. A recovering marketer with a knack for initiating and identifying trends, he envisioned the experiential learning platform Art of Mass Gatherings Symposium as a way to catalyze emergency preparedness training across multiple stakeholders... and is looking forward to meeting and learning from you here at Surfalorus!
Daryl Law
Assistant Director / Communications Manager of Jennette's Pier / NC Aquariums
Daryl Law is a life-long photographer and writer with a solid background in community journalism and public relations. He live in nearby by Kill Devil Hills with his wife and two children.
Leigh Maher
CFO & Event Director of LEAF Global Arts
Leigh has been hosting festivals and private events of all sizes with the non-profit LEAF and the private family business Lake Eden Events for the last 18 years. Prior to that he was the CFO of Global Rhythm Magazine for 10 years. Leigh is a Filemaker Pro solution developer & consultant, has worked in the radio and culinary fields and has a degree from Emerson College in Mass Communications.
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Lee Nettles
Executive Director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
Lee Nettles is the Executive Director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the official destination marketing organization for Dare County’s Outer Banks and its $1.8 billion tourism industry. In addition to promoting overnight visitation to the islands, Lee is responsible for the daily operation of the Visitors Bureau, which includes four welcome centers, 9 full-time employees and 25 part-time employees.
He currently serves on the board of directors for the North Carolina Travel Industry Association (NCTIA), the Economic Development Partnership of NC (EDPNC), and the NC Travel & Tourism Board.
Outside of the office, you could say Lee is married to the arts. He is an avid live music fan, chasing bands around the country. He writes songs and plays in a band and has been married to a painter for the last 30 colorful years.
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Jennifer Pickering
Founder and Executive Director of LEAF Global Arts
Jennifer Pickering is the founder and Executive Director of LEAF Global Arts, which is a non-profit organization, building community, connecting cultures and enriching lives through the arts – locally and globally – with festivals, community events, and arts education programs.
A devoted traveler, Jennifer always intended to use LEAF as a platform to introduce people to other cultures through the music and arts. At the time she really didn’t realize that music and the arts were the most powerful tool for preserving cultures and for passing them on. Besides two festivals each year, Pickering also oversees LEAF In Schools and Streets and LEAF International, programs that take the artists from the stage into the community.
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Catherine Swain
Catherine Swain is the Director of Marketing for the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina.
NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, three science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 41 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C. Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, and the Division of Land and Water Stewardship.
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Otto Vasquez
Artistic Curator of LEAF Global Arts
Otto is a 20+ year veteran entertainer with industry credits in both Broadway, Off-Broadway, Film & Commercials, who has dedicated the evolution of his career to artistic direction, stage and film productions. Otto is also a published poet and author with a hit, new novel on Amazon called, "The Rebirth of Kool." He is currently the Artistic Curator for LEAF festival & nonprofit.
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Jessica Wallach
Director of Connectivity for Open Circle Theatre and Accessibility Coordinator for the Art of Mass Gatherings
As a photographer and photo educator with a disability, my work is deeply rooted in the body, accessibility, and disability. I have been a professional photographer since 1998 and have run a mobile studio since 2006. I have deep roots in the disability community and in accessibility. Recently organized a festival at the Kennedy Center for and by artists with disabilities.
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Made possible thanks to our presenters and the support of these organizations
