Panelists

Megan Shipman works professionally as a Voice Actor and ADR Director for many different games, projects, and shows. She's voiced characters like Anya Forger in "*SPYxFAMILY*", Shion in “*Sing a Bit of Harmony*”, La Brava from “My Hero Academia”, Gigi Andalucia from “Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway”, Mayuri Shiina from "Steins; Gate 0", Grey from “Black Clover”, Homura from “Dr. Stone”, Maple from “BOFURI”, Yuzu Aihara from "Citrus", Aoba Suzukaze from "New Game!", Camie from "One Piece”, Mare Bello Fiore from "Overlord", Eripiyo from “If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It To The Budokan I Would Die”, Aries Spring from “Astra Lost in Space”, Snow White from "Magical Girl Raising Project", Chibi from "Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits", Rikou Takitsubo from "A Certain Scientific Railgun S", Mio Shimazu from "Yu-No: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of This World", Yuzuru Yamai from "Date-A-Live", IF from "Hyperdimension Neptunia: The Animation", Shimakaze from "Kantai Collection", Cassidy from "Dimension W", Arisa Meigo from "A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion", Hibari from "Senran Kagura", and Corriente from "Show by Rock!!". In addition to these characters, she's also been featured in shows like “Fruits Basket”, "Fairy Tail", "Snow White with the Red Hair", "Seraph of the End", "Kamisama Kiss", and "High School DxD Born". As an ADR Director, she’s directed “Show by Rock: Mashumairesh!”, “Scarlet Nexus”, “Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club”, “No Guns Life” and many more! 

From the pen, to the microphone, to the mat. Best-selling author, voice actor, game designer, and martial artist. Dalton N. Drake is a multi-talented "Renaissance Man" who enjoys community building and educating. 

Jim Foronda is a Texas-based voice actor. A former ad copywriter, Jim began voice acting while writing commercials for Hasbro Toys, occasionally being tasked with voicing characters like Optimus Prime and Mr. Potato Head in toy ads. Since then, he’s been all manner of person, monster, robot, and… well, anything… in anime like in My Hero Academia, Trapped In A Dating Sim, Fairy Tail, One Piece, How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom, Banished From The Hero's Party I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside, If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It To The Budokan I Would Die, Sleepy Princess In The Demon

Castle, The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, Fullmetal Alchemist, and much, much more. Game-wise, he can be heard all over the Borderlands franchise (including Claptrap in Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands) as well as titles like Fortnite, SMITE, Paladins, Rogue Company, Battleborn, NBA 2K21, Orcs Must Die 3, Hero Academy, and Dungeon Boss.

In his spare time, Jim enjoys photography, games of the video and tabletop variety, occasional trips to Japan, building LEGO stuff, and working on a novel that he will probably never, ever finish. He loves his wife, Karin, and their three cats Takkyubin, Momiji, and Ikaruga. He also wishes Japari Park was a real place. Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 8 years old, Jim wears an insulin pump. By medical definition that totally makes him an actual, for real cyborg. He has yet to jump over a house or lift an automobile with his bare hands.

https://twitter.com/JimForonda

https://www.facebook.com/JimForondaVO/

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1542420/ 

I am a hitory  teacher at John Horn High School. I have been a life long nerd- mainly playing Cardfight Vanguard and playing Warhammer 40k as well as Age of Sigmar! Other nerd activities include- Pokemon, Fire Emblem Games, Persona 5, etc. 

Carrie Hughes-Boyd (she/her)

Carrie Hughes Boyd has played various TTRPGs for over 10 years and has been the Game Master for 5 campaigns. Her adventures in nerdiness began early with a Super Nintendo Entertainment System and solidified when she saw Star Wars for the first time in theaters. She has written multiple campaigns for a variety of systems as well as a module designed to introduce new players to the Eberron setting for 5th edition D&D. Her Game Master style includes props, atmospheric music, and character voices. Her most impressive gaming feat thus far is calculating THAC0 on the first try. 

Dalton Boyd (he/him)

I am a high school social studies teacher at Waxahachie High School and am the head of the D&D Club at the high school running two groups every week. I am also married to Carrie Hughes Boyd.

Brian has written and drawn comics his whole life. The problem is he never showed them to anyone. Deciding to face his fears, Brian purchased the URL silversparrowcomics.com in 2006 and began to self-publish webcomics. In 2014, he created a sketch for an Instagram post. That sketch became a passion project. Dòchas: Birth of the Dragon Conqueror is coming to Kickstarter 2023! 

I, Danielle N. McDonough, am a self-published author local to Rockwall, TX. I graduated from Full Sail University with a degree in film. After spending several years working on television and movie sets, I decided to step away from the film industry and pursue my passion for storytelling by writing my debut novel, The Preparations. In 2021, I completed my seven year project when I published the final book in The Legacy Series. This is a four book series centered around a dystopian society. The story focuses on the path to adulthood and the struggle for truth. 

James Gaskin (he/him)

I write books, articles, and jokes about technology. And now, contemporary science fiction, because stories don't become obsolete like tech.

From my home in the Dallas area, I spend half my workday writing about technology, adding to the thousands of articles, columns, case studies, and reviews I've done over the last three decades. The other half I spend writing about telepathic teenagers, sentient computer systems, currently, a novel about two galactic frat boys ordered to destroy Earth.

When not writing, I play classical chamber music on the violin, and tennis (but not at the same time). Every chance I get, my wife and I play with our grandchildren, who are more fun than almost anything.

C.M. Healy (he/him)

C.M. Healy currently lives in Texas with his wife, daughter, and two cats where he teaches high school chemistry. When he’s not busy writing, he enjoys building Lego sets, playing video games, reading comic books (The Flash is his favorite), and watching TV with his best buddy, his wife. But his newest pastime is hanging out with his daughter Peep, who brings joy to his heart every day. He earned the distinguished award of Eagle Scout during high school and went on to obtain his masters in child development from Oklahoma State University. He has been working with and entertaining children of all ages ever since.

Fred Keel/Ocean Rising (he/him)

All the way from Dallas Texas, Fred Keel is the writer, creator and artist for the indie comic book series "Queen Cobra," and has published 6 issues to date.  In 2023, Fred began writing and illustrating for Antarctic Press and his titles include "Tomorrow Girl #3," "Penguina #1," and "Ninja High School #190."  Most of his pinup art and original stories are featured in the collected editions of books like "Tomorrow Girl Vol. 1," as well as "Ninja High School 2023 Swimsuit Special," and also "Tomorrow Girl Vol. 2," which is scheduled for release this year!  Mr. Keel also did the layouts and interior artwork for "Fields of Fear," a 1-shot issue through Charter Comics, and cover art for "The Fearless One" and "The Whack Jobs" through Cross Eye Comics.  Be on the lookout as Fred Keel has more upcoming releases in the near future!