Program Participants

Featuring 150+ Panelists from all over the world. Authors, Publishers, Editors, Artists, Scientists, Musicians, Cosplayers, and more!

Balticon strives to introduce our members to talented writers and artists, locally and from around the world. Balticon 60 will be held in person with a robust virtual experience, including streaming panels and events from the hotel AND virtual-only panels, presentations, and gathering spaces.

Our Panelists are kinda the best

Jeanne Adams

Author

Jeanne Adams writes award-winning romantic suspense, paranormal and urban fantasies, as well as space...

Sarah Avery

Author

Sarah Avery's first book, Tales from Rugosa Coven, won the 2015 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Her...

Jim Beall

Scientist

Jim Beall (BS-Math, MBA, PE) has been a nuclear engineer for over 50 years and an avid science fiction...

AD Boorman

Author

Retired US Army. Paratrooper, served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Retired Special Educator

Ann Chathamann

Artist

Ann is a writer, crafter, and naturalist who makes things semi-compulsively because her head is full of ideas...

Tyaz Cosplay

Costuming

Tyaz Cosplay has been sewing since she was 10 and cosplaying for 10 years. Although sewing is her...

Valerie Estelle Frankel

Author

Valerie Estelle Frankel has won a Dream Realm Award, an Indie Excellence Award, and a USA...

Dr. Eric Haag

Scientist

Eric Haag, PhD, is Professor of Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and author of The...

Bjorn E. Hasseler

Author

Bjorn was in a library looking for Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy when he found David Weber's Honor...

Kim Headlee

Author

Kim Iverson Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, someone else’s...

Larry Hodges

Author

Larry Hodges is an active member of SFWA with over 220 short story sales, with 56 "pro" sales, including ones to...

Akua Lezli Hope

Author

Akua Lezli Hope, a Grand Master of Fantastic Poetry (SFPA), is a creator & wisdom seeker who creates...

Neil Inglis

Author

Neil Inglis is a translator based in the Washington DC area. Educated in the UK, Neil moved to Washington in...

Lord Kron

Miniature Painting Instructor

Tabletop and RPG gamer for over 40 years. I currently play Starfleet Battles and Warhammer 40k. I've...

Evelyn Lewis

Cosplay

Evelyn Lewis is the producer, editor, and one of the hosts for the podcast Tolkien About It. Evelyn's father...

Gail Z. Martin

Author

Gail Z. Martin writes epic fantasy, urban fantasy & more for Solaris Books, Orbit Books, and Falstaff...

Jo Miles

Author

Jo Miles writes optimistic science fiction and fantasy, including the Gifted of Brennex space opera...

Jessica Moran

Author

Jessica Morán is a published fantasy author witch, & poet. Being a lover of all thing geeky she combined her...

Chidumebi Njoku-Browne

Science

I have been a researcher of African History since 2011. I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and...

Neil Ottenstein

Fan

Neil Ottenstein obtained a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics in 1990 and since then has been working in...

Ann Pollack

Scientist

Ann Pollack, Principal Professional Staff member at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL), brings...

Diana Raynes

Filk

A DC-area composer and performer who has sold instruments, built instruments, and played many...

Father John Robison

Fan

A Native of Maryland, John is a lifelong fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy. He loves Star Wars, both...

Ken Schrader

Author

Ken Schrader writes Science Fiction, Steampunk, Fantasy, Weird Westerns, and anything else he can get away...

Alan Smale

Author

Alan Smale writes alternate history, historical fantasy, and hard SF. His novella of a Roman invasion of...

Morgan Stallard

Fan

Morgan Stallard is an autistic trans man, local convention regular and LGBT+/Disability activist. He's...

R. Taylor

Content Creator

Library worker by night—crafter, author, artist, voice actor, and sometime podcaster by...

Mary G. Thompson

Author

Mary G. Thompson is the author of the sci-fi novella One Level Down (Tachyon, 2025). She is also the...

Jim Wilmerling

3D Printer Tech

I am a founding member of MACRObot (Maryland Area Combat Robotics). I have been 3d printing...

Robyn Wyrick

Scientist

Robyn Wyrick is a Maryland-based novelist and AI researcher. His novel, Eviction Notice, is a science-fiction...

Rigel Ailum

Author

Rigel Ailur wrote her first novel—all of seven pages!—at the age of seven and hasn't stopped since. Now with...

Misha B

Editor

I’m a longtime gamer and designer working on making sure the next generation of geeks sees...

Martin Berman-Gorvine

Author

After an eventful youth living in Israel and fathering 3 sons, I live with my wife and 2 of my now-grown sons...

Paul Bove

Author

Paul Bove is a Maryland based World History Teacher with an M.A, in International Relations. An author...

Doc Coleman

Author

Doc Coleman never dreamed of being a writer. He dreamed of being an actor, of making movies...

Tom Doyle

Author

Tom Doyle is the award-winning author of the American Craftsmen trilogy from Tor Books, a saga of...

Dr. Pamela Gay

Scientist

I am an astronomer, technologist, and creative focused on using new media to engage people in...

Elektra Hammond

Author

Elektra Hammond emulates her multi-sided idol Buckaroo Banzai by going in several directions at once...

Lee Hawkridge

Content Creator

A budding streamer, compulsory world-builder, and a occasional author of short stories, Lee has...

Lisa Hertel

Artist

Lisa Hertel is an artist from a long line of artists. A former pharmacist, she works in a variety of media...

Nate Hoffelder

Fan

Nate has been helping people fix broken tech since 2010. He turns broken down Wordpress sites...

hymie!

Staff

hymie! is here because his wife is making him. She has involved him in the boardgaming community for...

A.L. Kaplan

Author

A. L. Kaplan’s love of books started as a child and sparked a creative imagination. Born on a cold...

Mary Soon Lee

Author

Mary Soon Lee is a Grand Master of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association and a three-time...

Shahid Mahmud

Editor

Shahid Mahmud created Arc Manor; a Maryland based small press in 2006. Since then, the company has...

Ty McNeer

Technician

I dream of dragons to fill in my baggins, from green ones to blue ones and often old ones. Happy 60th!

Miguel O. Mitchell, PhD

Author

Miguel O. Mitchell, PhD (he/him) is a Black speculative poet, SFF author, visual artist, and retired chemistry...

Mari Ness

Author

Mari Ness is the author of Resistance and Transformation: On Fairy Tales, from Aqueduct Press; Through...

Anne E.G. Nydam

Author, Artist

Anne E.G. Nydam has been celebrating worlds both real and imaginary since she could hold a...

Leslye Penelope

Author

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her...

Andrija "Andy" Popovic

Author

Andrija Popovic is a native of the Washington DC metropolitan area who indulges in photography...

dave ring

Author

dave ring is a writer and editor of speculative fiction living in Washington, DC. He is the author...

Christopher Mark Rose

Author

Christopher Mark Rose is an engineer for NASA spacecraft by day, a writer of speculative fictions by night. His...

Jay Smith

Author

When the Old Gods return and ask where to find him, the survivors clinging to the dying skin of planet...

D.A. Xiaolin Spires

Author

D. A. Xiaolin Spires steps into portals and reappears in sites such as Hawai’i, NY, various parts of Asia...

Cecilia Tan

Author

Cecilia Tan is an award-winning trailblazer in queer science fiction and fantasy. She founded Circlet...

Wendy Van Camp

Author

Wendy Van Camp writes science fiction, fantasy, historical regency, along with poetry and non-fiction...

David Walton

Author

David Walton hails from Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife and eight children. An engineer by day and...

Martin Wilsey

Author

Martin Wilsey is a full-time author and creator of the bestselling SOLSTICE 31 SAGA. Mr. Wilsey's...

Yoshi

Game Master

Hello fellow nerds, I am Yoshi! I am the Director of RPG and Tabletop Programming for Balticon 59...

Scott H. Andrews

Editor

Scott H. Andrews lives in Virginia with his wife, two cats, eleven guitars, a dozen overflowing bookcases...

Phoebe Barton

Author

Phoebe Barton is a Canadian queer trans science fiction writer. Her short fiction has appeared in venues such...

Joshua Bilmes

Editor

Joshua Bilmes is the President of JABberwocky Literary Agency, which he founded in 1994. His clients...

Jen Brinn

Author

Jennifer Brinn grew up with her nose in a book, reading everything with a dragon, a spaceship, or a horse....

Iver P. Cooper

Author

Iver Cooper has been an active contributor to Eric Flint's "1632" shared universe, with more than...

Kit Englard

Author

Kit Englard is a fantasy author whose work is deeply influenced by her academic background in Disability...

Anne Gray

Fan

Anne Gray is a futurist, a smof, a teacher, a diversity and inclusion activist, an historian, and...

Eric Hardenbrook

Author, Artist, Fan

Eric is a fan, an author and an artist, usually in that order. Eric lives in central Pennsylvania with his...

Morgan Hazelwood

Author

Morgan Hazelwood (she/her) writes from her lair in Northern Virginia. She’s been sharing “Writing Tips...

Inge Heyer

Scientist, Author

Born and raised in Berlin, Germany, Dr. Inge Heyer completed her secondary education there before...

Dr. Tom Holtz

Scientist

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. is Principal Lecturer in Vertebrate Paleontology at the Department of Geology...

Michelle Hymowitz

Staff

Michelle is the former president of the Games Club of Maryland. She has been involved in the boardgaming...

Daniel M. Kimmel

Author

Daniel M. Kimmel is the 2018 recipient of the Skylark Award, given by the New England Science Fiction...

Emily Anne Lewis

Musician

Emily got hooked on filk as a member of Sassafrass. Having played Baldur in Sassafrass'..

Elora Malat

Artist

Elora Malat (she/her) has been volunteering at Balticon since 2010 since she graduated from...

Dr. Valerie J. Mikles

Author

Dr. Valerie J. Mikles is a scientist and author. By day (like for money) she works on weather satellites for...

Misha

Game Developer

Born in the 70s, raised in the 80s, and trying hard to recover from both of those traumas...

Ben Newman

Filk

Benjamin Newman has been filking since his college friends dragged him to his first convention his freshman...

Chris Oakley

Author

Chris Oakley owned and operated Oakley’s Gently Used Books, a bricks & mortar used bookshop with a...

Dr. Gillian Polack

Author

Dr Gillian Polack is an award-winning Jewish Australian speculative fiction writer. She was the 2020...

Jennifer R. Povey

Author

Jennifer R. Povey lives in Northern Virginia with her husband. She writes a variety of speculative fiction...

Gregory Robin

Dungeon Master

Greg has experience playing & running for over 41 years. Greg ran the Balticon game room off and on...

Aaron M. Roth

Author

Aaron M. Roth is a science fiction author and leader in artificial intelligence. He has led research...

Melissa Scott

Author

Melissa Scott was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and studied history at Harvard College. She...

Angela Yuriko Smith

Author

Angela Yuriko Smith is a two-time Bram Stoker Award–winning author, former president of the Horror...

Beth Morris Tanner

Fan

Beth is a long-time fan and occasional writer living between DC and Baltimore. She works in higher...

Mark L. Van Name

Author

Mark L. Van Name is a writer, technologist, and spoken word performer. He has published five...

Jean Marie Ward

Author

Jean Marie Ward writes fiction, nonfiction and everything in between, including novels, art books, and...

L. Marie Wood

Author

L. Marie Wood is a psychological horror author, recipient of the Golden Stake Award, a MICO Award-winning...

MAY 22 - 25, 2026

Program Participants

Our Panelists are kinda the best

Jeanne Adams

Sarah Avery

Jim Beall

AD Boorman

Ann Chathamann

Tyaz Cosplay

Valerie Estelle Frankel

Dr. Eric Haag

Bjorn E. Hasseler

Kim Headlee

Larry Hodges

Akua Lezli Hope

Neil Inglis

Lord Kron

Evelyn Lewis

Gail Z. Martin

Jo Miles

Jessica Moran

Chidumebi Njoku-Browne

Neil Ottenstein

Ann Pollack

Diana Raynes

Father John Robison

Ken Schrader

Alan Smale

Morgan Stallard

R. Taylor

Mary G. Thompson

Jim Wilmerling

Robyn Wyrick

Rigel Ailum

Misha B

Martin Berman-Gorvine

Paul Bove

Doc Coleman

Tom Doyle

Dr. Pamela Gay

Elektra Hammond

Lee Hawkridge

Lisa Hertel

Nate Hoffelder

hymie!

A.L. Kaplan

Mary Soon Lee

Shahid Mahmud

Ty McNeer

Miguel O. Mitchell, PhD

Mari Ness

Anne E.G. Nydam

Leslye Penelope

Andrija "Andy" Popovic

dave ring

Christopher Mark Rose

Jay Smith

D.A. Xiaolin Spires

Cecilia Tan

Wendy Van Camp

David Walton

Martin Wilsey

Yoshi

Scott H. Andrews

Phoebe Barton

Joshua Bilmes

Jen Brinn

Iver P. Cooper

Kit Englard

Anne Gray

Eric Hardenbrook

Morgan Hazelwood

Inge Heyer

Dr. Tom Holtz

Michelle Hymowitz

Daniel M. Kimmel

Emily Anne Lewis

Elora Malat

Dr. Valerie J. Mikles

Misha