Dean currently works as an optical scientist and systems engineer for an ophthalmology-focused medical devices company. In the past, he taught photonics courses at the SUNY Institute of Technology (now SUNY Poly) in Utica, New York, then later designed telecommunication components for Molex Fiber Optics in Downers Grove, Illinois. Dean received a B.S. in Physics from BYU and Ph.D. in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona. He and his wife Cynthia have two children. Dean’s favorite Church callings have mostly centered around teaching and ministering to youth and young single adults, particularly those with challenging questions about Church history, doctrine and culture.

Julie Berry is the New York Times bestselling author of the 2020 NCTE Amelia Walden Award and SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner Lovely War, which received seven starred reviews, and has been called “Poignant” by The Horn Book, “Mesmerizing” by Booklist, and “Virtuoso” by the New York Times. She is also the author of the 2017 Printz Honor and Los Angeles Times Book Prize shortlisted The Passion of Dolssa, the Carnegie and Edgar shortlisted All the Truth That’s in Me, the Odyssey Honor The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, the Wishes and Wellingtons trilogy, and many others. Her picture books are The Night Frolic, Happy Right Now, Cranky Right Now, Long Ago, on a Silent Night; and Don’t Let the Beasties Escape This Book. Julie holds a BS from Rensselaer in communication and an MFA in creative writing for children and young adults from Vermont College. After living many years in the Boston area and in Los Angeles, Julie has recently relocated to her hometown of Medina, New York with her family, where she bought the local bookstore and reinvented it as Author’s Note. Julie enjoys quilting, cooking, piano, running, hot yoga, musical theater, and goofy movies.

Dave has been practicing law in New York for nearly four decades. He is a trial lawyer focusing on environmental and commercial litigation. He has served on many not-for-profit boards and has been recognized for pro bono representation in civil rights matters and prisoner’s rights. Dave currently serves as general counsel to the county democratic party. After earning his B.A. cum laude from Weber State University, he received both his M.P.A. and J.D. from BYU. Dave is married to Kathleen and they have 4 sons and 8 grandchildren. They are active in local political and interfaith matters. They served together as Mission Leaders in Santiago Chile and now serve as Service Mission Leaders, responsible for upstate New York. They are active in the Mormon History Association, serving as chairs of the local committee for the 2023 conference. Dave presented a paper on the history of the Palmyra Temple in 2023, and is currently working on a paper for the 2025 conference focusing on segregation and redlining in Utah following the influx of black railroad workers to Ogden, Utah.