Michael D. Pederson
Con Chair
chair@ravencon.com

I'm the crazy fool that thought of this whole mess. Some of you probably already know me as "that Nth Degree guy." I've always been the annoyingly enthusiastic person that talks his friends into doing stupid things. RavenCon is the latest project that I've "conned" my friends into putting together. RavenCon 2006 went better than anyone dreamed possible. Thanks to everyone that came and I look forward to making 2007 even bigger and better. Drop me a line at if you have any suggestions for this year.

Tony Ruggiero
Vice Con-Chair

I’m the dark mysterious guy that got drunk one night at an Nth Degree party and ended up signing his soul away to do programming for Ravencon. Well… that’s almost the truth. Really, many of you already know me from attending conventions as a writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I enjoy going to conventions to promote my work and just to meet other cool folks. I am helping to run RavenCon with the goal in mind to make it one of the premier conventions in Virginia. My hope is to give you programming that is unique by being entertaining, informative and just different than other programming at conventions. We may be small—but don’t let that fool you. Talk to those that came last year!

Tee Morris
Vice Con-Chair
High School Outreach Coordinator

Tee Morris began his writing career in 2002 with his historical epic fantasy, MOREVI: The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. His next novel, Billibub Baddings and The Case of The Singing Sword, received an Honorable Mention for ForeWord Magazine's Best Fiction of 2004, and was a finalist for the Independent Publisher's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Tee entered 2005 with podcasting MOREVI. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com and the collaboration with Evo Terra on Podcasting for Dummies from Wiley Press. Along with the that title and MOREVI's sequel, Legacy of MOREVI: Book One of the Arathellean Wars (a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Best SF of 2005), Tee appeared in BenBella Books' retrospective Farscape Forever: Sex, Drugs, and Killer Muppets.

With his on-stage and behind-the-scenes experiences from theatre, radio, and television as an actor, Tee continues to explore the possibilities of podcasting with The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy, a podcast that explores marketing and self-promotional concepts for published and soon-to-be-published authors. Find out more about Tee Morris and his appearance schedule at www.teemorris.com on the Internet.

Paul Blotkamp & Vanora Hagan
Art Show Co-Directors
artshow@ravencon.com

Paul attended (and staffed!) his first convention his freshman year in college at Virginia Tech (that was Technicon 1 - if you know the con, you do the math). Over the years he has run Operations, Security, Dealers, and Art Show for several cons (but not at the same time). He is also Vice-Chair and Corporate Vice-President for Katsucon. Ravencon marks his sixth convention as Art Show Director. Of all con departments, Art Show is his favorite - it gives him plenty of time to keep an eye on the pieces he intends to buy for himself!

Vanora is a veteran of too many artshows to count. She earned her BFA from the Corcoran College of Art in Washington, DC (and still works retail when not attending cons). Her art has been published in the 2006 and 2007 editions of "Imagine". Her work has even garnered a celebrity endorsement from Aaron Douglas of "Battlestar Galactica". As well as submitting her work to around 10 cons per year, she also represents several other artists at many cons. She was first "volunteered" into running Art Shows when the artists at one convention staged a coup to take over a show that apparently had no staff. And she has not been able to escape it since!

Bill Truesdale
Convention Operations Coordinator

Hi, I'm Bill Truesdale and for years I've attended conventions as a fan and I've also been working them too, mainly con security, from San Diego Comic-con to Shore Leave, Dragoncon, and Imaginecon 2000. I also worked last year's Ravencon 2006. I hope to make our panels run smoothly so that our con-goers can have a great time going to them. Any questions on the convention, or Con-Ops, please e-mail me.

Kieron Torres
ConSuite Coordinator

I was the person who sat in the consuite and other places around Ravencon 2007 with a dremel and carved images on beer glasses for the Guests of Honor. I helped Lee Gilliland man the consuite for 2006 and 2007, and I am back this year to once again provide a nice ambiance for food, chatting, and maybe another power tool. Well, at least another craft. In any case, I hope to provide a welcoming consuite for taking a break between activities and enhancing your convention experience. If you have any thoughts and suggestions, please email me.

Mark Morgan
Dealers Room Coordinator

My name is Mark S. Morgan and I am the Dealers Room Coordinator. As being one of the people that Mike Pederson talked into helping, I decided early on that working the dealer’s room would be right up my alley. I have been attending various conventions since I left the Army in 1993. I am an avid game role-player, and also enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy novels. If you enjoyed the 2007 Dealers Room, just wait to see what is in store for 2008! Feel free to email me at if you have any questions.

Susan Blackmoor
Entertainment Coordinator

Since her first convention in 1988, Susan has enjoyed attending science fiction and fantasy conventions across the eastern United States. If you are performing at RavenCon, tell Susan what you need in order for your show to be a success.

Jennifer "Shadow" Harmon
Gaming Coordinator

My name is Jennifer Harmon, more commonly known as Shadow, and this year the gaming team is focused on bringing gaming to the next level at RavenCon! If you are interested in running a game, volunteering, or just have suggestions or rants—please feel free to contact us at gaming (at) ravencon.com. Oh and remember, at RavenCon we have set a new standard: The gaming room never closes! That's right… from con start to con finish, the gaming room will remain open 24 hours a day! WOOT!

Crystal L. Ritchie
Guest Coordinator

Crystal L Ritchie is a convention veteran. She is constantly networking and mixing with con-goers all across the South. Her mission is to find out who they are reading, what topics they are interested in, and who they would like to see as Guests of Honor at their "dream convention". When she isn't in con-mode, she can often be found acting as hostess at the Baen Barfly's Hospitality suite.

Rene
Hotel Coordinator

Hi. I'm Rene. I work for a non-profit association that presents several educational conferences per year. I have been Captain (president) of the USS Chesapeake (a chapter of Starfleet International) in Richmond for over 6 years. We are a non-profit charity organization that supports Ronald McDonald House, the Battered Women's Shelter and other organizations. I have volunteered at conventions for about 15 years.

It is my job to make sure that the friendly and helpful hotel staff has everything they need to make RavenCon 2008 as hugely successful as RavenCon 2007 was. Need something unusual from the hotel? Let me know and maybe I can help! If you have questions or concerns, email me.

Judy Mitchell
Masquerade and Costuming

I shocked my parents (some 28 years ago) by asking to have the old attic sewing machine and now I'm senior-editor and co-owner of AlleyCatScratch/lotr, secretary for the local International Costumers' Guild (ICG), and I compete at the master level in those competitions. Since I spend way too much time sewing things that aren't remotely useful, it seemed natural to help out last year's RavenCon with the costuming stuff and now I'm running it this year. I hope to offer you some cool panels to enhance your own costuming, as well as suggest some new techniques and ideas. I will also encourage you to show things off in the masquerade on Saturday. If you have any questions, email me.

Tera Fulbright
Programming Coordinator

Tera has been a fan of the genre since first reading C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia in the 4th grade. Her experiences and interests range from costuming and stage combat to working and running conventions to writing.  A member of the Carolina Garrison of the Fighting 501st Legion, as well as the quartermaster for the DMB Lightning’s Hand of Buccaneers of the Atlantic Coast, she enjoys “dressing up” and pretending to be someone else.  Along with her husband, James, she has worked at or run conventions such as Stellarcon, ConCarolinas, and Dragon*Con for over 10 years.  She is also a “wannabe” writer, but just can’t seem to find the time to actually write! 

In her non-fandom life, she works as an HR Consultant, and in her spare time enjoys miniature painting, gaming (D&D), reading (voraciously), raising her daughter and working on her home.

Cheryl Jones
Promotions Coordinator

“Starfleet utilized a little known reactivation clause.  In other words, Admiral, they drafted me!”  (Dr. McCoy to Admiral Kirk, Star Trek: The Motion Picture)  Yes, this is how it all began. I, a past commander of the USS CHESAPEAKE, was drafted by the current captain to join RavenCon.

I am Cheryl Lynn “Chessie” Jones, and I am the swag mistress for RavenCon.  What does that entail?  It means that I do advertising.  Mostly, I acquire the items (pens, pencils, notepads, bookmarks, comics, etc) that go into our ‘goodie bags’ for the convention.  I also handle the advertising sales for the con handbook.  Plus, I maintain the swag tables at the convention.  Email me if you want to advertise or send me goodies for our bags or the tables!

Pamela K. Kinney
Publicity Coordinator

My name is Pamela K. Kinney and I have been attending cons since 1972 as a fan, a costumer, and as an author guest. I have worked as the masquerade director and con security several years like my husband. I did my first stint as Publicity Coordinator for RavenCon 2006. It was so much fun that I signed on to do it again for RavenCon 2007 and I plan to do it even better for RavenCon 2008. I want the media to let it be known that RavenCon is here and that we are a Fandom friendly con. If anyone has questions or would like to help, or if you're from the media and would like to come to our con or want to publicize us, please feel free to contact me.

Carrie Priestley
Registration Coordinator

My name is Carrie and I am the Registration Coordinator. How did I get into registration? I don't know. I think it was temporary insanity (I willingly sacrificed myself on the altar of volunteerism)—but now that I'm in, I realize that it's actually pretty fun. I began reading fantasy and sci-fi early on—my first book was Frank Herbert's Dune, which I finished rapidly at the age of 12. My first real convention (unless you count a 30 person gathering in a comic bookstore as a convention), was Dragoncon 2003, and it hooked me for life. I've been addicted to going to whatever conventions I could afford ever since. I like role-playing of all types, fantasy/sci-fi/mystery books, meeting new people, and making pithy comments. I'm always willing to answer questions and help with any problems you might have.

Mary Keefe
Volunteer Coordinator

Hi, my name is Mary and I Want You… to volunteer for RavenCon that is. Come and donate a few hours and see the inner workings of a convention; that’s what I did last year and see what it got me? Seriously I volunteered last year and had a blast. And not only will you have fun, but you will save money as well! Donated hours receive memberships in varying degrees depending on how much time you can contribute. For more information, contact me.

Doris Manning
Webmaster

After many years working behind the scenes for another science-fiction and fantasy convention, I promised myself I was going to take a break from doing anything more than being a regular con-goer. As you can see, that promise didn't last very long because here I am as RavenCon's Webmaster.  If you have any suggestions for or problems with this site, email me.