Amethyst Hinton-Sainz teaches high school English and is involved in professional development for teachers of writing across the curriculum, spanning kindergarten through university. She received her Master's Degree from Breadloaf. One of Amethyst's particular areas of expertise is incorporating technology into teaching.

Ann Guido's interest in journal writing led her to pursue certification as a Certified Applied Poetry Facilitator (CAPF) from the National Association for Poetry Therapy.

Heather Severson is a writer, educator and journal scholar. She started writing in journals before the age of 12. Heather has taught reading and writing at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, University of Phoenix and other places where adults gather to learn and improve their lives. After enduring a long, dark, night of the soul brought on by severe illness and physical rehabilitation, Heather is reemerging into her community with a renewed focus and dedication to sharing the benefits of journal writing in the spiritual, healing journey.

Heather Ordover, an award winning New York high school teacher, transitioned into writing full time after ten years in the classroom. Heather started as project manager/writer on several large, urban core curriculum initiatives for Kaplan K-12. Eventually she moved back to writing part time for these projects while her children were small and has stayed writing ever since. Since leaving the high school classroom she has written online content, Teacher's Notes, and several online masters-level courses in education for various publishers and/or institutions. Along with writing for education, Heather has written and recorded essays for Cast-On: A Podcast for Knitters and currently hosts her own long-running online podcast, CraftLit: A Podcast for Crafters Who Love Books (think "books on tape with benefits"). Her crafty writing has appeared in Spin-Off, WeaveZine, and The Arizona Daily Star. She currently lives and writes in Tucson, AZ, and teaches writing at the University of Arizona.

Sandy LaCava is a writer and “journaler” of 30 years. She has worked as a teacher, waitress, businesswoman, caseworker, masseuse, jewelry-maker, cook, and bottle washer, but it is writing that holds her passion. It is through writing that we can find self-expression, clarity, perspective, even purpose.  For Sandy it was journaling that guided, consoled and provided self-discovery through the long, bumpy, (often scary), but in the end, glorious journey as a single mother.  Writing and journaling play an integral part of her teaching style with third graders through the college level and adults.  Sandy has experienced writing and journaling in various group settings from divorce recovery, “Artist Way” groups, Spiritual writing groups, Children’s Writers’ groups, Poetry to memoir writing groups. It is her conviction that writing is elemental to understanding not only ourselves, but those that walk the path with us and those who walk the path opposite us. If this much can be done to instill compassion and encourage humanity, then write away.