Jan Thompson, producer-director-writer-editor-composer

Jan has produced over 300 television programs including long form documentaries across varied subject genres. Her upcoming television documentary and radio series, THE TRAGEDY OF BATAAN, will have its national debut on PBS stations fall 2011. This program is the first of a series that chronicles the men who were surrendered to the Imperial Japanese and subsequentially became prisoners-of-war. Jan is also finishing a feature length documentary that tells how the POWs survived three and half years of brutal captivity.

Her last seven full-length television documentaries were all broadcast nationally on PBS stations. Her series of multi-award winning prime time specials for PBS called HIDDEN-JOURNEYS are also being distributed by PBS Home Video and have been broadcast in international markets including Italy, Singapore, Canada, Hong Kong and on the Armed Forces Network.

Before moving entirely into documentary work, Jan was a producer-director in sports programming and was the studio director for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Blackhawks. She was one of only two women directors in sports broadcasting at the time. She also was the Promotions Producer for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Indians. She directed the very first live call-in sports program in Chicago called On The Bench. Jan has personally worked on television projects with several major national figures including, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, Newton Minow, Michael Jordon, Reggie Jackson and conductor Daniel Barenboim.

Jan has won national and international awards. She has nine EMMY nominations across all areas of production and three EMMYS: Music Composition and Editing. Thompson is also the recipient of a National Endowment for Humanities Grant for a current project.

Jan is an associate professor and the Director of the Documentary Unit in the Radio-Television Department at Southern Illinois University.In addition, she is the former President of the Descendants Group, a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and perpetuate the story of the men and women who defended the Philippines and other Allied outposts against overwhelming odds during the first months of World War II in the Pacific and later became prisoners-of-war.

Robert Spahr, web designer and web developer

Robert Spahr is a visual artist, web designer, computer programmer and educator, with over 14 years of web development and design experience, at various companies in New York City, including About.com, Global Education Network, and the branding firm of Siegel+Gale. He also produces computational art using generative processes and genetic algorithms; digital and analog images; objects; live art and time-based media.

Recent International Exhibits: Nictoglobe Online Magazine: Friction Research Issue #4 (Reclaim the Mind), Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2011; Generative Art International Conference, Milan, Italy 2010; DRHA 2010 Conference: Digital Resources for the Humanities and Arts, London, England, 2010; Generative Art International Conference, Milan, Italy 2009; Computer Art Congress 2008, CAC.2, Mexico City and Toluca City, Mexico, 2008; Media Exchange 2, VT Art Salon, as part of the ACIA, Taipei, Taiwan 2008; Generative Art Conference, Milan, Italy 2007; Online Gallery D-ART 2006, London, England and the CGIV 2006, Sydney, Australia; Trampoline Event #19, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Hz Journal, Stockholm, Sweden; 6th International Salon of Digital Art, Havana, Cuba.

Recent National Exhibits: 10 Years + Counting (10YAC), an online exhibit to mark the 10-year anniversary of our nation at war, September 2011; SOS ART, Creative Expressions for Peace and Justice, 2011; "Urban Interventions," at the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, University of Cincinnati; "ubuntu.kuqala" an online digital media/art/video exhibition curated by Dale Hudson & Sharon Lin Tay, Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, Ithaca College; "Adding Insult to Imagery? Artistic Responses to Censorship and Media" at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which then traveled to Central Missouri State University; recent edition of the refereed on-line journal DrainMag.com; Solo show 'CRUFT' at Manifest Gallery; festival and symposium "2006 Perform.Media" hosted by Indiana University in Bloomington.

As the co-founder and artistic director of the critically acclaimed theatre company, Expanded Arts, he produced and/or directed over 300 productions, including the "Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot" series presented on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The successful off-Broadway "Shakespeare's R&J" was first produced by Expanded Arts and is now the longest running Romeo & Juliet in the history of Broadway.

Robert is currently an assistant professor of New Media in the Cinema and Photography Department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Past teaching experience includes the University of the Arts, Hartford Art School, State University of New York, Purchase College, and Dowling College. He has been a visiting artist at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and Xavier University.

Jay Carey, creator of the show Open Animation.

Jay is a freelance designer, animator, and art director located in Los Angeles, CA.  He graduated with a BA in Radio/Television from Southern Illinois University Carbondale always having a strong interest in motion design and cinematography.

While at Southern Illinois University Jay co-executive produced the Emmy award winning magazine program alt.news 26:46 in the show's tenth season for local PBS affiliate WSIU.  After graduation Jay quickly made the move to Los Angeles, CA and soon after was hired by PlayNetwork, as a motion designer.  Since his time at PlayNetwork Jay has art directed several lyric videos for major record labels such as Atlantic Records and Road Runner Records, and continues to work as a designer at various companies in Los Angeles.

When he's not at the controls of a keyboard and tablet you can find him continuing his other passions behind the camera where he shoots sketch comedy for MagicHugs, photography, or exploring Los Angeles on his bike.

Companies Jay has worked with include: PlayNetwork, IFC, Company Wide Shut, The Groop, Six Point Harness, Atlantic Records, Road Runner Records, and WSIU-TV.

Portfolio: http://www.cargocollective.com/jaycarey

Kathryn Chapman, Fitzgerald & Hewes LLP