A New Orleans native currently residing in Northern Virgina and is a 100-percent tech enthusiast (read: geek, nerd, fanboy) . Brett has written for the Time Picayune, several papers in North Carolina and was an associate editor of his college newspaper. He aspires to half-ass photography, is a literary snob, and swears he understands contemporary art. He is a typical fanboy who collects comicbooks, dolls (read:collectible statues and action figures) and will debate continuity missteps in movies and cartoons. He attended North Carolina A&T and earned degrees in Political Science and Journalism and currently works full time for the federal government. He makes regular trips to the third coast where he fulfills his duties as co-founder, writer and associate editor for New Orleans Tech.

Champ is the child of a technophile/gadget geek for a father and a genius, pop culture obsessed mother. The combination of these two things produced a new media and tech loving geek who likes rock shows, films, math, Jandek and very big words. Along with being a professional meeting-goer, Champ is the sole IT person for a small marketing firm that she is diligently and patiently ushering into the Web 2.0 age. She is certified to manage Exchange servers and several pets at once. She is currently in an awesome dual-degree program at Tulane University and plans to graduate some time before retirement age with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, a Ph. D and a certificate in phlebotomy. When Champ is not at school or work, she is usually involved in non-profit work for New Orleans, planning Twitter events, organizing groups and communities, or traveling to attend shows of obscure musicians. She plans to live the rest of her life in New Orleans and do everything in her power to promote its essential goodness.

Chris’ love for technology started when he was six and now has blossomed into passion. He’s worked in the web development field for eight years helping start-ups and large organizations develop web strategies and implementing large scale website projects. He holds a bachelor of science in Computer Information Systems and a M.B.A with a specialization in Information Technology. He also writes for other local websites (GoNola and Good News NOLA) where he discusses gadgets, social media, and new technology developments. He is also the co-host of the Bangitoutshow and the NOLA Tech Show where he and Liz Money talk about hyperlocal tech news and give comment on other tech happenings. Currently he serves on the board for NetSquared New Orleans which is the nucleus for the technology community in New Orleans. His other claims to fame are being apart of the SXSW New Orleans speaker panel: Uprising Tide – Inciting Online Communities into Offline Movements, co-organizing one of the largest technology events in the city: IgniteNOLA, beginning awarded Mr. Net2NO of 2010, winning the Iron Geek Champion 2010 in Austin, TX and being named named one of Gambit 40 under 40 honorees in 2011.

Liz Tuazon, usually known as Liz Money, is a gal about town, and her town is the Internet. She's been a blogger for the tech site thegadget411.com and have made guest appearances on Cnet.com’s show The 404 and the gadgetgurus.com podcasts. Locally, she is an an enthusiast of tech and geek culture and enjoys doing whatever she can to support the technology community in New Orleans.

Shercole currently serves the community as a consultant and writer. She works with small businesses and nonprofit organizations in marketing, social media, web design and business planning. Shercole writes for GoNola and Gimme That Glow among other publications. She is the founder of GoodNola, an online news source for everything positive New Orleans. She recently started Minority Weirdos, a blog focusing on fashion, food and cocktails. In 2010, Shercole was recognized in Windsor Court’s 140 Characters program, which represented the city’s most colorful individuals doing great and unique things in the community. She is a resident of New Orleans and devoted to helping in local growth through community action, nonprofit organizations, small business development, technology and education. Shercole holds a M.A. in Arts Administration from University of New Orleans and a B.B.A in Management from Loyola University New Orleans. She recently completed her certification in Technical Studies focusing on Web Site Design from Delgado Community College. Shercole has served on the board to Young Urban Rebuilding Professionals and Advisory Board of Fountain of Youth Foundation. She currently volunteers her time for many agencies such as Unified Nonprofits of Greater New Orleans, The Green Project and Humid Beings.

A native of Detroit, Aretha Frison is a product of the Detroit Free Press High School Journalism & Apprentice Program. She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's of science degree in print journalism from the School of Journalism, Media and Graphic Arts at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. She also minored in religious studies, earning her a title of a New Testament Scholar. She has also served as a fellow at Indiana University-Bloomington, Tulane University in New Orleans and with The Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C.

Frison has worked for numerous publications and interviewed various national and international dignitaries at the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit News, The Michigan Chronicle, The Michigan Citizen, Vibe, Upscale, Lakeland Ledger, Lexington Herald-Leader, U.S. News & World Report, The New Vision, The Monitor, UgPulse.com ,The East African and the Louisiana Weekly. She has won several journalism and teaching awards, and serves on committees for the National Association of Black Journalists, New Orleans Association of Black Journalists, Press Club of New Orleans and the American Cancer Society in New Orleans.

Encompassing a passionate for arts and education, she continues to lend her expertise as a journalism educator and mentor for many inspiring media students nationally and internationally. She has taught and mentored students at Kampala International University in Uganda, Dr. Charles Drew Academy in Detroit and Believer’s Life Christian Academy in New Orleans.

Frison is a community activist who has worked with Neighborhoods Partnership Network (NPN) in New Orleans. She served on its Trumpet Editorial Board, and was later hired as the editor-in-chief for its community magazine, The Trumpet, while managing its neighborhood engagement programs.

In this position, she co-hosted a weekly community segment, called “Trumpet Tidbits” on WBOK 1230AM. Frison also coordinated many capacity-building programs at NPN with the Points of Light Institute, Corporation for National and Community Service, New Orleans Coalition for Open Governance, the Parish of Jefferson, the City of New Orleans and various neighborhood groups throughout New Orleans.

Chaz Tanner a local from New Orleans enjoys good time, good food and the New Orleans Saints (Who Dat). He is known as a Do-It-Yourself kind of guy so fooling around and playing with technology comes natural. His current interest include programming in Ruby and Visual basic but his real passion stems from his obsession with smartphone technology. He has been know to ramble energetically and shoot off a massive amount of information about smartphones with little or no warning. One might even be so bold as to call it a fetish. Chaz has a B.A in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics with research experience in Lithium ion battery technology, fuel cell production and Health Information Technology. Never satisfied with his current knowledge or position, Chaz has begun to branch out and explore other areas of interest such as marketing, web design and community out reach.. He is working with the Small Business and Management Institute to bring a small business incubator to New Orleans East.

Despite an upbringing in the much-drier Montgomery, Alabama, Sam has always been a Louisiana native at heart with Irish Cajun blood and a grandiose love of food. In the bayou waters of Acadiana, Sam earned an BFA from Nicholls State University, and then directed her passion toward beautiful NOLA. As a designer and developer, Sam seeks beautiful solutions using creative and entrepreneurial thinking using her quick mind and zealous appetite for life. She currently serves the creative community as Secretary and Project Manager for AIGA | New Orleans. A bonafide nerd through and through, Sam is a proud former Starbucks barista, healer in World of Warcraft, rabid technophile, the head chef in her family, and a published writer. She loves (almost) all things sci-fi and is a veritable sponge and lifelong student. You can find this intense, loud, and curious individual always looking to engage people. She is the proud owner of a rescue dog, and is expecting a bundle of joy next summer.

Edward J. Branley is an Independent Computer Consultant specializing in SAN architecture, UNIX and SAN Training. His company is seashell software, and he is affiliated with Merit Systems of Philadelphia. When not traveling, Edward enjoys spending time with his family, writing, or procrastinating (of course, procrastinating should be at the top of the list). Edward is on Twitter as @YatPundit (personal/politics) and @EdwardBranley (computer/geek/professional)

Rafiq Mandal is a recent graduate from Loyola University New Orleans, with a degree in Creative Writing. He has experience writing short stories and poetry for classes or simply for fun, freely posting his work on websites for the sake of review. His focus and expertise in technology stems from the gaming community; of which he has been a part of for the last 15 years. From the old Gameboy to the current 4th generation systems, Rafiq has continued to review the information as it changes according to the developers. Within New Orleans, there is a definitive increase in the gaming community, which includes a number of developers that seem to be moving closer and closer. Rafiq is excited to see what this might bring and is sure to keep our readers informed with the best and most up to date information.

Although a non-native, Stephanie has always considered New Orleans the birthplace of her soul. Aside from being the site of significant ancestral heritage; the art and music of the city has captivated her heart and she can be found at nearly any local art event sporting some silly outfit of her own creation (you just can’t go to an art event in regular clothes, can you?).

An early interest in computing led Stephanie to destroy many second hand computers and eventually pursue computer science. Life led her elsewhere and now finds that she no longer has the attention span for coding. Instead she prefers to enjoy others’ mad skills which allow her to focus attentions on the emerging world of digital art and fascinating dynamics of internet communications and resulting relationships.

Stephanie is now pursuing a degree in digital design from Tulane as well as every other interest that passes through her mind which includes but is not limited to: writing, art, hiking, community service, and excessive cat ownership.