Ariel Gore, Editor-Publisher of Hip Mama: The Parenting Zine

Ariel uses humor to tell the story of the newest generation of mothers as they balance work, family, and the creation of a larger community. She redefines the power of mothers and her words inspire and motivate all mothers to view their daily challenges as being intertwined with the struggle for social change. Ariel's most recent novel is Atlas of the Human Heart. She is also the author of Breeder: Real-Life Stories from the New Generation of Mothers, The Mother Trip: Hip Mama's Guide to Staying Sane in the Chaos of Motherhood, Whatever, Mom: A Guide to Raising a Teenager, and The Hip Mama Survival Guide. hipMama.com

Dr. Robert Sears, Co-author of The Updated Baby Book

Robert W. Sears, MD, is a board-certified Pediatrician in private practice with his father (Bill) and his brother (Jim) in San Clemente, California. He earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1995 and did his pediatric internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Having had the privilege to help raise two active boys, Dr. Bob has grown fond of the "parenting" side of pediatrics. He especially enjoys talking to parents in his practice about the joys and trials of watching their little babies and toddlers thrive through the first several years of life. Dr. Sears is an active contributor to the content of AskDrSears.com

Aviva Jill Romm, President of the American Herbalists Guild

Aviva Romm is a Certified Professional Midwife and herbalist. She is also the author of Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide, The Natural Pregnancy Book, Natural Healthy Babies and Children, ADHD Alternatives: A Natural Approach to Treating Attention Deficit Disorder, Natural Health After Birth: The Complete Guide to Postpartum, Wellness and The Pocket Guide to Midwifery Care. She has been in practice since 1985, is the mother of four homeschooled children, and is currently in the process of applying to medical school. Aviva has two forthcoming textbooks: Textbook of Herbal Medicine for Women and Pediatric Botanical Medicine, and is developing a comprehensive home-study course on herbal medicine for women's health.

Bob Wright is an author, speaker, educator and co-founder of the Wright Institute for Lifelong Learning. The Wright Institute specializes in to teaching people to develop their visions and realize their dreams. The author of Beyond Time Management: Business with Purpose and People Skills, Wright has spent over twenty years training, coaching and consulting with businesses of all sizes. Bob has founded several grass roots regional organizations focusing on human potential and environmental issues. wrightlearning.com

Julia Jergensen Edelman is a freelance writer specializing in parenting and spirituality issues. She writes a monthly column entitled "Slices of Motherhood," is a commentator for MOMbo, a radio resource for moms; and is the editor of The Phoenix, a newspaper for spirituality and growth. Julia lives with her family in Minneapolis, MN.

Anne Gallagher CNM has been a Certified Nurse-Midwife for the past 11 years. A graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago, she worked in obstetrics nursing for 13 years prior her midwifery certification. Anne has worked in homebirth, birth center and hospital settings in Chicago, Texas, Mexico and Haiti. She is dedicated to accompanying families in the transformative process of birth, and teaching women how to understand their fertility.

Aszani Kunkler CNM is the owner and director of the Madison Birth Center, the first free-standing birth center in Wisconsin. She attended Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing and attained her Masters degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. She is a Certified Nurse-Midwife, Certified Lactation Counselor and an Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriber. With over 17 years of working with women in their childbearing years, Aszani's approach is warm and practical.

Jennifer Perfetti MA, LPC is a licensed professional counselor who has been providing therapy to individuals and families for the past seven years. She completed her graduate work at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, with specialized training in women's issues and family therapy. Jen currently works with the UW Postpartum Depression Treatment Program as a therapist and outreach coordinator, working directly with women and their babies and speaking locally on the topic of postpartum depression. Jen also serves on the "More than Just the Blues" Taskforce for Perinatal Depression, a statewide initiative to expand awareness of and education about perinatal depression.