Expertise: Classic Films

Available for in-person lectures in: All Markets

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Dan, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A lifelong film lover, Dan Hudak has worked extensively as a film critic in print, radio and television. He has provided film reviews and commentary for WPLG-TV (ABC) Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, ABCNews.com, the Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, CNN.com, indieWIRE.com, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Newsday, Orlando Sentinel, San Francisco Examiner and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

He is the owner of Hudak On Hollywood, Inc., and his popular "Hudak On Hollywood" lectures are given throughout the United States. He is the former chairman of the Florida Film Critics Circle and a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association. He studied Film History and Criticism at Bard College and the University of Miami, where he received his M.A. in Film Studies. To give Dan a piece of your mind, e-mail him at dan@hudakonhollywood.com.

Expertise: Broadway & Classic Films

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Hap, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Born in Washington, D.C., Hap Erstein went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in dreary Troy, New York, where he narrowly escaped becoming an engineer. In 1994, he and his wife moved to West Palm Beach, where he assumed the position of theater critic at The Palm Beach Post and soon after added the job of film critic. He held these positions for 15 years, until retiring from the paper in 2008. Hap now writes for Palm Beach ArtsPaper, an online and hard copy arts magazine. He has taught theater appreciation courses at Florida Atlantic University's Lifelong Learning Society and been a longtime member of the Carbonell Awards panel recognizing theater excellence in South Florida. Each weekend, he can be heard on WJNO Radio talking about the latest film releases. During his career Hap has interviewed such show business legends as Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, George Burns, Stephen Sondheim and Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. When not working, he can usually be found playing tennis or backgammon.

Expertise: Film History & Music

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida & Southern New Jersey

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sharon, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Sharon Harris has worked in public relations/communications and the media since the 1980s, and currently works as a freelance business and consumer journalist. She’s always had a deep interest in classic Hollywood; she launched her adult enrichment course, "Hooray for Hollywood," in October 2016 for Stockton University's Friends of Encore Learning at Stockton (FELS) program in New Jersey. She began with the invention of the motion picture in the 1890s, and recently completed her sixth season, which focused on WWII and Hollywood's participation in the war effort. She’s been giving lectures on a variety of classic Hollywood topics since 2018. Topics include: Music of the 1960s, in depth looks at Gone With The Wind, The Godfather, and Casablanca, the early studio moguls, Jewish Vaudeville and Hollywood, the film industry before, during and after WWII, and a look at the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).

Expertise: Jewish History, Israel, Middle East

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Alex, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Alex Bruner is a former international management consultant and fundraiser. A child of Holocaust survivors from Yugoslavia who remained in Europe after World War II, he has lived in and worked on three continents. His special interest is the history of the Jewish people. He lectures on various topics related to Israel, the Middle East and antisemitism. He was instrumental in resurrecting his uncle’s Holocaust memoir which was published for the first time in English in January 2024. The book is now available in 16 languages worldwide.

He was the chief Palm Beach fundraiser for the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel). Bruner also served as the North American director for an agency established by American and Canadian business leaders to assist early-stage Israeli companies. He holds a BS, Ch. Eng. from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Expertise: Classic & Foreign Film Discussions

Available for in-person discussions in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Roberta, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Roberta Presser has had a multi-faceted career in the film industry as a Location Manager, Production Coordinator, Assistant to the Producer, and Second Assistant Director. She has worked with such luminaries as Tom Hanks, Richard Burton, Tatum O’Neal, John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. On The Blues Brothers, she coordinated more than 100 vehicles used in this iconic car chase comedy. You can see her film credit every Halloween when they show Friday the 13th, Pt. 2!

While living in Toronto, Roberta set up a workshop for Toronto Women in Film and Television and assisted at the Toronto Film Festival. Back in New York, she was an active member of the Media Educators Association and wrote for their newsletter.

Since moving to Florida, Roberta has taught film and hosted screenings for the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the JCC in Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton, the Palm Beach County Library, the Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, and Temple Beth El in Boca. For the past twelve years, she has been teaching film courses to retirees at the New York Teachers’ Union (UFT) headquarters in Boca, and, since Covid, she has also been teaching on Zoom nationwide for the Queens, New York, UFT office.

Expertise: Politics, American History

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book James, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

James Todd is an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of Politics at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach. His areas of expertise include American government, constitutional law, and political history. Since he and his family arrived in Palm Beach County in 2015, Dr. Todd has been a frequent contributor to local and national media coverage of politics. He has regularly appeared as a speaker for Palm Beach County civic, community, and library groups. In 2022, Dr. Todd contributed lectures about the Constitution to the State of Florida Civics Seal of Excellence teacher training program. A native of Alabama, Todd received a B.A. in political science and economics from Jacksonville State University (2001), a law degree (2005) and Ph.D. in American politics (2015) from The University of Alabama. His most recent published work is "Why Do We Have a Constitution?" for The U.S. Constitution in Five Minutes (2023).

Expertise: Women's Studies, Sexuality, Pop Culture

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Jane, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Jane Caputi is Professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Florida Atlantic University. She grew up in Huntington Long Island in a large family. Her first job was at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, which she loved, especially because she learned so much from the Indigenous cultures there. But Albuquerque is literally high and dry and in 1997 she moved back to the ocean, taking a job at FAU.  She has written four books, most recently Call Your “Mutha’”: A Deliberately Dirty-Minded Manifesto for the Earth Mother in the Anthropocene (Oxford University Press, 2020). She also has made two educational documentaries, The Pornography of Everyday Life (2006) distributed by Berkeley Media and Feed the Green: Feminist Voices for the Earth (2016), distributed by Women Make Movies.

Dr. Caputi was FAU’s Distinguished Teacher for 2001 and received FAU’s Research and Scholarly Activities award (Professor level) for 2005 and for 2012. In 2016, she was named Eminent Scholar of the Year by the American Culture/Popular Culture Association and in 2020 the Association for the Study of Women in Mythology gave her their annual “Saga Award” for contributions to women’s history and culture.

Expertise: Broadway

Available for in-person lectures in: Naples/Ft. Myers

Available via Zoom? No

To book Harriet, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Harriet Howard Heithaus became intrigued with theater from childhood, when her family took her to summer stock musicals and community theaters. She has never lost that love for an affecting melody or a gripping story. That romance did not include appearing onstage, however. She much prefers to write about it and has happily been both music and theater critic at the Naples Daily News, for which she has won a number of Florida Press Club awards, over the last 15 years. Before that, the native Buckeye has worked for newspapers in Ohio and Indiana, where she was a government and political writer who volunteered to review to rock concerts whenever possible. Everyone could see where this was leading.

Expertise: Living A Full Life

Available for in-person lectures in: Naples/Ft. Myers

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Annie, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Annie Meehan is a professional keynote speaker that inspires, educates, and activates her audiences with a clear message that spurs listeners to break counterproductive patterns and be the exception! As a widely embraced international speaker, she has been a catalyst in inspiring countless organizations to choose to soar above the status quo. As an expert on living an exceptional life, Meehan encourages her audiences to remove any barriers preventing them from achieving their goals. Her myriad testimonials reveal the “wow” factor that she creates at every presentation, which in turn catapults participants to adopt the practical tools she champions for more impactful lives, both professionally and personally.

Expertise: Personal Growth

Available for in-person lectures in: SW Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Melody, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Melody Van Horn is an experienced coach and trainer dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to lead with clarity and authenticity. With a background in psychology, business leadership, and human development, she delivers engaging lectures that inspire self-discovery, emotional intelligence, and meaningful connection. Drawing on over two decades of experience, Melody is passionate about empowering individuals to unlock their potential, cultivate confidence, and step into leadership with intention.

Melody believes leadership is a way of life, not just a title, and she challenges audiences to embrace their unique strengths, build confidence, and take bold steps toward their aspirations. Through her mission-driven approach, she sparks transformation by equipping people with the mindset and tools to live with greater impact, purpose, and fulfillment.

Expertise: Functional Medicine & Nutrition

Available for in-person lectures in: Naples/Ft. Myers

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Linell, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Linell King is an internal medicine physician who received his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1997. He completed his residency at The Johns Hopkins University / Sinai Hospital program in Internal Medicine in 2000.

An avid proponent of preventative health and wellness, Dr. King realized the answer to the high incidence of preventable illnesses was to empower the individual to take responsibility for their health. Dr. King published two Los Angeles based wellness magazines and served with the National Center for Health Behavioral Change in Baltimore, Maryland.

For over fifteen years working as an internal medicine physician, Dr. King treated thousands of patients suffering from diseases such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening diseases. After discovering the truth about our current broken healthcare system which also affected his own family, Dr. King left his practice and embarked on a mission to bring health and vitality to his patients and clients. Seeing the flaws with Western medicine and its reliance on prescription drugs, Dr. King traveled the world and became trained in functional medicine, nutrition, as well as hormone balance.

Expertise: Classic Films

Available for in-person lectures in: Tampa/St. Pete

Available via Zoom? No

To book Bob, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A Floridian since the ‘50s, Bob Ross is a graduate of Ocala High School and Eckerd College, where he wrote for the campus paper and discovered the joy of inflicting his opinions on others. After working as a proofreader, rock music critic and bureau reporter — and a stint managing Tampa’s first video rental store — Bob joined the Tampa Tribune as film critic in 1985. The job lasted 22 years, until it vanished along with much of the daily newspaper industry. Since retiring in 2008, Bob has remained active as a reviewer and contributor on WMNF radio and WTVT-TV Fox 13 in Tampa. A founding member of the Florida Film Critics Circle, Bob is known for his vast trivia knowledge and terrible puns.

Expertise: Stories Of Bravery & Kindness During The Holocaust

Available for in-person lectures in: Tampa

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Howard, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Howard Kerner is a retired English professor who taught at the high school, college and university levels in NY and FL during his 47 year career. Before and since retirement, his “passion project” has been discovering and sharing fascinating, unknown stories about inspiring people who performed brave acts of kindness even during the unlikely period of the Holocaust. He has presented his uplifting programs at OLLI’s, temples, churches and civic organizations across the country and in Canada. His philosophy is that although there is no bad time to learn about human goodness, there is no better time than now!

Expertise: Classic Movies, Film History

Available for in-person lectures in: Central FL

Available via Zoom? No

To book Frank, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Frank Eberling made his first film in Florida 57 years ago. Since then he has made over 3,500 film and television programs, including over 100 documentaries for Florida PBS, as writer, producer, director, cinematographer. He wrote and directed two micro-budget feature films, including one with Burt Reynolds. He also served as a college instructor for twenty-six years, and taught alongside Burt Reynolds for ten years at the Burt Reynolds’ Institute for Film & Theatre. Along the way he has won numerous awards, including a CINE/Golden Eagle, and an EMMY®, and was the first winner of The Florida Governor’s Screenwriting Competition in 1985.

Expertise: Florida History

Available for in-person lectures in: Central FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book James, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Jim Clark is a senior lecturer in history at the University of Central Florida. He received a doctorate in Florida history from the University of Florida after receiving a master's degree from Stetson University. He is the author of 11 books on Florida history and the editor of a three-volume anthology of Florida literature. He has been honored by the Florida Historical Society, the Florida Magazine Association, and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. He has given more than 300 talks from Pensacola to Key West.

Expertise: Classical Music & Opera

Available for in-person lectures in: Denver

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Betsy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Music historian Betsy Schwarm spent a dozen years on the air at the vintage KVOD radio, "The Classical Voice of Denver." She has also taught university-level music appreciation, but is especially known for her user-friendly approach to talking about classical music. She gives pre-performance talks for Opera Colorado, has frequently spoken at the Colorado Symphony, and has written ten books on classical music as part of her Classical Music Insights series. The most recent of these is Classical Music Insights:  Between the Wars (2021). More than 200 of her articles are available on Encyclopædia Britannica online. Additionally, she writes for classical performers and organizations throughout the US and abroad, and teaches for the University of Denver Enrichment program, as well as other organizations.

Expertise: Medieval & Renaissance Art, Poster Art Of The 1960s

Available for in-person lectures in: Denver

Available via Zoom? No

To book Scott, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Scott B Montgomery is Professor of Art History at the University of Denver, where he teaches classes on Medieval art, Renaissance art, and the art of the 1960s poster movement. His books include Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins of Cologne. Relics, Reliquaries and the Visual Culture of Group Sanctity in Late Medieval Europe (Whitney: Peter Lang Press, 2009) and Casting Our Own Shadows: Recreating the Medieval Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela (co-authored with Alice A. Bauer) (New Orleans: University Press of the South, 2012). He has published numerous articles on saints in medieval art, pilgrimage, relics and reliquaries, and 1960s psychedelic poster art. His award willing documentary film, The Tale of the Dog (produced with Dan Obarski) was released in 2020.

Expertise: Bird Habitats, Feedings & Identification

Available for in-person lectures in: Denver

Available via Zoom? No

To book Leslie, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Leslie Clemensen is an Audubon Trained Naturalist and Certified Backyard Bird Feeding Specialist. In collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project NestWatch and the Colorado Bluebird Project, she currently serves as an Outreach Coordinator for the Bluebird Monitoring Project with Douglas Land Conservancy. Leslie leads bird walks and hikes in the Douglas County area and is employed by Wild Birds Unlimited. Leslie is a retired educator and Colorado native who is passionate about connecting people with nature and helping all enjoy birds and other wildlife in their backyards and beyond.

Expertise: Art Valuation & Appraisal

Available for in-person lectures in: Denver

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Christine, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Christine Whaling is an independent Art Advisor and Appraiser with over a decade of experience in the global fine art and luxury market. Based in Denver, she advises clients nationally on buying, selling, and collection management. Christine also provides formal appraisal reports for a variety of intended uses including: financial planning, charitable donation, insurance coverage, estate tax, and equitable distribution. She is a generalist appraiser, with a specialty in Fine Art (paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints). 

Christine holds a Bachelor's in Art History from Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, California and a Master's in Art History and Art World Practice from the University of Glasgow and Christie's Education in London, United Kingdom. She is a member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) and adheres to the highest industry standards for appraisal report writing.

 

Expertise: Finance

Available for in-person lectures in: New Jersey

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Joe, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Joseph Novello, CPA, MBA, began his career in accounting and management consulting at Ernst & Young, Certified Public Accountants, in New York City and obtained his Certified Public Accounting (CPA) license in New York. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College and an MBA in finance from New York University. His rich experience comes from working with American and International Fortune 500 companies as Controller, CFO, Director of Sales Operations and other positions. Since founding the Financial Training Organization in 2010, Joseph has presented his finance programs to thousands of people across the USA and Canada.

Expertise: Classical & Pop Music

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Karen, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Professor Karen Painter has taught music history to musicians and non-majors for nearly three decades—at Dartmouth College, Harvard University, and since 2007 at the University of Minnesota. An expert on musical listening in past eras, Painter loves engaging with a broader public on the subject of classical music, music in film, and popular music. She has organized scholarly events for the public, working with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Ojai Festival, the Berlin Academy, and the Friends of the Salzburg Festival. Painter’s past lecture venues include the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera, and the Orange County Performing Arts Center. Painter has published widely in scholarly journals as well as edited or authored books with academic presses.

Expertise: Classical Music, Ballet, Opera

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Daniel, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Daniel E. Freeman is a music historian of international repute born in Everett, Washington. He has taught music history at the University of Illinois, the University of Southern California, and the University of Minnesota. He also appears regularly as a lecturer for the Smithsonian Institution. He is also a pianist with experience as a soloist and accompanist for instrumentalists, vocalists, and dancers.

Expertise: Minnesota's Caves

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Greg, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Greg Brick Ph.D. was employed as a hydrogeologist at several environmental consulting firms and has taught geology at local colleges and universities. He has published more than 200 articles and was the recipient of the 2005 Cave History Award from the National Speleological Society. His first book, Iowa Underground: A Guide to the State’s Subterranean Treasures, was published by Trails Media Group in 2004. His second book, Subterranean Twin Cities, published by the University of Minnesota Press in 2009, won an award from the American Institute of Architects. His third book, Minnesota Caves: History and Lore, was published by The History Press in 2017 and was nominated for the Minnesota Book Awards. His latest project, Caves and Karst of the Upper Midwest, published in 2021, is an academic volume of contributed chapters by experts on each of the states covered. His work has been featured in National Geographic Adventure magazine as well as on the History Channel. He has led guided tours of caves for the Minnesota Historical Society and the University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education. He established the Minnesota Spring Inventory at the DNR and mapped thousands of springs around the state.

Expertise: Jazz & Rock n' Roll

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? No

To book John, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. John Leisenring is a long-time teacher and professional musician, having taught music for forty years, and performed as a trombonist for almost seventy years. John taught at the University of Texas-Austin, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

He has performed for some 20 years with the KC Opera Orchestra, the KC Ballet Orchestra, and as a jazz musician in some 20 states and nine foreign countries, including jazz festivals in Sydney, Melbourne, Berlin, Montreux, and Newport (twice!). John’s University teaching involved, among other coursework, classes in the History and Development of American Music, Jazz and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Expertise: American History, Civil War

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Stefan, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Stefan Lund is a Minneapolis native and with nearly a decade of experience as an educator and writer in the field of American history. He received his PhD in history in 2022 after five years of work at the University of Virginia’s John Nau Center for Civil War History and now teaches college-level U.S. history to Twin Cities area high school students. His peer-reviewed work has appeared in the Annals of Iowa historical journal and his writing about American history has been published by the Washington Post and Star Tribune. Stefan began offering adult enrichment courses focusing on nineteenth-century America in 2022 with a series of lectures on the origins of the American Civil War and another on the Civil War’s influence on American art. With a passion for the early history of the United States, Stefan enjoys discussing anything from the Revolutionary crisis to the Reconstruction period.

Expertise: Writing, Self-Publishing, Science Fiction

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis, Rochester

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Anthony, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Anthony W. Eichenlaub once spent 21 years working for a large, multinational technology company. His focus was on the coolest core software of the internet, which started with application servers and later included cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Themes from his time in tech find their way into his writing, including questions about AI that go beyond, “Is it a person?,” and the intricate and sometimes scary ways in which corporations interact with the ethical responsibilities of their workers. In his career in tech, Anthony was always a tester, so while everyone else asked, “How does it work?” his focus was on, “How does it break?”

Anthony’s stories have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, On-Spec Magazine, Little Blue Marble, and numerous anthologies including A Punk Rock Future and The Community of Magic Pens. His novels range from Minnesota technothrillers to space operas to cyberpunk Westerns. His writing philosophy is that even the most serious science fiction should be absurdly fun. Anthony teaches writing in his local community and is a teaching artist at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. He is a proud member of the Rochester Writers Group and a member and volunteer of SFWA.

In 2020, Anthony left his career in tech to pursue writing and the far more satisfying life of a stay-at-home dad. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys landscaping, woodworking, and long walks with his lazy dog.

Expertise: Movie Memorabilia, Marketing

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Rob, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

First-time author, and an avid movie buff, Rob Feeney earned his Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Adler Graduate School in 2008. A previous fine arts student, and professional fine artist, Rob has held several successful corporate responsibilities in sales and marketing for some of America’s favorite brands before finding himself unemployed assuming the role of publicist and spokesperson for the Judy Garland Children’s Museum. With the museum he made a major contribution to the “stolen” ruby slippers recovery efforts that generated global news coverage in every major media outlet between 2013-2018, such as TIME and Rolling Stone magazine, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bizarre, Newsweek, and the National Examiner. Now employed by a top Global Life Safety and Security company, Rob's contribution to the recovery of the ruby slippers also led to features on the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” Inside Edition,” and an appearance on the History Channel’s 16th season of “Pawn Stars.” Rob resides in Minneapolis with his beautiful 14-year old daughter, killer police dog, and black cat named “Elsie.”

Expertise: Artist, Author and Social Scientist

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Lucy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Lucy Rose Fischer, PhD, is an award-winning Minnesota artist, author, and social scientist. She had a distinguished 25-year career as a researcher in aging and was honored as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America for “outstanding achievement and exemplary contributions to the field of aging.” She is the author of six books—her most recent titles are The Journalist: Life and Loss in America’s Secret War; Grow Old With Me, and I’m New at Being Old. As an artist, she specializes in creating fanciful and colorful designs on glass—painting upside-down, inside-out and backwards on hand blown glass. She is the founder and coordinator of the Interfaith Artist Circle of the Twin Cities. Lucy Rose is featured on the Twin Cities Public Television programs “The Creative Power of Aging” and “Life Changing Art.”

Expertise: Vitality For Seniors

Available for in-person lectures in: Rochester, Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Edward, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Edward Creagan is a cancer specialist who practiced for more than forty Minnesota winters until he transitioned from active clinical practice in late 2018. Dr. Ed (as he is known) received his medical training at New York Medical College and earned graduate degrees in internal medicine and oncology at the University of Michigan and the National Cancer Institute. He is the author of over 500 scientific papers and has given more than 1,000 presentations throughout the world, including his home state of New Jersey. An avid marathoner and golfer, father of three sons, and grandfather of two grandsons, Dr. Creagan and his wife, Peggy, live with two rescue Golden Retrievers, one of whom is blind, in Rochester, Minnesota.

Expertise: Health & Aging

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Janice, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Janice Novak has a Masters Degree in Health & Physical Education. She is an internationally acclaimed, best-selling author, speaker and wellness consultant who teaches workshops and seminars for hospitals, corporations and professional organizations. She developed her unique posture program over twenty years of working with individual clients and teaching thousands of workshops. Janice empowers people to take action toward attaining better health. Her easy-to-use techniques are informational and motivational and can easily be integrated into daily life. She presents up-to-date info on pertinent health/wellness topics that can improve productivity, alertness, energy and motivation. She has been quoted as the country's premier expert on posture in national and regional publications and broadcasts, including the Oprah Winfrey Show discussing her best selling book, "Posture, Get It Straight!".

Expertise: Marriage, Divorce, & LBGTQ+

Available for in-person lectures in: Mankato

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Aaron, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Aaron Hoy, Ph.D., is an award-winning scholar and teacher with expertise on families, sexuality, and gender. He is currently an associate professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he engages in research on marriage, divorce, and LGBTQ+ communities and issues. In 2018, he completed his Ph.D. at Syracuse University, where he conducted the first research study on same-sex divorce in the United States. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed studies, and his most recent books include The Social Science of Same-Sex Marriage: LGBT People and Their Relationships in the Era of Marriage Equality (Routledge, 2022) and The Sociology of Families Reader: Issues, Perspectives, and Debates (Cognella, 2024).

Expertise: Advertising & Marketing

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis/St. Paul

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Mark, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Mark joined the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication faculty full-time as a Senior Lecturer in 2018 after being an adjunct at the University of Minnesota for 15 years. His work experience includes 35 years of building brands at ad agencies in Chicago and Minneapolis. He has led marketing communication efforts for an all-star list of companies including Andersen Windows, Catholic Health Initiatives, ConAgra, General Mills, HealthPartners, Johnsonville Sausage, Kraft, Land 'O Lakes, Marvin Windows, Medtronic, Pillsbury, Polaris, and Tropicana.

Expertise: Broadway

Available for in-person lectures in: Chicago

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Charles, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Charles Troy is a retired graphic designer and former theatre lyricist who has developed more than fifty multimedia presentations on musical theatre subjects. During the pandemic, he has converted these presentations into videos, which he presents virtually. These videos combine his own original graphics with historic photos, edited audio tracks with the lyrics displayed onscreen, and illustrative video clips — all coordinated with a voiceover narrative, evolved from his extensive research, that weaves the pertinent events into a dramatic tale. Half of these videos are 80 to 90-minute programs on the stories behind many of the great musicals. Charles is based in the Chicago area.

Expertise: The Golden Age of Music, Radio & TV

Available for in-person lectures in: Omaha

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Rich, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Rich is a native son of Brooklyn, NY where he attended Brooklyn College and later earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Baruch College. After moving to Merrick, NY he began a long tenure as Director of Mathematics for the Copiague Public Schools. Following his retirement after 38 years as a school teacher and administrator, he began to develop a series of multimedia presentations based on his first love, the performing arts. His list of over 70 programs includes Broadway musicals, film, and opera, but Rich specializes in 20th century song writers and vocalists, and radio and television programs of the "Golden Age," for Hudak On Hollywood. Currently Rich is a resident of Omaha, Nebraska where he continues to present programs virtually via Zoom.

Expertise: The Golden Age Of Television

Available for in-person lectures in: New York City

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Brian, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Brian Rose is a professor emeritus at Fordham University, where he taught for 38 years in the Department of Communication and Media Studies. He’s written several books on television history and cultural programming, and conducted more than a hundred Q&A’s with leading directors, actors, and writers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the Directors Guild of America. Over the last decade, he’s presented more than 500 lectures at libraries and cultural organizations around the country, including the Smithsonian, the 92nd St. Y, Film Forum in New York City, OLLI in Washington DC and JCC’s in New York, Chicago, Cincinnati and Boca Raton.

Expertise: FBI & Homeland Security

Available for in-person lectures in: Missouri

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Gregory, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Gregory M. Vecchi has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and he is a U.S. Army veteran.  He is the retired Chief of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit and career crisis negotiator and served as an instructor at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. During his career, Dr. Vecchi investigated Russian organized crime, international drug trafficking, international and domestic terrorism, and violent crime. In these positions, he gained extensive experience assessing and interacting with violent offenders, which he incorporates into his research, training, and consultation activities at SafeDefend.

Dr. Vecchi has extensive experience in teaching and training. He is a Professor of Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Homeland Security, where he develops and teaches courses at the master’s and doctoral levels. Dr. Vecchi is the Principal at Vecchi Group International LLC, where he conducts advanced law enforcement training in threat assessment, crisis negotiation, firearms, and defensive tactics. He is also a court recognized expert witness in violence, law enforcement policy and procedures, interviewing and interrogation, and confirmation bias.

 

Expertise: Various Subjects, including the British Royal Family & Books

Available for in-person lectures in: N/A

Available via Zoom? No

To book Margery, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Margery Marcus, an award-winning educator, has turned her talent for storytelling to adult audiences. She appears in person regularly at county clubs, Lifelong Learning Institutes, and community clubhouses throughout South Florida. She perfected her Zooming skills during the pandemic, entertaining audiences across the United States. She is known for her colorful PowerPoint lectures and engaging style. Her fascination with the British Royal family is well-known -- she was dubbed a “royal watcher” by The Palm Beach Post and local television stations, and her royals’ presentations are both informative and entertaining. Dr. Marcus always captures the newest, most relevant information in her talks, including Book Censorship in America. She earned her B. A. degree in English from the College of New Jersey, a Master’s in Education from the University of North Carolina, and a Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Expertise: Shipwrecks

Available for in-person lectures in: N/A

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Ric, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Ric Mixter puts on thousands of miles each year as one of the most requested historians on the Great Lakes. He has written dozens of articles that have appeared on the covers of Michigan HIstory Magazine, The Beacon and Michigan's Chronicle. He has written and hosted over 30 shows on PBS stations airing all around the midwest and Canada and he's been featured as an expert on Discovery and History Channels. His touring shipwreck show "STORM" has appeared to sold out audiences in 16 cities. Ric is a board member at the prestigious Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and is the president of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. He says his greatest productions are his three kids, who are all certified divers.

Expertise: Professional Journalist & Writer

Available for in-person lectures in: Washington, D.C.

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Peter, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Peter Lovenheim is an award-winning author and journalist whose articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, New York Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Parade, Politico, The Forward, and the AARP Magazine. He is Washington Correspondent for the Rochester Beacon, an online source of news and commentary for his hometown of Rochester, NY.

His books of non-fiction include Gift Shop of Gratitude: A Journal to Explore the Journey of Your Life (2024), The Attachment Effect (2018), an exploration of how early bonds with parents shape personality throughout life, In the Neighborhood: The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time (2012), winner of a Barnes & Noble Discover Award and the First Annual Zócalo Public Square Book Prize, and Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf (2002), a first-hand attempt to understand the food chain, and three other books.

Lovenheim holds a degree in journalism, summa cum laude, from Boston University, and in law from Cornell Law School. He has appeared on National Public Radio, the Oprah Radio Network, CNBC, and more than fifty regional NPR and commercial radio and TV outlets. A keynote speaker at public conferences around the country, Peter has also been the invited speaker, both in person and virtually, at more than one hundred book clubs in the United States.

Expertise: History Of Comedy, All Things Funny

Available for in-person lectures in: Santa Monica

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book David, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

David Misch has been a comic folksinger, stand-up comedian and screenwriter; his credits include “Mork and Mindy,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Saturday Night Live,” and his Funny: The Book has been called “the best book on comedy ever written by David Misch.” He’s taught comedy at USC and UCLA, and now lectures around the world, including at the Smithsonian Institute, Yale, Columbia, Oxford, the American Film Institute, Austin Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival (London), CineStudio Paris, VIEW Cinema Conference (Torino, Italy), University of Sydney, San Miguel Literary Festival (Mexico), Second City, 92Y (NYC), Grammy Museum and more than 20 lifelong learning programs nationwide.

Expertise: Classic Hollywood, Film History, Film and TV Comedy, Chicago and Film

Available for in-person lectures in: Chicago

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Kelli, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Kelli Marshall is a tour guide, educator, and public speaker who brings film history to life for audiences of all backgrounds. As the founder of Chicago Movie Tours, she helps visitors and locals discover Chicago through its rich cinematic history. Before launching her business, Kelli spent over a decade as a professor of film and media studies. Now, she brings her expertise and passion for teaching beyond the traditional classroom and into real-world and virtual experiences. Kelli holds a Ph.D. in Humanities, an M.A. in English, and a B.A. in English, with minors in history and French.

 

Expertise: Art History & Art Appreciation

Available for in-person lectures in: Denver

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Wendy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Why is this painting hanging in a museum? What makes this sculpture special? "This looks like something my grandchild can do!" All these observations and questions during a museum visit are reasonable, especially without context. Wendy Adler, ARTiculating Talks & Tours, can answer those queries and help you engage with art in a focused way. For the last 10 years, Wendy Adler has been presenting monthly art conversations and guided art tours for private groups and numerous communities in the Houston, TX and Denver, CO areas. Wendy truly enjoys introducing ways to engage with art for anyone with an interest, regardless of their previous art knowledge. Wendy has been a Docent at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; Houston Contemporary Craft Center; Educationalist with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s Guild Speakers Bureau; Docent for the Post Oak Hotel and La Colombe d’Or art collections; and is currently a Docent at the Clyfford Still Museum.

Expertise: Espionage & Social Influence

Available for in-person lectures in: Brooklyn

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Jeremy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Jeremy Hurewitz started his career overseas as a freelance journalist for a decade based out of Prague and Shanghai. During that time, he also built and ran the international newspaper association Project Syndicate. After returning to his native New York, Jeremy joined the world of corporate security. An influential but little-known industry, Jeremy works with intelligence officers and other former government officials across a range of services including kidnap-for-ransom consulting, background investigations, executive protection, and many other sensitive assignments. Jeremy is the author of Sell Like a Spy, which helps salespeople and executives to bring spy tradecraft into their salesmanship and communications. Jeremy writes regularly on foreign policy for a wide range of publications and is a policy advisor on National Security for the Joseph Rainey Center. He is a Strategic Advisor to the corporate intelligence firm Interfor International and head of Interfor Academy.

Expertise: Storytelling & The Power Of Writing

Available for in-person lectures in: Tampa

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Ruth, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Ruth Finkel Wade is the daughter of 93-year-old Holocaust survivor Sidney Finkel. She is a co-editor and contributor to the award-winning book The Ones Who Remember: Second-Generation Voices of the Holocaust and has contributed a narrative to the forthcoming book Memory and the Holocaust: Descendants of Survivors and Family History. Ruth is a speaker and docent at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, and manages her father’s speaking events and book, Sevek and the Holocaust: The Boy Who Refused to Die. She is the president of Tampa Bay Generations After and was on the founding committee of the Irene Butter Fund for Holocaust and Human Rights Education. Ruth grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and spent 25 years living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A guest on numerous podcasts and programs, Ruth now resides in Largo, Florida, with her Boston Terrier, Rizzo.

Expertise: Archaeology & Judaism

Available for in-person lectures in: Sarasota

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Uzi, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Uzi Baram, professor emeritus at New College of Florida, has been an archaeologist for four decades. A noted public speaker, Dr. Baram is a community activist and scholar whose research explores fundamental anthropological concerns on heritage and human rights.

Expertise: Andy knows a lot about a lot of things

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Andy, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Andy Greenberg was one of the most listened to speakers in America as a result of his national radio spot that appeared daily on 100’s of radio stations for 5 years and was heard by millions of people in a show called “Your Daily High with Andy Greenberg."

His book “Your HIgh” sold 5 times the average for a first book signing and the subject of a national Associated Press Article. He was also the host and creator of a critically acclaimed TV talk show.

Since moving to Florida full time, 7 years ago he quickly continued to be a sought-after speaker, trainer and educator, on both secular, business and Judaic topics for HOA’s, Senior Facilities, Trade Organizations, business conferences, Synagogues and Clubs and businesses. His presentation style is inter-active, humorous, educational, entertaining, and long lasting.

Background
His accomplishments include managing the marketing and sales of several $60,000,000 businesses, creating and launching 12 new products and rebranding a national company. He has won several national awards, quoted in USA Today, Associated Press, Inc Magazine, Omaha World Herald, Strictly Business Magazine, and Business Midlands Journal, Business to Business Magazine and in various local news broadcasts.

He is married for 53 years, visited 101 countries, all 50 states and every major league ballpark, 2 World Series Games, 1 All-Star and Home Run Derby and one world boxing championship. His sales career started by selling shoes door to door in New York City at age 18.

Although active in speaking and training for over 11 years, in July 2009 he started “ Speaking of Andy Greenberg” a life and business building based company that through presentations, seminars, consulting and coaching he shares and teaches individuals and businesses how to stay motivated, excel in sales, marketing, leadership, networking. customer service and life.

Three months later “Getting UP with Andy Greenberg” was featured on Omaha’s most listened to daily radio show “The Good Morning Show with Gary Sadlemyer on 1110 KFAB. The segment provided daily innovative insights on keeping motivated all day. Over 1,300 vignettes were created! The show went national 1.5 years later and then Andy produced and created a TV Show and wrote a book.

His thoughts and ideas are frequently featured in 3 leading South Florida publications.

He has also been voted the 4th best dressed in Omaha!

Expertise: Israeli-Arab relations, Latin America, Anti-Semitism

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Luis, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Luis Fleischman is a professor of Sociology at Palm Beach State College and the founding co-chair of the Palm Beach Center for Democracy, a recently created think-tank based in Florida.

Previously he worked for the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Florida, and in Central New Jersey for more than two decades as Executive Director for community and political relations. He has taught multiple courses about the Middle East; democracy and dictatorship; Latin America; Political Sociology; conservative and neo-conservative thought, and the sociology of rogue states. He is also an active member of the Academic Engagement Network, which aims to promote productive ways to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fleischman has also written congressional testimonies on Latin American affairs, regularly provided briefings to members of Congress and staffers, and speaks at national and public conferences alongside high-ranking government officials, including members of Congress and national experts. Fleischman holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York City, an M.A. from the New School, and a B.A. in Political Science and Labor Studies from Tel Aviv University. Lectures available in English, Spanish and Hebrew.

Expertise: Florida History, South Florida Past & Present

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sylvia, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Sylvia Gurinsky was born in Miami and is a lifelong South Floridian. A Florida International University graduate, she worked as an editorial writer and public affairs producer for WPLG-Channel 10, as an editor and reporter for the Sun-Sentinel's community news division and as an educator at HistoryMiami Museum.

She is currently an education guide at Flamingo Gardens; a women's leadership development instructor for the Girls Empowerment and Mentoring summer program of the Miami-Dade County Women's Park; and a presenter for the lifelong learning programs of Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University and Nova Southeastern University. For the Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives, she co-hosts the television series "Roadside Florida," about Florida destinations of years past. Her honors have included Florida Associated Press Awards for Editorial Writing and a Peter Jennings Project Fellowship for Journalists and the Constitution at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Expertise: Jewish History & Humor

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? No

To book Stephen, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A lifelong Chicagoan and now a seasonal Florida resident, Dr. Stephen Z. Cohen holds masters and PhD degrees from the University of Chicago. For more than 40 years he was a distinguished educator at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago teaching social group work practice and group psychotherapy. An early expert in the field of gerontology and services to the elderly, he co-authored a book, The Other Generation Gap: The Middle Aged and Their Aging Parents, named ‘Best Non-Fiction of the Year’ by The Society of Midland Authors. He is fluent in Hebrew.

A tried and true presenter that always delivers, Dr. Cohen is also a consultant, entertainer, humorist, freshwater fisherman and lecturer. He’s been vetted and presented by prestigious Jewish and Yiddish arts, cultural, educational, fundraising and religious organizations at hundreds of venues across the country. With a demand for high quality programming and so large a winter population of Jewish residents and visitors, much of his work during the past 15 years has been in South Florida.

Expertise: Biology & Oncology

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Chris, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Christopher J. Hickey is a cancer molecular biologist who specializes in cancer experimental therapeutics. Dr. Hickey is originally from Columbus, Ohio and completed his doctoral training at The Ohio State University where his research was focused on leukemia experimental therapeutics. Following his doctoral training, he completed additional training as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow while investigating breast cancer experimental therapeutics at The Mitchell Cancer Institute located in Mobile, Alabama. Currently, Dr. Hickey has an active cancer research laboratory in West Palm Beach and continues his research in developing experimental therapies for the treatment of multiple types of cancer. His award-winning cancer research has been recognized at the international and national levels. Moreover, his laboratory breakthroughs have been published in numerous peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Hickey currently lives in West Palm Beach, Florida and he enjoys scuba diving in his very limited free time.

Expertise: Philosophy, Classics, Art Studies

Available for in-person lectures in: South Florida

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Carol, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Carol Steinberg Gould is Emerita Professor of Philosophy at Florida Atlantic University and Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Future Mind in the FAU Brain Center. She is a Philosophical Practitioner certified to work with individuals and organizations. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, The American Philosophical Association, The American Society for Aesthetics, and American Philosophical Practitioners Association, among other societies. She is Associate Editor of the leading international journal in the field of Philosophical Practice (sometimes called ‘philosophical counseling.’). She spearheaded the founding of both the Jewish Studies and Classical Studies Program at FAU and has twice won the FAU University Award for Teaching Excellence. She has lectured in the community on many topics ranging from the trial of Adolph Eichmann to Plato on love, and the ethics of women in ground combat.

Expertise: Holocaust Remembrance

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book David, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

David Groen is an author and public speaker, with most of his work focused on the plight of Dutch Jewry during the Holocaust and the events surrounding his family. His first published book is "Jew Face: A story of love and heroism in Nazi-occupied Holland". Through the book, and David's website Holland's Heroes hollandsheroes.com, a violin that belonged to his uncle, a victim of Auschwitz, found its way back to David and his family. More details are available on bramsviolin.com, the website David created to help tell this story. He has spoken in various synagogues and institutions, most recently at Boca Raton Synagogue, Chabad Jewish Center of Coral Springs, The Jewish museum of Miami Beach, and 2 synagogues in Boynton Beach, Temple Beth Kodesh and Anshei Chesed. He is working on his second book which tells a broader history leading up to the remarkable story of the violin. David is also a Cantor for the High Holidays at Beth Tovim in Philadelphia.

Expertise: U.S. Intelligence Agencies, Research, Family History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL, Everywhere

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Lisa, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Lisa Maddox is a former intelligence officer, having worked in various roles at NCIS, the State Department and the CIA for 15 years. Her work focused on combatting terrorism and supporting US efforts in Afghanistan during the war. During that time she developed unique research and investigative skills, which led to the founding of Family History Intelligence, a company that conducts extensive research on family backgrounds and digitizes the findings into private websites to share with family members and to preserve for future generations. Her services have been noted in several publications, including The Washingtonian.

Expertise: World History, Art History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Elizabeth, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Elizabeth Stice is a full professor of history at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, where she also serves as the Assistant Director of the Frederick M. Supper Honors Program. Her areas of expertise include modern European history, World War I, print culture, European imperialism, leadership, and the Great Books. She is the author of Empire Between the Lines: Imperial Culture in British and French Trench Newspapers of the Great War (2023). She is a regular contributor to multiple print and online publications for a broader audience, including Front Porch Republic, History News Network, Current, and Comment. An Army brat, Stice grew up all over, received a B.A. in humanities from Messiah University (2004), an M.A. in history from University of Hawai’i (2006), and a PhD in history from Emory University (2012). Her most recently published academic work is “Leading Like Lions: Junior Officers in the British Army during the First World War,” in the journal Leadership (August 2023).

Expertise: Film History, Alfred Hitchcock, Women In Film

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Christina, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Christina Lane is the Edgar® Award-winning author of the book Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock. She has published extensively on film history, classical Hollywood, and women filmmakers, including the groundbreaking book Feminist Hollywood: From Born in Flames to Point Break.

She is Professor of Film Studies and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the School of Communication at the University of Miami. She has served as President of the University Film and Video Association and on the Steering Committee of Women Film History International.

Christina has provided commentary to such outlets as Air Mail, CrimeReads, Ms. Magazine, and the Daily Mail. She has been a featured guest speaker at the Film Forum in New York City, the Outdoor Reading Room at Bryant Park, and on NPR and Turner Classic Movies.

Expertise: Life Coach, Human Development

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Cyndi, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Ms. Stein-Rubin is an award-winning tenured professor from Brooklyn College of CUNY, certified speech/language pathologist, published author of four books, most recently, “I See You Do You See You?”, professional life coach, speech coach, public and keynote speaker, and a specialist in the field of human development. In addition, she was the recipient of the university-wide Award for Excellence in Teaching and has served on the selection committee, over several years, to determine subsequent winners. Aside from her academic career, Ms. Stein-Rubin has a private life-coaching practice, where she coaches clients both individually and in groups. In addition, she delivers keynotes and lectures for The Boca Raton, various country clubs, and organizations in South Florida and New York. To inform her lectures and presentations, Ms. Stein-Rubin draws from fields such as positive psychology, cognitive therapy, and leadership training. Given her rich professional backdrop, which also includes a theater background, her lectures are alive with ingenuity and sparkle. Most leave her lectures with comments such as, “I feel so great, as if I had a session of therapy!”

Expertise: Jewish Studies & Jewish Humor

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Raphael, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Rabbi Raphael Adler leads an active Conservative Congregation in South Florida. A life-long avid popular culture devotee, Raphael lectures on a wide variety of topics gleaned from his studies and interests. He served as a Congressional Intern in college, received traditional Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University, and a Master's Degree in Philosophy. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary and presents popular weekly lectures in Delray Beach on contemporary topics through a Jewish lens.

Expertise: Jewish Humor, Pop Culture & Entertainment

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL (only from January to mid-March)

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Al, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A long-term devotee of Jewish humor, Al Kustanowitz, MBA, has been collecting and sharing it even before there was an internet. In 2009, after a 36-year career at IBM managing new technology projects, he founded Jewish Humor Central (jewishhumorcentral.com). Through the blog he brings a daily dose of fun and positive energy to readers (and subscribing is free!). He has published 12 books on humor based on his more than 4,000 blog postings, each of which includes a video clip and commentary.

He has presented more than 100 programs in South Florida and the Northeast on topics that include the great comedians and entertainers of the 20th century, funniest moments in film and television, flash mobs around the world, and composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City University of New York and taught computer science courses at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs.

Expertise: Financial Literacy

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Barbara, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Barbara VanderWerf is an Assistant Professor of Business at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, and currently teaches management, leadership and ethics, and financial literacy. Barbara also specializes in online course development. She holds both a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Barbara is also the Director of the Center for Financial Literacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University and owns Hope Financial Counseling, a private financial coaching and counseling firm. One of her passions is helping others understand personal finance and practical money management to live a financial freedom life.

Outside of her work, she facilitates financial literacy groups at her church, enjoys time with her grandchildren, and loves to walk her rescue dog, Abbey.

Expertise: American History & True Survival

Available for in-person lectures in: All of FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Michael, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Michael J. Tougias is a NY Times Bestselling author of over 30 non-fiction books, including The Finest Hours which was made into a Disney movie starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck. Tougias delivers edge-of-your-seat slide presentations covering topics such as lesser known WWII incidents, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and true survival and rescue at sea. He has spoken to groups large and small in almost all 50 states and has been featured in national media such as The Weather Channel, ABC’s 20-20, Fox, CBS Sunday Morning, National NPR, The NY Times, The Wall Street Journal and more. His presentations are designed to entertain, inform and inspire.

“I love speaking and surprising the audience with events that surprise the audience. All of my programs include amazing slides from the actual incident and some of the images are breath-taking.” Tougias splits his time between Hobe Sound FL and Boston MA. When not speaking or writing, Tougias is on the ocean fishing, working in his vegetable garden, or enjoying his remote cabin in Vermont.

Expertise: Sculptures & Ceramics

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Heather, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Heather Couch is an Assistant Professor of Art at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Heather received an MFA in Fine Art / Ceramics in 2015 from Arizona State University. She works in sculptural ceramics and mixed media installation, composing with material language to form pieces that reflect on tensions of uncertainty. Heather earned a B.A. in Sculpture at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, followed by continued study in ceramics at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Alfred University, Chautauqua School of Art in New York, and Hong Ik University in Seoul, South Korea. Solo exhibitions include “Accumulations” at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, “On This Day” at CRETA Rome in Rome, Italy, and “Composing Texture” at the University of Dallas in Texas. Her work can be found in private and public collection including Florida Gulf Coast University, Union University, and the Mesa Contemporary Art Museum (MCA).

Expertise: 1960s & '70s Pop Culture

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL (weekends only)

Available via Zoom? No

To book Scott, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

I’m a lawyer by profession and pop culture aficionado by heart. I treat pop culture like it is a vital aspect of information worthy of serious debate. It can be loads of fun since there really are no definitive answers…or are there?

My formative years were in the ‘60s and ‘70s where I was inundated with the pop culture. Perhaps more than I would like to admit, the living room entertainment console was my mentor, babysitter and companion. Through electronic osmosis, a lot seeped in: monster movies, comic books, Saturday morning cartoons, professional wrestling, risqué magazines, the Three Stooges, Mad Magazine, baseball Slurpee cups, merry melodies, double albums...these are some of the molecules that make up my DNA.

I can’t wait to share and relive these nostalgic memories with all of you.

Expertise: Ancient Greece, Philosophy Of Humor & Children

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sophia, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Dr. Sophia Stone is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Lynn University where she teaches the Dialogues Belief and Reason Core Curriculum. She is also the founder of Wisdom's Edge Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers free philosophy classes to communities at the margins of society: Children, the recently housed, and women in re-entry programs. Her research areas are Ancient Greek Philosophy, Philosophy of Humor, Philosophy for Children, and Public Philosophy.

Expertise: Business & Legal Studies

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Henry, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Henry Webb is Professor of Business and Legal Studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach.  He earned a B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi in 1993, a J.D. from the Lewis & Clark Law School in 1996, and an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia in 2001.  Professor Webb practiced environmental law for law firms in Seattle and Atlanta for nearly ten years before joining academia on a full-time basis in 2008.  He taught at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for three years, and at a law school in Doha, Qatar, for three years, before moving back to the United States in 2014.  He has also taught as a visiting professor at universities and law schools in Vietnam, Hungary, Indonesia, and Bhutan, where he taught on a Fulbright grant in 2023.  Professor Webb’s research focuses primarily on the intersection of the law, technology, and the environment, the enforcement of individual property rights, and governmental transparency and accountability.  He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and law reviews.

Expertise: Legal Studies, History & Pop Culture

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL & Denver

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Adriana, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

A highly regarded criminal defense attorney with over 20 years of experience, Adriana is known for her reliable counsel, effective strategies, and assertive defense for clients facing federal investigation or prosecution. Adriana has successfully represented clients in federal courts across the U.S., including the District of Colorado, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of Florida. A dynamic speaker and presenter, media outlets (including ABC’s 20/20, NBC 6 (Miami-Dade, FL), Telemundo, and Univision) have featured Adriana as a legal commentator/contributor. Adriana has also appeared as a panelist/moderator/lecturer on webcasts and seminars such as The Knowledge Group and NBI.

When she’s not in the courtroom, Adriana delights in educating audiences about legal history, Constitutional rights, cases in the news, and the convergence of law and pop culture.

Expertise: Jewish Studies & American History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Richard, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Richard Polirer holds an MA in History and has served as an Adjunct Instructor of History at various colleges over his many years "up north." A Florida resident for three decades, he lectures to community groups on American and European History. He is an ordained pulpit Rabbi, and he speaks on many topics of Jewish interest as well. He has a wide-flung landscape of knowledge and expertise across the curriculum.

Expertise: Political & Social American History

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Michael, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Michael Scheibach, Ph.D., is an independent scholar, lecturer, and teacher who has taught most recently for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Miami and at Florida International University. Michael, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, received his bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in history from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and his doctorate in American Studies from the University of Kansas. He is retired after a career in the publishing industry, including business, trade, and educational publications, and has more than twenty years’ experience as an adjunct professor in history and humanities. Michael also has given in-person and Zoom presentations for venues around the country.

Michael, an avid collector of artifacts from the early cold war era, is the author of four books on the Atomic Age, including Atomic Narratives and American Youth, 1945-1955; Protecting the Home Front: Women in Civil Defense in the Early Cold War; Atomics in the Classroom: Teaching the Bomb in the Early Postwar Era; and Alert America: The Atomic Bomb and “The Show That May Save Your Life.” He is the editor of “In Case Atom Bombs Fall”: An Anthology of Governmental Explanations, Instructions, and Warnings from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Expertise: Florida History, Women Of Florida

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Carrie Sue, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Growing up surrounded by stories, Carrie Sue Ayvar learned early on the power of the oral tradition and its capacity for healing, inspiration, education, and entertainment. An internationally recognized Speaker, Storyteller, Chautauqua Scholar, and a National Credentialed Teaching Artist some of her awards include: National Storytelling Network’s Oracle Award for Service and Leadership; “Sun Award” for Advancing Teaching and Learning Through the Arts; Florida Storytelling Association’s Chuck Larkin Distinguished Service Award; Broward Teaching Artist; ArtsEd Forever Award; National Parenting Publications Honors Award; iParenting Award. She has been connecting people, languages, cultures, and curriculums in both English and Spanish, for over forty years. Since 1996 she has worked with the Florida Humanities Council’s Speakers Bureau often sharing stories that should be in the history books… but aren’t! She believes, like her Grandpa Nat taught her, that “If you don’t know the trees you may be lost in the forest, but if you don’t know the stories you may be lost in life.”

Expertise: The Art Of Palm Beach County

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Sharon, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Sharon Koskoff, the Duchess of Deco, is a public mural artist who works on large-scale community projects, installations, and is the lead artist of ARTintheAlley.org. She has painted hundreds of murals on the walls of Palm Beach County Public Schools, served as chairperson for the Public Art Advisory Board of Delray Beach, and in 2014 was honored with the prestigious Muse Award in Arts Education from the Cultural Council for PBC.

Koskoff is the founding president of the Art Deco Society of the Palm Beaches, a leader of tours, a public speaker and wrote two local history books, Art Deco of the Palm Beaches, and Murals of the Palm Beaches for Arcadia Publishing.

Expertise: Literature & Writing

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Debra, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Debra Dean is the bestselling author of four critically acclaimed books that have been published in twenty-one languages. Her debut novel, The Madonnas of Leningrad, made awards lists at the New York Times, Booksense, Booklist, and American Library Association, among others.

A professor in the MFA program at FIU and a former actress in the New York theater, Debra Dean is a warm and seasoned speaker and has delighted and inspired audiences at museums, universities, libraries, literary festivals, and women’s groups around the country. Echoing themes in her fiction, her topics range from the glories of Russia’s Hermitage Museum to the joys and perils of a life in the arts.

Expertise: Miami History & Architecture

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book John, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

John Bachay is a local historian and city guide with years of experience in historic preservation organizations. He has been a board member and officer for the Miami Design and Preservation League in Miami Beach. In addition, he was a past board member and guide for the Biscayne Mimo Association in Miami, as well as a past board member of the Miami Shores Village Historic Preservation Board. He is currently the archivist at Brockway Memorial Library in Miami Shores and a city guide for HistoryMiami.

Expertise: Leadership & Communication

Available for in-person lectures in: South FL

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Matthew, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

Matthew Renz is a native of Dallas, Texas, transplanted to Palm Beach, Florida. The son of a career insurance father and a human resource professional mother. Matthew built a formidable career as a multiple award-winning executive with UnitedHealthcare. With a three-decade background in corporate sales and leadership, Matthew has a rich history of advising and learning with some of the top companies in the world, including Northwestern Mutual, RE/MAX, National Guard, SHRM and the University of St. Andrews. Matthew Renz brings a passion and energy for personal and professional growth and leadership development with a sense of history. He’s a speaker, trainer, and author who packs everything he touches with thought-provoking ideas meant to grow and build relationships. Described as endlessly optimistic, Matthew is known for his high-energy, high-impact content (with a comedic touch) and humble delivery, and his connections with his audiences.

Expertise: Guitar, Music In Movies, Rock n' Roll

Available for in-person lectures in: Minneapolis

Available via Zoom? Yes

To book Moma, e-mail: dan@hudakonhollywood.com

After winning 1st prize at the prestigious Hong Kong Altamira International Guitar Competition in 2018, Momcilo “Moma” Aleksandric toured the world as a performer and lecturer by appearing at events such as the 2018 Thailand International Guitar Festival (Bangkok), 2019 ShenZhen Fuge International Guitar Week (China), 2019 Melbourne Guitar Winter Celebration (Australia), 2019 Heredia’s Universidad Nacional International Artist Series (Costa Rica), and many others. He is equally devoted to solo and chamber music guitar performance, music composition, and historical/theoretical research. His article concerning Miguel Llobet’s work was published by the Guitar Foundation of America’s Soundboard Journal (2019), and he presented his compositional research at the 50th Guitar Foundation of America’s Convention in NYC (2023). He is dedicated to teaching students of various ages and backgrounds on multiple topics, from classical guitar performance to historical topics related to rock music, history of guitar, and music and movies.