September 15, 2026

Janelle Molony is a historian from Phoenix, AZ, writing primarily on Women, Wars and the West. Her YouTube moniker is the “Hottie Historian.” Molony’s Civil War nonfiction, Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids, received 11 national literary awards, including the American Writing Awards for U.S. History and Military History. It documents the largest and longest action seen by the Union Army in Wyoming. Her next Civil War project takes her to Alabama using diaries of an ancestor who closely recorded some of CSA Gen. Benjamin J. Hill’s desperate final moves. Official: JanelleMolony.com

October 20, 2026

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Kellie had spent several years researching the story behind The Swope Manor, a Gettysburg B&B where she had been staying regularly, and writing a book about it. She became fascinated by the stories of the lives that intersected under the roof of this elegant house that stood during the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863. She was especially moved by the rich background story of Lt. William H. Pohlman, an officer from the 59th New York who was wounded during Pickett’s Charge and died tragically two and a half weeks later at the Swope mansion, after his recovery looked promising. Here at this house lived Gettysburg’s wealthiest family: the Swopes, who included two bank presidents, a congressman, and a doctor.

The result of Kellie’s research is the passion project called “Cease Firing!” Life and Death at The Swope Manor,” now in its second edition. At her Civil War Roundtable presentations, Kellie tells the story about Lt. Pohlman, the Swope family, and the many incarnations of their house dating back to the 18th century. She will read many of Pohlman’s eloquent letters to home from the battlefields, and tell the story of the Civil War from this 14-battle veteran’s point of view.

Kellie is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience. She writes for top national publications including Smithsonian, The Washington Post, Woman’s World, and FIRST for Women.

November 17, 2026

Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, published by Savas Beatie. Chris is a writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY, where he also serves as associate dean for undergraduate programs. Chris is also historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. He has worked as a historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he gives tours at four major Civil War battlefields (Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania), as well as at the building where Stonewall Jackson died. Chris has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books and edited a half-dozen essay collections on the Civil War. His latest book is Atlas of Independence: John Adams and the American Revolution.

December 15, 2026

Doug Hoverson is the author of The Land of Amber Water: The History of Brewing in Minnesota and The Drink that Made Wisconsin Famous: Beer and Brewing in the Badger State, as well as many articles about the history of brewing and beer culture. He has a forthcoming book on the history of brewing in Michigan. He has been featured in numerous documentaries about brewing history including on The History Channel. He is a history teacher and chair of the social studies department at Saint Thomas Academy High School in Mendota Heights, MN. He and his family live in Minneapolis.

January 19, 2027

David Geister’s newest paintings show Civil War battles from an overhead view. David will bring original artwork, sketches and models to explain the creation of his newest work. David will also share the process he used to create the life-sized First Minnesota Taylor brothers for the new Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum.

David Geister is a Minneapolis historical artist, picture book illustrator, sculptor and model maker who, along with his wife Patricia Bauer, loves sharing stories of the past.

February 17, 2027

Brian Pease is the Site Manager at the Minnesota State Capitol Historic Site. He has worked for the Minnesota Historical Society and at the Capitol for 39 years, 18 of those as Site Manager. He oversees the Capitol’s guided tours, interpretive programming, and all things historic in the Capitol including the care of the original furniture, art work and artifacts. He was the project manager for the Minnesota battle flag conservation project from 2009-2012. During the Capitol repair and restoration project from 2013-2017 he was actively involved as an advisor on the history and historic preservation of the building.

Working in the Capitol with its fabulous architecture, famous art, and restored spaces is a privilege. The chance to see history made every day and the people who make those changes is an opportunity that is hard to rival. Even more so, he delights in sharing the stories of Minnesota events, its people and the Capitol’s history.

Raised in Litchfield, he now resides in Roseville, MN.

March 16, 2027

Greg Starbuck holds Bachelor’s Degrees in History (1982) and Business Management (1983) from Virginia Tech and Master’s Degrees in History (2014) and Non-Profit Leadership (2019) from the University of Lynchburg.

Following graduation from college he worked at the National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, MD (1984) and Old Fort Jackson in Savannah, GA (1985) as a Historical Interpreter. From 1988 to 1996 he worked as an Exhibits Technician for the Virginia Aquarium. In 1996, he became the Site Manager of Old Fort Jackson in Savannah, Georgia, a second system fort used during the Civil War to defend the Savannah River.

From 2000-2002 he served as the first Director of Education at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. Since 2002 he has served as Executive Director for Historic Sandusky, a historic house museum in Lynchburg, Virginia that served as General David Hunter’s headquarters during the Battle of Lynchburg.

In 2005 he led a coalition of regional tourism partners in establishing the Hunter’s Raid Civil War Trail, part of the Civil War Trails system in Virginia. In 2010 he wrote and directed Hunter’s Raid: Defending Hearth & Home, a documentary film on the campaign, a film which won three regional Emmy awards in 2011. In 2026 he wrote and directed a follow up documentary Lynchburg at War: The Home Front.