2025 Additional Guests
Dr. J Cal Baldari
Dr. J Cal Baldari is a retired U.S. Army Sapper and military instructor turned professor of ethics. His research credits include alternative military ethics, Aristotelian excellence, moral conflict in literature, implicit bias mitigation, modern heroics, RPG morality, and many others. He has published both academically and creatively, with author credits in short military science fiction and fantasy, as well as philosophy. As an avid tabletop role-player, Cal has run games for over a dozen systems professionally, and many more for fun. He also runs BEC Ltd., which provides expert services for authors, game designers, and comics writers; advising on ethics and consequences both within the stories they write and the effect it has on the reader. Finally, Cal is firmly entrenched in the battle to bring diversity and inclusivity to fandom. His work on implicit bias often references the broadening of “geek culture” and the awesome efforts many geeks have put forward to make this hobby one in which everyone, absolutely everyone, can enjoy it with impunity.
Wanda Howard
Wanda Howard is a member of The Charlotte Geeks, assisting Joey Starnes and Carol Cowles with The Geekery Market, and other shenanigans as required. Her geeky interests include painting minis (badly), filk music, renaissance faires, and gaming (online and tabletop). She runs a twice monthly D&D 5e campaign (two years and counting) and one shots here and there. She has been attending cons off and on since the 80’s, and consistently since 2006.
Professionally, Wanda is a retired social worker, current tarot reader and life coach (https://findingthekeytarot.com/ ). She has been reading Tarot for over 25 years (professionally since 2017). She has been a tarot reader for many events and locations, including Carolina Renaissance Festival, The Geekery Market, SagaCon, ConCarolinas, ConGregate, and professional events.
Joey aka the Giddygeeker
Joey Starnes (aka the GiddyGeeker) does not claim to be an expert on all geekeries – she’s just happy to organize it. She runs the Charlotte Geeks, home of the Guardians of the Geekery podcast, the Merry Mayhem and the Geekery Market. She is also part of the Two Woke Bonnets podcast, a present day rewatching of Little House on the Prairie (she especially loves the Star Trek crossover episodes) Her main geekdoms include Doctor Who, Marvel, Star Wars, board games, WoW, and most anything British. She also has a slight obsession with DWTS and TikTok. She’s mostly prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse but is always willing to upgrade her bug-out bag contents. She has yet to build up an immunity to iocane powder. When not scooting from con to con handing out flamingos, she’s blissfully ensconced on the couch with her dog Angel and her husband Matt. You can find her in all the places by searching for @giddygeeker, but it may be easiest to start at charlottegeeks.com