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Frank ClarkeFrank ClarkeProlific Irish artist Frank Clarke has taught millions the basics of painting through his public television series Simply Painting, as well as his best-selling books, videos, seminars and classes. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Frank+Clarke/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgProlific Irish artist Frank Clarke has taught millions the basics of painting through nine seasons — and several "best-of" compilations — of his public television series Simply Painting, as well as his best-selling books, videos, seminars and classes. A charming tutor, Clarke offers a blend of encouragement and practical instruction to budding watercolorists with his "Have Some More Fun" method.

Arts & Crafts
Gary BredowGary BredowGary Bredow is the producer and host of StartUp, an Emmy-nominated docuseries profiling the authentic, human stories of small businesses and entrepreneurs across the U.S./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Gary+Bredow/$FILE/host+2+195+x+195.jpgGary Bredow is the producer and host of the national public television program, StartUp, an Emmy-nominated docuseries profiling the authentic, human stories of small businesses and entrepreneurs across the U.S.

Bredow is a passionate and dedicated advocate of American small businesses. Although his focus has always been on writing and film/video production, as an entrepreneur himself, he owns several businesses in the Detroit area. Over the past nine seasons of Start Up, Gary has conducted in-depth interviews with hundreds of demographically diverse small business owners all across America, acquiring invaluable information about the climate of American small business.Living
George HirschGeorge HirschCelebrity chef George Hirsch is at the heart of quality cooking and lifestyle in and out of his Hampton's home kitchen — sharing his deep culinary knowledge and well-honed techniques for the at-home cook and better living lifestyle enthusiast./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-George+Hirsch/$FILE/George-Hirsch-Lifestyle.jpgCelebrity chef George Hirsch is at the heart of quality cooking and lifestyle in and out of his Hampton's home kitchen — sharing his deep culinary knowledge and well-honed techniques for the at-home cook and better living lifestyle enthusiast.

George is the host and executive producer of his national cooking & lifestyle television shows. Best known for his down-to-earth guy-next-door personality, George has been welcomed into millions of homes around the world through his informative and entertaining programs; both on syndicated and public television.

Celebrating his 20th anniversary since the launch of his ground breaking-TV series on public television, George Hirsch as executive producer and TV host, was the first production company to take cooking outside the indoor studio. His shows transformed the way cooking and lifestyle was perceived to millions of viewers and consumers. You may say he changed outdoor lifestyle forever. And it all began with the phrase, “If I can do it, you can do it!”

His latest television series, George Hirsch Lifestyle released in 2014. In every episode George invites viewers into his home-studio kitchen where he cooks, bakes and even grills his mouthwatering favorite recipes, such as; apple strawberry rhubarb pie, oven-fried garlic chicken and pork tenderloin sliders. George takes viewers to visit his favorite local places and sources for fresh ingredients—offering his viewers a behind the scenes drop-in on his friends who practice sustainable living in their artisan craft, producers right in the heart of the Hamptons.

George has paved the way as an inspiration to a well-lived lifestyle. His love for people is evident in his shows as he visits a diverse variety of artisans such as farmers, brewers, vintners, and artists; demonstrating their craft found in the most beautiful unspoiled locations in his Hamptons backyard. George is a multifaceted individual with a positive, compassionate and entertaining personality, which comes across naturally on camera.

George has authored five cookbooks ranging from grilling & outdoor cooking, indoor cooking & techniques, and inspirational living-attaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with food. Chef George is also a monthly contributor writing articles and recipes for Hoffman Media’s new Good Cents Cooking magazine featuring technique with seasonal affordable cooking for America’s households.

  One of Hirsch's most rewarding experiences is being Co-Founder and Chairperson Emeritus of the Chef and Child Foundation, a national program with over 20,000 American chefs dedicated to fighting hunger and emphasizing nutrition among the young. His launch of the Champion of Breakfast program for school age children during the Clinton era is still the model used today. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the American Culinary Federation, along with recognition internationally for his efforts in eradicating childhood hunger. George currently serves on the advisory council of Jessica Seinfeld’s foundation, Babybuggy.org.

Prior to his national television series, George was the host of a weekly television segment on News 12 Long Island. He has been on many local and national talk shows, such as The Today Show, Fox & Friends Weekend Today, Good Morning America, Live with Kelly, MSNBC, and CNBC to name a few. 

George has made appearances at numerous events for major corporations. He has also served as a media and product development consultant, and corporate spokesperson. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential media talents, a visionary in food and lifestyle, and was recently recognized #8 of the top 50 Hamptons Power List.

George resides in the Hamptons in New York.

Food
Georgia PellegriniGeorgia PellegriniAuthor and motivational speaker Georgia Pellegrini is a modern-day pioneer who empowers audiences to identify personal strengths and pursue their life passions. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Georgia+Pellegrini/$FILE/Georgia-Pellegrini--Mordern.jpgFinesse and grit: that is what defines Georgia Pellegrini and makes her a motivational leader unlike any other. In 2004, she left the fierce world of Wall Street behind and stepped into the wild — reconnecting with nature to discover a simpler, more authentic and self-sufficient life.

Pellegrini is a modern-day pioneer who empowers audiences to step outside of their comfort zones and discover inner bravery and resourcefulness. Her critically acclaimed books include Food Heroes, Girl Hunter, and most recently, Modern Pioneering, a cookbook for homestead cuisine and living off the land.

Called “an empowerment guru” by The New York Times, Pellegrini is a gifted speaker, and her Adventure Getaways attract travelers from as far as South Korea.

Growing up on her family’s farm in upstate New York, Pellegrini developed a passion for simple farm-to table food and a deep connection to the outdoors. Having worked in the finance world after college, she decided to leave her cubicle and reconnect with her roots. After graduating from the French Culinary Institute, she began working in Michelin restaurants in New York and France, including Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette. Soon she started leading excursions around the country aimed at promoting “manual literacy” and helping participants step outside of their comfort zone and experience life more viscerally.

Motivational and approachable, she is a firm believer in empowering women to be self-sufficient and encourages her audiences to identify personal strengths and pursue their life passions. Her words go “beyond-the-podium” and inspire audiences to put pioneering principles to use anywhere, from the suburbs to the heart of the city, from the hunting perch to the board room. Georgia Pellegrini has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Iron Chef America, Today, HBO’s Real Sports, ABC’s The Chew, NPR, among hundreds of other radio, TV, and newspaper outlets. She also writes regularly for The Wall Street Journal.

Food,Home & Garden,Living
Greg BargoGreg BargoGreg Bargo is the younger half of the Bargo Brothers, often leading climbs and challenging his older brother Branndon in the world's toughest competitions. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Greg+Bargo/$FILE/host+greg+195+x+195.jpgGreg Bargo is the younger half of the Bargo Brothers and more often than not he's leading climbs and challenging his older brother in the world's toughest competitions. Greg has experience guiding expeditions to remote areas of Alaska, the Cascades, Africa, Asia and South America. He has biked across America from Los Angeles to Washington DC to raise money for clean water wells in Africa, led a team of runners on a 200-mile run across Minnesota, and to stay sharp, competes all over the US in 100-mile ultra marathons.

Greg is a graduate of The University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in Business Management, and has worked as talent and crew on several television programs including PBS’s The Daytripper, and co-host of the award-winning Tourism Salvation documentary. Greg is producer and co-host of The Highpointers.

Travel
Hubert KellerHubert KellerHubert Keller is one of America's most acclaimed chefs with award-winning restaurants Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Las Vegas and The Burger Bar in Las Vegas. He is regarded as one of the most imaginative and talented chefs in the United States./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Hubert+Keller/$FILE/Keller+Photonew.jpgHubert Keller is one of America's most acclaimed chefs with his award-winning restaurants, Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and Las Vegas, and The Burger Bar in Las Vegas. He began his career at the internationally renowned L'Augerge de L'Ill in France and trained under some of the world's greatest chefs including Paul Bocuse and Roger Vergé. He is regarded as one of the most imaginative and talented chefs in the United States and is frequently featured in food magazines and on television.

Food
Iris FairfaxIris Fairfax/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Iris+Fairfax/$FILE/IrisSeries600.jpgCreate Cooking Challenge: Easy Peasy Second Prize winner Iris Fairfax, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a professional opera singer and lifelong food enthusiast. A self-taught, avid home cook (with the help of PBS shows and a vast cookbook collection!), she is the host of #BuddhaBites, a YouTube series she created to inspire regular folks to build their own skills in the kitchen.Food
J SchwankeJ SchwankeJ Schwanke is a flower expert, flower content producer and professional speaker, widely regarded as the most trusted voice in the flower industry. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-J+Schwanke/$FILE/bio.jpgJ Schwanke is a flower expert, flower content producer and professional speaker, known throughout the flower industry and beyond. He is regarded as the most trusted voice in the flower industry. The fourth-generation florist was actually born at a flower convention and grew up in his family’s greenhouses.

His website, uBloom.com, offers flower fans everywhere the opportunity to learn and experience the fun of flowers and flower arranging, 24/7!

J has given flower demonstrations in all 50 states, Canada and England. Highlights include the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, Art in Bloom, Bouquets to Art, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, Flowers at Kensington Palace and hundreds of state, association, wholesale and public shows.

Viewers may recognize him from his appearances on public television's P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home and the syndicated show P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style.

J is the author of Fun with Flowers, which received a Silver Living Now Book Award. His most recent book, Bloom 365 – The Essential Guide to Arranging Flowers Every Day, was awarded the Gold IPPY (Home and Garden category) by the Independent Publisher Book Awards. Bloom 365 features 365 tips, tricks, and techniques to make flower arranging easier.Home & Garden,Living
Jack BishopJack BishopJack Bishop is the senior content advisor at America's Test Kitchen./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jack+Bishop/$FILE/Jack_2024.jpgJack Bishop is the senior content advisor at America's Test Kitchen. He was part of the original team that started America’s Test Kitchen, beginning with the launch of Cook’s Illustrated in 1993. Jack directed the launch of Cook’s Country magazine in 2005 and the building of the company’s book publishing division. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. Jack loves vegetables, cookies, and anything Italian. Food
Jacques P pinJacques PépinChef Jacques Pépin's history on public television spans nearly two decades — from his debut in Jacques Pépin's Kitchen: Cooking With Claudine (1996) to the recently released Jacques Pépin: Heart & Soul (2015). /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jacques+P+pin/$FILE/Jacques-Pepin-Heart-and-Sou.jpgRenowned chef Jacques Pépin has hosted 14 popular cooking series on public television, written more than two dozen cookbooks, and is a gifted artist.

The culinary icon turned 80 in 2015, prompting a year-long outpouring of affection for the French-born chef. Beloved and respected by his peers, Pépin has been recognized by virtually every major culinary organization in the United States. In October, he received the inaugural Julia Child Foundation Award – a meaningful honor for Pépin, whose decades-long friendship with Child lasted until her death in 2004. Their Emmy- and James Beard Foundation Award-winning collaboration, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home (1999), opened a window on their charming chemistry and shared love of French cooking. In November, Pépin received American Public Television's Lifetime Achievement Award for his many contributions to public television.

Pépin’s history on public television spans nearly two decades — from his debut in Jacques Pépin's Kitchen: Cooking With Claudine (1996) to the recently released Heart & Soul (2015). His series remain a staple on public television stations and a mainstay on Create TV, public television’s premier lifestyle channel.

Pépin’s other public TV titles, include: Essential Pépin (2011); Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way (2008); Artist's Table: Jacques Pépin and Itzhak Perlman (2008); The Complete Pépin (2007), Jacques Pépin: Fast Food My Way (2004); Jacques Pépin : The Apprentice - Then & Now (2003); Jacques Pépin Celebrates! I & II (2001); Chez Pépin (2000); Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home (1999); and Jacques Pépin's Kitchen II: Encore With Claudine (1998). He’s also made guest appearances on Simply Ming, Moveable Feast With Fine Cooking and other public television shows.

A prolific author, Pépin has penned 25 cookbooks, including the recently released companion cookbook to Heart & Soul and the hugely influential La Technique (1976). His literary efforts earned him a place in the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame in 1996 and their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.

Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, Pépin’s love for cooking developed as a child while helping in his parents’ restaurant, Le Pélican. At 13, he began an apprenticeship at the Grand Hôtel de L’Europe and subsequently worked in Paris, ultimately serving as personal chef to three French heads of state, including Charles de Gaulle.

After moving to the United States in 1959, Pépin worked at Le Pavillon, a historic French restaurant in New York City. He later served as the director of research and new development for Howard Johnson’s and was charged with developing a line of food for the restaurant chain. At the same time, he earned his bachelor’s degree and later a master’s in 18th-century French literature at Columbia University.

A personal chef to three French heads of state, including Charles de Gaulle, Pépin received France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honor, in 2004. A former columnist for The New York Times, he serves as contributing editor to Food & Wine Magazine. He continues to teach at Boston University and serves as the dean of special programs at the International Culinary Center in New York City. A gifted painter, Pépin has expanded his focus on landscape and floral subjects to explore abstract expressionism.

Food
Jaime IsobeJaime IsobeSelf-taught chef Jaime Isobe won the 2016 Create Cooking Challenge Grand Prize Winner by wowing judges with his energy, informative presentation, comfort in the kitchen and accessible approach./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jaime+Isobe/$FILE/jaime+host+195+x+195.jpgJaime Isobe, the 2016 Create Cooking Challenge Grand Prize Winner, had a good year. This self-taught cook wowed the Create Cooking Challenge Final Judges with his energy, informative presentation, obvious comfort in the kitchen and an approach that teaches viewers how to use his recipe many ways. For his outstanding performance, Jaime won $1,000 to finance the completion of a web series of 10 episodes now appearing on CreateTV.com/challenge.

Jaime, a fifth-generation Japanese American who was raised in Alabama, learned about the Create Cooking Challenge when his "idol" Jacques Pépin posted a note that he would be judging the contest on his Facebook page and invited his followers to enter. "I can't believe that Jacques now knows who I am," said Jaime.

Saying he "grew up in the kitchen," Jaime learned much from watching his California-born mother, "an awesome cook," and his Hawaiian father, whose specialty in the kitchen is baking bread. According to Jaime, "there is so much interest in the culture of food in the South," but he was fascinated to see how his parents used family recipes, creating meals that were very different from what was considered traditional home cooking in Alabama.

Influenced by watching some of public television's most revered chefs – notably Julia Child and Jacques Pépin – Jaime enjoyed sharing his family's take on traditional food with his friends as early as high school. His love of food never changed, though he balanced his late high school and undergraduate college years with a mix of philanthropic service, including disaster service in Thailand, medical missions to Peru and support for Habitat for Humanity.

Jaime, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Birmingham-Southern College is a musician, and compares his approach to cooking much like how he plays his guitar: "certain sounds and notes achieved when playing my guitar make me think of how you blend spices and colors to achieve interesting tastes in the kitchen," he said.

Jaime continued his education at New York University, attaining a Master's degree in Music Business, which has led him to his current position at Stage 48, a concert and performance venue where he serves as the manager for promotional events, concerts and marketing. In his downtime, Jaime plays his guitar and, when not at home hosting dinners with friends, he can be found alternating between attending concerts to hear both emerging artists and established performers and pursuing active, outdoor exercise. Jaime loves to cycle and run, exploring the trails and beaches in and around New York City.

Adding to his exciting pursuits in the kitchen and his music business, Jaime was married in late 2016. Though his wife is not a chef, according to Jaime "she says she has a clear role eating what I prepare and helping me clean up my mess!"

Jaime's web series, ISOBE FOOD, provides a good sense of his philosophy about food and culture. As he says, "Some is traditional, but some represent unusual combinations."

Food
Jamie OliverJamie OliverA global phenomenon in food and campaigning, Jamie Oliver has inspired millions of people to cook fresh, delicious food from scratch./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jamie+Oliver/$FILE/Jamie-Oliver--Together-PRAC.jpgJamie Oliver is a global phenomenon in food and campaigning. During a 20-year television and publishing career he has inspired millions of people to enjoy cooking fresh, delicious food from scratch. Through his organisation, Jamie has set an ambitious goal to halve the level of UK childhood obesity by 2030, and improve everyone’s health and happiness through food.

Jamie started cooking at his parents’ pub, The Cricketers, in Clavering, Essex, at the age of eight. After leaving school he began a career as a chef that took him to the River Café, where he was famously spotted by a television production company and the Naked Chef was born.

In 2001 Jamie left the Naked Chef behind when he set up his first Fifteen restaurant in London, which marked the start of a 15-year journey training disengaged young people for careers in the catering industry. A few years later, he led the call for improved school dinners in the UK, resulting in huge – and lasting – change to the entire school food system. Since then, Jamie’s national and international campaigns have continued to revolutionize the way people feed themselves and their families, and to galvanize governments and industry alike to help drive positive change in food education and public health. All of his commercial activities strive to promote and define new best-practice standards.

Jamie has a collection of successful restaurants around the world, and his wide range of food and kitchen products are popular across the globe.

Jamie connects with audiences across multiple digital platforms, creating and appearing in exclusive content for jamieoliver.com, the Jamie Oliver YouTube channels and a variety of growing social platforms. He has now published 23 bestselling cookery books, all with accompanying TV shows. Jamie lives in London and Essex with his wife Jools and their children.

Food
Jeff AielloJeff AielloJeff Aiello's career spans 35 years in broadcast and cable television production working as a cinematographer, editor, writer, motion graphics artist, producer and filmmaker./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jeff+Aiello/$FILE/Jeff_Aiello_OutsideBeyondLens2.jpgJeff Aiello is a documentary filmmaker and television producer. His career spans 35 years in broadcast and cable television production working as a cinematographer, editor, writer, motion graphics artist, producer and filmmaker.

Jeff’s journey began in San Luis Obispo, California in 1986 with his first TV job at KSBY-TV as a camera-operator and floor manager. Over the next three decades, Jeff worked across the country in television stations in North Carolina, Texas, Arizona and then finally back to California near his hometown of Bass Lake when he joined the team at ABC30 as director of promotion and marketing.

In 2014, Jeff and his wife Jill decided to fulfill a longtime dream of owning their own production company and in August of that year launched 18THIRTY Entertainment. For their first project, they teamed up with Academy-Award Winning actor/director Kevin Costner to produce the documentary Billy The Kid: New Evidence for National Geographic Channel. While working for the Disney-owned station in Fresno, Jeff was given additional management responsibilities including Director of Programming and Production for ABC30.Travel
Jeff HughesJeff HughesJeff Hughes is an award-winning fitness trainer with more than three decades of experience. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jeff+Hughes/$FILE/jeff.jpgJeff Hughes, who served as the GardenFit Season 1 trainer, is an award-winning fitness trainer with more than three decades of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and began working as a fitness trainer at the Turnberry Spa in Miami, renowned for its celebrity clientele. He went on to own and operate fitness businesses in Los Angeles and New York City, and has maintained a private training business since 1988. Jeff has created programs for a wide variety of clients: from high-school athletes to Hollywood celebrities, CEOs and corporate professionals, to skiers, golfers, farmers, moms and dads.

In 2004, Jeff moved to Columbia County, New York, where he opened his TrainerFit Studio. This is where he coined the phrase “train the mind, the body will follow,” which incorporates a cognitive slant to conventional fitness training practices. Jeff’s training philosophy is that bodies accept new habits because they make sense and his training sessions are therefore filled with logical balance and strength techniques taught as habits. He trains one-on-one and creates programs that fit each client’s physical and lifestyle needs. Jeff competed in the 2015 OCB Big East Natural Physique Championships in New York and won 1st place in the master’s category as well as 3rd, 4th and 5th in other categories. He has coached both high school football and track & field and taught college-level physical education.

Throughout his professional career, Jeff has also pursued his passion for entertainment. Along with being an accomplished singer/songwriter, he studied acting. His credits include Dave the paramedic on “Days of Our Lives” (1993 – 2001) and other small roles on soaps and nighttime television. He also played Oliver North in Spike Lee’s film “She Hate Me.”

He resides in upstate New York with his wife and daughter and is supportive of his community as a class A interior firefighter with Mellenville Volunteer Fire Company since 2008. Jeff loves to travel, incorporating his passions for hiking, scuba diving, snowboarding, surfing, sailing, ancient history and meditation into his destinations. Leisure time around home is filled with local hikes, recording music, karate (he holds a black belt in Ryukyu Kempo) and playing with his dog Oreo.Home & Garden,Fitness,Living
Jeff WilsonJeff WilsonReal Rail Adventures host Jeff Wilson is a lifelong traveler and an avid train buff. He delights in investigating grand historic stations and whistle-stops, and drinking in the sights as the world speeds by the train window./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jeff+Wilson/$FILE/Jeff-Wilson---Real-Rail-PRA.jpgReal Rail Adventures host Jeff Wilson is a lifelong traveler and an avid train buff. He delights in investigating grand historic stations and whistle-stops, and drinking in the sights as the world speeds by the train window.

With more than 25 years of home building and remodeling experience, Wilson jokes that he studied classical piano in college, receiving a music degree, because "it looked good on a resume." In reality, that music degree kept him hard at work in the construction industry, making a living.

Until his career in television began. As a narrator, host, and actor, he has appeared in nearly 200 hundred episodes on HGTV (Restore America Series, Restore America Honors, International Housewares Show Specials) and the diy Network (Blueprint for Homebuilding, Handmade Music, Build-a-Deck, Build-a-Fence, Flooring: Wall-to-Wall, Outdoor Zone) as well as many hundreds of commercials, corporate films, features, and made-for-TV movies. He’s also worked extensively with HGTVPro.com (now HGTVRemodels.com) on their “Best Practices” video series and is currently the host of the HGTV Dream Home, HGTV Green Home, and diy Network Blog Cabin Video series.

Wilson is also the author of The Greened House Effect (www.thegreenedhouseeffect.com), which follows his family’s Deep Energy Retrofit of their 1940s Cape Cod-style kit home to reduce their energy use by 85%. In the book, Wilson weaves a readable narrative, offering solutions to some of the world’s most pressing energy problems at a hammer-and-nail level.

See Jeff at www.jeffwilsonregularguy.com , or tune in - watch Jeff use his years of building experience, together with a funny, down-to-earth delivery, to help teach viewers the ins-and-outs of building everything from homes to mandolins.

His personal interests are his obsessions: carpentry, literature, tap dancing, canning, horses, country French cuisine, backpacking, auto mechanics, gardening, physics, solar energy, European bread baking, thrift store shopping, and the poetry of Wendell Berry. Jeff, his wife, and two daughters live in a perpetually half-renovated home in a small college town in Ohio.Travel
Jenn NawadaJenn NawadaLandscape contractor Jenn Nawada teaches solutions to viewers that make their landscapes more beautiful and functional./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jenn+Nawada/$FILE/Jenn+host+195+x+195.jpgAs Landscape Contractor on This Old House and Ask This Old House, Jenn Nawada teaches solutions to viewers across the country that make their landscapes more beautiful and functional.

Jenn has been working in the landscape design and build field since 2001 and founded Nawada Landscape Design, Inc. more than a decade ago As a residential landscape designer, Jenn creates and installs landscape plans that are sophisticated, stylish, and sustainable. She helps clients realize the potential of their land, which can lead to healthier connections between people and their environments. She designs, manages, and implements both large and midsize projects throughout the Boston area with some of the finest local professionals to ensure a successful completion of each project.

After first serving as Landscape Designer on the This Old House Auburndale project in 2010, working alongside Roger Cook to create a welcoming garden out front, Jenn joined the Ask This Old House team in 2015, and officially became Landscape Contractor for This Old House in January 2020.

Jenn earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Rollins College in Florida and a Master of Arts in Landscape Design and Land Use Planning from the Conway School of Landscape Design in Massachusetts. She has been a Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist since 2004. Prior to owning her own business, she was lead designer at a design firm in Boston, worked at a large-scale nursery in the Boston suburbs, and even worked as an Environmental Education Instructor in Vermont.

Jenn lives in an early 1900s house in the Boston area with her husband and two sons.

Home & Garden
Jerry YarnellJerry YarnellJerry Yarnell was an internationally known wildlife, western and landscape artist./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jerry+Yarnell/$FILE/host+2+195+x+195.JPGAuthor of 16 books and hundreds of TV shows and DVDs on painting instruction, Jerry Yarnell was an internationally known wildlife, western, and landscape artist and winner of 150 national awards. Jerry Yarnell taught people how to paint through print, television, and in person for over 30 years. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and always had a great passion for nature, a theme that was evident in works painted throughout his career.
  Arts & Crafts
Joanne WeirJoanne WeirChef Joanne Weir is a restaurant owner, James Beard award-winning cookbook author, food writer and the host and exeucitive producer of several public television series./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Joanne+Weir/$FILE/Joanne-Weir-Plates-and-Plac.jpgA 4th-generation professional cook, Joanne Weir spent five years cooking at Chez Panisse after receiving a Master Chef Diploma with Madeleine Kamman. She is a James Beard award-winning cookbook author who travels and teaches cooking classes extensively throughout the world, including Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Morocco, Australia and New Zealand, as well as in her San Francisco studio kitchen.

Joanne has written 17 cookbooks, including her 2015 food memoir, Kitchen Gypsy: Stories and Recipes from a Lifetime Romance with Food.

Joanne co-owns Copita, a modern Mexican restaurant and tequileria in Sausalito, California. In 2012, she was appointed by the State Department to the American Chef Corp, a select group of 80 American chefs chosen to promote world relations through food. Joanne writes for several national publications, including Sunset Magazine, Cooking Light, Better Homes and Gardens, Fine Cooking and Food & Wine.

Joanne also hosts and executive produces several award-winning public television series, including Joanne Weir Gets Fresh and her latest, Joanne Weir’s Plates & Places, which earned the Taste Award for “Best New Series."Food
Joe LamplJoe Lamp'lGrowing a Greener World's host and executive producer Joe Lamp'l is one of the country’s most recognized and trusted personalities in gardening and sustainability. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Joe+Lampl/$FILE/host.jpgAs host of three national television shows and one of the nation’s most popular gardening podcasts as well as creator of the joe gardener Online Gardening Academy™, author of several books, and regular appearances on the Today, Good Morning America, and The Weather Channel; Joe Lamp’l is one of the country’s most recognized and trusted personalities in gardening and sustainability. For the past 10 years, has been the Creator, Executive Producer and Host of the Emmy-award winning national public television series, Growing a Greener World®. Prior to that, Joe hosted Fresh from the Garden on DIY Network as well as on-air contributor to Today, Good Morning America and The Weather Channel.

Past awards include The American Horticultural Society’s B.Y. Morrison Communication Award, which recognizes effective and inspirational communication—through print, radio, television, podcasts and other online media and Best On-Air Talent for Television by the Garden Writers Association. Joe is also the founder and “Joe” behind joegardener.com – a garden-intensive website dedicated to all things gardening and horticulture through how-to videos, podcasts, online courses, and blog posts.

Home & Garden
Joel GamoranJoel Gamoran/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Joel+Gamoran/$FILE/JoelGamoron600.jpgChef Joel Gamoran has always believed that you don’t need to be a professional chef to create a delicious meal. He has always placed a focus on sustainability, simple home cooking, and education. When he and co-founder Ben Rosenfeld started Homemade, the goal was to make cooking more accessible for everyone, and protect the environment while inspiring millions to experiment with food at home.

Joel graduated from the University of Connecticut with a major in Restaurant Management and Communication. Following that, he pursued culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America and the Culinary Institute of Florence, Italy. After gaining experience in various restaurants, Joel discovered a passion for inspiring others to cook. He served as the National Chef at Sur La Table for a decade and built a significant following by making appearances on NBC's Today Show, Sesame Street, and Good Morning America. This journey led to his first TV show, Scraps, which aired on A&E, and the publication of his cookbook, "Cooking Scrappy." On Homemade Live!, Joel is joined by members of his family and some of his celebrity friends as they cook, laugh, and make some new homemade memories.Food
Jorge MerazJorge MerazJorge Meraz is the host/director of Crossing South, a published singer/songwriter and a zealous Star Wars fan./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Jorge+Meraz/$FILE/bio+new.jpgJorge Meraz grew up in Tijuana and has visited San Diego all his life. He learned English early by watching American TV through the “rabbit ears”and ironing out his accent. Jorge worked as a TV Reporter and sports anchor in Tijuana for TV Azteca during the 1990s. In the 2000s he worked in creative copywriting for ad agencies before handling PR for private companies. In 2010, he directed the Emmy award-winning documentary “Visa Dream.” He is the director of CENTURION5 productions, a published singer/songwriter on iTunes and Spotify under “Jorge Meraz,” composed the country album “My Highs & Lows” by Randy Redmon, and is a zealous Star Wars fan.Travel
Joseph RosendoJoseph RosendoEmmy award-winning director and host Joseph Rosendo has been a travel, food and wine journalist and travel broadcaster for almost 40 years. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Joseph+Rosendo/$FILE/host+2+195+x+195.jpgEmmy-award winning director and host Joseph Rosendo has been a travel, food and wine journalist and travel broadcaster for almost 40 years. Since 2007, he has hosted, directed and written Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope®, the award-winning travel television series. “We close each show with a quote from Mark Twain: ’Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness,’” says Joseph. “It’s a truth that first turned me on to travel and has kept me hooked for more than thirty years.”

Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope®, now in its eleventh season, reaches 98% of the US market and 286 million viewers on more than 500 Public Television stations nationwide, as well as airing in numerous international markets. With 130 shows the series persists to persevere in creating one of the most entertaining, informative and thoughtful programs on television. “I look forward to seeing more of your shows as you continue to open our minds and expand our hearts,” posts a viewer at Facebook.com/Travelscope. “It’s wonderful to know, that our endeavor makes a difference in our viewers’ lives,” says Joseph, “Everyday I am thankful and grateful to have been blessed with the gift of this opportunity.”

Since his first travel story appeared in The Los Angeles Times in 1980, he has been published in countless publications worldwide and was the Consulting Editor for DK Eyewitness Travel Guides’ Where To Go When and Where To Go When—The Americas, as well as the author of An Insider’s Guide to Los Angeles.

For twenty-four years, as the creator and host of Travelscope Radio, Rosendo produced features for numerous electronic media outlets including Discovery Channel Radio and the Associated Press. For ABCnews.com he created a series of business features that taught readers the cultural dos and don’ts of international business travel.

In addition, Rosendo is the publisher of the Travelscope Magazine, a quarterly travel, food and entertainment perspective, and contributes to Travelscope.net where his blogs, podcasts, radio and television shows are available for download.

Joseph Rosendo’s additional projects include Digging Into The Future, a television series devoted to cultural archeology, and Eat, Heal, Travel with Dr. Will Aguila, a series that explores the health values of regional foods along with the history and culture surrounding them.

“Travel is more than a vocation to me,” says Joseph, “it’s a love and a passion that I’ve been indulging in all of my life and am privileged to share with my viewers, listeners and readers.”

Rosendo’s Awards include:

· Two-Time Emmy-Winning Director
· Two-Time Emmy-Winning Host in a Travel / Lifestyle Program
· 19 Emmy Nominations for Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope including a nomination for writing.
· 44 Telly Awards
· Grand prizewinner of Visit California Eureka! Travel Journalism Awards
· Nine-time winner of Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards for Video and Audio.
· Travel Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) National Award for Tourism Excellence – Globe and Mail Travel Media Award
· Medaille d’Or du Tourisme - Awarded by the Government of France
· Three-time winner of the Canadian Tourism Commission Northern Lights Broadcast Award
· Four-time winner of the Society of American Travel Writer Broadcast Award
· Aurora Awards - Platinum Best of Show for Video
· Citizen of the Year – Awarded by the Topanga Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles County Supervisor, California State Assemblyman, California State Senator and California Congressman

Rosendo is a member of the prestigious Society of American Travel Writers and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. As a travel expert and motivational speaker, Joseph addresses national travel and business conferences, consumer shows, private gatherings and has guest lectured at the University of California at Los Angeles. Travel
Julia ChildJulia ChildThe iconic Julia Child pioneered cooking television through her highly successful cooking shows, including The French Chef and Dinner at Julia’s, and authored a series of best-selling cookbooks./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Julia+Child/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgJulia Child was born Julia McWilliams in Pasadena, Calif. After she graduated from Smith College in 1934, she spent several years in advertising and publicity, and joined the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Her war career took her to Washington, D.C., Southeast Asia, and China, where she met her husband, Paul Child. Following their marriage in 1946, Paul joined the U.S. Information Service in Washington, and they were eventually sent to Paris, where Julia began her culinary career at Le Cordon Bleu. After more than four years in Paris they were stationed in Marseilles, then in Germany; and Paul ended his diplomatic career in Norway. They then settled into a large, gray house in Cambridge, Mass. After Paul’s death in 1994, Julia spent the winter months in Santa Barbara, Calif. In 2001 she closed up the Cambridge house and moved permanently to her native California, where she resided until her death in 2004.

While in Paris, in 1949, Julia met Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, and joined the French gastronomical society, Le Club des Gourmettes. Later the three women opened their cooking school, L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes, and began work on their first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which was eventually published in 1961.

By this time, the Childs had returned to America and settled in the Boston area where Julia taped her first public television series The French Chef, which aired in February 1963. After some 200 programs in classical French cooking, she branched out into contemporary cuisine with the television series Julia Child and Company, followed by Dinner at Julia’s. All of these shows were produced by Russell Morash, also the producer of the public television favorite, This Old House, and The Victory Garden. In 1972 she received an Emmy nomination, and was awarded Emmys in 1995 for the Master Chef series and in 1997 for Baking with Julia. In 1984, with WGBH, she completed six one-hour teaching videocassettes, "The Way to Cook," published by Alfred A. Knopf. In 1999 she received the Ralph Lowell Award for Programming Excellence from public television. Further, she was elected a member of the prestigious National Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In addition to repeats of the public television series, Julia’s other television appearances were with such national shows as David Letterman, Good Morning America, and Rosie O’Donnell. Julia was featured on the Television Food Network, and served as host to the Master Chef series, which appeared on public television stations nationwide. The first 26 episodes, Cooking with Master Chefs, were taped in chef’s home kitchens, while the next two series were done in Julia’s own kitchen. In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs was followed by Baking with Julia, which was accompanied by a large, fully illustrated book authored by Dorrie Greenspan and published by William Morrow & Company. In her final television series, she teamed up with Jacques Pépin in Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, accompanied by a book and video series of the same name. All of these series were produced by Geoffrey Drummond and A La Carte Communications.

Her own books include Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961), The French Chef Cookbook (1968), Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. II, co-authored with Simone Beck, (1970), From Julia Child's Kitchen (1977), Julia Child & Company (1979), and Julia Child & More Company (1980). From 1982 to 1986 she authored a monthly cooking column in Parade Magazine, the photographs for which formed the pictorial basis for her large, illustrated basic book, The Way to Cook. These books are published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. A new work, Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, an aide memoir for the home cook, was published by Knopf in the fall of 2000 to accompany a public television special including snippets from a goodly number of her television shows dating back to the very first one, Beef Bourguignon, in February 1963.

Mrs. Child was interviewed and written about in such publications as Time, Life, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, TV Guide, USA Today, US News and World Report, Newsday, and The New York Times. She appeared on numerous national radio and television shows such as Larry King Live, Fresh Air, The Johnny Carson Show, the Phil Donahue Show, A&E Biography, and Charlie Rose. She received honorary degrees from Bates College, Rutgers, Smith College, Harvard University, Brown University, Newbury College, Johnson and Wales University, University of Massachusetts, and Boston University, and was made an honorary member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Radcliffe College. She was elected a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, and was awarded the French Ordre de Mérite Agricole, Ordre de Mérite Nationale, and Confrérie de Cèrés.

Mrs. Child was very much committed not only to the furthering of gastronomy as a recognized discipline, but also to the encouragement of young people to enter the profession. To this end she was an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, was an honorary trustee of COPIA – The American Center for Wine, Food, and the Arts in Napa Valley, and was particularly involved with The American Institute of Wine & Food, of which she was one of the Founders. The Institute is a non-profit educational organization established in 1981, whose object is to advance the understanding, appreciation, and quality of wine and food.

Julia Child revolutionized the way Americans think about cooking and appreciate food. She had a major influence on our American lifestyle through her television series, books, national appearances, and involvement with all levels of the culinary world. Her famous Cambridge, Mass. kitchen was removed by the archivists of the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and set as an exhibit open to the public in September 2002. Julia Child died on Aug. 13, 2004 at age 91, but her culinary legacy lives on.Food
Julia Collin DavisonJulia Collin Davison Julia Collin Davison is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She is also co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country and is an original cast member of both shows/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Julia+Collin+Davison/$FILE/Julia_2024.jpgJulia Collin Davison is an executive editorial director for America’s Test Kitchen. She is also co-host of America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country and is an original cast member of both shows, which are two of the highest-rated instructional cooking shows on television. Julia also is host of Julia at Home, which premiered on Pluto TV in November 2021. Julia began working as a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated in 1999 and led recipe development for America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks for more than a decade. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996. She received an Augie Award from the Culinary Institute of America and was inducted into the prestigious Disciples d'Escoffier culinary society in 2018. Food
Julie Fei-Fan BalzerJulie Fei-Fan BalzerJulie Fei-Fan Balzer is a mixed media artist, author and podcaster living and working in Watertown, MA. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Julie+Fei-Fan+Balzer/$FILE/Julie_Fei-Fan_Balzer.pngJulie Fei-Fan Balzer is a mixed media artist, author, and podcaster living and working in Watertown, MA. Her artwork features collage, acrylic painting, printmaking, and quilting, and has been exhibited and won prizes in Boston and New York City. Julie has contributed to multiple books and magazines, and her work has been featured on the covers of several national magazines. Julie’s critically acclaimed book, Carve Stamp Play, which teaches readers how to create and design their own custom rubber stamps, was published in 2013. She is the host of the public television series Make It Artsy on Create TV and public television stations nationwide, and appears regularly on HSN to demonstrate a wide variety of electronic craft products. Arts & Crafts
Kate SullivanKate SullivanTo Dine For host Kate Sullivan is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, traveler and life-long foodie./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kate+Sullivan/$FILE/bio.jpgKate Sullivan, a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, traveler, and life-long foodie, hosts the series. Kate has spent 18 years in small, medium, and large television markets across the U.S. For the last 10 years she has been the primary evening news anchor for CBS Chicago and the morning news anchor for CBS New York. Her passion for storytelling is undeniable. While Kate drives the series as host, the true stars are the guests, the food and the locations.

To Dine For With Kate Sullivan tells the story of creators and dreamers who have reached uncommon success through ingenuity and innovation. Their favorite restaurant becomes the backdrop for a passionate and fascinating conversation about life, success, and what it takes to pursue and achieve the American dream.
Kath MacaulayKath MacaulayArtist Kath Macaulay created Pocket Sketching®, a quick-draw technique that allows anyone to “journal” wherever they are./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kath+Macaulay/$FILE/host.jpgKath Macaulay is a nationally known artist based in Tucson, Arizona. She invented Pocket Sketching®, a quick-draw technique that allows anyone to “journal” wherever they are in the world using only a 4″ x 6″ art pad, a pen, a small paint set, a brush and a film canister of water — all neatly stashed in a portable kit, pocket or purse.

​ She says, ​"I believe that every sketch and painting is personal. Each of my students captures not only what they think they saw but, more importantly, what they felt. The connections made with students eliminate their fear and encourage their creativity while promoting fun throughout the process." Arts & Crafts
Kathy McCabeKathy McCabeDream of Italy host and executive producer Kathy McCabe believes Italy can change your life – whether you travel there, move there or just live like an Italian at home./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kathy+McCabe/$FILE/Kathy-McCabe---Dreams-of-It.jpgDream of Italy host and executive producer Kathy McCabe believes Italy can change your life – whether you travel there, move there or just live like an Italian at home. That is the premise of her pledge event/special Dream of Italy: Travel, Transform and Thrive, which explores the 11 essential elements of the Italian lifestyle through the stories of full and part time expats like Sting & Trudie Styler, Francis Ford Coppola, Under the Tuscan Sun author Frances Mayes, best-selling financial author David Bach, retiree Sally Carrocino and interior designer Arlene Antoniette Gibbs.

McCabe began hosting the hit Public Television travel series Dream of Italy in 2015. Two seasons and the Dream of Italy: Tuscan Sun Special with Frances Mayes continue to air on PBS stations, Create TV and PBS.org giving these series 96% U.S. TV Household Coverage. The most popular episode in terms of viewer feedback is the Castelvetere sul Calore episode from season 2 where McCabe brings her (now late) parents back to her mother’s ancestral hometown to explore the mysteries of her ancestry and the miracles of the town’s Madonna.

It was the first trip she took to Castelvetere sul Calore 26 years ago to fulfill her grandfather’s dream of finding the town that then gave birth to Dream of Italy, the award-winning travel magazine and membership website that she founded in 2002. Nearly 180 issues cover every corner of Italy detailing where to go, who to meet, what to see, where to stay and what to eat. Dream of Italy served as the inspiration for the Public Television series. McCabe is also the host of the Dream of Italy Podcast which was lauded by The New York Times as one of “13 Podcasts for Wandering Souls.”

McCabe’s Italy and travel expertise have been featured in The New York Times, USA TODAY, ABC News, Forbes, BusinessWeek, The Washington Post, The New York Post, Delta Sky Magazine, The London Sunday Times, The Telegraph (UK) and many other media outlets.

McCabe began her career in journalism at ABC News where she was part of an Emmy-Award winning investigative team linking money and politics during the 1996 presidential election. She holds a M.A. in non-fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S.F.S. in European Studies from Georgetown University. McCabe is a graduate of the Stanford University Publishing Program for Mid-Career Professionals. Her other great passion in life, besides Italy, is dogs, particularly her beloved breed, wire fox terriers (she meets two in the Venice episode!)

Travel,Living
Katie BrownKatie BrownHailed by People as “TV’s meat-and-potatoes Martha Stewart,” Katie does it all—from cooking to entertaining—like nobody else. She has appeared on Oprah and The Today Show, hosted shows for the Lifetime and Style networks, has written five best selling books, and pens a syndicated newspaper column./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Katie+Brown/$FILE/Katie_bio.jpgPeople magazine hailed Katie as “TV’s meat-and-potatoes Martha Stewart,” and USA Today called her “the doyenne of domesticity for Generation X.” Design, cooking, entertaining, managing a household, raising a family: Katie does it all, like nobody else.

Her meteoric rise has included successful shows for the Lifetime and Style networks, popular regular appearances on Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show and Live With Regis and Kelly, and five best-selling books – Katie Brown Entertains, Katie Brown Decorates, Katie Brown’s Weekends: How to Make the Most of Your Two Treasured Days, Katie Brown’s Outdoor Entertaining and Katie Brown Celebrates: Simple and Spectacular Parties All Year Round.

Katie’s simple wisdom can also be found in newspapers across the country in a syndicated weekly column with The New York Times.Home & Garden
Katie HackerKatie HackerKatie Hacker is an artist and prolific author. Viewers connect with her approachable style and “you can do it!” attitude. She has appeared on Beads, Baubles and Jewels for 22 seasons, first as an expert providing beading advice and now as the host. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Katie+Hacker/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgKatie Hacker is an artist and writer who started designing her own jewelry as a teenager when she couldn't find fashionable clip earrings for her un-pierced ears. She turned her pastime into a business and now makes a living doing what she loves best - making jewelry and sharing her ideas.

A prolific author whose books have sold more than half-a-million copies, Katie has provided beading advice for 22 seasons first, as the presenter of "Beading Lessons" on Beads, Baubles & Jewels and now as the host. Viewers connect with her approachable style and "you can do it!" attitude.

Katie regularly contributes how-to projects and articles to a variety of magazines and is a columnist for Beadwork. She's passionate about demystifying jewelry making and specializes in projects that are fashionable and fun. Her confident and easygoing manner helps new beaders feel less intimidated and more empowered. "I love helping people find their source of creativity through beads," Katie says. Her workshops at national venues like the Bead Fest and the Create Your Style with Crystallized - Swarovski Elements Tucson Event feature techniques for creating boutique-style jewelry.

Katie and her husband, live in rural Indiana with their sweet children, enthusiastic dog, opinionated cat, and an assortment of farm critters.

Arts & Crafts
Kevin BeltonKevin BeltonSelf-taught Creole chef Kevin Belton pulls back the curtain to showcase the legendary cuisine of his native New Orleans./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kevin+Belton/$FILE/host+195+x+195.pngKevin Belton is a gumbo of French, Native American and African ancestry. His mother’s family has roots in the French-Caribbean island of Martinique and his French-speaking father’s family came from the Bayou Lafourche area of South Louisiana, near Thibodaux.

The self-trained chef began cooking under the watchful eye of his mother and grandmother in the uptown New Orleans home where he grew up. From these talented home cooks Belton learned to prepare the venerable dishes of the city. He loves to share family recipes and personal tips for making seafood gumbo, pralines, shrimp remoulade, chicken Clemenceau and many other New Orleans specialties. Cooking instruction is second nature for Belton, who has spent almost 30 years teaching the foundation of Louisiana cooking to appreciative audiences. In addition to the almost 7,000 lessons he has led, Belton has also offered classes and cooking demonstrations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

He has been a featured chef and guest on numerous food programs including Emeril Live; Ready Set Cook; Life, Love and Lunch; Food Fighters; and Taste of America. In 1999, he was co-host and chef on the BBC series Big Kevin, Little Kevin, which also featured British celebrity chef Kevin Woodford. The series, taped in the United Kingdom and the U.S., aired in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. companion cookbook, co-authored by Belton, Big Kevin, Little Kevin: Over 120 Recipes from around Britain and America by TV’s Odd Couple, was published by Ebury Press.

Belton has long been associated with WYES-TV, New Orleans’ premier public television member station, as the host of several popular cooking marathons. He is also a past recipient of the WYES President’s Award, which is given annually to individuals, organizations or businesses that have demonstrated exemplary support of public television in the metropolitan area.

In 2014, he joined the WWL-TV Morning Show as the resident chef for New Orleans’ CBS affiliate. He also appears in a series of segments for WWL titled “Today’s Special” and is a weekly-featured reporter.

The chef made his national public television debut in 2014 with NEW ORLEANS COOKING WITH KEVIN BELTON. The 26-part cooking series gave viewers a tasty tour of the Big Easy with dishes celebrating New Orleans’ diverse food influences from Classic French to soul food to German, Irish, and Italian. As Belton’s popularity continued to rise, two more cooking series with the 6’ 9” chef were produced in the studios of WYES-TV. KEVIN BELTON’S NEW ORLEANS KITCHEN, released in 2018, drew from the bounty of ingredients available in the local pantry – from coffee, to seafood, to citrus, and more. A year later, KEVIN BELTON’S NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATION was launched. The 26-part series shared delicious creations inspired by the vibrant festivals of the city and surrounding region. All three series featured a companion cookbook and Favorites DVD.

In 2014, the American Culinary Federation recognized Belton as one of the top 20 Louisiana chefs and in 2018 the American Culinary Federation named him a Louisiana Culinary Legend. He is also the recipient of a Suncoast Regional Emmy, a Louisiana Broadcasters Association Award, a Telly Award and an award from the Press Club of New Orleans.

Food
Kevin OConnorKevin O'ConnorKevin O’Connor has hosted the Emmy Award-winning series This Old House and Ask This Old House since 2003./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kevin+OConnor/$FILE/Kevin+host+195+x+195.jpgKevin O’Connor has been appearing as host of the Emmy Award-winning series This Old House and Ask This Old House since 2003.

He is the host of the podcast Clearstory; he published a book, The Best Homes of This Old House; and he also has hosted shows for the DIY and History’s H2 networks.

Kevin received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Boston University.

Originally from New Jersey, Kevin lives with his wife and three children in a home north of Boston.Home & Garden
Kim HaasKim HaasKim Haas is the executive producer, host and creator of Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas, a travel show celebrating the African influence in Latin America./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kim+Haas/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgKim Haas is the executive producer, host and creator of Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas, a travel show celebrating the African influence in Latin America.

She has traveled extensively throughout Latin America. Kim has been active in Afro-Latino issues for more than a decade and is founder of losafrolatinos.com, a blog celebrating Afro-Latino culture.

She has extensive experience in media and communications. Kim served as Director of Marketing for WWSI TV Telemundo in Philadelphia. She also served as an on- camera pledge host (English, Spanish and Italian) for WYBE TV in Philadelphia. She has appeared in numerous videos and commercials for companies such as Kohl’s, Time Warner Cable and Walgreens. She speaks fluent Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees are in Spanish.

Kim is owner of Haas Media LLC, a communications, community outreach and translation services firm located in the Greater New York City area.Travel
Kira HesserKira HesserKira Hesser lives, writes, and acts in Los Angeles. She is a native Chicagoan who enjoys old people, old places, and old things. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kira+Hesser/$FILE/Kira-Hesser--Islands-withou.jpgKira Hesser lives, writes, and acts in Los Angeles. She is a native Chicagoan who enjoys old people, old places, and old things.

Kira spent her youth in the bro-ridden shadow of Wrigley Field, and made her first buck by selling advice during baseball season to all the drunk Cubs fans that would have otherwise just peed in her front yard. Her love of performing was nurtured by her grandfather, who would lovingly command her to sing or perform impressions for staff in restaurants, patients in doctor’s waiting rooms, etc.

She got her start in acting by pointing at the TV at age 6 and saying “Mom, I want to be on that.” She performed in a Terry Kinney-directed Steppenwolf play at 8 years old, acted in various television and commercial spots, and was cast in Danny DeVito’s Matilda at age 11 to play the role of Hortensia, which is when she first learned about the magical and strange obsession this city has with donuts. She was nominated alongside Claire Danes for a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film (Supporting Young Actress), but Claire Danes won. To this day, she does not hold it against her.

After finishing a Master’s in Modern Literature in London, where Kira read a lot of Joyce and Stein and drank a lot of lager and wrote for various websites, she left the grey of London for the yellow of Los Angeles to re-pursue acting and writing.

She has improv training from both Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade. For the past two summers, she has been working as on-camera host for a documentary/travel series that aired on PBS. This Islands Without Cars series chronicles islands that forbid modern transport, thus allowing for a slower way of life that harkens back to the olden days (no cars, trains, buses, or Twitter.).

Kira is fluent in French, can do a myriad of accents, is really good at microwaving food, has lived in Rome, London, and Grenoble (not Chernobyl), and can almost play the saxophone.
Travel
Kiya SchnorrKiya SchnorrCreate Cooking Challenge grand-prize winner Kiya Schnorr combines her passion for food and culinary "self-education" in her web series, Cooking With Kiya - Two-Minute Techniques. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Kiya+Schnorr/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgCreate Cooking Challenge grand-prize winner Kiya Schnorr, a professional photographer, blog writer/editor, and dancer, is passionate about food! Kiya was a resident of New York City when she created the video entry which helped her win the Create Cooking Challenge in 2018. Just three months later she and her husband relocated to Seattle, Washington, saying that though they enjoyed being New Yorkers for six years, they wanted to follow their dream of having a garden, so moved cross-country. Once settled in her new home, Kiya set out to shoot her web series featuring a number of recipes which were among her favorites. Though the kitchen was new, she presented them in keeping with tried and true techniques she had used many times.

Although trained as a dancer, Kiya has always been interested in food. She got her start in the kitchen at a young age, cooking Italian food with her mother. Growing up in South Florida, she became curious about Mexican and Cuban influences in local cuisine, soon discovering the rich spices which complement Caribbean recipes. That opened a world of new flavors to her palate. After first using recipes exactly as written, Kiya then created her own versions, adding unique spices to add the 'heat' she loved. By the time she was majoring in Dance at Florida State University (FSU), she was experimenting with her newfound interest, cooking for herself and friends.

Kiya started with ballet when she was four years old, joining a South Florida dance company at 16. At FSU, she broadened her horizons, learning different dance techniques as well as video production – a skill which would help her produce her first entry in the Create Cooking Challenge in 2017 (roast chicken was the recipe!). After graduating from FSU, Kiya's interest in dance took her to New York where she joined a local studio as a barre instructor and she and her best friend formed a dance company of their own, performing around the City for about three years. The long days were made easier when she could get home and cook. Ultimately, she realized it was time to change her focus to her other passions – cooking, writing her blog and photography, when her dancing and teaching commitments began to 'get in the way' of her time in the kitchen.

While in school, Kiya studied video production and photography – learning about being on both sides of the camera. Just as she has with her cooking, outside of school Kiya has grown more secure as a photographer, eventually gaining a strong sense of her own style and what most interests her, including stop-motion video production. Being able to combine her photo and video knowledge with her food preparation helps her both build personal recipes and show the finished products.

Kiya and her husband, Chris, met at FSU at a Florida sushi restaurant where Chris worked. His first words to Kiya – 'just get the red curry' – still rings true for them today. They later married in New York, and continue to share a love of hot spices.

Always curious in new techniques and in finding out more about how recipes come together, Kiya has a deep interest in culinary 'self-education.' As she was spending more time in her Seattle kitchen, she started developing new recipes for her blog. She was also building on her approach to cooking as a participant in DIY classes in a local Seattle school. Encouraged by new ways to prepare these dishes, Kiya has provided additional tips you will find within her recipes. These tips sit alongside her original methods, including new techniques she hopes viewers will consider. As you watch the videos, be sure to refer to the recipes for these suggestions. Kiya says she remains curious, always eager to learn more about preparing a recipe in a different, unique way. She encourages viewers to be open to new ideas as they use not only her recipes but those of others, making each their own! For the recipes featured here, click on the link above.

Find more recipes from Kiya at her website: https://kiyafries.com.

Food
Laura McIntoshLaura McIntoshAs host and executive producer of the fun and informative traveling cooking program Bringing it Home with Laura McIntosh, Laura shares fun and easy ways to enjoy food at its peak of freshness while, at the same time, educating consumers about the cultural and heritage aspects of food./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Laura+McIntosh/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgAs host and executive producer of Emmy nominated cooking and travel program Bringing it Home with Laura McIntosh™, the show’s namesake is truly living her dream. Having grown up in the small farming town of Linden in Northern California as part of a close-knit, fifth generation farming family, it was only natural that she developed a love of the soil and passion for food. Today, Laura continues her lifelong commitment to sharing fun and easy ways to enjoy food at its peak of freshness and educating consumers about our global food heritage. Her diligent work and the success of the show have been recognized over the years with various awards and recognitions, including Telly and Aurora awards and a prestigious James Beard nomination.

Food
Laura TheodoreLaura TheodoreJazzy Vegetarian is a recognized public television personality, vegan celebrity chef, nationally renowned jazz singer and award-winning cookbook author./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Laura+Theodore/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgLaura Theodore is a recognized public television personality, vegan celebrity chef, nationally renowned jazz singer and award-winning cookbook author. She is co-creator of the highly successful Jazzy Vegetarian vegan cooking series on national public television. Theodore is author of six vegan cookbooks, including Jazzy Vegetarian, Jazzy Vegetarian Classics, Laura Theodore’s Vegan-Ease, Deliciously Vegan (which won silver medals at the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, Midwest Book Awards and the Living Now Book Awards) and her double-bronze award-winning cookbook, Vegan for Everyone. Her newest release – Easy Vegan Home Cooking takes the guesswork out of eating healthier by sharing shopping lists, pantry “must-haves,” quick cooking tips, flavor enhancers, and effective plant-based substitutions.

Laura and Jazzy Vegetarian are recipients of the Taste Award for Best Health and Fitness Television Program (Food and Diet), and the Jazzy Vegetarian series was inducted into the Taste Hall of Fame. In addition, Ms. Theodore was a recent winner of the Top 100 Vegetarian Blog Awards.

As a globally recognized award-winning jazz singer and songwriter, Laura has recorded six solo CDs, including her award-winning disc, “Tonight’s the Night,” which received a Musician Magazine Award. Her CD release with the late, great Joe Beck entitled “Golden Earrings,” (on the Whaling City Sound label) was on the GRAMMY® list in the category of “Best Jazz Vocal Album.” Laura has toured throughout the country, performing at numerous major events, such as Night of 100 Stars, Fire and Ice Ball and The American Film Awards.

Laura has been featured on the cover of three prestigious magazines; American Vegan, Jazzin’, and La Fashionista Compassionista. She has been featured in the New York Times, New York Daily News, Mother Earth Living, VegNews, Family Circle, Readers Digest and PBS Food,among other highly respected news, food, music and lifestyle-related journals. Theodore is featured on Netflix, in the documentary film, Food Choices and she has made guest appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX, The Talk on CBS, Insider/Entertainment Tonight and the WCBS News Radio Health & Wellbeing Report.

On the acting side, Laura has appeared in over sixty plays and musicals including Off-Broadway for two years in the hit show “Beehive,” which earned her a coveted Backstage Bistro Award. She was honored with the Denver Critics Drama Circle Award as “Best Actress in a Musical,” for her starring role as Janis Joplin in the world premiere production of “Love, Janis.”Food
Lena SkvagersonLena SkvagersonLena Skvagerson guides her students to become faster and more efficient knitters and crocheters by sharing her favorite tips and tricks, plus full-length garment tutorials. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Lena+Skvagerson/$FILE/Lena_Skvagerson.pngA key figure in the modern knit and crochet industry, Lena Skvagerson is the co-host of Create TV’s popular series Knit and Crochet Now!, seen on public television stations across the America. Born and raised in Sweden, Lena worked for a leading European yarn company for 25 years before moving to America to become a television host and instructor at Annie’s Creative Studio. As a teacher, Lena guides her students to become faster and more efficient knitters and crocheters by sharing her favorite tips and tricks, as well as full-length garment tutorials. In 2019, Lena published two books: A Gansey Crochet Home and Magic Ring Slippers, both turning into immediate best-sellers. Arts & Crafts
Les StroudLes StroudLes Stroud, star of the groundbreaking Survivormanl series has produced, executive-produced and hosted more than 100 documentaries./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Les+Stroud/$FILE/Les-Stroud---Wild-Harvest-P.jpgLes Stroud has produced, executive-produced and hosted more than 100 documentaries, including Les Stroud's Wild Harvest. Les set a brand new pace for adventure film-making with his groundbreaking series Survivorman and subsequently created a whole new genre of TV: Survival TV. His critically acclaimed indigenous culture series Beyond Survival earned some of the highest ratings on TV even beating the massive and difficult to beat sports viewing. His camera work and editing techniques have been studied in numerous filmmaking college and university courses and he has been nominated a record 27 times for Canadian Screen Awards (Directing/Hosting/Series/Music/Editing), winning three for writing and camera. His works are shown in over 100 countries and on several networks including Discovery Channel, National Geographic, The Science Channel, NHK and Canadian Television.Living
Lidia BastianichLidia BastianichLidia Bastianich is an Emmy award-winning public television host, a best-selling cookbook author, restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Lidia+Bastianich/$FILE/bio.jpg

Emmy Award-winning public television host, cookbook author, and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich has successfully married her two passions in life — family and food.

A best-selling author, Lidia has written nine cookbooks and two children's books. She is also founder and president of Tavola Productions, an entertainment production company, as well as the chef/owner of six acclaimed restaurants.

Lidia gives freely of her time and knowledge, and actively participates in community service events on behalf of several foundations and public television.

Food
Lisa McManusLisa McManusLisa McManus is an executive editor in charge of equipment testing and ingredient tasting at Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines. She researches and writes about kitchen gear and food, and serves as the on-screen gadget guru for America’s Test Kitchen./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Lisa+McManus/$FILE/Lisa-McManus--America's-Tes.jpgLisa McManus is an executive editor in charge of equipment testing and ingredient tasting at Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines. She researches and writes about kitchen gear and food, and she serves as the on-screen gadget guru for America’s Test Kitchen.

Lisa joined America’s Test Kitchen in 2006, after working as a newspaper food editor and a magazine and newspaper journalist in Boston, New York, and Palo Alto, California.

She is a graduate of Brown University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Food
Lisa SteeleLisa SteeleHost Lisa Steele, New England’s very own backyard chicken keeper and Master Gardener, shares a glimpse into her country lifestyle – cooking and DIYing her way from the coop and garden to the kitchen. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Lisa+Steele/$FILE/host+600+x+600.jpgLisa Steele is one of the most prolific and well-respected poultry authors of all time. She has made a name for herself as the darling of the backyard chicken-keeping community sharing commonsense advice that is not only fun and practical, but time-tested and reliable.

A 5th-generation chickenkeeper, Maine Master Gardener, avid DIYer and coop-to-kitchen cook, Lisa founded the Better Homes and Gardens award-winning website Fresh Eggs Daily, the country’s most well-known chicken-keeping brand.

Lisa has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Parade magazine, Country Living Magazine, the Farmers’ Almanac, the Saturday Evening Post and USA Today as well as on NPR, the Hallmark Home and Family show, The View, Dr Oz, P. Allen Smith’s Garden Style on public television and Martha Knows Best on HGTV. Enjoying an audience of nearly 1 million followers across her various social media platforms, a website with more than 600 articles that have been viewed more than 40 million times over the last decade and six books in print that have sold more than 130,000 copies, Lisa is the go-to girl for anyone interested in raising a backyard flock. Lisa’s egg cookbook The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook: Over 100 Fabulous Recipes to Use Eggs in Unexpected Ways was published by the Harper Horizon division of Harper Collins in February 2022.

Food,Home & Garden,Living
Madeline HooperMadeline HooperBefore devoting herself wholeheartedly to gardening, Madeline de Vries Hooper forged a trailblazing career in public relations./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Madeline+Hooper/$FILE/MadelineHooper.jpgAfter a trailblazing public relations career that included creating and building the leading marketing-PR firm DeVries Global, and then a career as a ballroom dance competitor and teacher, Madeline de Vries Hooper immersed herself in the world of gardening. She was invited to become a trustee of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and then of the Berkshire Botanical Garden, where she has been Vice Chair for the past 10 years. She has visited many of the finest gardens in the United States and Europe and developed relationships with leading horticulturalists, garden designers, and plantspeople.

However, her passion for gardening left her with many aches and pains. A friend recommended she work with a personal trainer and she learned new techniques and exercises to relieve her pain and enable her to garden more enjoyably and productively. These newfound habits were the inspiration for the GardenFit television show and workshop program. Madeline and her husband live in Columbia County, New York, where for the past 20 years they have devoted themselves to maintaining Rockland Farm, a 10-acre garden they created from scratch.Home & Garden,Fitness,Living
Marc MiddletonMarc MiddletonGrowing Bolder's Marc Middleton is a media entrepreneur, television journalist, author, filmmaker, speaker, activist, and consultant who focuses on the changing culture of aging. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Marc+Middleton/$FILE/Marc-Middleton---Growing-Bo.jpgMarc Middleton is Founder and CEO of Growing Bolder and is the host of Growing Bolder’s TV and radio shows. He is a media entrepreneur, television journalist, author, filmmaker, speaker, activist, and consultant who focuses on the changing culture of aging.

A multiple Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, Middleton is the host of Growing Bolder TV, co-host of Growing Bolder Radio, Editorial Director of Growing Bolder Magazine, and director of the Emmy nominated documentary film, Conquering Kilimanjaro. He is a 7-time Masters Swimming world record holder and a 10-time U.S. Masters Swimming national champion. He is the author of two books, including “Rock Stars of Aging” and his latest, “Growing Bolder, Defy the Cult of Youth, Live with Passion and Purpose.”

Living
Marcus SamuelssonMarcus SamuelssonNo Passport Required's host and executive producer Marcus Samuelsson is an acclaimed chef, sucessful cookbook author, busy philanthropist and an international patron of the arts./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Marcus+Samuelsson/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgNo Passport Required host and executive producer Marcus Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind Red Rooster Harlem, Ginny’s Supper Club, Streetbird Rotisserie, Marcus at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Bermuda, Norda Bar & Grill in Gothenburg, Sweden, and in 2017, Red Rooster Shoreditch in London and Marcus B&P in Newark. He has thrilled the food scene with a blend of culture and artistic excellence, first catching the attention of the culinary world at Aquavit. During his tenure as executive chef there, he received an impressive three-star rating from The New York Times, the youngest person ever to receive such an accolade.

Samuelsson is the author of several cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Soul of a New Cuisine, Marcus Off Duty: The Recipes I Cook at Home and The Red Rooster Cookbook (October 2016). In addition to being a successful cookbook author, in 2012 he released his New York Times best-seller and James Beard-winning memoir Yes, Chef to rave reviews and his young adult book, Make It Messy. Samuelsson was the winner on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” Season Two as well as the second season of “Chopped All-Stars.” He serves as a recurring judge for “Chopped,” one of Food Network’s highest-rated series with a following of over 20 million viewers a month, and he was a mentor on ABC’s “The Taste,” guiding a team of new culinary talent through a series of challenges.

In 2009, Samuelsson was selected as a guest chef at the White House under the Obama Administration, where he planned and executed the administration’s first state dinner honoring Prime Minister Singh of India. He has several philanthropic projects and serves as a UNICEF Ambassador, a member of the U.S. State Department’s Chef Corps and as the co-chairman for the organization Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, which works with public schools across the country to prepare underserved high school students for college and career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

In 2016, Samuelsson was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. He is co-founder and co-produces Harlem EatUp!, an annual food and culture festival in Harlem, which will celebrate its fourth anniversary in 2018. As an international patron of the arts, Samuelsson is honored to be a board member for both The Apollo Theater and The Museum of Modern Art.

Food
Maria LawtonMaria LawtonMaria Lawton turned her preservation of Portuguese family recipes into a best-selling cookbook and a TV series./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Maria+Lawton/$FILE/host.jpgMaria Lawton was born on the Azorean island of Sao Miguel, a Portuguese island in the North Atlantic. She turned her preservation of family recipes into a best-selling cookbook, Azorean Cooking: From My Family Table to Yours. Her passion is for all things Portuguese, particularly the culture and the cuisine. The production of the television show “Maria’s Portuguese Table” has been a labor of love and is the fruition of a seemingly impossible dream. For more information, visit azoreangreenbean.com.Food
Maria LoiMaria LoiChef Maria Loi is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, author, television personality and philanthropist working to change the world - one healthy bite at a time. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Maria+Loi/$FILE/host.jpgChef Maria Loi is an internationally renowned entrepreneur, author, television personality and philanthropist working to change the world - one healthy bite at a time. Known as the ‘Julia Child of Greece,’ she is the founder of a lifestyle brand that nurtures a healthy body and soul with a modern approach to the Mediterranean diet that helps people boost their immunity and improve their health and longevity. The founder of Loi Food Products, a specialty brand built on traditional ingredients from Greece, she is the author of more than 36 cookbooks. As the namesake of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan, Chef Loi has cooked for celebrities and presidents. But she most enjoys gathering with a roomful of diners over a good meal filled with laughter. Named an official Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy by the Chef ’s Club of Greece, Chef Loi is also a passionate and dedicated philanthropist who supports a wide variety of causes focused on children and the underserved.Food
Martin AmadoMartin AmadoMartin Amado is a TV personality, interior decorator, lifestyle expert, and author and the Grand Prize Winner of the first national Create Crafts Challenge 2020. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Martin+Amado/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgMartin Amado is a TV personality, interior decorator, lifestyle expert, and author and the Grand Prize Winner of the first national Create Crafts Challenge 2020. With the launch of his digital series DIY with Martin Amado on CreateTV.com, Martin brings to life his passion for applying his skills and knowledge to help customize a home to the homeowner’s style.

Viewers across the country and in South Florida may well recognize Martin. He is a host/design expert seen nationally on ION Television and contributes design segments to Telemundo’s news magazine program, Al Rojo Vivo, and their morning program, Hoy Día. For more than 16 years, viewers in South Florida have become familiar with his work on the design show, SoFlo Home Project, which aired on WPLG Local 10, an ABC affiliate. His work was also on the home makeover segment, Room for Improvement, on WSVN 7 News, a Fox affiliate. Martin is also a home contributor on NBC’s 6 In The Mix and Acceso Total on WSCV Telemundo 51, both airing in South Florida.

In addition to his work in the general market, Martin has been featured on numerous Spanish Language media platforms airing nationally in the United States and throughout Latin America. His first decorating book, One-Day Room Makeovers is available now in bookstores nationwide. Martin works exclusively with his clients through his home styling company, The WOW Factor!, Inc. Born in Miami, Florida, Martin first learned about transformational DIY projects when he worked side-by-side with his dad who was a residential contractor in South Florida. By the time he was a pre-teen, Martin was taking the lessons he learned on the construction site and bringing his creativity into his bedroom, where he would paint, rearrange his furnishings and add self-made accessories. He says it made him feel “different, more relaxed and more at home” in his space. Since then, he has been hooked!

With a degree in broadcast journalism from Florida International University, Martin also pursued an acting career as a lead in commercials. A part-time retail job as a visual merchandiser where he created home goods store displays led to private decorating clients and seemed to tie into a growing national interest in television lifestyle programming. He decided to merge his two interests: television and his DIY sense. Aware of the lifestyle genres featured on local commercial cable TV and South Florida PBS, Martin saw an opportunity which he has continued to pursue. That interest brought him to Create TV, where his knowledge, skills and genuine enthusiasm won the national competition. The grand prize included not only the presenting of this 10-part digital series on CreateTV.com’s popular lifestyle website, but money and equipment to produce these episodes.

Arts & Crafts
Martin YanMartin YanA legendary television icon and host of more than 3,000 cooking shows around the world, Martin Yan is a Master Chef and a highly respected food consultant and chef instructor, and a prolific cookbook author./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Martin+Yan/$FILE/Martin-Yan-Can-Cook-Spice-K.jpgA legendary television icon and host of more than 3,000 cooking shows around the world, Martin Yan is a Master Chef and a highly respected food consultant and chef instructor. He’s also a prolific cookbook author with a library of 30 titles, among which are the award-winning Martin Yan’s Feast, Martin Yan’s Chinatown Cooking (with an introduction by Julia Child), Martin Yan’s Quick & Easy, and Martin Yan’s China.

Born in Guangzhou, China, from a restaurant and grocery family, Chef Yan acquired a passion for cooking at an early age as a young apprentice in a popular restaurant in Hong Kong. He honed his skills further at the Overseas Institute of Cookery in Hong Kong and later received a Master Degree of Food Science at the University of California, Davis in the United States, where he also discovered a flair for teaching as a chef-instructor in the university’s extension program. In 1978, Martin launched the now classic Yan Can Cook series, infusing cooking lessons with his brand of humor and skill.

For four decades the Yan Can Cook show has been broadcast on public television throughout the United States. Generations of audiences have grown up watching his shows and learning the joy and wonders of Chinese and Asian cuisines. In the past decade, Chef Yan has filmed his popular series in other Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Korea and Thailand. In 2018, Yan Can Cook: Spice Kingdom, a 13-part series based in Chengdu, China, made its U.S. debut on public television. This was followed by Taste of Malaysia with Martin Yan, a 13-part series produced on location throughout Malaysia, and another 13-part series of Korea Food Alive.

Teaching remains close and dear to the heart of Chef Yan. He is a popular guest instructor at many top culinary institutions around the world such as The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, and Le Cordon Bleu schools.

Chef Yan is also a prolific restaurateur. One of his restaurant projects, M.Y. China in the San Francisco Bay Area, offers a gourmand experience.

As a professional food consultant and promoter, Chef Yan is a popular culinary ambassador for many major food and hospitality companies. His list of industry leading clients includes the Compass Group, Caesar’s Entertainment Group and City of Dreams- Macau and his corporate sponsors include General Electric, Meyer Corporation, Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman.

Chef Yan is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors from notable institutions which include: The James Beard Foundation Awards, The Antonin Carême Medal, The American Culinary Federation and the American Academy of Chefs.Food
Mary Ann EspositoMary Ann EspositoMary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of Ciao Italia, the longest running cooking series in television history. She also is the author of 13 best-selling cookbooks./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Mary+Ann+Esposito/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgMary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of the nationally televised public television series, Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito and the author of 13 cookbooks including her most recent, Ciao Italia: My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy.

In 2021, the series celebrated its milestone 30th year of production, making it America’s longest running television cooking series.

Through Ciao Italia and appearances on other programs including The Today Show, the Food Network, Discovery Channel, Fox, RAI International, The Victory Garden, and many others, she has been able to share traditional Italian cooking, history and culture with audiences around the world. Mary Ann has worked beside world-renowned chefs like Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.

In addition the Mary Ann Esposito Foundation was created to help culinary students achieve their goals, and most recently, the Foundation announced the creation of the Rebecca Alssid Award, named for the founder of the culinary arts program at Boston University. This annual award is presented to qualifying students who are part of the gastronomy and culinary arts program.

Mary Ann also teaches an online credit course at Boston University’s Metropolitan Campus and has been part of the Seminar in the Arts program for nearly 30 years.

Numerous organizations have recognized Mary Ann for her efforts to preserve the traditions surrounding Italian regional food and culture. She received the Order of the Star of Italy Cavaliere award from the President of the Italian Republic as well as the Premio Artusi award for her work in promoting Italian food. The Italian Trade Commission further distinguished Mary Ann by naming her a Hall of Fame honoree. The Order Sons of Italy in America honored Mary Ann with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Culinary & Cultural Arts of Italy award.

Mary Ann holds a Masters Degree from the University of New Hampshire. Johnson and Wales University presented Mary Ann with their Distinguished Author Award. St. Anselm College conferred an honorary doctorate for her dedication to teaching and preserving authentic Italian cuisine.

Food
Matt PaxtonMatt PaxtonMatt Paxton is a leading downsizing and decluttering expert who hosts the public television series, Legacy List with Matt Paxton. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Matt+Paxton/$FILE/Matt-Paxton---Legacy-Listr-.jpgMatt Paxton is a leading downsizing and decluttering expert who hosts the public television series, Legacy List with Matt Paxton. Matt started out after his father, stepfather and both grandfathers died in the same year leaving him with several estates to settle at once. Ever since then, Matt and his network of experts have been working with families struggling with settling estates and cleanouts for almost twenty years. He has been expert featured during ten seasons of the hit A&E TV show, Hoarders. Matt also appears regularly as a public speaker, television and radio personality helping families find the upside of downsizing. He lives in Virginia with his family.Living
Michael AlexanderMichael AlexanderFor more than 25 years, Michael Alexander has served as a passionate advocate for healthy, sustainable and mindful living/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Michael+Alexander/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgFor the last 25 years, Michael Alexander has served as a passionate advocate for healthy, sustainable and mindful living. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate in economics from the University of California-Davis, Michael parlayed a successful career as a holistic health entrepreneur into his work as an award-winning health journalist, filmmaker, certified plant-based nutritionist and co-author of the e-book The Conscious Living 10-Day Detox.

Along with his wife and creative partner Bianca, Michael co-founded Conscious Living. As the executive producer and co-host of the show, Michael has overseen the show’s journey from a digital web series to a global broadcast television show airing on platforms like PBS and Amazon Prime. A self-taught editor and filmmaker, he has also served as principal photographer and editor of Conscious Living, bringing stories of health, sustainability and practical spirituality to hearts and minds across the globe.

Michael is also a seasoned event and fashion show producer who has produced and directed two Conscious Living documentaries – the PBS feature The Cure, about the outdated standard of care for breast cancer that followed three courageous women facing the disease; and Bhakti Behind Bars, which went behind prison walls to film the work of a small band of inspiring bhakti yogis providing love and compassion to America’s forgotten souls through yoga.

After 25 years on the cutting-edge of biological and complementary medicine as a patient, Michael is an Emotion Code practitioner committed to healing the emotional pain body caused by countless generations of colonialism and patriarchy. Inspired by saints of all religions, including noted yogi Paramahansa Yogananda, Michael has been an avid yoga practitioner for the last 20+ years.Living
Mickela MallozziMickela MallozziDancer Mickela Mallozzi hosts Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a travel series that highlights Mickela’s adventures as she experiences the world, one dance at a time./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Mickela+Mallozzi/$FILE/Mickela-Mallozzi--Bare-Feet.jpgDancer Mickela Mallozzi is the Emmy® Award-winning host and producer of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a travel series airing on public television stations nationwide. Originally the assistant to one of the world’s most famous metal rock bands (Slipknot), Mickela quit her job to start a journey around the world, taking her camera with her to follow dance in the lives of everyday people wherever she went. From re-discovering her family’s roots in Southern Italy to dancing tango on the main stage in Buenos Aires, the series covers Mickela’s adventures as she experiences the world, one dance at a time.

She has been featured in The New York Times, Travel Channel, Dance Magazine, Yahoo! Travel, USA TODAY, American Express, and AFAR Media, and she has performed on various television shows including Sesame Street and The Doctor Oz Show. Mickela now offers Bare Feet® Dance Tours, dance-focused itineraries based on the TV series, for travelers to join her in various destinations around the globe. She is also the Director of the Women’s Travel Fest, an annual conference whose mission is to inspire, empower, educate, and connect women through travel.

Travel
Ming TsaiMing TsaiMing Tsai is an award-winning chef, restauranteur, cookbook author and television personality, whose love of cooking was forged in his early years./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Ming+Tsai/$FILE/bio.jpgMing's love of cooking was forged in his early years. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, he spent hours cooking alongside his mother and father at Mandarin Kitchen, the family-owned restaurant. His experience taught him about restaurant operations and most importantly, the art of making customers happy through food.

In high school, Ming headed east to attend school at Phillips Academy Andover. From there, Ming continued to Yale University earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Ming spent his summers attending Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and apprenticing at area restaurants in Paris. After graduating from Yale, Ming moved to Paris and trained under renowned Pastry Chef Pierre Herme and then on to Osaka with Sushi Master Kobayashi.

Upon his return to the United States, Ming enrolled in graduate school at Cornell University, earning a Master's Degree in Hotel Administration and Hospitality Marketing.

Ming is the host and executive producer of the public television cooking show, Simply Ming. In 2009, Simply Ming received two Emmy nominations for "Outstanding Culinary Program" and "Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host", and received two Bronze Telly Awards in the categories of "Lighting" and "Art Direction". Ming began cooking for television audiences on the Food Network, where he was the 1998 Emmy Award-Winning host of East Meets West with Ming Tsai. Ming's Quest, his popular cooking adventure series, also aired on Food Network. In the summer of 2008, Ming traveled to the Beijing Olympics with NBC's Today Show to provide viewers with insight into food customs and traditions that define his Chinese heritage.

In addition to television, Ming is the author of five cookbooks: Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai, Simply Ming, Ming's Master Recipes, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, and Simply Ming In Your Kitchen. Food
Miranda Esmonde-WhiteMiranda Esmonde-WhiteMiranda  Esmonde-White is a former professional ballerina, New York Times bestselling author, and educator of healthy aging. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Miranda+Esmonde-White/$FILE/Miranda-White---Classical-S.jpgMiranda  Esmonde-White is a New York Times bestselling author and an advocate and educator of healthy aging. Following her career as a professional ballerina, Miranda developed her own fitness technique,  Essentrics® in 1997, and became the flexibility trainer to numerous professional and Olympic athletes, celebrities and other notable clients.

Based in Montreal, Miranda spends her time developing the technique, writing and training new instructors. She also travels extensively giving lectures, leading teacher training sessions and hosting retreats. Fitness
Misha CollinsMisha Collins/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Misha+Collins/$FILE/host.jpgMisha Collins hosts Roadfood: Discovering America One Dish at a Time. Misha is an American actor, philanthropist, poet, cookbook author, and activist. He is best known for his role as the angel Castiel on the TV series Supernatural, and has had recurring roles on ER and 24, and has guest-starred on NCIS, Nip/Tuck, NYPD Blue, CSI, Monk and Charmed.

Besides being an accomplished actor, Misha also founded Random Acts in 2010, an organization that inspires acts of kindness around the world, both big and small. After an earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010, Collins called on his Twitter followers to help and his calls for aid helped raise more than $30,000 for UNICEF's relief efforts in Haiti in less than two weeks. Today, Random Acts has grown into a global organization run by more than 150+ volunteer staff, with millions of supporters from all walks of life. He also created GISH, the world’s largest scavenger hunt, where people all over the globe participate in epic scavenger hunts to incite positive change.

Misha earned a BA in Social Theory from The University of Chicago. He also interned at the White House during the Clinton Administration and worked at National Public Radio headquarters in DC.
Nancy ZiemanNancy ZiemanNancy Zieman (1953 – 2017) was an American author, designer, businesswoman, TV producer, blogger and national sewing authority, and host of the popular show Sewing With Nancy®, which appears exclusively on public TV stations across the United States and Canada. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Nancy+Zieman/$FILE/Nancy_Sewing_bio.jpgNancy Zieman (June 21, 1953 – November 14, 2017) was an American author, designer, businesswoman, TV producer, blogger and national sewing authority, and host of the popular show Sewing With Nancy®, which appears exclusively on public television stations across the United States and Canada. You can watch Sewing With Nancy® online at nancyzieman.com.

Sewing With Nancy® is a co-production of PBS Wisconsin and Nancy Zieman Productions. Broadcast since September 1982, the program is the longest-airing sewing series on television. The first Sewing With Nancy® programs aired on cable TV. Initially, the programs were videotaped in Nancy’s living room with a camera crew of one person and long 13-hour taping days. In the early years, Nancy ran a one-woman show developing the scripts, sewing the samples, and taping the programs.

Every episode of Sewing With Nancy®, was organized by Nancy in a how-to format, concentrating on step-by-step instructions, with scripts written by Nancy. Other than the early years, a team assisted Nancy with planning the program, developing the samples, and writing and illustrating the books. Nancy frequently quipped, “The show should really be called Sewing With Nancy, Donna, Pat, Kate, Diane, Laure, Lois, Sharen, and Deanna”.

Since 1992, Wisconsin Public Television in Madison, Wis. has been Nancy’s partner in television production with Laurie Gorman serving as the executive director for the past 25 years as Nancy no longer writes blog postings, books, patterns, etc.

In addition, Nancy is founder of Nancy’s Notions®, a direct mail business she started at her kitchen table and grew to a direct-mail catalog featuring hundreds of products including sewing books, notions, videos and DVDs, fabrics, and quilting products. Nancy’s Notions was sold to the Tacony Corporation in 2003, and later sold to Missouri Star Quilt Company in 2020. Nancy was also the National Spokesperson for Baby Lock sewing machines and Nancy’s Notions®.

Nancy founded Nancy Zieman Productions in 2007. PBS Wisconsin and the Nancy Zieman Productions team co-produce The Best of Sewing With Nancy® series and The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show – held each September in Madison, Wis. Deanna Springer, Vice President of Nancy Zieman Productions, has worked alongside Nancy since 1989. Nancy and Deanna started Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC. (NZP) in 2007. Deanna worked closely with Nancy as marketing coordinator, business manager, co-director of video production, and in product development and project design. Over 12 exciting years, Nancy, Deanna, and the NZP Team launched a new BLOG, social media channels, 40+ sewing and quilting products including tools, patterns and books for The McCall Pattern Company, Riley Blake Fabrics, and Clover. Deanna and the NZP Team are proud to carry on Nancy Zieman’s legacy by continuing to develop new sewing tutorials, project inspiration, and exclusive products featuring Nancy Zieman’s innovative techniques. Team NZP shares Nancy’s love of sewing through tutorials at the NZP Blog, on NZP Social Channels, on the Stitch it! Sisters video series, and through offering Nancy’s timesaving tools, patterns, books, and more available for sale at ShopNZP.com.

The Wisconsin Women Entrepreneurs Association named Nancy Zieman the 1988 Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year. In 1991, Nancy Zieman received the National 4-H Alumni Award. Nancy Zieman was elected as the first member of the Sewing Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2013, the University of Wisconsin-Stout honored Nancy Zieman with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The University of Wisconsin-Extension 4-H Youth Development Program inducted Nancy Zieman, with honors, into the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame in 2014. Nancy Zieman was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association (WBA) Hall of Fame on April 29, 2020.

Nancy lived in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, with her husband, Richard. The couple have two children and four grandchildren.

Arts & Crafts
Neven MaguireNeven MaguireAt the core of Neven's philosophy is a dedication to using only the finest local seasonal ingredients. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Neven+Maguire/$FILE/Neven+host.jpgFrom a very young age, one of Neven's favourite pastimes was to shadow his mother in the kitchen, watching her cook; his pastime soon became his passion, as he began experimenting with ingredients in the home kitchen at the tender age of 10, a passion that only intensified as Neven went through his teenage years. No one was surprised in 1992 when Neven enrolled in Fermanagh College, Enniskillen to study catering, where he received the prestigious Student of the Year Award. Even then, his vision was clear - to share his love and passion for food with as many people as possible.

Neven trained in some of the highest profile restaurants in the world including Roscoff, Belfast (Michelin Star winner), Grand Hotel Berlin (Michelin Star winner), The Lea Linster Luxembourg (where he cooked for Lady Diana and Tony Blair) and Arzak, San Sebastian.

In 2001, Neven took over the family business, and turned a local restaurant into a national phenomenon. Located in the rural village of Blacklion in Co. Cavan, MacNean House and Restaurant has become one of the most talked about and frequented restaurants in the country.
Food
Nicholas HankinsNicholas Hankins/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Nicholas+Hankins/$FILE/NicHankins600.jpgNicholas Hankins began painting along with Bob Ross on his local public television station in Greeneville, Tennessee in 1993. Nic was just eleven years old when he got his first Bob Ross paint kit, saying he felt “an indelible excitement that day which has grown exponentially over the past three decades.” Today, Nicholas can easily be called the best Bob Ross Wet-on-Wet Technique® painter in the world.

Becoming a Certified Bob Ross Instructor in 2011, Nic taught hundreds of painting classes, and then was asked to join the small elite squad of Bob Ross Teacher Trainers in 2018. “Thousands of paintings and classes and miles and laughs later,” Nic explains, “painting remains my enduring passion and one of the greatest joys of my life.” Nicholas now adds television host to his list of accomplishments as he unfolds a new how-to painting series, The Joy of Painting: Bob Ross’ Unfinished Season. Arts & Crafts
Nick StellinoNick StellinoNick Stellino grew up in Palermo, on the island of Sicily, and came to the United States in 1975. In 1991, he decided to leave his lucrative career as a Wall Street stockbroker in order to follow his dream of becoming a chef. He achieved his goal and more. Today he is an acclaimed chef, TV host and cookbook author./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Nick+Stellino/$FILE/Nick-Stellino-Storyteller-i.jpgNick Stellino grew up in Palermo, on the island of Sicily, and came to the United States in 1975. In 1991, he decided to leave his lucrative career as a Wall Street stockbroker in order to follow his dream of becoming a chef.

He apprenticed with the best Italian chefs in America, including Celestine Drago at Drago, rated by Food & Wine magazine as one of the 10 best restaurants in the country. “I was in heaven working at Drago,” says Nick. “But I wanted to share my enthusiasm for Italian cooking with more people. I decided a cooking show was the answer.” Employing the energy and dedication that had taken him from Palermo to Wall Street, Nick began calling television production companies. His efforts culminated in the highly successful series, Cucina Amore and Nick Stellino’s Family Kitchen I and II, and the public television specials, Nick Stellino’s Dinner Party and Nick Stellino: Food, Love & Family.

Nick is the author of five cookbooks: Cucina Amore, Nick Stellino’s Glorious Italian Cooking, Nick Stellino’s Mediterranean Flavors, Nick Stellino’s Family Kitchen and Nick Stellino’s Passione: Pasta, Pizza, and Panini.

Nick makes numerous appearances at popular food festivals around the United States and is an annual participant in the Aspen Food & Wine Festival. He was Grand Marshall of San Francisco’s 1999 Columbus Day Parade, the first time a chef had ever been accorded that honor. In May 2000 and 2001, Nick appeared as a presenter at the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards held in New York. He also is one of the few chefs who have been selected, three years in a row, to cook at the Grand Gala Dinner for the James Beard Awards.

Nick has been a guest on numerous national shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today and CBS This Morning, as well as programs on the Pax Network. He has been featured in national publications including TV Guide, The New York Times, The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Bon Appétit, In Sync, Home Magazine and Primo.

Nick lives in Los Angeles with his wife Nanci.
Food
P Allen SmithP. Allen SmithP. Allen Smith, an award-winning designer, author, television host, and conservationist, is one of America’s most recognized garden expert. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-P+Allen+Smith/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgP. Allen Smith, an award-winning designer, author, television host, and conservationist, is one of America’s most recognized garden expert. He uses his Arkansas home, Moss Mountain Farm, which The New York Times hails as a “stunning estate,” as an epicenter for promoting the local food movement, organic gardening and a grounded, natural lifestyle. The farm serves as a place of inspiration, education and conservation and a way to share with his television audience ideas for growing food and flowers, entertaining, raising animals and cooking. He is the host of two public television programs, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home and P. Allen Smith’s Garden to Table, and the syndicated 30-minute show P. Allen Smith Garden Style. Smith provides ideas and inspiration through multiple media venues. Learn more at www.pallensmith.com.Food,Home & Garden,Living
Pati JinichPati JinichChef and cookbook author Pati Jinich hosts the James Beard Award-winning and Emmy-nominated public television series Pati’s Mexican Table./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Pati+Jinich/$FILE/host+600+x+600.jpgBorn and raised in Mexico City, Pati Jinich is the host of the three-time James Beard Award-winning and three-time Emmy nominated public television series “Pati’s Mexican Table” now on its ninth season. Pati is also the resident chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., and author of two cookbooks, “Pati’s Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking” and “Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen.” Her third cookbook was published in the Fall of 2021.

A former political analyst focused on Mexican political institutions and US-Mexico relations at the Inter-American Dialogue, Pati holds a master's degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University. She switched policy papers for cooking pots to make exploring and sharing Mexico’s cuisine her life’s work.

Pati is a regular guest on ABC's “Good Morning America,” CBS’s “The Talk,” NBC’s “Today Show,” NPR’s “All Things Considered” and “The Splendid Table,” and Univision’s “Despierta America.” She has cooked at the White House for President Obama’s Cinco de Mayo and Easter celebrations. The Council of the Americas named her one of the “Top 5 Border Ambassadors” who have performed outstanding work bringing the United States and Mexico closer together in their Americas Quarterly (AQ) magazine. She was also named one of the National Immigration Forum’s “Keepers of the American Dream,” which honors individuals who embody the spirit of immigrant achievement and contribute to the well-being of immigrants in the US. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband and three sons.

Food
Patrick HarlanPatrick HarlanOne of the best-known U.S.-born entertainers in Japan, Dining With the Chef co-host Patrick Harlan is an accomplished actor, radio DJ and TV personality./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Patrick+Harlan/$FILE/Patrick-Harlan-Dining-With-.jpgBorn in the United States and now one of the best-known foreign-born entertainers in Japan, in addition to playing the funny man in comic duo Pack'n Mack'n, Patrick Harlan is an accomplished actor, radio DJ and TV personality. His Japanese skills, Harvard education and comedy credentials give him the depth and credibility to shine in a variety of roles, including as co-host of Dining With the Chefs. Patrick's solo work ranges from TV dramas to game shows to commercials, from political commentary to picture books.Food
Paul DanielPaul DanielPaul Daniel is an Atlanta-based freelance photographer who specializes in creating spectacular city and landscape images of Atlanta and places beyond./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Paul+Daniel/$FILE/PaulDaniel600.jpgPaul Daniel, host of View Finders, is an Atlanta-based freelance photographer who specializes in creating spectacular city and landscape images of Atlanta and places beyond. He has created many images used by the Atlanta Conventions and Visitors Bureau to promote the city’s travel and tourism industry. He has created images for many well-known companies such as Federal Express, British Airways, Marriott Properties, and has also had images used as feature photos for WSB-TV (Atlanta, GA), Good Day Atlanta (Fox 5 Atlanta), WPIX (New York, NY), Fox 5 New York, and WABC (TV 7, New York, NY).
Peggy SagersPeggy SagersFit2Stich host Peggy Sagers brings a no-frills approach to home sewing, choosing to focus on classic designs for great-fitting business and casual wardrobes./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Peggy+Sagers/$FILE/Peggy_Sagers.pngPeggy Sagers is the host of the public TV pattern-making series Fit2Stitch, which has been airing on Create TV since 2014, and creator of her own pattern line, Silhouettes. Her patterns incorporate individualized sizing as well as proportionate lengths to allow for customized creations for a perfect fit, which are unique in the pattern industry. She brings no frills to the home sewing world, but instead focuses on classic designs for great-fitting business and casual wardrobes. In addition to her hosting duties, Peggy currently spends her time teaching at seminars and workshops across the United States and Canada. Peggy notably created the award-winning outfits worn by three-time world champion figure skater Elvis Stojko. Peggy's series is distributed by APT (American Public Television).Arts & Crafts

Peter Greenberg

Peter Greenberg is a multiple Emmy-winning investigative reporter and producer

Peter GreenbergPeter GreenbergPeter Greenberg is a multiple Emmy-winning investigative reporter and producer/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Peter+Greenberg/$FILE/Greenberg600.jpgPeter Greenberg is the travel editor for CBS News, a nationally syndicated radio host and a New York Times best-selling author. Greenberg produces and co-hosts a series of groundbreaking television specials called The Royal Tour, featuring one-on-one journeys through countries with their heads of state: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, the King of Jordan, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and the Presidents of Mexico, Ecuador, and Rwanda, among others. A multiple Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and producer, Greenberg is the consummate insider reporting the travel business as news. Travel Weekly named him one of the most influential people in travel and he was inducted into the U.S. Travel Association’s Hall of Leaders for his contributions to the travel industry.Travel

Rebecca (Becky) Hays

Rebecca (Becky) Hays serves as the deputy editor of Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines and appears as an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen.

Rebecca Becky HaysRebecca (Becky) HaysRebecca (Becky) Hays serves as the deputy editor of Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines and appears as an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rebecca+Becky+Hays/$FILE/becky+bio+195+x+195.jpgRebecca (Becky) Hays joined America's Test Kitchen in 2000 and has worked on various magazine, book, and website projects. She is the deputy editor of Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines and is an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen.

A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, Rebecca specializes in healthful cooking.

Prior to her work in the food industry, Rebecca spent several years working on a securities trading floor. She holds degrees in economics and French from Fairfield University.

Food

Rich Collier

Roll Play host Rich Collier is a New York Emmy-winning TV host and producer, and an accomplished comedy writer.

Rich CollierRich CollierRoll Play host Rich Collier is a New York Emmy-winning TV host and producer, and an accomplished comedy writer. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rich+Collier/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgRoll Play host Rich Collier is a New York Emmy-winning TV host and producer, and an accomplished comedy writer. Collier is best known for his work on Subway Q&A with Rich Collier, one of the highest-rated series on New York’s Metro Channel. Over its multi-year run, Subway Q&A picked up 12 New York Emmy Awards, including personal honors in the categories of "Outstanding On-Air Achievement" and "Outstanding Entertainment Program." Rich's "Collier's Community" pieces aired twice a week for three seasons on The Hallmark Channel. He hosted a series of 10 "Street Beat" specials for the CBS2 Morning News. He's sat in as a guest host on the Fine Living network's Simplify Your Life, and a special contributor to the PBS series Life (Part 2). As a producer, Rich has completed projects for ABC, NBC, FX, A&E, Lifetime, VH1 and MTV.

Richard Bangs

Richard Bangs is an adventurer, travel writer, author, TV documentary host and founder of popular travel websites and radio shows.

Richard BangsRichard BangsRichard Bangs is an adventurer, travel writer, author, TV documentary host and founder of popular travel websites and radio shows./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Richard+Bangs/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgRichard Bangs has been called the father of modern adventure travel and a pioneer in travel with a purpose. He has spent 30 years as an explorer and communicator, and along the way led first descents of 35 rivers around the globe, including the Yangtze in China and the Zambezi in Southern Africa.

Richard has published hundreds of magazine articles, 18 books, a score of documentaries and several CD-ROMs; and has lectured at the Smithsonian, the National Geographic Society and the Explorers Club.

He writes semi-regular features for the Huffington Post. Bangs was founder and editor-in-chief of Mungo Park, a pioneering Microsoft travel publishing effort, and founded Terra Quest. He was part of the founding executive team of Expedia.com, and served as its Editor-at-Large. He was creator and publisher of Expedia Travels Magazine (a partnership with Ziff-Davis), and executive producer of Expedia Radio, and founder and executive director of Expedia Cafes. He also served as president of Outward Bound; founded Well-Traveled for Slate; and was founding editor and executive producer of Great Escapes, another Microsoft Travels initiative. He ran and founded First and Best for MSN, and founded Sobek Expeditions, which in the early 1990s merged with Mountain Travel to become Mountain Travel Sobek.

Richard's book, The Lost River: A Memoir of Life, Death and the Transformation of Wild Water, was honored with a National Outdoor Book Award in literature. He served as executive producer of Richard Bangs Adventures on Yahoo. More recently, he was host, co-executive producer and co-writer for the 12-episode American Public Television series, Richard Bangs’ Adventures with Purpose produced by Small World Productions of Seattle and co-produced by KCTS/Seattle.

Travel

Richard Trethewey

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey has been an integral part of the This Old House team since the home improvement show’s debut in 1979.

Richard TretheweyRichard TretheweyPlumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey has been an integral part of the This Old House team since the home improvement show’s debut in 1979./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Richard+Trethewey/$FILE/Richard+host+195+x+195.jpgPlumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey has been an integral part of the This Old House team since the home improvement show’s debut in 1979. Today, he also appears on the Emmy Award-winning show’s sister series, Ask This Old House, and on the podcast Clearstory.

Russell Morash, creator of This Old House, first called Richard’s father Ron, proprietor of Trethewey Bros. Inc., the family plumbing and heating business, with an idea for a home improvement show in 1978. Serving the Boston community since 1902, Trethewey Bros. Inc. enjoyed a tremendous reputation and was highly recommended. After one season, Ron was in love with This Old House, but not with the pressure of filming before cameras, so he asked his son to take over. It was then, in 1980, that Richard became the show’s plumbing and heating expert. “I guess I was just too young to be nervous,” he says of his TV debut.

Born and raised in Dedham, Massachusetts, Richard learned from his father and others involved in the family business by working summers and school vacations. He is a licensed master and journeyman plumber in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has long been an advocate for professionalism in the building trades. Richard is the founder of RST Thermal, a manufacturer’s representative company that provides training to the skilled trades. His two sons, Ross and Evan, are active in the industry as well; Ross, a professional engineer, is president of TE2 Engineering. Evan is president of RST Thermal. Richard lives on the South Coast of Massachusetts when he is not living aboard a sailboat in Boston. His interests include sailing and home renovation. He enjoys 4 grandchildren who are all “well above average”.Home & Garden

Richard Wiese

Born to Explore and Weekends With Yankee host Richard Wiese is a world-class explorer and author.

Richard WieseRichard WieseBorn to Explore and Weekends With Yankee host Richard Wiese is a world-class explorer and author. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Richard+Wiese/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgSince he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro at age 11, Richard Wiese has circled the globe, capturing powerful images and living one adventure after another—from traveling with Bedouins in Africa to cross-country skiing to the North Pole. In 2002, Richard became the youngest president in the history of The Explorers Club and currently serves as its President.

Richard’s philosophy and the premise of Born to Explore® is as much about discovery of the natural world as it is about encouraging a positive understanding of the many distinctive cultures on earth.

Richard is dedicated to working with local communities around the world to help their voices be heard in their own words. He believes the most memorable aspect of any journey is not about reaching “the summit,” but the people you meet along the way.

Richard has journeyed to all seven continents, tagging jaguars in the Yucatan jungles, leading expeditions to Australia’s Northern Territory and participating in the largest medical expedition ever conducted on Mt. Everest. He also achieved the first ascent of an unclimbed mountain in Alaska and discovered 29 new life forms on Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Since Born to Explore® premiered in 2011, it has won two Daytime Emmy® Awards and has earned 13 Emmy® nominations, as well as 24 Telly Awards, 4 Parents’ Choice Awards and a CINE Golden Eagle.

Richard has received numerous other honors, including a Genesis Award, an Associated Press Folio Award, a Golden Halo Award and the 2012 Walter Cronkite Award for his contributions to journalism and exploration. He is the author of Born to Explore: How To Be A Backyard Adventurer (Harper Collins 2009). He was honored at the 2005 Boy Scout National Jamboree where he addressed 90,000 people and had a camp named after him.

​ Richard is a world-class explorer, Emmy® award-winning producer, and author of the book, Born to Explore: How to Be a Backyard Adventurer. Since he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro at age 11, Richard has circled the globe, capturing stunning images and living one adventure after another—from traveling with Bedouins in Africa to skiing to the North Pole.

As a respected field scientist, Richard became the youngest president of the legendary Explorers Club in 2002. Richard believes the most memorable aspect of any journey is not the destination, but the people you meet along the way.

Richard is also the father of three children and resides in Connecticut with his wife, Nicci.Travel

Rick Steves

Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel.

Rick StevesRick StevesRick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rick+Steves/$FILE/RickSteves_RickStevesEurope.jpgRick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. But above all else, Rick considers himself a teacher. He taught his first travel class at his college campus in the mid-1970s — and now, more than 40 years later, he still measures his success not by dollars earned, but by trips impacted.

Rick is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe, a travel business with a tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Each year, the company contributes to a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits, essentially paying a self-imposed carbon tax.

Rick spends about four months a year in Europe, researching guidebooks, fine-tuning his tour program, filming his TV show, and making new discoveries for travelers. To recharge, he plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade mountains, and spends time with his son Andy and daughter Jackie. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Travel

Ricky Moore

As a chef and host of The Hook, chef Ricky Moore steers his own ship — finding treasures in humble stories, sharing maritime eats and techniques, and creating inspired seafood.

Ricky MooreRicky MooreAs a chef and host of The Hook, chef Ricky Moore steers his own ship — finding treasures in humble stories, sharing maritime eats and techniques, and creating inspired seafood. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Ricky+Moore/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgChef Ricky Moore has rockstar credentials: he was one of three Black chefs in his graduating class at the Culinary Institute of America, he cut his teeth in Michelin-starred kitchens around the globe, and made a memorable "Iron Chef" appearance.

Moore opened his flagship Saltbox Seafood Joint (aka “The Joint”) in 2012, a hut the size of a storage unit and a second brick-and-mortar location six years later, both in Durham NC, where he serves the freshest catch to hungry seafood-lovers from all walks of life. His inaugural cookbook, aptly titled Saltbox Seafood Joint Cookbook, was published in 2019 by UNC Press and features “sixty recipes that celebrates Ricky Moore’s coastal culinary heritage.”

Chef Ricky is also a recent James Beard Award Semi-finalist for Best Chef Southeast. As a chef and host of The Hook, Chef Ricky steers his own ship —finding treasures in humble stories, sharing maritime eats and techniques, and creating inspired seafood. Food

Rika Yukimasa

Chef Rika Yukimasa, co-host of Dining With the Chef, is a "cooking researcher" who introduces Japanese food culture and shares her own easy-to-make Japanese recipes.

Rika YukimasaRika YukimasaChef Rika Yukimasa, co-host of Dining With the Chef, is a "cooking researcher" who introduces Japanese food culture and shares her own easy-to-make Japanese recipes./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rika+Yukimasa/$FILE/Rika-Yukimasa-Dining-with-t.jpgChef Rika Yukimasa is a "cooking researcher" who uses her own original techniques to introduce cooking that everyone can enjoy. She has written books on such diverse themes as Japanese cuisine, home cooking, entertaining, and cakes and sweets. In Dining With the Chef, chef Yukimasa both introduces the Japanese food culture now drawing attention abroad and proposes her own easy-to-make Japanese recipes. She offers ideas, too, for alternatives to items and utensils that might be hard to obtain abroad so that American viewers can make their own Japanese-style food.Food

Rob Stinson

Chef and restauranteur Rob Stinson stars in Fit to Eat, a series focused on healthy cooking techniques and using fresh and sustainable products.

Rob StinsonRob StinsonChef and restauranteur Rob Stinson stars in Fit to Eat, a series focused on healthy cooking techniques and using fresh and sustainable products. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rob+Stinson/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgRob Stinson, Executive Chef and Owner of Salute Italian, Kellys, The Reef, has made a huge impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Rob has opened thirty-four (34) restaurants in his career, owning eight of those. Rob is starring in Mississippi Public Broadcasting's “Fit to Eat,” a series designed to educate and change the eating and cooking style of Mississippi viewers. The show is focused on healthy cooking techniques and utilizes fresh and sustainable products. Rob performs healthy cooking demonstrations for the medical profession. Rob was a faculty member of the Cleveland Clinic demonstrating healthy cooking techniques on the Coast at MGCCC. Rob cooked and was featured on national ABC TV on the show “The Chew.” Rob was chosen by Governor Barbour to represent the State of Mississippi as the official Chef of Mississippi in the Great American Seafood Cook Off in New Orleans. Rob also represents the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Seafood Marketing as their official Chef of Mississippi. Eat Right Meal Prep, certified by "Eat Fit" was created to bring healthy meals to the public. Eat Fit is a program of Ochsner Hospital to work with businesses to certify healthy nutritional food. Rob currently works with Memorial Hospital to bring healthy food to patients & staff.

Rob's passion for the restaurant business started in New Orleans at Broussards Restaurant, owned by the Marcello family in 1979. Rob found his love of cooking working with Cordon Bleu Chef Gerald Thabuis, former Chef for President of France- Charles DeGaulle, and Creole Chef extraordinaire- Nathaniel Burton. Broussards demonstrated that strict discipline with creativity could create success. Rob opened many corporate chain restaurants, which gave him the technical skills to manage a successful business.

Salute Italian has been voted best Italian Seafood Restaurant on the Coast eight years in a row: 2012-2020. Salute’s award winning kitchen is the location where all Eat Right Meal Prep is prepared. Rob also trained under Master Italian Chef Ciro Cuomo. Rob has filmed a weekly cooking segment on WLOX ABC TV, “Salute” for the past 18years. Rob was born in Mount Vernon, New York, grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio and attended Miami University in Oxford Ohio. Rob, his wife Paige, children Samuel and Abigail live in Long Beach Mississippi.

Rob’s community involvement has separated him from other businesses on the Gulf Coast as he serves as president of the Biloxi Boardwalk Association, Executive Member of the Gulfport Main Street and is a newly appointed Board of Director of the Aquarium of Mississippi, and has been appointed as a Commissioner on the Coastal Mississippi: Tourism and Convention Board.

Food

Roberto Mighty

Roberto Mighty, MFA, is creator and host of World’s Greatest Cemeteries and getting dot OLDER. He is an award-winning filmmaker, TV producer, multimedia artist and educator.

Roberto MightyRoberto MightyRoberto Mighty, MFA, is creator and host of World’s Greatest Cemeteries and getting dot OLDER. He is an award-winning filmmaker, TV producer, multimedia artist and educator./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Roberto+Mighty/$FILE/RobertoMighty_host.jpg

Roberto Mighty is the creator, writer, producer, host and director of World's Greatest Cemeteries. He is America’s first artist-in-residence at a National Historic Landmark Cemetery, where he produced 29 short films about diverse outsiders, horticulture, landscape and funerary iconography. His award-winning, critically acclaimed films, fine art photography and exhibits at Harvard University, National Science Foundation, Scandinavian Cultural Center, film festivals, museums and galleries have received extensive press coverage and national funding. Roberto’s historical documentary about Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King was broadcast on WGBH in 2020 and nationwide public TV broadcast in 2021.

He is also the producer/host of getting dot OLDER, a series about aging across America, which airs on public television stations nationwide. Roberto was director of over 50 bestselling audiobooks for HarperCollins, Random House and Houghton-Mifflin publishers, where he worked with diverse authors including John Updike, Sandra Cisneros and Ben Mezrich. Roberto’s MFA in Visual Arts is from Lesley University College of Art, Cambridge. He earned his BA in History from Boston University. From 2007-2018, Roberto was Adjunct Professor at Emerson College and Instructor at Boston University, where he taught narrative cinematography, editing and video production. Roberto is also a professional musician, a proud dad, holds a black belt in taekwondo and gets lost every time he walks around a cemetery by himself.

Travel

Rodman and Gina Schley

Urban Conversion's Rodman and Gina Schley dive head-first into the sustainability movement to see how they can make their urban lifestyle more eco-friendly.

Rodman and Gina SchleyRodman and Gina SchleyUrban Conversion's Rodman and Gina Schley dive head-first into the sustainability movement to see how they can make their urban lifestyle more eco-friendly./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rodman+and+Gina+Schley/$FILE/Rodman-and-Gina--Urban-Conv.jpgRodman Schley is a businessman and entrepreneur by trade, but he places a high value on social responsibility and making a fair deal for everyone. As executive producer and creator of Urban Conversion, he invites the viewer to follow his journey towards sustainability. Some of the concepts fall a little outside of his comfort zone, but he manages to keep an open mind and a sense of humor while he and his family make their own urban conversion.

For co-host Gina Schley, sustainability means making a better life for her family and creating a better future for everyone. Never afraid to get her hands dirty, Gina grows her own food and continually searches for new ways to make her family’s home life more sustainable. Where Rodman provides the wit and analysis for the series, Gina serves as the heart, engaging each new topic from a place of peace, certainty and passion.Home & Garden,Living

Roger Cook

Since 1988, Roger Cook provided expert advice learned over the course of a lifetime in landscaping.

Roger CookRoger CookSince 1988, Roger Cook provided expert advice learned over the course of a lifetime in landscaping./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Roger+Cook/$FILE/Roger+host+195+x+195.jpgAs landscape contractor for more than 35 years for the Emmy® Award-winning television series This Old House and Ask This Old House, Roger Cook provided expert advice learned over the course of a lifetime in landscaping. He stepped away from the role in January 2020.

Roger’s journey with This Old House began in 1982, when he first appeared on the series. At the time, he was working as the landscape foreman for the Frost and Higgins Company, but that didn’t stop him from contributing ideas and expertise to several This Old House projects, including the Bigelow Project and the Woburn House. A phone call many years later from landscape architect Tom Wirth changed everything. It was 1988, the project was the Lexington Bed & Breakfast renovation, and Roger was on board full time as the landscape contractor.

In 1977, Roger received a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management and conservation law from the University of Maine. A certified landscape contractor in Massachusetts, Roger is an active member of the Massachusetts Arborist Association and has served as president of the board of directors of New England Grows and the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts.

Roger owns and operates K & R Landscape, which he founded in 1982 with his wife, Kathleen.

Roger lives in a town north of Boston. When he’s not working or gardening, he enjoys saltwater fishing and spending time on Cape Cod.Home & Garden

Rory O'Connell

Rory O'Connell is a teacher, cookbook author and co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Rory served as head chef of Ballymaloe House for 10 years, where he was twice awarded the prestigious title of Ireland’s Chef of the Year.

Rory OConnellRory O'ConnellRory O'Connell is a teacher, cookbook author and co-founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Rory served as head chef of Ballymaloe House for 10 years, where he was twice awarded the prestigious title of Ireland’s Chef of the Year. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rory+OConnell/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgHow to Cook Well host Rory O'Connell has taught people to cook for more than 30 years. He founded the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School with his sister, Darina Allen. In addition to teaching, Rory has worked as a chef in some of the world’s top restaurants, including Chez Nico, Chez Panisse and Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons. Rory served as head chef of Ballymaloe House for 10 years, where he was twice awarded the prestigious title of Ireland’s Chef of the Year. Rory’s first book, Master It, won the Andre Simon Food Book Award in 2013.

In his series, Rory transforms humble ingredients — from mackerel to beetroot — into imaginative and delicious dishes. In each episode, he demonstrates three recipes that incorporate influences from Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and of course, his native Ireland. Rory makes his recipes simple to follow and accessible, with the aim of giving people confidence in the kitchen.

Food

Rudy Maxa

Rudy Maxa, one of America’s premier consumer travel experts, is the host and executive producer of Rudy Maxa's World.

Rudy MaxaRudy MaxaRudy Maxa, one of America’s premier consumer travel experts, is the host and executive producer of Rudy Maxa's World./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Rudy+Maxa/$FILE/Ruby-Maxa's--World-PRACTICE.jpgRudy Maxa, one of America’s premier consumer travel experts, is the host and executive producer of “Rudy Maxa’s World,” the Emmy Award-winning, public television travel series featuring destinations as diverse as Korea, Argentina, South Africa, Tuscany, and Thailand.

Maxa is the host and executive producer of 95 television episodes on the world’s great destinations that air on public television stations nationwide. His television episodes also air in 121 countries in 22 different languages on Travel Channel International.

Maxa is a fascinating and informative speaker on the subject of travel today and speaks extensively around the world.

He is well known as public radio’s “Savvy Traveler” and an award-winning contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine. He is a contributing editor to Delta’s SKY magazine and Artful Living, the Twin Cities’ lifestyle magazine. The voice of National Geographic Traveler’s “Walks of a Lifetime” podcasts, he also hosts America’s most widely-syndicated travel radio show, “RM World Travel with Rudy Maxa and Robert & Mary Carey,” which airs weekly on 330+ mostly news/talk stations in North America.

As a writer for Traveler, Maxa’s articles have earned him two Lowell Thomas Bronze Awards for Excellence in Travel Writing from the Society of American Travel Writers. He has contributed travel articles to GQ, Worth, Forbes, Modern Maturity, USAToday, the Washington Post, Town & Country Travel, the Los Angeles Times, as well as USAToday.com, MSNBC.com, and ABC.com. He’s a frequent guest on national television networks and shows, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and “The View.” And he speaks frequently to both public and industry groups.

After 13 years as a Washington Post investigative reporter and personalities columnist, Maxa worked nine years as a senior writer with the city magazine, Washingtonian, before becoming Washington bureau chief of SPY magazine for two years.

Political scandal reportage by Maxa was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize by the Post, and he has written two non-fiction books. He wrote for the ABC-TV dramatic series “Capitol News” and for several years hosted a Saturday-morning, public affairs talk show on WRC-AM, the NBC owned-and-operated radio station in Washington, D.C.

Episodes of the “Rudy Maxa’s World” television series have garnered dozens of awards, including five regional Emmy Awards. He was named “best regular columnist” by the Florida Magazine Association for his writings in Ocean Drive. And as a Post reporter, he won the John Hancock Award for Excellence in Business and Financial Journalism for a series of stories unmasking an international Ponzi scheme. His alma mater, Ohio University, gave Maxa the L.J. Hortin “Distinguished Alumnus Award” in 2002.

Maxa lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the father of a grown son and daughter, and is a doting grandfather.Travel

Samantha Brown

For more than 20 years, Samantha Brown has traversed continents, experienced culture, and tasted adventure applying her singular brand of warmth and inclusion along the way.

Samantha BrownSamantha BrownFor more than 20 years, Samantha Brown has traversed continents, experienced culture, and tasted adventure applying her singular brand of warmth and inclusion along the way./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Samantha+Brown/$FILE/host.pngEmmy Award-winning TV host Samantha Brown was born in Dallas, and spent her formative years growing up in New Hampshire. Back then, “traveling” meant loading up the family station wagon to visit relatives in Pennsylvania. Her biggest international trip was driving across the border to Canada for a family vacation to Quebec in junior high school. Little did she know that she would eventually be traversing the globe as an intrepid TV host and adventurer.

Samantha’s career as a television travel host happened by accident. A producer spotted her work in a commercial and recommended her to the Travel Channel in 1999 to audition for a new show called “Great Vacation Homes.” A decade of various series followed, including “Great Hotels,” “Girl Meets Hawaii,” “Passport to Europe,” “Passport to Latin America,” “Green Getaways,” “Passport to China,” “Great Weekends,” “Samantha Brown’s Asia,” “The Trip,” and “50/50.” Samantha’s fun-loving style has made her a revered and engaging television personality whose approach is less expert and more a person you would want to travel with.

Over the last 20 years, Samantha has traveled around the world, visiting over 260 cities in 62 countries, and approaching all situations with humor. It’s a style that has endeared her to a large and loyal television audience, and helped earn her shows two Emmys.Travel

Sara La Fountain

Finnish cooking sensation Sara La Fountain is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. She lives in Finland where she runs a cooking school , serves as a food columnist for several newspapers, and designs a line of tableware.

Sara La FountainSara La FountainFinnish cooking sensation Sara La Fountain is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. She lives in Finland where she runs a cooking school , serves as a food columnist for several newspapers, and designs a line of tableware./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sara+La+Fountain/$FILE/Sara-LaFountain-New-Scandin.jpgEver since she was a little girl, Sara loved to cook, bake and throw parties. She is now delighted to have been able to turn her passion for good food, party ideas and beautiful table settings into a full-time occupation.

Newcomer and half-American, half-Finnish Sara La Fountain is now joining the all-star cast from New Scandinavian Cooking for a new program, Perfect Day. Sara is new to the U.S. public, but in her home country she is an established media personality with her own 10-episode cooking show called Avec Sara, which aired in 2005 on Finnish TV channel MTV3.

Since launching her own business, Sara has catered events for numerous corporate clients. The cooking classes she teaches are tailored to the nature of each occasion and planned around the finest seasonal ingredients available. The classes are all about learning to make new dishes and drinks and having fun doing it!

Sara is currently designing a signature line of dinnerware for the Finnish kitchenware company Luhta Home. The line is called “Á la Sara” and consists of an exciting range of pattern designs. Sara has also designed different kitchen textiles for Luhta Home (aprons etc), and she is now working on a new line of professional kitchen shoes with colorful prints for the Swedish company Ejandals.

Sara attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, one of the world's premier cooking colleges. She published her first cookbook also entitled Á la Sara in October 2005. The first print run sold out quickly and in May 2006 the book was selected as the winner of the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards category of “Best First Cookbook.” This fall she released a new book for the Finnish market titled Täydellinen Päivä, based on the Perfect Day series. A second English book will be ready for launch in the near future.

Sara has published recipes and articles for several newspapers and for leading Finnish magazines Seura and Ilta-Sanomat.

Sara lives in Finland.
Food

Sara Moulton

A teacher at heart, Sara Moulton's mission has remained the same for decades — to help the home cook land a tasty dinner on the table every night.

Sara MoultonSara MoultonA teacher at heart, Sara Moulton's mission has remained the same for decades — to help the home cook land a tasty dinner on the table every night./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sara+Moulton/$FILE/SaraMoulton600.jpgSara Moulton is the host of Sara’s Weeknight Meals, and co-host of a weekly segment on “Milk Street Radio” with Chris Kimball, answering questions from listeners. Sara, a protégé of Julia Child, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1977 and worked in restaurants for 7 years in Boston and New York. She joined Gourmet Magazine, first in the test kitchen, and then as the chef of the executive dining room for a total of 25 years. Concurrently she served as the executive chef behind the scenes at ABC's Good Morning America, prepping and styling all the food for the chefs and cookbook authors that appeared on the show, followed by 10 years as on-air food editor.

Sara has hosted 1500 episodes of several well-loved shows, including Cooking Live, a live call-in show on the Food Network during that channel's first decade. She is the author of four cookbooks, including most recently, “Home Cooking 101.” Food

Sarah Starr

Certified Yoga Instructor Sarah Starr inspires viewers to greater wellbeing through an accessible yoga practice.

Sarah StarrSarah StarrCertified Yoga Instructor Sarah Starr inspires viewers to greater wellbeing through an accessible yoga practice./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sarah+Starr/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgCertified Yoga Instructor Sarah Starr, host and co-producer of Happy Yoga with Sarah Starr travels the world to film her yoga program in the world's most tranquil & beautiful locations, inspiring viewers to greater wellbeing through an accessible yoga practice.

Having begun her Ashtanga based practice in 1998, Sarah excels at making the ancient practice of yoga an accessible, safe and effective practice for beginners to experienced yoga enthusiasts.Fitness

Scott Meeks

Scott MeeksScott Meeks/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Scott+Meeks/$FILE/ScottSeries600.jpgGrowing up in the 1980s, Create Cooking Challenge: Easy Peasy Grand Prize winner Scott Meeks says his Saturdays were all about cartoons and PBS cooking shows. He credits chefs like Julia Child, Martin Yan, and Justin Wilson for inspiring his lifelong love of all things food. These days, Scott lives in Washington, D.C., where he enjoys producing foodie content for his YouTube channel, collecting vintage cookbooks, and testing vegan recipes on his non-vegan family.Food

Scott Phillips

A master woodworker with a thorough knowledge of his craft, Scott Phillips is in his fourth decade of woodworking. Scott operates a full-time woodworking enterprise, is involved in habitat reforestation projects and contributes articles to Woodcraft Magazine.

Scott PhillipsScott PhillipsA master woodworker with a thorough knowledge of his craft, Scott Phillips is in his fourth decade of woodworking. Scott operates a full-time woodworking enterprise, is involved in habitat reforestation projects and contributes articles to Woodcraft Magazine./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Scott+Phillips/$FILE/bio.jpgA master woodworker with a thorough knowledge of his craft, Scott Phillips' reverence for the intricacies of wood and its possibility has helped making The American Woodshop a favorite among public television audiences for three decades.

Scott is in his fourth decade of woodworking. He started in his father’s shop at the age of 11. His first money-making projects—air-dried walnut shelves and boxes—led to furniture and restoration commissions. Furniture repair work quickly spurred a passion for antique furniture. His approach: study the best, then make furniture using the correct techniques.

Today, Scott maintains a full-time woodworking enterprise founded on his degree in Forestry. Scott is actively involved in habitat reforestation and riparian restoration projects.

Look for articles about Scott and his woodworking projects in Woodcraft Magazine.Home & Garden

Sean Diediker

A painter's painter, Sean Diediker's artwork appears in museums and galleries around the world.

Sean DiedikerSean DiedikerA painter's painter, Sean Diediker's artwork appears in museums and galleries around the world. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sean+Diediker/$FILE/Sean-Diediker---Canvasing-t.jpgSean Diediker is a native of Southern California who grew up in Newbury Park. Wherever he finds himself, Diediker places great importance on the effect of his environment on his paintings. “Muses rarely live in the studio,” he says. “They are out among humanity. The studio is where we apply discipline and articulate the observed.”

Diediker is currently directing a television docuseries called Canvasing the World, which depicts the subjects that inspire his paintings. As the driving force and creative eye behind Opera Garden Studios, he can extend his talents as a visual artist through both filmmaking and photography. His rare ability to see the world as a painter from behind the camera sets Diediker apart from his contemporaries. He says “I enjoy merging the techniques of the old world masters with modern-day media, to create and share unique windows into our world.”

Diediker’s artwork appears in museums and galleries around the world and has received attention from several news outlets, including NBC, CBS, Fox News, and the BBC. In 2010, he also released a 224 page, full-color book called The Wax Onion: The Art of Sean Diediker. A painter’s painter, his sweeping, faceted brushstrokes generate works that reveal the artist’s sensitivity to his medium and attention to the act of painting itself.

“I revel in the whole creative process, taking an experience and constructing a painting around it,” says Diediker, whose father is a general contractor. “I feel paint much in the same way that my father would erect a building, putting deep thought into planning and careful design… Step by step, layer upon layer until the work is done and standing on its own.”

Diediker carefully considers the nuances of relative color and value as he implements a cutting-edge sense of design. The result is a highly original body of work that evokes a timeless sense of the world around him.

Arts & Crafts

Sharon Collins

Sharon Collins is the host and producer of Georgia Outdoors

Sharon CollinsSharon CollinsSharon Collins is the host and producer of Georgia Outdoors/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sharon+Collins/$FILE/SharonCollins600.jpgSharon Collins is the host and producer of Georgia Outdoors. As a child, she lived in a house surrounded by woods, a creek and plenty of opportunity to indulge her love of the outdoors, where should would spend hours swinging on tree vines, scampering over boulders and catching critters in the stream. She began her career in radio before moving to television, and has worked at TBS and CNN before coming to Georgia Public Broadcasting.Travel

Sheri Castle

Sheri Castle is an award-winning food writer, recipe developer, cooking teacher, and storyteller.

Sheri CastleSheri CastleSheri Castle is an award-winning food writer, recipe developer, cooking teacher, and storyteller./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sheri+Castle/$FILE/SheriCastle600sq.jpgSheri Castle is the host of The Key Ingredient, an Emmy-winning cooking show. She is also an award-winning food writer, recipe developer, cooking teacher, and storyteller. She helps people cook with confidence and enthusiasm, and develops and tests recipes for cookbooks, magazines, and other media. Sheri believes that stories happen only to those who can tell them. Food

Sira Williams

Sira Williams is a lifestyle expert and host of Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day.

Sira WilliamsSira WilliamsSira Williams is a lifestyle expert and host of Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Sira+Williams/$FILE/SiraWilliams_host.jpgFood,Living

Stacey Millner-Collins

Stacey Millner-Collins first came to her yoga mat in 1994 as way to unite a dedicated physical discipline with a spiritual one. She has studied with numerous respected teachers, and is certified in Anusara yoga.

Stacey Millner-CollinsStacey Millner-CollinsStacey Millner-Collins first came to her yoga mat in 1994 as way to unite a dedicated physical discipline with a spiritual one. She has studied with numerous respected teachers, and is certified in Anusara yoga./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Stacey+Millner-Collins/$FILE/Stacey-Collins--Yoga-in-Pra.jpgStacey Millner-Collins is the founder and director of City Yoga in Columbia, South Carolina. She first came to her yoga mat in 1994 as way to unite a dedicated physical discipline with a spiritual one, and she has studied with numerous respected teachers.  The deepening of her practice impelled her to take a solitary “heroine’s journey” to Nepal in 1996 and, with her young family, to India in 1997 to study where the yoga tradition began. These experiences inspired Stacey to pioneer yoga in Columbia, SC, where she began teaching in kindergarten rooms, ballet schools, gyms, and church basements. The yoga community grew to the point that she opened her own studio, City Yoga, in 2003. With further in-depth and rigorous study, Stacey became certified in Anusara Yoga in 2006 and embarked upon the practice and study of philosophy, meditation, and Ayurveda.

Stacey’s classes, workshops, and trainings encourage the inquisitive student to step into his/her own empowerment through a vigorous practice firmly rooted in the philosophical teachings upon which yoga is based. Over her years of teaching she has come to appreciate that we ALL wish to be healthy, content, free, and fulfilled. Yoga helps us to get up when we feel knocked down, to bring clarity to confusion, and to cultivate courage. A yoga mat is a mirror of who we are--and yoga, like life, asks for devoted practice, a quest for integrity, and a healthy dose of self–reflection.Fitness

Stephanie Mansour

Stephanie Mansour is a nationally recognized health & fitness expert, who coaches women on creating healthier lifestyles.

Stephanie MansourStephanie MansourStephanie Mansour is a nationally recognized health & fitness expert, who coaches women on creating healthier lifestyles. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Stephanie+Mansour/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgStephanie Mansour is a nationally recognized Health & Fitness Expert as seen on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, CNN, FOX New York, ABC Chicago, Fox LA, WGN, Fox Chicago, CBS Chicago, NBC Chicago, PBS, Yahoo, Sirius XM, the Chicago Sun-Times and Crain’s Chicago Business. She reaches more than 52 million viewers per month.

For over a decade, Steph has been privately coaching women on creating healthier lifestyles along with weight loss. With her BA in Communications (and an emphasis on Psychology & Women’s Studies) from the University of Michigan, Steph also holds her certifications in yoga, Pilates, personal training, and life coaching. “My dream has always been to have a positive and solution-oriented television show to inspire and motivate viewers to create their own version of healthy and happy within their lives,” says Steph. “My hope is for audiences to walk away with ideas and tips they can implement into their everyday lives." Fitness,Living

Steve Butler

Host and producer Steve Butler brings his passion for furniture-making and mid-century design to The Garage.

Steve ButlerSteve ButlerHost and producer Steve Butler brings his passion for furniture-making and mid-century design to The Garage./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Steve+Butler/$FILE/bio+195+x+130.jpgSteve Butler produces and hosts the public television woodworking show The Garage with Steve Butler. It premiered on Create in February 2020.

As a furniture maker, Steve Butler has been creating artwork for more than 25 years. Born in Toronto, Canada, he began his woodworking career serving a formal apprenticeship. After his apprenticeship training, he worked in various woodworking shops in the Toronto area. As his passion for art and craft grew, he pursued formal training at Sheridan College of Art and Design, majoring in furniture design. Graduating with honors, Steve then went to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario where he studied education.

Steve served as the Department Head of the wood studio at Peters Valley Craft Center in Layton, New Jersey and the Worcester Center for Crafts in Worcester, Mass. He exhibits his work throughout the U.S. and Canada and has been featured in various publications such as Lark Book’s 500 Chairs and 500 Tables. Heavily influenced by mid- century modern design, Butler enjoys giving new life to an old object, transforming that object into something else, creating a duality in purpose.

Steven Raichlen

Author, journalist, lecturer and TV host Steven Raichlen is the man who reinvented modern barbecue.

Steven RaichlenSteven RaichlenAuthor, journalist, lecturer and TV host Steven Raichlen is the man who reinvented modern barbecue. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Steven+Raichlen/$FILE/Steven-Raichlen_ProkectSmoke.jpgAuthor, journalist, lecturer, and TV host, Steven Raichlen is the man who reinvented modern barbecue. His 31 books include the international blockbusters The Barbecue Bible and How to Grill and the New York Times bestselling Planet Barbecue and Project Smoke (Workman Publishing). His most recent book, The Brisket Chronicles, explores how this epic meat is prepared around the world, from Texas barbecue to Jewish pastrami to Vietnamese pho. His next book, How to Grill Vegetables, launches in May, 2021. Raichlen’s books have won 5 James Beard Awards and 3 IACP-Julia Child Awards and been translated into 17 languages. In 2012, he published his first novel: The Hermit of Chappaquiddick.

Steven Raichlen hosts the popular TV shows Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire and Project Smoke, Primal Grill, and Barbecue University on Public Television, and stars in several French language TV shows, including Le Maitre du Grill and the new BBQ En Boite. His Italian TV show, Steven Raichlen Grills Italy, airs on Gambero Rosso.

An award-winning journalist, Raichlen writes regularly for The New York Times. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Esquire, GQ, and all the major food magazines. In 2015, he was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame.

Raichlen created the Planet Barbecue and Project Smoke lines of prepared barbecue and seasonings. His latest venture is a new restaurant concept—the Star Grill by Steven Raichlen, launching on the Windstar cruise line in 2021. The founder of Barbecue University at Montage Palmette Bluff in South Carolina, he has lectured on this history of barbecue at institutions as diverse as Harvard, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian.

Steven Raichlen holds a degree in French literature from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and studied medieval cooking in Europe on a Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship. He was also awarded a Fulbright. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Miami and Martha’s Vineyard. Food

Susan Brubaker Knapp

Quilting Arts host Susan Brubaker Knapp inspires viewers to wake up their inner artist. Susan has produced DVDs, authored two books and taught her techniques to quilters around the world.

Susan Brubaker KnappSusan Brubaker KnappQuilting Arts host Susan Brubaker Knapp inspires viewers to wake up their inner artist. Susan has produced DVDs, authored two books and taught her techniques to quilters around the world./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Susan+Brubaker+Knapp/$FILE/host.jpgAs host of Quilting Arts, Susan Brubaker Knapp inspires viewers to wake up their inner artist. She teaches new ways to look at the world and everything in it, and incorporate that perspective into quilting.

The fiber artist, designer, author and teacher made her first quilt with her mother in the 1970s and has been creating art quilts since 2005. Her award-winning work has been exhibited at national and international venues.

Susan has produced many DVDs, including: Master Machine Quilting: Free-Motion Stitching and Thread Sketching (2009), Master Machine Stitching: Thread Sketching Beyond the Basics” (2010), Dynamic Quilt Design: Paint Meets Stitch (2011), and Fabulous Finishes: Seven Techniques for Binding, Facing, Framing & Hanging a Quilt (2014). Her work has been featured in numerous quilting magazines, Quilting Arts’ Calendars and on the cover of Quilting Arts Magazine.

Susan has taught her techniques to quilters across the country and around the world, traveling to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands to lead classes.

She is the author of two books: Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art (C&T Publishing, 2011), and Appliqué Petal Party (C&T Publishing, 2009).

Arts & Crafts

Tatsuo Saito

Dining With the Chef co-host chef Tatsuo Saito runs a cooking school in Tokyo; works in TV, magazines and on the lecture circuit; and is also a prolific author.

Tatsuo SaitoTatsuo SaitoDining With the Chef co-host chef Tatsuo Saito runs a cooking school in Tokyo; works in TV, magazines and on the lecture circuit; and is also a prolific author./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Tatsuo+Saito/$FILE/Tatsuo-Saito-Dining-with-a-.jpgA prominent master of Japanese culinary arts, active around the world, chef Tatsuo Saito has served as head chef at the Japanese embassies in Paris and Washington, D.C. and given special instruction in Japanese cuisine at a Swiss hotel school. He takes great care in arranging each and every food item to draw out the distinctive characteristics.

Chef Saito runs a cooking school in Tokyo, works in TV, magazines and on the lecture circuit, and is also a prolific author. In Dining With the Chef, he takes us to the heart of Japanese cuisine through scientific analysis of the culinary techniques used with all the various ingredients and inside instruction on everything from basic to startling professional skills.Food

Tina Nordström

Tina Nordström, crowned Sweden’s “Most Popular Female TV Host,” hosted the groundbreaking cooking show Mat (Food) With Tina Nordström. Tina has sold nearly one million copies of her three acclaimed cookbooks since 2001.

Tina Nordstr mTina NordströmTina Nordström, crowned Sweden’s “Most Popular Female TV Host,” hosted the groundbreaking cooking show Mat (Food) With Tina Nordström. Tina has sold nearly one million copies of her three acclaimed cookbooks since 2001./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Tina+Nordstr+m/$FILE/Tina-Nordstrom-New-Scandina.jpgTina Nordström grew up in Helsingborg in southern Sweden where her parents ran the famous tavern, Ramlösa Wärdshus. Her love of good food and cooking came early. From the age of five, Tina began helping out in the kitchen and still holds a special place in her heart for the cold-buffet recipes she learned. Following her time at chef school in Helsingborg, Tina worked for 10 years in several restaurant kitchens in Copenhagen, Denmark, and in the south of Sweden. In 2000, Tina’s hard work was rewarded: she qualified as one of eight finalists in the prestigious Chef of the Year competition, making her the first woman to receive such an honor in 12 years.

Tina’s warm smile, outgoing personality and outstanding cooking skills have made her one of Scandinavia's most celebrated TV stars. Her 2001 television series Mat (Food) with Tina Nordström broke new ground for cooking shows in Sweden. More than 17% of the Swedish population watched the first season, and continued watching despite its fairly awkward airtime — Mondays at 9:30 p.m. The series, which took its culinary inspiration from all corners of the world, was an instant success and Tina was subsequently crowned Sweden’s Most Popular Female TV Host.

In addition, Tina — by age 31 — had already sold nearly one million copies of her cookbooks: 2001’s Tina’s Mat (Tina’s Food), 2002’s Jättegodt Tina (Delicious: Tina) and 2003’s Tina.

Food

Tom McLaughlin

Classic Woodworking host Tom McLaughlin has been making and designing commissioned custom furniture for decades.

Tom McLaughlinTom McLaughlinClassic Woodworking host Tom McLaughlin has been making and designing commissioned custom furniture for decades. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Tom+McLaughlin/$FILE/Tom-McLaughlin---Classic-Wo.jpgClassic Woodworking host Tom McLaughlin has been making and designing commissioned custom furniture for decades. His training launched forward when he entered a rare apprenticeship with master craftsman P.A. “Pug” Moore in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tom remained close to Pug, even after branching out on his own, which included returning to his native New England roots where he’s been making furniture ever since. His credentials include: former Chairman of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters since 1998 and he’s been featured in articles in numerous newspapers, magazines, and woodworking journals. He has been teaching woodworking for two decades at his shop in New Hampshire.

Home & Garden

Tom Silva

Since 1986, general contractor Tom Silva has provided expert advice to home enthusiasts across the country on This Old House and Ask This Old House.

Tom SilvaTom SilvaSince 1986, general contractor Tom Silva has provided expert advice to home enthusiasts across the country on This Old House and Ask This Old House./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Tom+Silva/$FILE/Tom+host+195+x+195.jpgAs a proud member of America’s favorite home improvement team since 1986, general contractor Tom Silva has provided years of expert advice to home enthusiasts across the country on This Old House and Ask This Old House.

Renovating houses since he was a child, Tom’s first major project, working alongside his dad and brother, was installing a basement fallout shelter underneath their 1787 Colonial in Lexington, Massachusetts. After digging out the 20x40x12-foot hole under the house, by hand, and hauling away all the boulders, they framed it and finished it off. “It took us two years, and I felt such pride in what we had accomplished that I knew I wanted to do this for a living,” says Tom.

Silva Brothers Construction, made up of Tom, his father, and brother Richard, built the original set for the WGBH-TV Boston production The Victory Garden in the parking lot of WGBH. Russell Morash, the creator of This Old House, discovered the Silva crew while they were conducting a major restoration on an 1845 Greek Revival-style house. It was then that Russ named Tom and his crew the general contractors for the show.

“Each job is unique and different, which is just what I like,” says Tom. “Besides loving my work, I’ve made good friends with the entire crew of This Old House, and it’s been a rewarding experience.” Parents of a daughter and a son, Tom and his wife live in a 19th-century house he continues to renovate in a Boston suburb. He is a native of Massachusetts and a boating enthusiast.

Home & Garden

Toni Tipton Martin

Toni Tipton MartinToni Tipton Martin/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Toni+Tipton+Martin/$FILE/Toni_2024.jpgToni Tipton-Martin is an award-winning food and nutrition journalist who is busy building a healthier community through her books, foundation, and in her role as Editor in Chief of Cook’s Country magazine and television show. She is the recipient of the Julia Child Foundation Award; is a three-time James Beard Book Award winner; and she has earned the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Trailblazer Award, its Book of the Year Award, and Member of the Year Award. In 2008, after 30 years teaching cooking in the media and demonstrations, Toni founded The SANDE Youth Project as a grassroots outreach to improve the lives of vulnerable families.Food

Tristan Heath

Tristan HeathTristan Heath/CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Tristan+Heath/$FILE/Tristan600.jpgCreate Cooking Challenge: Easy Peasy Second Prize winner Tristan Heath loved cooking for many years, but it wasn’t until the end of his college studies that he realized that he wanted to pursue the craft professionally. After attending culinary school in the Hudson Valley, he moved to New York City where he cut his teeth working in several celebrated restaurants. Now out of the fine dining world of New York, Tristan likes to share his knowledge and passion for good food through video on his YouTube channel, Cooking with Tristan.Food

Vicki Payne

Vicki Payne has been conveying her passion for design, style and nature with her television viewers, readers, clients and partners for over 20 years.

Vicki PayneVicki PayneVicki Payne has been conveying her passion for design, style and nature with her television viewers, readers, clients and partners for over 20 years. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Vicki+Payne/$FILE/VPheadshot.jpgVicki Payne has been conveying her passion for design, style and nature with her television viewers, readers, clients and partners for over 20 years. Her inspiration comes from taking classic designs and reinventing them to interpret today’s trends and style. For the past 20 years as the host of For Your Home on public television and Create, Vicki has shared her style, ideas and a “you can do-it attitude” with millions of viewers.

“I never forget that I am a guest in their homes and it’s my responsibility to inspire and instill confidence that enables them to transform their home and garden into a space that is just perfect for them,” says Vicki.

This obligation carries forward through her interior design projects, textile designs, home décor products, books, magazine articles, blogs and speaking opportunities.

Home & Garden,Living

Vivian Howard

Vivian Howard is an award-winning cookbook author, tv personality, chef and restaurateur.

Vivian HowardVivian HowardVivian Howard is an award-winning cookbook author, tv personality, chef and restaurateur./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Vivian+Howard/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgVivian Howard is an award-winning cookbook author, tv personality, chef and restaurateur. Her first cookbook, Deep Run Roots: Stories & Recipes from My Corner of the South (2016), is a New York Times bestseller and was named “Cookbook of the Year” by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She created and stars in public television shows Somewhere South and A Chef’s Life, for which she has won Peabody, Emmy and James Beard awards. Vivian runs the restaurants Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, NC; Benny’s Big Time in Wilmington, NC; Handy & Hot and Lenoir in Charleston, SC. In October 2020, Vivian released her second cookbook, This Will Make It Taste Good: A New Path to Simple Cooking.

Food

Walt Greyson

Veteran broadcaster Walt Grayson has hosted Mississippi Roads since 2000.

Walt GreysonWalt GreysonVeteran broadcaster Walt Grayson has hosted Mississippi Roads since 2000./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Walt+Greyson/$FILE/host+195+x+195.jpgWalt Grayson was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta town of Greenville. He started his broadcast career at a local Greenville radio station while still in high school. In the 1970s, Walt pursued radio at several Jackson, Mississippi stations and even ventured as far away as KOIL radio in Omaha, Nebraska… but found it a bit too cold there!

In 1984, Walt transferred to television full time as the 10 p.m. weather anchor and feature reporter for Jackson’s NBC affiliate, WLBT. During his decades with WLBT, Walt's weathercasts and features won numerous Mississippi Associated Press awards. He was inducted into the Mississippi Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005.

Walt has written several books about his travels around Mississippi. His second such book, Looking Around Mississippi Some More with Walt Grayson, earned the Mississippi Library Association's Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2008. Other awards range from a Mississippi John Hurt Preservation Award (for a series of stories on the bluesman “Mississippi” John Hurt) to a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greenville, Mississippi Arts Council and numerous other awards and recognitions.

Walt has been the host of Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Mississippi Roads since 2000.

Travel

Will Clinger

Wild Travels host Will Clinger has worked as an actor, producer, writer and TV show host and has appeared on various stages and screens for more than 20 years.

Will ClingerWill ClingerWild Travels host Will Clinger has worked as an actor, producer, writer and TV show host and has appeared on various stages and screens for more than 20 years. /CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Will+Clinger/$FILE/host+600+x+600.jpgWild Travels' host Will Clinger has worked as an actor, producer, writer and TV show host and has appeared on various stages and screens for more than 20 years. He is probably best known as the host and segment producer of Wild Chicago, a television program that looked at the offbeat side of the city and aired on WTTW/Channel 11. His work on the show earned him fourteen Midwest Emmy Awards.

He has produced and hosted several documentaries for Channel 11: Vanishing Act –Memories of Vaudeville, Lost and Found –Chicago’s Offshore Treasures, The Bleacher Bums –Rabid Fans of Wrigley Field, and The Legend of Del Close, the first two of which also received Midwest Emmys. Clinger is currently hosting Wild Travels, a national version of Wild Chicago, created for public TV stations nationwide.

Will has acted in the feature films Witless Protection, Stranger Than Fiction, Something Better Somewhere Else, B-Roll, After Effect, No Sleep ‘Til Madison, Stash ,and Serious Business, as well as the short films Stealing Kisses, Hit and Run, Rain, Rain, and Train Town(which won a Silver Award at the 2007 Chicago International Film Festival and a 2008 Best of the Midwest award for Best Short Film). Will’s work in Train Town was nominated for a 2008 BMA .

Award for Best Actor. He recently wrote, produced, co-directed and starred in the short film The Calvin Lewis Bobby Mayfair Show[s]. Will has also appeared in a number of network and cable television shows, including Sirens, ER, Early Edition, America's Most Wanted and The Untouchables. For the stage, Will wrote and performed the one-man play Dr. Harlon’s Keys to Better Living(Royal George Theatre) and co-wrote and performed in the musical Two for the Show (Theater Wit), which received the After Dark award for Best New Work and was Jeff-nominated in the same category. in addition to acting with numerous Chicago theaters, he has appeared with the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the Peninsula Players in Door County, Wisconsin and traveled all over the country with the Second City National Touring Company. He bears a startling resemblance to Willie B. Famous of the comedic bluegrass group The Famous Brothers (www.famousbrothers.com)..

Travel

Wilson Bickford

Internationally known artist and instructor Wilson Bickford (1959-2021) conducted painting workshops for nearly 30 years.

Wilson BickfordWilson BickfordInternationally known artist and instructor Wilson Bickford (1959-2021) conducted painting workshops for nearly 30 years./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Wilson+Bickford/$FILE/bio+195+x+195.jpgThe late Wilson Bickford (1959-2021) was an internationally known artist and instructor who conducted painting workshops for nearly 30 years.

Primarily a self-taught artist, his easy-going style has earned him thousands of satisfied students, thus proving his philosophy that “ANYONE can learn to paint.” He works in acrylic, watercolor and pen & ink, with oils being his personal favorite and most requested workshop medium.

In 2012, Wilson filmed his first TV special for WPBS-TV, which aired in March 2013. The overwhelming response lead to Painting with Wilson Bickford an instructional painting series which began airing nationally on public TV stations in 2015, and on Create in 2018.

His painting tutorials on YouTube have received millions of viewings. He also has authored "Wildlife Landscapes You Can Paint" (NorthLight Books). Having been affiliated with the Alexander Art Co. for 20 years, 2011 saw Wilson launching his own signature line of oil-painting products, including canvases and panels, paints, mediums, brushes, and more!

Wilson also has a team of WBTT’s (Wilson Bickford Trained Teachers), who have received personal training from him and instruct his projects and techniques throughout the U.S, Canada and abroad.

Arts & Crafts

Yu Hayami

Born in Japan and raised in Guam and Hawaii, singer/actress Yu Hayami brings her love of good food and fine wine to Dining With the Chef.

Yu HayamiYu HayamiBorn in Japan and raised in Guam and Hawaii, singer/actress Yu Hayami brings her love of good food and fine wine to Dining With the Chef./CreateProgram.nsf/vImages/host-Yu+Hayami/$FILE/Yu-Hayami-Dining-with-a-Che.jpgBorn in Japan and raised in Guam and Hawaii, Dining With the Chef co-host Yu Hayami’s bicultural background has enabled her to be active as an international talent. She has had a consistently successful career as a singer and actress since her debut in 1982. Aside from her career and being a mother of two, Yu is also very involved in various charity works. She is a lover of good food as well as a fine wine enthusiast.Food

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