After a thirteen-year career in NYC’s theatre and cabaret scene, Nina decided life didn’t need to be “so hard.” She escaped to the mountains, and for the past 25 years, she has called the Roaring Fork Valley her home. Although most recognized for her years at the infamous Crystal Palace Theatre Restaurant or as the face of the Aspen Historical Society, Nina has proudly performed with every theatre company in the Valley. Nina is also a founding member of Consensual Improv. She also holds several local honors: 2020 Wintersköl Queen, 2023 “Devy Ordinary” Award winner for Excellence in Customer Service, and National Anthem singer for the FIS World Cup Races, Pro Cycling Tours, and Aspen’s Annual 4th of July Parade celebration. She is thrilled to be a recognized leader in a community that supports her passions and allows her to grow as an actor, comedienne, singer, hiker, fly fisherwoman, and skier!

Host of Aspen’s favorite winter morning report, “Local” on Aspen 82, Clayton has enjoyed “telling us about our valley”  since his move here in the second grade. With the yellow brick as an Alma mater, his education was steeped in traditional mountain values and a deep appreciation for the forest that surrounds us. Ever grateful that his grandmother, Phoebe Ryerson, had the courage to venture west to the big silver nugget of Aspen in the late 60s, he remains.

Eric Mead is a performing artist who defies categorization. As an onstage travel guide, he conducts interactive tours of the fantastic, where imagination is king, laughter erupts at every turn, and everything you know about the world is called into question. Eric will talk about the intersection of science and magic, showing how complex information and difficult ideas can be illustrated with magic.

Alex Tarika, ASC Education Manager, joined the Aspen Science Center with over seven years of experience teaching science at the middle and high school levels.

After graduating from Colorado College in 2012 with a BA in environmental science, she explored education in a variety of settings, including teaching English in Vietnam and guiding naturalist tours with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies.

These experiences led her to pursue an MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver, after which she returned to the Roaring Fork Valley to teach science at Aspen Middle School and later at the Carbondale Community School.

Alex loves creating inquiry-based, hands-on learning experiences and watching individuals explore and discover the wonders of science!

Snowboarder, neuroscientist and entrepreneur. Hunter is on a mission to help individuals recognize the innate potential in our brains.

As the founder of Aspen Neuro, he blends cutting-edge neuroscience with practical strategies to shape and guide individuals to create their own realities. He’s driven by curiosity and believes in the importance of embracing the unknown, being a beginner. He aims to make neuroscience simple, accessible, and empowering for all.

Andrew Travers is the inaugural Penner Manager of Educational Programs at the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies, a program of the Aspen Institute. He is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating the Center’s educational programming and public engagement initiatives.

A former newspaper and magazine editor, Andrew has written extensively about film, arts, and culture, among an array of other topics. He began telling the story of Herbert Bayer and Aspen’s art history for the Aspen Daily News and Aspen Times and now does so for the Institute’s Center devoted to the artist’s life and work.

Andrew’s writing and criticism have earned awards from the Associated Press, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Colorado Press Association, Colorado Association of Libraries, and Local Media Association. He is a graduate of Tulane University and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.