Alicia Woodward, LCSW, is editor-in-chief of Living Without magazine, the nation’s leading food, health, and lifestyle magazine for people with allergies and food sensitivities, including those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Alicia has been with the magazine since its inception, serving as editor of the premier issue in 1998. Now in its 13th year of publication, Living Without’s mission is to help readers live well–and thrive–on their special diets.
Alicia has been a journalist and professional writer for many years. A former hospice therapist, she is a licensed psychotherapist who specialized in the psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of living with chronic medical conditions, including celiac disease and food allergies and sensitivities.
Contact:
Web: www.livingwithout.com
Alyson Outen is a farm girl trapped in a city girl career. A two-time Emmy Award-winning reporter, Alyson spent 20 years in the hustle and bustle of television news. Alyson recently hung up her microphone and parlayed her professional experiences into a new career as the Internal Communication Manager for a Fortune 500 company. On the side, Alyson works as a food stylist for the magazine MaryJanesFarm. Because she spends as much time as possible cooking for friends and preening and pruning her cottage garden, developing out-of-the-box recipes and food skills for publication is the perfect fit for Alyson.
Amy was the “List Mom” of the original Knit List for over four years before she started KnitU. She’s very proud that she’s been Meg Swansen’s assistant at her Knitting Camp for over 15 years. Teaching knitting and helping people learn about the wide range of knitting possibilities is something Amy is passionate about, and she loves solving those stubborn knitting problems!
Annie Modesitt has been designing hand knits since 1986 and loves all types of yarn. A champion of the Combination Knitting Method, Annie believes that there is no wrong way to knit–but MANY “right” ways to knit. As long as you’re getting the fabric you want, and can perform the knit tricks you’d like, then you’re knitting just fine!
Ashley English has earned degrees in both holistic nutrition and sociology. Life has provided her with numerous career paths, including working as a medical assistant and nutritional consultant, manager of a bed and breakfast, wine and beer sales rep, baker, and caterer. Additionally, she has worked over the years with a number of non-profit organizations committed to social and agricultural issues. She is currently a member of Slow Food USA. Ashley is the author of the Homemade Living book series, which address varying topics related to sustainable small-scale homesteading. Ashley, her husband, and their young son, along with a menagerie of chickens, dogs, cats, and bees live in Candler, North Carolina, where they are converting their land into a thriving homestead. You can find her detailing those adventures in homesteading on her blog, 
Astor Tsang believes that knitting is possible for all. She has been teaching beginners how to knit for almost a decade. With the experience of teaching hundreds of beginners–as in “know nothing” to “my grandmother gave up on me” beginners–she developed a Nothing Is Obvious philosophy. Her perseverance to explain knitting process has sometimes led her to throw her students out the door when she uses her analogy of “the doorway is the stitch, Astor is the needle, and the student is the yarn.” Her very unique style of teaching has made her a popular knitting teacher in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Astor is also an accomplished published knitting pattern designer and author.
Becki Crosby is the founder of Whippy Cake, a brand encompassing salivation-inducing handmade accessories and her creative website, 
Betz White has the uncanny ability of envisioning beauty in the unexpected, something new from something old, cupcakes from sweater cuffs. This skill has propelled her to the forefront of the crafting field. She is the bestselling author of two books that encourage readers to stitch beautifully and tread lightly: 
Brenda Schweder has good-naturedly embraced many labels in her lifetime, from A Little Bit Steampunk to a Little Bit Tree Hugger to The Little Red-Haired Girl (back when “A Charlie Brown Christmas” still captured the attention of all good little boys and girls). Her latest monikers are Bend-it Like Brenda and Iron woMan (thanks to her friends Jill and Jill, for helping her realize her left arm is now growing larger than her right), due to her most unfeminine passion for creating jewelry with steel wire (grrrrr!). In addition to Steel Wire Jewelry (Lark Books), Schweder is the author of Junk to Jewelry: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Found Objects in Jewelry You Can Actually Wear and Vintage Redux: Remake Classic and Collectible Jewelry (Kalmbach Publishing Company). Schweder’s designs and fashion jewelry forecasts have been published over 100 times in books and magazines, including: 30 Minute Earrings, 30 Minute Necklaces, 30 Minute Rings, Art Jewelry magazine, Bead Style magazine, Bead&Button magazine, BUST magazine, Vintage Style Jewelry magazine, Make it Mine magazine, Wirework 2010 magazine, Wirework, Step by Step Wire, Steampunk Style Jewelry, Crystal Chic, and many other compilations, pamphlets, and books. 
Teacher Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch adores vintage fashion and couture garment sewing. She started her blog, 