Lisa Rhoades is the author of three collections of poetry, The Long Grass, (Saint Julian Press), Strange Gravity, (Bright Hill Press) and the forthcoming Central to the Task. A former poetry fellow at the Creative Writing Institute at the University of Wisconsin, she holds MFAs in writing from Columbia University and LSU. Her poems recently have appeared or are forthcoming widely, including at Rust+Moth, Rogue Agent, Pirene’s Fountain, Permafrost, Windhover, Barrow Street, and The Southern Review. She currently works as a pediatric nurse in New York City where she lives with her spouse and their children.

Yaakov Katz is the for­mer edi­tor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. He writes for Newsweek and The Jew­ish Chron­i­cle, hosts the JPPI week­ly pod­cast and has appeared on CNN and BBC. He is the author of Shad­ow Strike and the co-author with Amir Bohbot of Weapon Wiz­ards. Presented in partnership with Miami Beach JCC and Jewish Book Council.

CHARU SURI is a highly regarded pianist and composer who treads fearlessly between genres, blending several styles and fusing Indian ragas with more traditional jazz. Born in South India, she was a piano prodigy performing in various concert halls at an early age. Charu's most recent album, RAGS & RAGAS, was recorded with John Patitucci on the double bass, Steve Gadd and Joe Lastie on the drums, and debuted recently at #3 on the iTunes jazz charts, and reached #2 in Kenya. Her previous albums charted #1 in India in both the jazz and overall albums charts. With mood-invoking ragas (to be played according to the time of day) for many of her compositions, she weaves techniques and sounds from several places including India, Europe, and Africa. Presented as part of The Betsy Jazz Series with support from Jorge Perez Family Foundation creARTE.

Joonas Haavisto is one of the most notable jazz musicians from the Nordic jazz scene. He has played as a soloist with chamber orchestras and big bands and leads his group Joonas Haavisto Trio, which released its fifth album Offshore in 2019. The trio has performed worldwide in venues like Blue Note Jazz Club New York, Tokyo Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Jazzahead!, Les Boréales Festival and Pori Jazz Festival. In 2017, Joonas joined the world-famous Steinway Artist roster.

In his compositions, Haavisto combines memorable themes with multilayered, surprising rhythmic motifs and sophisticated harmonies. Joonas tells about the latest album: " If someone asked me, where is my home I ́d answer it is by the sea. This album (Offshore) is about the opportunity, infinity, safety, connection, enormous power and calmness which are delivered to us by the sea." Joonas has also composed music for various groups from the trio to big bands. In 2016 he composed and played the piano music for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki movie, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rebec­ca Wolf is a for­mer jour­nal­ist whose fic­tion and essays have appeared in many pub­li­ca­tions, includ­ing Apric­i­ty and Tablet. She is a vol­un­teer writ­ing tutor for PEN, America’s Prison Writ­ing Pro­gram, and she lived in Jerusalem as a for­eign stu­dent before attend­ing Barnard Col­lege. She lives in New Jer­sey with her family. Presented in partnership with Miami Beach JCC and Jewish Book Council.

DeSean Kirkland is an American musician, known primarily as a pianist, vocalist, and bandleader. He is also a film producer and philanthropist. Kirkland's music style blends jazz, soul, and pop, often drawing comparisons to artists like Billy Joel, Elton John, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye. He has performed extensively throughout Florida and beyond, including residencies and special events. Presented as part of The Betsy Jazz Series with support from the Jorge Perez Family Foundation creARTE.

Carmen Tomassetti is a dynamic force in the world of live entertainment—an accomplished musician, bandleader, and entertainment producer whose career spans over 30 years and countless stages. From the glimmering decks of cruise ships to the lively bars of New Jersey’s coastlines and the breezy venues of both East and West Florida, Carmen has brought his unique musical energy and seasoned versatility to audiences far and wide.

Joan Kwon Glass is a diasporic Korean poet, winner of the 2024 Perugia Press Poetry Prize for her book Daughter of Three Gone Kingdoms & Night Swim, winner of the Diode Book Prize. Joan’s poems have been featured or are forthcoming in POETRY, The Slowdown, Passages North, Poetry Daily, Terrain, Ninth Letter, Rattle, AAWW (The Margins), Poetry Northwest, Tahoma Literary Review, Prairie Schooner & elsewhere. She teaches & lives near New Haven, CT.