Paul Armstrong

Paul Armstrong has been an elementary school teacher since 1987. He graduated from Radford University with a BS in Elementary Education. He's been taking photographs since the early 1980's and enjoys combining two of his favorite hobbies, wine and photography. His photographs have been sold all over the world.

Stacy Brooks

Stacy Brooks grew up in a family of great cooks and enjoys finding new ways to mix traditional favorite flavors with healthier updated techniques. Most recently she's been excited to learn more about sustainable and locally grown foods around her home in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Ed Bruske

Ed Bruske, an award-winning reporter for The Washington Post in a previous life, is a personal chef and food instructor who tends his personal kitchen garden one mile from the White House in the District of Columbia. Ed is a chef-in-residence at the Washington Youth Garden, National Arboretum, and writes a daily food blog at  www.theslowcook.com.

Rita Calvert

Rita Calvert is a chef and food educator, food stylist and writer who celebrates the bounty of locally grown. She is the co-founder of the Film, Food, Farms, Our Bay: All Local program of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), and implements the Locally Grown Lunch Campaign of the CBF and Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. She also offers Chesapeake Food-Farm Tours, custom group tours of local farms and agriculture-inspired special events. www.ladycalvert.com

Patrick Evans-Hylton

Patrick Evans-Hylton is a Virginia Beach-based chef, food historian and food educator. He is food editor for Hampton Roads Magazine, author of three food history books, and has a weekly cooking show on WVEC TV-13 in Hampton Roads. Contact him at: patrick@amediaevent.com

Şennur Fahrali

Aletha Kuschan

Aletha Kuschan is an artist and writer whose career really took off after motherhood taught her the serious art of multi-tasking.  She studied literature at University of Maryland and has studios in Washington, DC, and Hyattsville, MD.

Kate Nerenberg

A recent transplant to the DC metro area from the Northeast, Kate spent the last year traveling all over the world and trying many different cuisines. She's am excited to taste and write about what the Chesapeake has to offer.

Warren Richard

Warren Richard is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. Warren moved to Washington, DC in 1992. He became enthused about Virginia wines while being hosted on a tour of Virginia wineries by a friend several years ago, and Warren has sought to improve his appreciation for wines by attending several wine tasting classes and wine events. An avid cook, Warren has developed a keen awareness of food and wine pairings particularly with New Orleans-style cuisine and rustic fare.

John Shields

John Shields is the author of Chesapeake Bay Cooking and Coastal Cooking with John Shields. He also stars in the PBS cooking show "Coastal Cooking with John Shields." His website is www.johnshields.com.

Mark Simonson

Aaron Springer

Aaron Springer is a multi faceted artist. His talents include photography, painting and mixed media works. Aaron is also an arts instructor specializing in programming for children. Being a local Marylander, Aaron grew up picking, catching and eating local apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, corn, crabs and fish from early age. He continues this tradition with his own family.

Carole Topalian

Edible Communities co-founder Carole Topalian travels the world with a finely tuned photographer's eye. Her ability to communicate through photographs brings the Edible Communities mission to life as visual feast.

Amy Undercoffler

Amy Undercoffler is editor-in-chief at the Washington, DC-based polling firm of Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc.  She lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore with her husband and two cats.