Journalism and Media Week

John Stephens has worked as a writer-producer on Gilmore Girls and The O.C., as well as being an executive producer and writer on Gossip Girl, Gotham, Pennyworth and Every Year After. In addition to writing, he has also directed multiple episodes of The O.C., Gossip Girl, Gotham, and Hart of Dixie.

John is the author of the middle-grade fantasy trilogy The Books of Beginning, which  includes The Emerald Atlas, The Fire Chronicle, and The Black Reckoning. His books have been published in over thirty-five languages, and The Emerald Atlas, and The Fire Chronicle are both New York Times Bestsellers. His new novel, The Age of Fury, will be published by Knopf Books for Young Readers in October of 2026.

Killing Kit: A Shakespeare Murder Mystery, his first play, will receive its premiere from the Arizona Theater Company in spring 2027.

Ayshah Tull is an award-winning, BAFTA-nominated journalist and presenter for Channel 4 News, where she also serves as the programme's Health Correspondent. With over 15 years of experience in broadcasting, she is well-known for her people focused storytelling, particularly with underrepresented groups. 

She began her prominent on-screen career at the BBC as a main presenter for the children's news programme Newsround from 2013 to 2018. She joined Channel 4 News in 2019. 

Fully qualified Equity Fight Director (with the Equity Fight Director Register) from West Yorkshire, UK. Trained in combat sports - primarily SKU Karate (3rd Dan black belt), and Foil, Sabre and Epee fencing (Gold Master-of-Arms), eventually pursuing combat arts as a full-time career. To support this aspiration, continued to become a fencing coach (level 3 foil) with the British Academy of Fencing, a Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) instructor, and a Stage Combat Teacher.

Accreditations in Stage Combat were taken with Actors Combat Theatrical Training, the British Academy of Dramatic Combat, and the Academy of Performance Combat, examining at advanced level in over a dozen weapon systems. All of this was in preparation to apply to the Equity Fight Director Register, which he successfully joined (despite delays from the pandemic) in 2022.