Diane Kastiel is the producer and host of First Person Live. A writer and storyteller from Chicago, she’s a three-time winner of the National Public Radio’s Moth StorySLAM; her work has been featured on the Moth Radio Hour, its podcast, and at special events for WBEZ, NPR’s Chicago affiliate. Diane has told stories on stage at The Second City, Steppenwolf, the Park West, Victory Gardens and other theaters as well as comedy clubs, art galleries, the basement of a tattoo parlor - she even did a show in the middle of the woods! Diane works with libraries, schools, community centers and homeless shelters to bring storytelling to a wider audience, and leads storytelling workshops at Northwestern University. Diane is an alumna of The Second City Conservatory and the University of Chicago’s Great Books program. She also has an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management…just in case. 

Selena Kyle is a litigator at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a member-supported charity that fights to protect people and the natural systems on which all life depends. She lives in Lincoln Park with her beloved partner, a fishpreneur. Her interests include rock climbing, dance, drawing, history, time, and the arrangement of things.

Anthony Robinson loves sitting around a circle and swapping stories with his friends and neighbors. A native of Michigan, he moved to Chicago in the height of the recession and worked as an opposition researcher, professional Pictionary player (!), and in animal control before finally finding a career in adult education with the community colleges. You can't find him on social media, but chances are you can find him barbequing on the beach in Roger's Park most summer weekends.

Christine Ferrera is a 100-year old Mole Woman who rummages through cultural garbage and cobbles together funny bits of crap. In happier times, she performed in festivals, clubs and crawl spaces across the country. Now, she is a post-pandemic podcast hag and the creator of the network, Live From The Lincoln Lodge! She is currently working on an audio book of autobiographical short stories, “Mute Girl,” (her nickname in high school). Chrissy can be found from midnight to 4 a.m. on any given day burrowing underneath what used to be Chicago's thriving comedy scene. 

Cassie Lee is new to storytelling but not new to performing. An actor on hiatus, she’s thrilled to have found a new creative outlet through personal narrative storytelling. She loves listening to stories as much as telling them, and regularly attends shows around Chicago. Recovering from a career in corporate America, Cassie is now happily employed in healthcare operations.

Justin Charlton-Perrin is a recent graduate of Northwestern University – assuming you agree that somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 years is recent. Following a quarter century as an advertising copywriter/creative director with myriad agencies in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Chicago, he is currently pursuing his PhD in getting old and cranky. When not telling you to get off his nonexistent lawn (he is a city dweller/Hyde Park resident) he can sometimes be found telling stories of his misspent middle age at various Moth StorySLAMs.

Melissa Earley is the lead pastor at First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights until the end of June - she begins a new adventure as the pastor of St. George Episcopal Church in Leadville, Colorado on July 1. She looks forward to hiking with her dog Tango, getting reacquainted with her home state, and enjoy her creative pursuits. Melissa is a Moth StorySLAM winner and writes essays, fiction, and a blog, “Waking Up Earley.” 

Bill Robinson is semi-retired after a diverse career doing interesting things - youth minister, sales guy, consultant, fleet leasing, and most recently, running a startup company on behalf of a membership association. Bill has always loved telling stories and has been featured on The Moth podcast and is a contributor to the Moth’s new book “How to Tell a Story.” He loves being a student and has a BA from DePauw University, an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School, and various certifications from various universities in marketing, behavioral economics, and global account management. He even attended McCormick Theological Seminary for a time. Bill lives in Arlington Heights with his wife, has three adult children who all live nearby, and eight months ago became a grandparent - it’s a sweet gig.