Howard Rheingold, the author of The Virtual Community, has been a builder of online social networks and virtual communities since the mid-1980s. He was the founding Executive Editor of HotWired and travels the world consulting in, and speaking about, virtual communities.

Chris Abraham is an Washington-based IT Consultant who has focused on developing virtual online events and communities of practice since 1993.

Janette Agg, systems analyst and university lecturer, has a background in software development and management of technology in financial institutions and other large organizations.

Bryan Alexander is codirector of the Center for Educational Technology at Middlebury College, Vermont, where he researches and develops programs on the advanced uses of information technology in higher education.

Andrea J. Baker, Ph.D. Sociology, combines three years of online facilitating with leadership of discussions offline, in college classrooms, and for community organizations for over twenty years.

Toby Sheppard Bloch has been delivering user and systems support since 1994.

Valerie Bock brings experience in the financial services, medical, corporate training, human services and educational fields to her Internet work.

Sue Boettcher combines an expertise in the social side of virtual community administration with a solid understanding of the technical aspects of the underlying software.

David Brake is a London-based freelance virtual communities consultant and journalist.

Jakob Bruhns is interested in how the use of information technology effects strategic control and change and in the usability of interactive systems.

Scott Butki is a professional journalist who has been reading and posting in various virtual communities for over five years.

Charles Cameron, until recently Senior Analyst with The Arlington Institute, is the designer and developer of the thought tool HipBone Games.

Guillermo Cerceau is a consultant specialized in the conceptualization and design of digital processes, products and services. He lectures and writes on literature, media,technology and society.

Ruth Cox, Ph.D., has been building sustainable online communities as an online community facilitator/organizer for 9 years.

Bernie DeKoven has spent more than thirty years as a leader in the development of new technologies and games for collaboration.

Jeanne A. E. DeVoto is a fifteen-year veteran of the online world and a consultant specializing in software documentation and usability.

Abbe Don, president of Abbe Don Interactive, Inc. is a leading user interface designer with expertise in digital storytelling, virtual community, information architecture, interaction design and the software development process for both consumer and enterprise clients.

Peter Feltham was educated as a chemist, but switched to computing in the pioneering days and brings a long career in the computing industry to Rheingold Associates.

Cliff Figallo is the author of Hosting Web Communities, the only comprehensive manual currently available for conceiving, defining, designing and managing virtual community environments and populations in a fast-changing technical world.

Cheryl Fuller is a psychotherapist in private practice and has worked as an online facilitator for many years.

Stephanie Gerson is a social media experience designer.

Donna Gettings began her online career in 1994 as a volunteer on AOL, teaching members how to use the service, managing a team of volunteers, working as a liaison with inhouse contacts, chat hosting and moderating, as well as message board hosting and monitoring.

Denham Grey, Ph.D., Knowledge ecologist with a past career in forestry and soils, has extensive experience helping teams discover, develop, and deploy their knowledge.

Adam L. Gruen, is a Technology Writer with NTTC - Washington Operations, a non-profit support contractor to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and to the Virginia Center for Innovative Technologies.

Joanna Howard, based in the UK, works with organizations to help them tailor their working style to their desired business outcomes.

Kirstine Kaern, computer systems developer and webmaster at a university in Denmark, has skills in research, designing computer systems, user support, writing, usability testing, education and training.

Amy Kaplan works as a writer, editor, web site content producer, and graphic designer.

Lisa Kimball has over 15 years experience designing social and technical architectures for corporate social computing environments, including managing virtual teams, creating communities of practice, and developing strategies for companies like IBM, Hewlett Packard, Merck, & Pfizer, as well as PBS, the National Education Association, and City University of New York.

Garsett Larosse is a knowledge activist who has founded a chain of student magazines and newspapers.

Ray Lopez, Ph.D., has 20 years experience as a teacher and problem solver in software development, and 15 years experience in online culture, communication, and knowledge management.

Janice MacDonald is a writer and lecturer and online moderator.

Donald Melanson is the founder and editor-in-chief of Mindjack Magazine, an online magazine published twice-monthly covering digital culture.

Teri M. Myers has over ten years experience in online communication, and has been working in the field of online community building and management for almost seven years.

André Prochaska is an advocate for online community. He's experienced the gamut of online interaction, from being a member, to volunteer hosting to managing online communities as a profession while working with AOL and Lycos.

Dan Richards is a convergence media producer and an associate editor at Mindjack Magazine.

Meredith Russell is a consultant and psychotherapist who facilitates individual and organizational change.

Grace Twain works as a writer, virtual community host and manager.

Bob Watson, a professional librarian for over twenty-five years, has extensive experience as a conference host in both for-profit and non-profit community environments.

John Wampler is a Silicon Valley based on-line community consultant. John started on-line hosting with Apple's eWorld service in 1994, and was a founding employee at Talk City.

John D. Williams is an associate professor with over twenty years experience teaching communication courses.

David R. Woolley is a consultant and software designer specializing in tools for virtual teams and virtual communities.