A 2015 Guggenheim Fellow in Nonfiction, Dr. Christine Montross is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is also a staff psychiatrist at Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. She completed medical school and residency training at Brown University, where she received the Isaac Ray Award in Psychiatry and the Martin B. Keller Outstanding Brown Psychiatry Resident Award.  She received her undergraduate degrees and a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from the University of Michigan, where she also taught writing classes as a lecturer following graduation. She was born and raised in Indianapolis.

Dave Lawrence is the President and CEO of the Arts Council of Indianapolis. He serves as the chief arts advocate for the arts and cultural community of Indianapolis, leads the professional staff of the Arts Council, and represents the arts community in local, regional, and national matters. His work includes the development of grant programs and initiatives for arts and cultural organizations as well as fellowship programs for professional artists including the nationally recognized Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship program that has awarded more than $3.5 million in direct support to artists since its inception in 1999. He conceived, created, and opened Gallery 924, a fine art gallery to support and exhibit the work of central Indiana professional artists, and launched Indianapolis' citywide murals program, 46 for XLVI that received national and international acclaim. Dave's arts management background includes work with Indianapolis Opera, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Clowes Memorial Hall, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indiana University Auditorium, and the INB Broadway Series.