Nicki Alander has fond memories of enjoying family stories ardently presented around the kitchen table of her grandparents farm. So memorable were these antidotes that she began writing them as family keepsakes, an interest that has continued. The majority of her teaching career was spent at Joliet West High School with her last and favorite position as Student Assistance Coordinator. Community activities vary widely. Of primary interest is the Plainfield Riverfront where she developed the Educational Center. She still finds time to enroll in Great Courses at Waubonsie Community College, the last session being on China. Her interest in other cultures, history and geography has led to
extensive travel. She considers herself most fortunate to have lived in what is now called the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the renamed country Zimbabwe. A resident of Plainfield, Nicki is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Ruth Davies crossed the pond to take her master's degree and pursue her life-long interest in art and business, discovering in the process a whole new culture and way of life. After living in Champaign, New York, and Chicago, I purchased an historic home in the Cathedral area of Joliet. For the past 25 years, I've been restoring the property inside and out, adding an English style flower garden which attracts diverse wildlife and an abundance of pollinators. I love the daily surprises my garden brings, and I hope my stories bring the same sense of magic and discovery to those that I share them with.
Simi Krishnan is a mother of two, an analytics pro by day, and a storytelling enthusiast by night. With a passion for real-life narratives, Simi is one of the two producers of The People Tree, a live storytelling show in Naperville held every other third Thursday of the month. Whether she's unraveling insights at work or digging deeper into life’s meaning, Simi is all about discovering the layers that make each story unique—especially her own. Her personal motto? "Love the one person who will be by your side for life: yourself. And in turn, you can uncover the happiness and peace you seek."
Errol McLendon is a Chicago solo performer and storyteller and a recent Moth winner. His stories have been heard all over the Chicago area, in Jonesborough, TN at the National Storytelling Festival and by many people unfortunate enough to sit next to him in a bar or coffee shop. Last October, Errol could be found telling ghost stories at The Pollyanna Roselare Tap Room in Schaumburg, The Annoyance Theatre and The Little Traveller in Geneva. Errol also has a solo show, Inner State Stories, which will be a part of the Filet of Solo Festival at Lifeline Theatre early next year and will tour next summer. Errol’s alter ego portrays patients for medical students in order to teach them communication skills. Errol loves telling and hearing stories, so find him in a bar or coffee shop and tell him your story.
Sandra Vincent’s storytelling first began in college when she was featured in the University of Minnesota, Mankato, Creative Writing Journal. As an Early Childhood Educator, she enjoyed sharing fanciful tales with her students, nurturing their budding imaginations, and helping them pen adventures of their very own. In 2020 Sandra placed as a finalist, selected to perform one of her short stories at the renowned Goodman Theatre in downtown Chicago, while participating in GeNarrations, a Goodman Theatre storytelling workshop. Sandra has also been published in the Oak Park Writers Group Anthology, Key Strokes.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.