Laurie Ristig is a middle school librarian from Colorado Springs, promoting the discovery of magical worlds by nurturing a love of reading in young people. She spent three years serving on a public school board and previously worked as the Program Coordinator for the New Mexico MLK, Jr. Commission. Laurie is a fierce advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth, a foster mother, a bookbinder, a cosplayer, a Harry Potter fanfiction author, a first place Harry Potter Pub Trivia winner, a lover of musical theater, and is generally an all-around ""baddie"" (adjective provided by one of her middle schoolers, so it's definitely accurate). You may also recognize her from her role as ""That Girl Dressed as Madame Maxime Who Almost Fell Off Her Stilts While Walking Off Stage at LeakyCon Denver."" If you see her milling around the con, be sure to pull her aside and say hello because she is also a social butterfly!