Virtual CC Fest October 17, 2026

Kemi Sijuwade-Ukadike is an artist, journalist, and creative-technology leader working at the intersection of accessibility, civic systems, and AI governance. She is founder of Small Systems Lab and previously led Artist Initiatives & Inclusion at Eyebeam. Her work asks how creative code can expand participation while keeping human intention, consent, and accountability at the center.

Naoto Hieda is a researcher and an artist from Japan based in Estonia enrolled in the PhD programme at the School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University. With a background in engineering, Naoto completed Diplom II (master's equivalent) with distinction from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Germany and works internationally for theater productions and in the visual arts.

Dr. Emily Thomforde is the Computer Science Department Chair at Reach University. She focuses on culturally sustaining pedagogy and making connections between computing and other disciplinary areas. Emily previously served as Computer Science Coordinator at the California Department of Education and San Mateo County Office of Education. She is a BAFTA-winning video game developer, and has ten years of experience teaching computer programming, software development and computing pedagogy at libraries, prisons, museums, and public schools locally and abroad. Her curriculum development credits include Vidcode, Hopscotch, Code.org, STEM from Dance, Code Combat, and BrainPOP. Emily holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK.

Blair is a human-computer interaction researcher interested in how to use machines that manipulate the physical world for insight and expression.

Tristan is a creative coder, educator, and researcher working at the intersection of technology, interaction design, and creativity. He is the author of "Learn Python Visually: Creative Coding with Processing.py" and a long-time open source contributor and advocate for Python-related Processing projects.

"Julien Gachadoat (aka v3ga) has been exploring generative drawing for many years. He grew up in the 90s amid the avant-garde demo scene, making visuals with code. Ever since, programming languages have been his creative tool.

Creating unique art with algorithms, he works with the emergence of abstract form. Combining monochrome, geometric shapes, he plays with repetition, using random operations to generate an element of surprise."

Sandra Soto, I’m an artist/educator and creative technologist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’ve been teaching programming and creative technologies since 2012, combining code, electronics, robotics, art, and education. I see technology as a creative palette and explore how AI can help students move from ideas to code, from code to making, and from making to new questions. (spanish version) Soy Sandra Soto, artista, educadora y tecnóloga creativa de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Imparto clases de programación y tecnologías creativas desde 2012, combinando código, electrónica, robótica, arte y educación. Concibo la tecnología como una paleta creativa y exploro cómo la IA puede ayudar a los estudiantes a pasar de las ideas al código, del código a la creación, y de la creación a nuevos interrogantes.

Melissa “Missy” Cooper is an artist, educator, and creative technologist based in Port Orange, Florida. A former K–12 Art & CS teacher and former curriculum developer for Girls Who Code, she holds a master’s degree in Educational Media and Design. Her practice combines painting, poetry, p5.js, and physical computing to explore identity, vulnerability, and the ordinary moments we overlook. Her developing body of work, Duality, considers how softness, grief, humor, and survival coexist. Across her art and teaching, she is interested in how close observation, experimentation, and getting stuck help people develop their own ways of making.

Shane Curry is a professional animator and amateur software enthusiast. He's currently the Timing Supervisor on "American Dad!" (2019-Present) and has worked on shows like Duncanville, She-Ra, and Trolls. He is a self-taught artist and musician.

Jessica Valarezo is a software engineer and educator who builds and evaluates machine-learning systems. She is currently working in the early literacy space. She is interested in making machine learning fun and accessible, designing systems deliberately and thoughtfully, and finding cool, creative applications for it across fields!

Matthew Raupp is a Communication Design educator with over 25 years of teaching experience and a former partner of Defrost Design. His practice centers on "serious play," using code not just as a technical skill or means of production, but as a sandbox for experimentation. In an evolving technological landscape, Matthew views coding as a way to transition from a being a tool user to a tool maker, a philosophy that comes to life in his latest creative coding endeavor, Collage Machine, an algorithmic tool that strikes a balance between artist control and chance. By bringing these generative systems into both studio practice and the classroom, he helps designers shift beyond closed software constraints, using code to sketch, generate unexpected outcomes, and invent their own ways of making.

Sai is an information designer crafting delightful experiences with data & technology who draws inspiration from natural phenomena, often using code as a means to that end. In the past, his work has been recognised and celebrated by CultureHub, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Bangalore International Center and Information is Beautiful, among others. Sai is currently at SOOT where he continues to imbue interactivity in his work.

M DeNardo (they/them) composer/designer/educator … believes in learning software engineering through the lens of creative coding … has collaborated with Teenage Engineering, The GIANT Room, NEST+m, NYU … loves learning and listening.

Kofi Oduro (Illestpreacha) is an award winning Experiential Storyteller, Creative Coder & Data Practitioner that transforms sounds, images, data, words & code into experiences that nurtures discussion, reflection & interaction. He creates, designs and research through his decade plus involvement in performance and event production.

By combining his sports & health background with technology, computational skill set and a multi-sensorial approach to design, his creative practice is an observation of the world around us that he puts into artworks & experiences for others to relate to or disagree with. Through Videography, Poetry and Creative Coding, He tries to highlight the realms of human performance and the human mind in different scenarios. These situations can be described as social, internal, or even biological, which we face in our everyday lives.

Aleksandra Jovanić is an artist and programmer from Belgrade, Serbia. She holds a doctorate in Digital Arts and a BSc in Computer Science. In her research and artistic practice she combines various media, mainly in the field of interactive art, art games, and generative art. Jovanić’s recent works focus on the aesthetic of data visualization and optical illusions, as well as explorations of accepted concepts of truth and reality. As an associate professor, she teaches at the New media department at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade.

Caleb Foss (they/them) is an artist and educator who develops mess-making systems using media technologies. They make software, games, videos, digitally-fabricated objects, and multimedia performances. Foss' methods draw from amusement parks and magic tricks, and their work seeks opportunities for amorphousness in the future of human media interactions. Their work has been showcased in film festivals including Chicago Underground, Imagine Science (Brooklyn), and FRACTO (Berlin) as well as Hand Eye Society's WordPlay Festival for writing in games (Toronto) and BitBash at the Chicago Humanities Festival. They are an Assistant Professor of Web Development, Design, and Social Media at Joliet Junior College.