It is no exaggeration to call Mike Duke the poster child for MPB’s mission of education and serving the community. Blind since birth, Mike attended the Mississippi School for the Blind and Mississippi State University, where he earned a degree in communications. He then worked as a commercial radio announcer for 12 years before joining Mississippi Public Broadcasting as director of the Radio Reading Service of Mississippi in 1988. Radio Reading Service of Mississippi features on-the-air readings of newspapers, books and magazines for persons who are unable to read the printed word.

Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.

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Bibliophiles rejoice, the annual Mississippi Book festival is here at last. One of the most anticipated state events, this celebration of literary achievement takes place at the capitol every year. Dozens of panelists from around the country will be talking about their books, including yours truly, so my producer Lacey will be asking me some questions about my new children’s book, Saving Sam. We’ll also be chatting with Book Festival director Ellen Daniels and artist Noah Saterstrom.

Ellen Daniels served as the festival’s Literary Director from 2019 to 2021, when she then became the Executive Director. Ellen is a fanatic of all things art. In addition to her prior work as a gallery assistant at Fischer Galleries and her own fine art photography training, Ellen also brings more than a decade of experience at Lemuria Books to her leadership position.

Noah was raised in Mississippi and educated at Scotland's Glasgow School of Art. His paintings are in public and private collections worldwide. His work has been covered in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and The New York Times. His exhibition "What Became of Dr. Smith" is on view at the Mississippi Museum of Art through Sept 22, 2024, and a book of that artwork will be the subject of his panel at the 2024 Mississippi Book Festival.

Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.

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Ryan Parker is the Executive Director of the Mississippi Film Society, a non-profit that is working to bring unique film screening experiences, film-based educational programming, and a prison screening program to Mississippi. A Brookhaven native, Ryan has been working in the film industry as a producer and marketing/PR consultant for the last 12 years. He has already made his mark this month by providing unique experiences for his statesmen and we’re excited to learn what’s next.

Marshall Ramsey, a nationally recognized, Emmy award winning editorial cartoonist, shares his cartoons and travels the state as Mississippi Today's Editor-At-Large. He's also host of a "Now You're Talking" on MPB Think Radio and "Conversations" on MPB TV, and is the author of several books. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a 2019 recipient of the University of Tennessee Alumni Professional Achievement Award.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.