SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERS
The Haunted America Conference returns to Alton, Illinois and Lewis and Clark College over the weekend of June 25-28, 2026! Here’s a look at some of the speakers, special guests, and workshop presenters for this year!
CONFERENCE HOST: TROY TAYLOR
Troy Taylor is the founder of the Haunted America Conference, as well as an author, tour creator, lecturer, and founder of American Hauntings Ink, which presents haunted history through books, tours, events, and ghost hunts across the country. He is the author of more than 150 books on ghosts, crime, and the unexplained in America and one of the hosts of the American Hauntings Podcast. He has appeared in numerous television shows and documentaries and his book about the St. Louis Exorcism of 1949 is currently under contract to be turned into a film by a major studio. He is also the owner of the American Oddities Museum and currently resides in Alton, Illinois.
ALEX MATSUO
Alex Matsuo is a paranormal researcher, investigator, and author. She is the founder of the Association of Paranormal Study and runs the blog, The Spooky Stuff, which features various paranormal topics and historical places with reports of ghosts. Alex has been featured on Travel Channel, Discovery Plus, CTV Sci-Fi, and Tubi. Some of her books include Haunted Northern Virginia, Women of the Paranormal Volume I: A Brief History, The Hamptonville Hauntings: Ghosts of the Trivette Clinic, One Bed Over: A Hospital Haunting, and The Brave Mortal’s Guide to Ghost Hunting. Alex holds a Master of Arts in Theatre from San Diego State University and works as a senior learning experience designer in Arlington, Virginia.
VICTORIA JAYE
Victoria Jaye is an author, podcaster, and writer in the paranormal/horror analysis spheres. Her book, The Black Hours: Modern Demonic Experiences & Folklore expanded her master's thesis work from Utah State University. Victoria's podcast, Demon Folklorist, can be found on Spreaker and on several other podcasting platforms where she talks demons, folklore, and horror movies. Her research interests are demonic narratives, experiences, phenomena, and media. Victoria also analyzes horror movies for her column, The Novelty Shoppe, on Morbidly Beautiful. She is currently expanding her research into classifying other types of negative supernatural experiences.
NICOLE AND DAMIAN
Nicole and Damian are experiencers of the weird, known for their innovative + esoteric paranormal investigative techniques, and specialize in ITC work. They run the ParaPeculiar Museum Of Haunted Items, and are hosts of two popular podcasts, ParaPeculiar, and The Real Ghosts Of. Nicole and Damian have been featured on Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Fox, and more, as well as paranormal fests across the country, showcasing their unique approach to the paranormal.
APRIL SLAUGHTER
April is a longtime presenter at the Haunted America Conference and a part of the American Hauntings family. She is the author of three books and numerous articles on ghosts, hauntings, spirit communication, psychical research, the unexplained, and death and funeral customs. She is also the founder of “Slaughter Skulls,” an accomplished artist, and gourmet chef who operates a business that features her other passion, “Slaughterhouse Catering”. She was born and raised in Utah, where she developed a love for history and genealogy, and currently resides there with her twin daughters.
ERIN TAYLOR
Erin Taylor, MS, LPC, (Troy's favorite cousin) is a licensed mental health therapist in Colorado, with close to 20 years of mental health community experience. She has been exploring the paranormal formally since 2013 (informally for years), but only starting to write in the past couple of years. Erin has published four books: Sleeping Among Spirits, Unfinished Business (2 versions!), and Strange Colorado, Vol 1- and is working on more! She is a regular contributor for American Haunting's Morbid Curious, along with published articles in Haunted Magazine and American Paranormal Magazine. You can find her books on Amazon, and her author pages on Facebook and Instagram.
SHERRI BRAKE
Sherri is a Haunted America Conference veteran and a returning favorite, as well as being an author, lecturer, and paranormal investigator. She owns the award-winning "Haunted Heartland Tours" and has instructed classes on the paranormal while finding time to consult on a few paranormal television shows, lead yearly adventure tours to Ireland and Scotland, and offer tours and ghost hunts in several states. She has written numerous books on hauntings in Ohio and West Virginia, is a member of a number of different historical and heritage societies and lives on a 100-acre farm in central West Virginia with her family. Their house is "slightly" haunted!
BRANDON SCHEXNAYDER
Brandon is a veteran audio engineer with a passion for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible between your earbuds. After a long career in Music Row recording studios, helping artists like George Strait and Lee Ann Womack make their albums, Brandon decided it was his turn to tell stories and create something for himself, so he enlisted the help of his sister Bryanne and Southern Gothic was born. When Brandon isn’t knee-deep in ghost stories, he spends most of his time working with other podcasters, whether that is editing & mixing audio, consulting for growth and monetization, or just goofing off talking about middle-aged dad stuff like Bigfoot.
DR. LEO RUICKBIE
Dr. Leo Ruickbie, FRHistS, FRAI, AICI ARPS, AKC, is a social scientist specializing in controversial beliefs and exceptional experiences. He was awarded a doctorate for his work on contemporary witchcraft, magic and re-enchantment from King's College London and is the author of several books, including Witchcraft Out of the Shadows: A History; A Brief Guide to the Supernatural; A Brief Guide to Ghost Hunting; and Angels in the Trenches: Superstition, Spiritualism and the Supernatural During the First World War. His work has been recognized with Fellowships from both the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute. He is also a Council Member of the Society for Psychical Research, a Professional Member of the Parapsychological Association, and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Northampton, where he is part of the Exceptional Experiences and Consciousness Studies Research Group. From 2014 to 2023, he was the editor of The Magazine of the Society for Psychical Research, for which he was awarded the Accredited in Imaging in the Creative Industries qualification and elected an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. In 2021, he won third prize in the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies essay contest on the best evidence for life after death, with “The Ghost in the Time Machine.”
RONALD C. MEYER
Ronald C. Meyer is a visionary filmmaker, author, and researcher. He has produced groundbreaking documentaries on serial killers, Bigfoot, and paranormal phenomena, co-authored multiple novels, and contributed to paleontology. A 5th-degree black belt, he also leads transformative flow workshops.
ALAN MEGARGLE
Alan Megargle is an award-winning filmmaker, lecturer and paranormal investigator. He utilizes his many years of experience, and passion for mystery, to document supernatural phenomena. While blending fieldwork with storytelling, Alan explores the boundaries of the unknown.
MATTHEW JACKSON
Matthew Jackson began actively researching the paranormal in 2009. After a string of unexplainable events — the strangest being in 2003 when a discarnate voice whispered in his ear and then chucked a glass of water at his head at the exact location of an unsolved murder from 1970 — he began delving into connections between tragic history and supernational occurrences. He instantly became drawn to Instrumental Trans Communication (ITC) and has developed a passion for Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) and using Spirit/Ghost Boxes in his sessions. He has investigated many locations, including iconic ones such as the Lizzie Borden House, and has braved the halls of Waverly Hills Sanatorium on numerous occasions. Matthew is also the proud owner of some of the most unique spirit boxes in the field — all of which he’ll be presenting at this year’s event during his Saturday night workshop!
THE THREE APPALACHIAN WITCHES
Ashley Conner, Misty Conner, and Pat Bussard O’Keefe are descendants of the mystics of the mountains, Appalachian granny women, also known as granny witches. Each is a talented psychic, medium, and Reiki Master/natural healer. This popular witchy trio are authors, and their latest books are: Three Appalachian Witches: Moon Magick, Mirror Magick, and the Witches Ladder, Appalachian Granny Witch Magick, and Appalachian Conjuring. They also host a bi-monthly podcast, Appalachian Cauldron, answering with insight and humor, magickal and personal questions posed by their audience. These busy conjurers were featured in the documentary Season of the Witch, which can be found on many streaming services. Pat, Ashley and Misty are currently working on their own documentary about Appalachian granny women titled, There’s Magick in Them Mountains. The film is set to premiere in the fall of 2025. These Three Appalachian Witches have traveled the country conducting seances, gallery readings, energy healing sessions, classes, and workshops on a plethora of spiritual and paranormal topics.
JEFF WITHAM | TRAVELING BOARDS OF WONDER MUSEUM
Jeff’s Traveling Boards of Wonders LLC was founded in 2021. This is Jeff’s passion and he loves to share his knowledge and the artistry of his collection. He started off with 75 boards on display and the collection has since grown to over 200 boards from all over the world, created by dozens of artists. The museum not only displays boards that have been handmade by various artists, it also features historical boards, as well as presenting the history of the boards, how they were created — and even a few that are allegedly haunted!
LUKE NALIBORSKI AND LEN ADAMS
Presenting Strange Stuff
A longtime favorite at the conference, “Strange Stuff” was created in 2002 by supporter John Brill. After his health became too poor to continue, John passed the reins for the session to Len and Luke, who have carried on the tradition he envisioned of “breaking the ice” at the start of the conference and allowing attendees to present their own stories of ghosts and paranormal events. So, come prepared to share if you’d like!
The hosts — Luke and Len — are both longtime guides for American Hauntings in Alton and Southwestern Illinois. Both are the authors of several books about ghosts. Luke is also the owner of “I Had That Toy,” a nostalgia and collectible shop in Belleville, Illinois, and is a returning vendor at the conference.
AMERICAN HAUNTINGS PODCAST | CODY BECK
Cody Beck is writer and producer and the creator of the American Hauntings Podcast, which he co-hosts with Troy Taylor. The podcast started in 2017 and is currently in its tenth season of delving into the dark side of American history.
AMERICAN DREAD PODCAST | ADAM WHITE
Adam White discovered his fascination for the paranormal in his early years after an encounter with a phantom train. This initial spark ignited a lifelong passion that has driven him for over two decades. He has an extensive portfolio of hundreds of cases, articles in magazines and newspapers, and appearances on popular platforms like Coast-to-Coast AM and MTV. Beyond investigations, he has shared his knowledge through teaching workshops and community college courses on the subject. Additionally, for two decades, he has been a dedicated local tour guide for the Haunted Decatur Tours in Decatur, Illinois.