Featured Contributors Join the GGC Magic
GeekGirlCon is returning to Seattle for its 16th year this October 24th and 25th! GGC 2026 will be full of the magical and diverse programming we strive to provide–panels, gaming, cosplay, and all the exciting parts you love about our con. So, who have we conjured to join the GGC 2026 circle and enchant you?
It is our honor to introduce the amazing Featured Contributors we have for 2026! Join us as we celebrate these individuals and give you more information on who’s a part of this year’s coven!
Carly “CJ” Jackson
Carly Jackson is a professional goaltender, advocate, and fan favorite whose impact reaches far beyond the ice. Currently playing in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Jackson has built a reputation for authentic self-expression and passionate advocacy for inclusivity in sports. Their unique blend of athletic excellence, creativity, and community engagement has made them one of the most recognizable personalities in women’s hockey. Whether inspiring the next generation or connecting with fans through fashion and creativity, CJ brings a powerful and unique voice to every stage they step onto.
Lexi LaFleur Brown
Lexi LaFleur Brown is the Indigenous, USA TODAY bestselling author known for witty, emotional, hockey-packed rom-coms like Evening the Score and Shoot Your Shot. She has an MS in Public Relations and a PhD in Education. When she’s not writing her next love story, you’ll find her beading or in the goal crease.
Ava Wood, 365 Hockey Girl
Ava Wood is the creator behind 365 Hockey Girl, a social media account and newsletter dedicated to making women’s hockey fun, inclusive, and accessible. Serving as “your PWHL bestie”, Ava covers the Professional Women’s Hockey League to make it easier for fans to follow the sport.
Alison Cochrun
Alison Cochrun is a former high school English teacher as well as a Stonewall Award and Lambda Award winner for her writings of queer love stories. She has written titles including The Charm Offensive, Kiss Her Once for Me, Here We Go Again, and Every Step She Takes. Alison lives outside of Portland, Oregon, with her wife, her son, and two very needy dogs. You can find her online at AlisonCochrun.com or on Instagram at @AlisonCochrun.
Michelle Jing Chan
Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American author-illustrator who creates picture books and comics for kids and teens. She has illustrated 9 books, including two Little Golden Books, and is the author-illustrator of the picture book Weiwei’s Winter Solstice. Michelle’s debut young adult graphic novel, Somewhere in the Gray, comes out this Fall! Her books have earned awards from the Children’s Book Council, the Chinese American Librarians Association, and many more! When she’s not making books, Michelle is playing with her cuddly cat, browsing local thrift shops, or hunting for ghosts in video games. Visit Michelle at www.michellejingchan.com or on social media @michellejingchan.
Kate Welch
Kate Welch is a writer working primarily in video and tabletop games, focusing on fantasy roleplaying worlds and stories. She was a lead game designer on Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition and has worked as a narrative director on AAA video games. Kate is a professional Game Master who loves to shepherd people into the world of fantasy play-pretend!
Gabriela Rodriguez Epstein
Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist based in Austin, Texas. She made two graphic novel adaptations of The Baby-Sitters Club series and co-created the bilingual graphic novel Invisible for Scholastic. She wrote and illustrated the comic continuation of the Danny Phantom TV show for Abrams, Danny Phantom: A Glitch in Time, and its sequel Fair Game. You can find Gabriela online @pichikui or gre-art.com
Alina Pete
Alina Pete is an award-winning multi-disciplinary nehiyaw (Cree) creator from Little Pine First Nation in Saskatchewan working in comics, animation, VFX, and VR. They blend comic art with traditional storytelling techniques to create informative comics that engage the broader community. Alina’s work has been published internationally and examines truth and reconciliation, mental health, language reclamation, and ending gender-based violence. Their vision is to carry the flame of learning so that Indigenous youth can build a sustainable future that weaves tradition and technology. Alina lives and works on the unceded lands of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem peoples.
Dungeons and Drag Queens
Witness high-fantasy, high-heeled, high-rolling, high-larity as three Drag Queens play Dungeons and Dragons Live! Since starting in Seattle, the show has inspired many, and now sells out across the country and globe (Canada)! Dungeon Master Comedian Paul Curry and improvisational violinist Carson Cutter will lead three Drag Queens on a brand-new storytelling adventure, with danger, snark, and audience participation around every precarious corner. Experience the magic they bring at Dungeons and Drag Queens!
Where can you find these fantastic individuals at GeekGirlCon 2026?
Saturday, October 24
10:00 AM Panel
Creating Authentically
Location: Storm
Speakers: Miracle Lucketti (moderator), Alison Cochurn, Michelle Jing Chan, Alina Pete, Lexi LaFleur
What makes art authentic, and how do we preserve our sense of self in the digital age of AI? Hear from authors Alison Cochrun (The Charm Offensive, Every Step She Takes) and Lexi La Fleur (Evening the Score), and illustrators Michelle Jing Chan (Somewhere in the Grey) and Alina Pete (Indiginerds, The Woman in the Woods) to learn about what it means to carve out space in the publishing industry for your authentic self.
1:00 PM Panel
Crafting YA Comics: Art, Publishing, and Beyond
Location: Uhura
Speakers: Tori Sharp (moderator), Michelle Jing Chan, Alina Pete, Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein, Jen Vaughn
Comics are one of the fastest-growing genres in publishing today! Join Michelle Jing Chan (Somewhere in the Grey), Alina Pete (Indiginerds, The Woman in the Woods), Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein (Invisible, Danny Phantom), and Jen Vaughn (Goosebumps: Download and Die), as they discuss their creative processes, why they love the genre, and the unique challenges that come with visual storytelling.
1:30 PM Panel
Kate Welch DMs for the Entire Audience
Location: America
Speakers: Kate Welch
As seen at PAX East and back by meager demand! Kate Welch promises to deliver, yet again, 45 to 60 minutes of total audience participation and obedience as Dungeon Master to dozens. Come to this panel if you love adventure, mischief, and are ready to do whatever a woman tells you to, platonically!
3:00 PM Panel
Puck Around and Find out: Hockey Goes Mainstream
Location: Storm
Speakers: Miracle Lucketti (moderator), CJ Jackson, 365 Hockey Girl, Lexi LaFleur, Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein
From the explosion of Heated Rivalry internationally, to the 2026 Winter Olympics, to the rising popularity of the PWHL, hockey has skated into mainstream pop culture. Join CJ Jackson (Seattle Torrent), 365 Hockey Girl, Lexi LaFleur (Evening the Score), and Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein (Breaking the Ice) as they discuss their experiences with the sport, why it’s become such an exciting fandom space, the differences between real life and fiction, and why we should come join them at the rink.
6:30 PM Live Show
Dungeons and Drag Queens
Location: Storm
Paul Curry, Kylie Mooncakes, Solana Solstice, Hoochie Papa
Dungeons and Drag Queens returns to GGC! Dungeon Master Comedian Paul Curry and improvisational violinist Carson Grubb will lead Kylie Mooncakes, Solana Solstice, and Hoochie Papa on a brand-new storytelling adventure, with danger, snark and audience participation around every precarious corner. Witness the high-fantasy, high-heeled, high-rolling, high-larity of three Drag Queens playing Dungeons and Dragons Live!
Sunday, October 25
10:00 AM Panel
She Runs The Table
Location: Chell
Speakers: Kate Welch
Join celebrity DM and former D&D lead game designer Kate Welch for an abbreviated version of her acclaimed class helping femmes learn to DM! Topics include but are not limited to: session prep, improvisation, confidence, story & world, player types, and more.
11:30 AM Panel
Full Contact: Forging Inclusive Communities in Sports
Location: Uhura
Speakers: Annie Paladino (moderator), CJ Jackson, 365 Hockey Girl, Mary Kimball, Le Carr, Jaime Kauffman
Sports are for everyone. Period. Join a panel of athletes, community members, and fans as they discuss what goes into building truly inclusive communities in the sports they love. This panel will engage with what it means to authentically create welcoming spaces for participation in sports and sport fandoms. Ask questions and learn from our experts about how you can advocate for athletic inclusion in your community!
2:30 PM Panel
Compels Me Though: Crafting Compelling Characters
Location: Uhura
Speakers: Jen Vaughn (moderator), Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein, Alina Pete, Alison Cochrun, Kate Welch
What makes a character believable? And how do you write a character that audiences will connect with? Join Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein (Invisible, Danny Phantom), Alina Pete (Indiginerds, The Woman in the Woods), Alison Cochrun (The Charm Offensive, Every Step She Takes), and Kate Welch (Dungeon master, writer, actor) as they discuss character building across genres, writing original characters versus working with existing IP, and what goes into writing characters you can’t stop thinking about.
Meet Your Magic-Makers!
Signings and Meet & Greet Schedule:
Saturday
11:15am – 12:15pm
Lexi LaFleur, Alison Cochrun, Tori Sharp
2:30-3:30
Idol Fest Meet and Greet
4:00 – 5:00pm
CJ Jackson, 365 Hockey Girl
Sunday
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Mars Lauderbaugh, Gabriela Rodríguez Epstein, Alina Pete
