Stephanie
CREATOR & HOST
Patronus: ragdoll cat; weasel
Now a proud Hufflepuff, Stephanie was gifted the magic of Harry Potter for her 11th birthday. As the only reader in the house and the only Potterhead in the family, she grew up alongside the Trio. Thanks to her college roommate (Amy→), Stephanie worked for several years as a creative content writer for a Harry Potter fansite. She also made a few guest appearances on SpeakBeasty: A Fantastic Beasts Podcast.
In her muggle life, Stephanie works as a Marketing Coordinator. When she is not working on Expecto Podtronum, she is working towards publishing her novels, running a girls volleyball club, filling her house with plants, and spending time with her family, boyfriend, and black lab, Echo.
Amy
HOST & PRODUCER
Patronus: gray squirrel; basset hound
A Hufflepuff by choice and by Pottermore, Amy picked up her first Harry Potter book at age 9. Now, two decades later, her love for the series and the magical world is as strong as ever. Amy has been heavily involved in online fandom for over 15 years, formerly acting as a video content manager for MuggleNet and coauthoring two books (The Ultimate Wizarding Guide to Magical Studies and The Ultimate Wizarding World History of Magic). She has worked on several podcasts, including Revelio: A Wizarding World Podcast (producer/host), SpeakBeasty: A Fantastic Beasts Podcast (producer/host) and Promptly Potter (host). In the Muggle world, Amy’s background is in broadcast journalism, and she currently works as a video editor and teacher, passing on a love for visual storytelling to high school students. Amy currently resides in upstate New York with her cat, Luna.
Carolyn
HOST & DESIGNER
Patronus: tortoiseshell cat; wild hare
Carolyn is a Slytherin in every sense, except very much not evil (and she would totally have come back to help at the Battle of Hogwarts after making sure all the underage wizards were safe) and is a proud Horned Serpent. She discovered Harry Potter in high school, and it became an obsession that would consume her and annoy her less fandom-obsessed family and friends for the rest of her life. She lives in a Chicago suburb with her Hufflepuff husband (he did not sort himself) and two children, who she is turning into Potterheads and Percy Jackson fans. When forced to work in the muggle/no-maj world, Carolyn is an illustrator and graphic designer and is happy to have been involved in SpeakBeasty: A Fantastic Beasts Podcast, Revelio: A Wizarding World Podcast, Dialogue Alley, and now Expecto Podtronum, with hopefully more fandom fun in her future.
Catherine
EDITOR
Patronus: black mare
Catherine, a half-and-half Ravenpuff, lives in upper Mississippi with her husband Brandon (a Slytherin) and three furbabies. She enjoys bringing characters to life through narration in collaboration with Audible and bringing the magic of interior design (and DIY projects) into her home. When she isn’t editing podcasts or audiobooks, she embodies the legacy of Professor Sprout through her love of ALL plants (except for Striped Calathea, apparently). In short, she loves Jesus, her husband, her dogs, plants, and people!
Ella
SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT
Patronus: dolphin; black and white cat
She actually hates cats, so the patronus is a bit tragic. Nonetheless, we offer Ella our sincerest thanks for her help with social media strategy.
Kimira
SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT
Patronus: hyena
Kimira V. Leonard is a Slytherin, writer, and coauthor of The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary and The Ultimate Wizarding World History of Magic. She formerly worked as the social media director for a Wizarding World fansite. Originally from Czechia, Kimira currently lives in Nebraska with her husband and family of magical creatures. When she isn’t working on her fantasy novels, she enjoys exploring nature with a camera, expanding her to-be-read pile, making music, and tending to her growing collection of succulents (that’s right, Slytherins love plants too!)
Liz
HOST & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Patronus: manx cat; wildcat
Liz is a Ravenclaw by Hat, though she identifies as a Slytherclaw. After adamantly denying she would enjoy the Harry Potter series, she caved when her older sister gifted her a copy of Sorcerer’s Stone for her 10th birthday. Liz has been involved in the online fandom space for over a decade, previously volunteering with two different fandom websites, co-authoring The Ultimate Wizarding Guide to Magical Studies, and being a member of the social media team for SpeakBeasty: A Fantastic Beasts Podcast. Armed with two degrees in anthropology and a love for writing, Liz works in entertainment journalism while residing in sunny Arizona with her husband and their cat, Gotham Gomez.
Lucy
HOST & PRODUCER
Patronus: saint bernard; salamander
Lucy is a proud Gryffinclaw! While she initially disliked Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, on her second attempt at age 8 she fell in love with the wizarding world. After seeing an interview with David Heyman, Lucy decided to explore a career as a video editor. During her 6 years as a Video Producer and then as Video Content Manager for MuggleNet, Lucy coauthored The Unofficial Harry Potter Hogwarts Handbook. She also produces Behind The Wand: Stories from the Harry Potter Films. When she has the time, Lucy loves to travel the world (and if there’s a Wizarding World location at her destination, you bet she will try her best to visit it).
Sas
COPY EDITOR
Patronus: Deerhound
Sas is a Hufflepuff, a friend of ours from MuggleNet days who has so-kindly agreed to assist with editing. She has not, however, provided Sidney with a bio to post here, so instead, let’s have a few words from the headmaster: nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak!
Sidney
HOST & DESIGNER
Patronus: thestral; field mouse
Sidney is a Slytherin and a tech geek from the Deep South. She spent nearly five years working as a Web Content Editor and then as the Content Manager at MuggleNet, where she met the other ladies of Expecto Podtronum. Though she generally would prefer to be a ghost and for no one to know anything about her, Sidney generously offers these facts to viewers of the site: she loves spending time with her pets and her family, enjoying nature in solitude, reading poetry, and staying involved in her local community.
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