John will be joining Word of South on the Champions First Credit Union stage as part of the Danny Bedrosian and Members of P-Funk appearance!

Always a fan of history, Judy’s first biographies told of ordinary people who became extraordinary heroes during World War II. A diagnosis of Triple Negative Breast Cancer briefly interrupted Judy’s career, but believing there is always treasure in life’s wreckage, Judy’s treasure became an accidental trio of biographies. The first, From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement, was selected as the 2021 Nautilus Book Award gold winner.

During her research, Judy learned about Mary Lasker, and told her amazing story in Crusade to Heal America: The Remarkable Life of Mary Lasker. It was awarded with a 2024 bronze Florida Book Award. The third book is Radical Sisters: Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, Evelyn Lauder, and the Dawn of the Breast Cancer Movement. It was recognized with a 2026 gold Florida Book Award.

Judy was named one of Chicago’s Most Inspirational Women by Chicago Magazine, selected as a finalist for the Arizona Healthcare Leadership Awards, and named a Phoenix Healthcare Hero. She and her husband live on Florida’s beautiful Gulf coast, where long beach walks ignite her creativity.

We are pleased to welcome Judy to Word of South, where she will appear on the Florida Book Awards panel for Nonfiction.

Her published books include the novel Cookie & Me, the poetry collection The Moving Waters, the textbook Getting into the Intercultural Groove, and the short story collection A Messy Job.

Currently, she is the publisher of Apalachee Press in Tallahassee.

She’s lived in Florida all her life, from Miami to Tallahassee, and comes from five generations of Floridians. She’ll be appearing at this year’s Word of South in conversation with Mary Ann Lindley.

David currently serves as Executive Vice President of The Integrity Group, based in Tallahassee, Florida. Immediately prior to joining The Integrity Group, David served as Executive Vice President of the Florida Chamber Foundation, where he led efforts to secure Florida’s long-term economic success.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, David and his family returned to his hometown of Tallahassee. It was there that he embarked on a new creative journey—authoring his first children’s picture book inspired by the imagination of his two daughters, Hunter and Sarah. His award-winning debut title, Floo Flocky Doo to the Rescue!, is a joyful, read-aloud story featuring playful rhythm, gentle humor, and heartfelt moments that emphasize themes of love, responsibility, and problem-solving.

David will be joining Word of South’s Literacy Lane. You can visit his website here www.FlooFlockyDoo.com.

Mary Paramore will be joining Word of South’s Literacy Lane.

Goines is also a prolific composer, having created more than 400 original works. Many of these compositions have been commissioned by prestigious institutions such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, the Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy, the Music Institute of Chicago, and the ASCAP Foundation. His extensive discography includes performances as both a leader and a sideman, collaborating with legends like Eric Clapton, Dianne Reeves, Ellis Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Wycliffe Gordon, and Ruth Brown, among others.

In addition to his performance career, Goines has made a significant impact in the field of music education. He served as the Director of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music for 14 years, during which time he elevated the program to national recognition. Prior to that, he was the founding Director of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School, where he shaped the curriculum that established Juilliard as a premier institution for jazz education. Goines has mentored notable artists including Jon Batiste, Aaron Diehl, Brian Blade, and Yasushi Nakamura. He has also held teaching positions at Florida A&M University, the University of New Orleans, Loyola University New Orleans, and Xavier University.

His last appointment was as the President and CEO of Jazz St. Louis from 2022 until his departure in 2026.

We are pleased to welcome Victor Goines back to Tallahassee as part of the 2026 jazz lineup at Word of South!

Shane Hinton will be joining Word of South as part of the fiction panel of Florida Book Award winners!