Meet the Speakers
Night for the Books 2026
The Stories That Shape Us
Michelle Silverthorn
Michelle Silverthorn is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, bestselling author, workplace culture strategist, and the reigning Ms. Michigan Corporate America.
A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Michigan Law School, Michelle began her career as an attorney before becoming a leading voice on leadership, belonging, and professional advancement. She is the founder and CEO of Inclusion Nation and the creator of the THRIVE framework, which equips professionals and leaders to clarify what they want, navigate assumptions, build influential relationships, increase their visibility, and create meaningful change without abandoning the life they have already built.
Michelle has delivered transformative programs for Fortune 500 companies, global law firms, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Her work has been featured by NPR, PBS, Fortune, Bloomberg, and the Chicago Tribune.
She is the author of Authentic Diversity: How to Change the Workplace for Good and the creator of the acclaimed TEDx talks “We Are Not a Melting Pot” and “The $9 Trillion Secret to Thriving at Work.”
Known for combining compelling storytelling, practical strategy, and direct audience engagement, Michelle challenges people to stop waiting for permission, recognize the value they already bring, and take one brave step toward the future they want.
Arvin
Arvin is an 11-year-old 6th grader at Creekside Intermediate School in Dexter, MI.
His family includes mom (Sraboni) and dad (Vikram). Arvin is a curious and creative young reader who loves science, mathematics as well as technology, and tries turning his imagination into stories.
He has written and published three books and loves sharing his ideas with others. For Arvin, every book opens the door to a new adventure, discovery, and possibility.
Dr. Tiffany Munzer
Dr. Tiffany Munzer is a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician and digital media researcher at University of Michigan.
Dr. Munzer’s research program is driven by the questions that families often present with related to digital media, parenting, and young children’s development.
Her work also includes work includes translation of scientific findings to actionable clinical guidance for families. She serves as the Medical Director of Reach Out and Read Michigan and University of Michigan, an evidence-based intervention providing free books for young children.”
Veta McFall
Veta McFall’s work begins where certainty ends. It is an exploration of what happens when we release control and allow something new and deeper to emerge.
“I just keep layering until I love it. Until I like it enough to stop. But every layer matters…there are no mistakes.”
For over a decade, Veta worked as a commissioned portrait artist, building a brand rooted in precision and skill. She was highly attuned to detail, with every eyelash and every reflection carefully observed and translated.
Her October 2025 exhibition, The 1985 Series, a collection of 100 large-scale paintings, marked a pivotal shift in her practice. Each painting was numbered, not titled, so the meaning belonged to the viewer, not the artist. The series was not a decision. It was a surrender. A release of control. A return to instinct and trust. It represented both an artistic and human transformation.
Her current series, Stories, brings her personal narrative back in. Veta now shares the stories that emerge from each painting, along with their lessons and meaning. She no longer paints to prove. She paints to discover. Her work lives in this space between who we are today and who we can become.
Veta approaches her art with curiosity, open to the lessons and connections that arise. Her paintings are not answers. They are invitations. To pause. To listen. To trust what arises. And to remember.
Her work invites us to witness the journey.
Brie
Brie’s 15th birthday is in just a few short days.
She is an artist, an author, a fantastic baker and a guitar playing homeschooler.
She lives with her two moms, 3 sisters and has 4 pets (her oldest dog was even born without his front legs).
David MacGregor
David was born in Detroit and writes plays, screenplays, and novels.
He is a Resident Playwright at The Purple Rose Theatre (Chelsea, MI), where ten of his plays have been produced.
His work has been performed from New York to Tasmania and published by Concord Theatricals and Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW). He adapted his play Vino Veritas into a feature film starring Emmy-winner Carrie Preston, and his newest play, Mildred Whiskey, will premiere at the Purple Rose in January 2027.
His writing has been publicly burned and he has been hanged in effigy.
Katie
Katie is 9 years old. She is going into 4th grade at South Medows Elementary School in Chelsea, MI.
She has a mom (Laura), a dad (Chris), an older brother (Austin), a dog (Malcom), and a cat (Shadow).
She LOVES acting, both watching it and acting herself. She has been in 6 plays with Young People’s Theater.
Hananiah Wiggins
Hananiah (any pronouns with respect) is a lifelong lover of books, storytelling, and literature.
Hananiah attended Illinois State University where they participated in 8 national finals across multiple genres including poetry, prose, and, culminating in a national championship in Duo Interpretation. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Acting, Hananiah went on to coach the University of Illinois at Chicago and Eastern Michigan University.
Hananiah graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Masters in Interpretation and Performance Studies where they focused on examining justice through the lens of an intergenerational experience and joined Neutral Zone in 2021. They originally came on board as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Activism Coordinator and have continued to develop deep ties with the community by advising programs like Activism through Art, Riot Youth, the LGBTQIA+ activism and social support program, Theater, and LEADTeam, a program for youth learning facilitation and leadership development. They currently serve as the Program Director specializing in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Activism at the Neutral Zone.