A veteran in Events Management and Marketing, Spencer has worked within the theater, sports entertainment, and fan conventions realm.  Spencer was one of the founders of the World’s Largest Star Wars Celebration Fan Page and parlayed his experience to produce the annual pre-SWC event “Boonta Eve” which has become a staple at Celebration.  Currently, he is Co-Owner of the Virtual Cantina Network and serves as the company’s Chief Shenanigans Officer.

Frank Rich is co-owner of The Virtual Cantina Network and owner and lead writer at Star Wars Autograph News.

Through the website and social media, SWAN strives to unite the collecting community through education, support, and mutual respect for collectors of all levels. Fluent in ASL, Frank currently works as a Sign Language Interpreter in his hometown of Boston.

Jonathan Chiado is the founder of the Star Wars Celebration Facebook group and co-owner of The Virtual Cantina Network. As the San Diego Area Shipping Supervisor for Ross, he brings dedication, precision, and strong leadership to the logistics and operations side of the business.

Jonathan is a passionate fan of epic storytelling, especially Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. His love for fantasy and sci-fi extends into his hobbies, which include playing trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars Unlimited, and Lorcana. Jonathan is also a proud dog dad to three beloved pups, who bring joy and energy to his daily life.

Dave is a husband of 23 years, proud father of 2 nearly grown girls, an elementary school art teacher, a lacrosse coach, and 4th generation farmer.  

He is a lifelong Star Wars (and Star Trek, and MOTU, and GI Joe, and Ghostbusters, and Batman) FANATIC, coming to Star Wars initially in 1983 during Return of the Jedi, the first film he remembers seeing in theaters. 

Dave collects mainly action figures, toys and comics, but has recently branched out into autographs, specializing in getting all the aforementioned things signed, and has quickly become very well versed in that arena.

Dave does nearly as many things for the VCN as he does in his personal life.  He does many of our network and show graphics, co-hosts, as well as co-produces The Unifying Force, the Thursday night Watch Along, Celebrating Autographs, and Unboxings on the network, as well as serves as an executive producer for the Virtual Cantina YouTube channel, AND has recently been promoted to one of the admins of the Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 Facebook group.

 Dave also enjoys Star Wars cosplay, especially as a certain Dave Faux-Loni.

In his “normie” non-Star Wars life, you can find Dave camping, kayaking, hiking, especially in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone area, and horseback riding.

I am a Star Wars

Mark Von Ohlen is a lifelong Star Wars fan, current Lucasfilm licensee and Director of Programming for the VCN. Born, raised and currently living in New York City, Mark is the head of licensed product at Rubies Costume Company where he holds the licenses for many pop culture brands including Denuo Novo Star Wars high-end helmets. A prior employee of Topps, Mark launched the trading cards for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the films that followed. He then led the Star Wars Authentics autographing business and booked the autograph hall talent for Celebration Chicago 2019. Mark is currently the host of Clone Wars Revisited with Ashlee Brienzo and Skip Ruckle, the producer of Daughters of the Galaxy, and recurring host of the VCN NewsDesk and Celebrating Autographs. At VCN events you can catch Mark with a microphone in hand, conducting interviews and otherwise bringing a Billy On The Street vibe to the scene.

AJ Hanson is a prominent figure in the Star Wars fan community, serving as the Marketing Director for the Virtual Cantina Network (VCN). In this role, he leverages his extensive experience to enhance VCN's outreach and engagement, contributing to its status as a central hub for Star Wars enthusiasts. Beyond his marketing expertise, AJ showcased his musical talents by winning the 2022 Alderaan Idol competition at the Boonta Eve Cantina event, where he sang “I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) with Misty Rosas, and also delivered a memorable performance of Meat Loaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."

In addition to his work with VCN, AJ is the owner and administrator of the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Discord server, a fan-run group that celebrates all aspects of Star Wars and Disney parks. The server is renowned for organizing lightsaber meetups at both Disneyland and Disney World, fostering a family-friendly and inclusive environment for fans to connect.

AJ also engages with the community through his interactive storytelling and live streaming sessions on Twitch under the handle "Senshudo," where he connects with fellow gamers, Star Wars enthusiasts, and tech heads. ​

A lifelong Star Wars fan, I first fell in love with the galaxy far, far away as a child, escaping into the magic of the Original Trilogy. That love only grew over the years and became a true lifeline after my divorce, when I found not just a fandom, but a family within the Star Wars community.

I’ve been a Garrison Event Coordinator for the New England Garrison of the 501st and have approved costumes of both Mara Jade and a FemTrooper. Outside of Star Wars, I studied communications with a minor in theatre (where I met Spencer Jawitz!) and now run a dog walking business that I absolutely love. At home, I share my space with cats and sugar gliders, adding to the chaos and joy of daily life.

When I’m not immersed in all things Star Wars, I enjoy connecting with fellow fans and planning meetups—so if you ever want to make something happen, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Husband and father to the best wife and kid in the galaxy. Lifelong Star Wars fan. His first memories of a Galaxy Far, Far Away is watching Return of the Jedi, which also happens to be his favorite movie. He has attended Celebration in 2019, 2022 and 2023. He is a Boonta Eve veteran. He is also very involved with The Virtual Cantina Network. He runs the VCN X/Twitter Account, Moderator of the Facebook page, host of The Jedi Archives and occasional host on the weekly watch along series. Brice also is the owner and Admin of the Facebook group Star Wars Comic Book. He is also a moderator of Star Wars Book Nerds Facebook group, Admin of O-BI-WAN’S Self Facebook page. Brice is also a big Star Wars gamer.

Scooby is part of the Marketing Team managing the Instagram account and creating all the fabulous “shorts” from all our shows.  Scooby also moderates the Facebook page during the busy season.

He is also an AMAZING husband, father, friend and National Parks enthusiast.

Michael "Mike delaCard" de la Torre is a dedicated educator, passionate Star Wars enthusiast, animal advocate, and lifelong traveler, with a deep love for science fiction and the vibrant world around him. Born and raised in California to Mexican immigrant parents, Michael’s Southern California roots run deep—his love for Disneyland is a true reflection of his hometown spirit.

Michael’s passion for science fiction has been a constant in his life, with his journey as a Star Wars fan beginning when the iconic film premiered in 1977. A collector of Star Wars action figures, vehicles, lightsabers, books, and comics, he also enjoys exploring other beloved sci-fi shows like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Space: 1999. His love of reading extends to works by legendary authors like Isaac Asimov and Timothy Zahn.

His passion for Star Wars led him to co-found the Virtual Cantina’s Jedi Archives in 2021 with fellow Guardians Rich Herman, Lakota Schultz, and Jonathan Chiado, expanding their shared love of Star Wars comics. Later joined by comic aficionado Brice Neihardt, the group has provided regular comic book reviews and hosted After Show series on the Virtual Cantina Network’s YouTube page.

Michael is also a devoted attendee of Star Wars Celebrations, having experienced several major events starting with Los Angeles' Celebration IV in 2007, Celebration Anaheim 2015, Celebration Chicago 2019, and Celebration Anaheim 2022.

AS A MODERATOR my MOTTO is "I don't know what all this trouble is about, but I'm sure it must be your fault." - C-3PO to R2

I've been a forever fan of Star Wars since going to the theater and watching Return of the Jedi when I was 7 years old. I wanted to be an Ewok. I am from Rockford, IL and a proud Midwesterner were I raised my 3 children and now grandchild to love Star Wars as well. I JOINED the Virtual Catina during COVID and found my people. which led me to my first and only Celebration in London 2023. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

Hi, I’m Johanna. I grew up in a small town in rural South Australia and moved to Chicago in 2016. I did not exist when Star Wars was originally released, and growing up going to the movies was a treat that was limited to school holidays. As such I was first exposed and became a fan in 1997 with the 20th Anniversary release of the original trilogy. Due to the release schedule, my first (and therefore favorite) is The Empire Strikes Back. I am responsible for most of the cool convention based SWAG that the group produces including event patches, racer shirts and gifts for any of our celebrity guests. As am ambivert, you won’t find me in front of a camera, my introverted side hates being in the spotlight, but when my extroverted side comes out… watch out! Outside of Star Wars, my time is taken up by work, school, crewing at local conventions and my ultra-fuzzy sidekick, Tequila.

A fan of Star Wars since 1977, I’m proud to be a member of the OT generation. George Lucas introduced me to a galaxy far, far away when I was 7 years old and set the course for the rest of my life! 

I grew up in a military family and relied on my love for sci-fi & fantasy to be there for me through the constant changes throughout my childhood. I’ve been married to my best friend for 35 years and we share a daughter and granddaughter - we’re a three-generation Star Wars family with my daughter claiming the prequels as her generation and the sequels being my granddaughter’s. 

I started attending comic conventions late in life (2016) and quickly discovered my favorite (and most expensive) pastime.

I attended my first SWC in Chicago in 2019 and was immediately hooked. I joined this Facebook group as a means to learn about Celebration prior to attending SWC Chicago and became a moderator in 2020. This group and its members have become a huge part of my life and beloved family. MTFBWY always!

Gary O’Toole, a.k.a., Plo Kool, is the Co-Host of The Irish Star Wars Podcast, Blabba The Hutt, and serves as a Co-Presenter on the Intergalactic Newsdesk.

Born in Dublin Ireland and embarking on a career in the fields of science, Gary has been involved in Star Wars through a variety of mediums which utilise his analytical and methodical approach.

Blabba The Hutt are lucky to have a very good relationship with Penguin Random House UK, and Dark Horse Comics, which means Gary has the opportunity to bury his head between the pages of many books/novels before they hit the shelves.

As an amateur costume builder and prop maker, Gary has membership of both the 501st Legion, and Irelands Emerald Garrison, organisations who help some of the most well known charities in the world raise much needed funds. Gary had the honour of inducting Rogue One Composer, Michael Giacchino, into the 501st Legion Ireland Garrison as an Honorary Member.

Gary has hosted a wide range of panels at such conventions as Dublin Comic Con, and of course Star Wars Celebration.

When not in “Star Wars Mode”, you can find him with his head in the clouds (literally) as his love for Aviation takes over.

Ever since his parents took him to the long-defunct Dundas drive-in to see Episode IV in the late seventies, Peter Young’s passion for all things Star Wars has only grown stronger. Despite growing up in a country that felt like the farthest place from the bright center of the universe - Australia - his childhood connection to the original trilogy was probably not so different from that of other fans across the globe: Kenner action figures, Empire Strikes Back bedsheets, and turning the page when Artoo beeps.

Now a health professional manager, Peter nurtures his creative side through co-ownership of a theater production company and by serving as the film reviewer for ABC Central West. He also somehow placed third in the 2023 Alderaan Idol karaoke competition at Boonta Eve London.

Happily married to Michelle and cat daddy to four fur babies, Peter went cold turkey on collecting in recent years and now expresses his fandom through Star Wars travel - with three Celebrations and an unforgettable pilgrimage to Tunisia under his belt.

Peter is the Deputy Director of Star Walking Inc., the world’s longest-running Star Wars appreciation society.

On occasion, Peter can be found cosplaying as George Lucas - or Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, depending on who you ask.