Kevin Kelso, a native Midwesterner, has made Los Angeles his home and performs frequently in the area. He's served as Chief Marketing Officer of a major insurer and has many years’ experience serving on non-profit boards. After leaving the insurance industry in 2011, he began writing songs and performing. In 2024, he and his co-writer Hillary Rollins were given a songwriting award from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets.

Karen has been a fan and supporter of the folk music world for most of her life.  She grew up listening to her dad call square dances and began her love of bluegrass and americana music, which grew over time.  After retirement from the world in Insurance in 2012, she got involved as a volunteer in the folk music community and eventually FAR-West.  She started volunteering at FAR-West Conferences in 2018 and has been on the FAR-West board since 2021.  She previously had the job of Secretary and is currently serving as the  President.  
 

Her goal is to help FAR-West to become an organization which serves the folk music community through preservation, promotion, development and education.

Mike Berman writes and performs original songs rooted in the folk and California folk rock traditions. Mike's album 2025 album Ghosts contains eight original tracks addressing themes such as growing up amidst gun violence, lost relationships, the dangers of looking back, and the redemption and mercy that love and music can bring to your soul.

Mike performs frequently in Southern California and produces the monthly Acoustic Jewels series in South Pasadena, and has toured in New England and the Northeast.  Mike has been a director and officer of several non-profit organizations, including the Appel Farm Arts and Music Center in New Jersey. 

Jeanette Lundgren defines herself as a nitpicking precise organized efficient behind-the-scenes support person who attempts to put everybody's best foot forward via online promotion and social networking. Jeanette is a supporter of indie musicians, storytellers and music-related businesses of all walks and genres. She has served on the FAR-West Board in various roles, including Vice President, Secretary, and 6-time conference coordinator, from 2010 until 2021. She left the Board in 2021 for personal reasons but soon found herself helping out when it became possible to offer in person conferences again. Jeanette also serves on the board of Folkworks.

Songwriter and performing artist James Combs’s musical ride has included Lollapalooza, nine albums, live performances in the US, UK, and EU, Jeopardy! and Six Feet Under. As a promotor and live music producer, James co-founded the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, served as West Coast Producer for the pioneering AOL Music Sessions streaming performance series, produced the KCRW radio program New Ground with Chris Douridas, and most recently hosted the Secret Bowl Music Series, a house concert series in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood in LA. James also runs Laurel Canon, a sync licensing company with Music Supervisor/DJ Gary Calamar.

Gail Lynne Dreifus is an East Coast transplant and ended near Yosemite National Park where she created a family musical program that she performed for years and won a Interpretive Arts Award from the National Park Service. Gail created and directs Yosemite Songwriting Retreat which is now in its tenth year. She plays guitar and ukulele, writing songs from the heart and with humor. Gail has performed in many bands and duos and is currently working on a new CD produced by Joe Craven.

Todd Lawrence brings with him more than 25 years of experience working in nonprofit Volunteer Coordination, Program Management and Development, including the last 12 years as Volunteer Program Administrator for Housecall Providers, a Portland area institution. Todd is known by some for his career as a recording and touring musician under the moniker ‘Milo Binder.’ Todd organized several dozen benefit shows for various causes.