Guests of Honour

Jo Martin (IN PERSON - Saturday and Sunday, and at the VIP Mixer)

Jo Martin is a celebrated British actress. She made television history on Doctor Who as the Fugitive Doctor, becoming the first Black Doctor in the series, a role that added fresh depth and resonance to the iconic character. Jo continues to explore this role in audio dramas such as Doctor Who: Once and Future (2024) and Doctor Who: The Fugitive Doctor (2025).

Jo stars in The Marlow Murder Club playing an amateur sleuth, a series currently airing in the US on PBS Masterpiece, where she navigates the picturesque town of Marlow solving murders. Following the success of the first season, Jo recently wrapped filming for the second season of this murder mystery series.

In addition to her dramatic roles, Jo has showcased her comedic talent in critically acclaimed, award-winning series like BBC’s Black Ops (2023)
She has also appeared in the award-winning Dreaming Whilst Black, as well as fan favorites Fleabag and Back to Life.
Television audiences also recognize Jo for her role as Max McGerry, the determined neurosurgeon and CEO in the long running hospital soap Holby City. Her recent credits include Champion(Netflix) The Marlow Murder Club (2024–2025), Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders, Flatshare, TopBoy.
Jo will be in Harlan Coben’s new Netflix series Missing You, premiering on January 1, 2024.

Jo's film career includes collaborations with legendary directors. She appeared in Batman Begins (2005), directed by Christopher Nolan, and took on a poignant role in The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999) with Paul Greengrass. In 2020, she collaborated with Steve McQueen in Education, part of the BBC’s Small Axe series. Other film credits include Chalet Girl, Blues story, 97 minutes, I’ll play Mother. Most recently, she worked with veteran award winning director Mike Leigh on Hard Truths, scheduled to premiere in American cinemas in January 2025.

On stage, Jo has received accolades for her theatre work, including an Off West End Theatre Award (Offie) for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Doubt: A Parable at Southwark Playhouse. Her extensive theatre credits include two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she took on leading roles in Oroonoko, Don Carlos, and Noughts and Crosses. She has performed at the UK’s most prestigious venues, including the Young Vic Theatre (Mules by Debbie Tucker Green), the National Theatre(Death of England- closing Time) The Royal Court, The Globe, The Lyric Hammersmith, the Royal Exchange, and the West End’s Duchess Theatre.

Wendy Padbury (IN PERSON)

Cast as the Second Doctor's new companion, Zoe Heriot, in Doctor Who in 1968, Wendy Padbury became close to her co-stars Frazer Hines and Patrick Troughton throughout their time together on the series.

After leaving the series, Wendy appeared in Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday (1974), a stage play at the Adelphi Theatre London based on the television series, in which she played a companion named Jenny, opposite Trevor Martin as the Doctor. She made a cameo appearance, again opposite Hines and Troughton in Doctor Who's twentieth anniversary story, The Five Doctors.

Other roles include co-presenter of the second series of Score with the Scaffold, roles in TV shows Freewheelers and Emmerdale, and appearances in movies Charlie Bubbles and The Blood on Satan's Claw.

Wendy voiced Lorraine Baynes in the Big Finish Doctor Who audio story Davros and the Time Eater in Jago & Litefoot audio story Chronoclasm. She has reprised the role of Zoe in several Big Finish audio plays and was also recently seen on-screen in "The Mind Robber" episode of the Doctor Who spin-off Tales of the TARDIS.

Daphne Ashbrook (IN PERSON)

Daphne Ashbrook portrayed the eighth Doctor’s companion, Dr. Grace Holloway, in the 1996 Fox TV movie. She was the first American to portray a companion on Doctor Who and shared the first on-screen kiss with the Doctor. Daphne can be heard in several Big Finish audio dramas. Her numerous television credits include Knight Rider and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Melora as the title character.

Featured Guests

  • Susan Fox

    Susan Fox has taught and researched at Macalester College for over 30 years. Her research combines machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. Susan trains deep learning models to identify where pictures taken by the robot were taken, so the robot can use its camera to determine its location. Susan teaches a wide range of computer science courses, including courses in AI and robotics. She is actively engaged in movements to increase accessibility and inclusion in the CS classroom, and is also interested in the ethics surrounding artificial intelligence. Susan works with high school students through the Carleton SLAI program and Pioneer Academics, teaching about machine learning, computer vision, and AI ethics.

  • Miss Shannan Paul

    Miss Shannan Paul is a nationally recognized comedian, event emcee, and media personality with deep geek roots and a gift for turning any stage into a space for connection. A lifelong pop culture enthusiast, she blends fandom, humor, and heart into her work—whether moderating panels, hosting her show Comedy Through the Chaos, or interviewing high-profile guests across radio, television, and red carpets. From MyTalk 107.1 to CONvergence to the Twin Cities Film Fest, Miss Shannan knows how to make crowds feel seen, entertained, and fully part of the moment. She’s thrilled to beam back into CONsole Room and share her chaotic-good energy with fellow fans.

  • Nick Seidler

    Nick Seidler is a fan of many different things. His favorite fandoms are the TV shows "Doctor Who" and "Press Gang" though he likes a lot of other sci-fi shows as well. He is the editor of "Fantastic! A Celebration of Fans Discovering Doctor Who" and the award winning co-author of "How to Celebrate your Fandom" and "Red, White, and Who: The Story of Doctor Who in America." Nick has studied and been involved in fan culture for many years and helped start numerous fan clubs such as the Earthbound TimeLords and the Press Gang Fan Club of America. Ask him how you can get involved in Zepo publishing's next Doctor Who book project.

Attending Professionals

  • Robert Warnock

    (IN PERSON)

    Robert has been a fan of science fiction, horror, space travel, and astronomy for many years. He composes music in his spare time, most notably for Chicago TARDIS, and has also released several albums independently. He was a co-author of "Red White and Who," "How to Celebrate your Fandom, and "Fantastic: A Celebration of Fans Discovering Doctor Who." Rob is a founding member of The Federation, which was the first "Doctor Who" group in the United States to produce fan videos. He currently works in order and program management for an imaging and optical products corporation.

  • Steven Warren Hill

    (IN PERSON)

    Steve's day job as a designer of technology systems for an architecture and engineering company does not satisfy his creative side! He is the author of two books on classic horror films ("Silver Scream" Volumes 1 and 2) and he led the writing team on "Red White and Who". He also co-authored the books "How To Celebrate Your Fandom" and "Fantastic! A Celebration of Fans Discovering Doctor Who." Steve is the owner of Gallifrey Base, a "Doctor Who" forum, and the program director and emcee for the Chicago TARDIS convention. Besides his top fandom, "Doctor Who," he loves movies and everything about them, collecting movies on disc, 16mm films, novelizations, movie posters, and movie soundtracks.

  • T. Aaron Cisco

    (IN PERSON)

    T. Aaron Cisco is an Amazon bestselling author, award-winning TV producer, and former touring musician known for bold, genre-bending works in Afrofuturism, sci-fi, and fantasy, and life long Whovian. Hailing from Minneapolis by way of Chicago, Cisco has penned multiple #1 Amazon titles, and has been featured in ATB Publishing's OUTSIDE IN REGENERATES (a celebration of Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary), and Zepo Publishing's FANTASTIC! A CELEBRATION OF FANS DISCOVERING DOCTOR WHO, collections. Additionally, Cisco's work has been featured on NBC, ABC, TPT, Twin Cities Geek, Axis of Logic, and Insight News, earning local Emmys, international speaking invites, a Page One Award, a distinguished spot on Hennepin County Libraries' MN Black Authors list. At the heart of everything Cisco creates is “squee”—the pure joy of sharing stories, and life, with others.

Attending Professionals - GaLAUGHray Comedy Showcase

  • Harrie Bradshaw

    (IN PERSON)
    Saturday only

    They had the number one music video in the state of Minnesota… for one week… in 2015. And they will absolutely remind you of that. Hello sweetie—Harrie Bradshaw is here to show you that beards are cool.

  • Matt Dooyema

    (IN PERSON)
    Saturday only

    Matt Dooyema is a proud pet father of four from St. Cloud. A bartender by trade, Matt’s humor is shaped by bar-top tales and the soul-crushing realization that his mom was probably right about finishing college. Irreverent by nature, silly by design, bitter by circumstance—Matt is a high-energy performer who’s always ready to please.
    Host of the Keller Comedy Open Mic, Producer of the Beaver Island Comedy Series, and Co-host of the Awful Service Podcast.

  • Rick Logan

    (IN PERSON)
    Saturday only

    Rick Logan has been a Whovian since Tom Baker scarfed his way across his PBS screen. It was around that time he was performing Monty Python sketches with his friends, so needless to say he’s thrilled to be at CONsole Room doing comedy!

  • MJ Matheson

    (IN PERSON)
    Saturday only

    MJ Matheson has performed all over America—and even in Toronto, twice. As a member of the Bearded Company, MJ is quick on his feet and ready for anything. Things are going to get very personal, very quickly.

  • Diane Sieber

    (IN PERSON)
    Saturday only

    Diane Sieber is a kinetic burst of humor and heart, known for her boundless energy and magnetic stage presence. A proud Midwesterner with an unrequited love for Hawaii and all things beach bum, Diane mixes relatable storytelling with big, bold laughs. She’s shared the stage with comedy icons like Jimmie Walker, and offstage, she’s a dedicated mother, wife, and dog mom—always ready with a punchline and a smile.