Speakers

2019 Hocking hills bigfoot conference welcomes:

John Kirk

John Kirk is the president and chief field investigator of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club (BCSCC) and editor in chief of the BCSCC Quarterly. Over the years he has traveled the world in search of unknown animals. A specialist in aquatic cryptids, John has authored two books: In the Domain of the Lake Monsters. John is also an active sasquatch investigator in the historic areas of BC where stories of the giant hominid first originated. Over the years John has reexamined many of the great sasquatch classics and he will be sharing some of his discoveries about the backstories behind them at the Hocking Hills Bigfoot Conference 2019.

Thomas Shay

THOMAS SHAY is the founder of the Northern Kentucky Bigfoot Research Group. Since his first encounter in 1987, Thomas has devoted his free time and resources to the study of the creature known as Bigfoot or Sasquatch.
Mr. Shay currently possesses the largest collection of original Bigfoot cast east of the Mississippi.
He is endorsed by Cliff Barackman and James "BOBO " Fay of Finding Bigfoot as being one of the best researchers in the country.
Thomas appeared on Finding Bigfoot season 5, episode 1 as well as having been the quest on several podcasts and news programs over the years.
Now retired, Thomas spends his time researching and sharing his knowledge with the Bigfoot community. Thomas lives in Trimble county KY, with his wife and 10 year old son.

Melissa Hovey-Larson

Melissa Hovey-Larsen, began her research into the Bigfoot Phenomenon while living in Dallas, Texas in 2005 after becoming a member of the TBRC. Since then she has conducted, organized or participated in field expeditions in the great states of; Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Melissa then moved to Ohio in 2008 and married fellow ABS Board member and her research partner, Wayne Larsen, in October of 2014 where they continue to conduct research in the large expanses of Ohio's State Parks and private property.

Melissa is a tough, no-nonsense, researcher who

applies her educational background, and work experience

in criminal investigations, to the research.

Melissa is the current president of the

"American Bigfoot Society", (ABS). Melissa owns the blog,

"The Search for Bigfoot," (txsasquatch.blogspot.com).

Where she discusses the research and her own personal

opinions of the largerissues affecting the

research community as a whole.

Since 2007, Melissa, has co-hosted many Internet

radio shows starting with: "Let's Talk Bigfoot," on Talkshoe.

She then joined Sean Forker and, "The Sasquatch

Experience," in February 2008. In June of 2008 she

began co-hosting a new program on Talkshoe, with friend

and Field Researcher Monica Rawlins, titled, "The Grey Area".

Melissa was also featured in the all-female expedition episode of the

History Channels "Monster Quest" titled "Bigfoot". She also appears in

Nat Geo channels, "Paranatural 2: Sasquatch Planet." Melissa has also

appeared as a guest on many internet radio programs and nationally syndicated

radio talk shows in reference to this mystery. Melissa was also a speaker at the 2012 and 2013, "Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo," in Chautauqua Lake, New York.

Starting in 2006, Melissa has endeavored to discover the answer to the question, "why do artifacts happen in casting?" She has also been an outspoken advocate for women in the field of research and, the need for more women, to become actively involved in this mystery.

Paul Knoop

Paul E. Knoop, Jr. is a resident of Laurelville, Ohio and a graduate of Ohio State University with degrees in Dairy Technology and Biology. Early childhood days were spent exploring woods and fields in search of birds, mammals, insects, frogs, wildflowers, rocks and all other natural objects. In response to this interest Mr. Knoop acquired a job with the Dayton Museum of Natural History in 1957 and 1958 as a museum naturalist. In 1959 he accepted a position with the National Audubon Society at their Aullwood Audubon Centeer and Farm north of Dayton, Ohio. It was here that Mr. Knoop was employed for 35 years as Interpretive Natauralist, Director and Education Coordinator before retiring in 1994.

During his time with the National Audubon Society Mr. Knoop was involved in a variety of educational endeavors including:

Teaching conservation and natural history to children and adults.
Designing and building indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits.
Managing a 200 acre wildlife sanctuary/education center.
Assisting with the development of school land laboratories in Ohio and other states.
Leading international ecology tours to East Africa for the National Audubon Society.
Traveling to Costa Rica, Trinidad, Bahama Islands and Galapagos Islands in various educational capacities.
Assisting with the development of Ohio’s first restored tall grass prairie at the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm in 1960.
Consulting with various agencies around the country including Park Districts, Audubon Chapters and State Conservation Departments in the areas of natural area management and environmental education.
Directing the writing and publication of a variety of booklets and guides on natural history and the environment.
For 13 years Mr. Knoop wrote a weekly column for the Dayton Daily News entitled “The Naturalist”. More recently Mr. Knoop wrote a weekly column for the Logan Daily News entitled “Wild Neighbors”.

Personal interests include bird watching, field botany, photography, canoeing, back backing, reading, traveling, environmental education programs for children and adults and helping to preserve ecologically significant landscapes.

Robert Robinson

Robert’s interest in Cryptozoology began in 1974 at a Drive-In theater with the movie “Legend of Boggy Creek” was being shown. The whole idea of real monsters roaming parts of the world scared Rob but also intruded him. Rob started researching the subject by reading books by Ivan T Sanderson, John Keele and Peter Bryne. His fascination for the unexplained was further fueled with the television series “In Search of” and a visit to the now closed “World of the Unexplained” museum in Gatlinburg, TN Robert visited Loch Ness in 1975 with his family but his first real legend trip was investigating MoMo, the Missouri monster. Rob has filmed segments on the Florida Skunk Ape for PBS’s “Weird Florida: On the Road Again”, “Monsters and Mysteries of America” and “Bigfoot in America” on Destination America channel. In 2010 Rob and his family appeared in the TV show “Wife Swap” as the monster hunting family. Along with Bigfoot and other cryptids, Robert and his wife Tracy also investigates haunted places, UFO, buried treasure and mysterious places.

Robert has written for numerous magazines to include Cryptid Culture and World Explorers magazine. Robert published his book “Legend Tripping: The Ultimate Adventure” in 2016 and is published by Adventures Unlimited Press.

Robert Robinson was born at Hamilton AFB, CA. Growing up as an Army brat, Rob had the privilege of visiting numerous countries throughout his childhood. In June 1982 Robert enlisted in the United States Army as an Airborne Military Policeman and served for 21 years. He retired in 2003 and started teaching JROTC in at Summerlin Academy in Bartow, Florida. Rob has a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Everest University and an Associate’s Degree in General Studies from the Central Texas Collage and is certified PADI wreck diver.