The Arik Korman Show

Andrea Petersen is a contributing writer at The Wall Street Journal, where she reports on psychology, health and travel. During her 18 years as a staff reporter and editor at the Journal, Andrea has covered a wide variety of beats including telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and aging.

Andrea is the recipient of a Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism. Her new book is On Edge: A Journey Through Anxiety. Info at ByAndreaPetersen.com

Scott Hartley is a venture capitalist and global startup adviser. A former Presidential Innovation Fellow at the White House, he has worked at Google, Facebook, and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. He has written for Forbes and Inc., and has contributed to the Financial Times, the Boston Review, Foreign Policy, and others.

Scott’s new book is The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World. Info at fuzzytechie.com

Rachel Pearson is a physician and researcher who holds an MD and a PhD from the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, The Guardian, and the Texas Observer. She is currently a resident at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Pearson’s new book is No Apparent Distress: A Doctor’s Coming-of-Age on the Front Lines of American Medicine. Follow her @HumanitiesMD

Jeff Guinn is a former award-winning journalist and the bestselling author of many books, including Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral and How It Changed the West, and Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson.

Jeff’s new book is The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and People’s Temple.

He was in the Northwest to speak at The Elliott Bay Book Company.

Zoe Lister-Jones is an actor, director, writer, and producer who is currently starring opposite Colin Hanks on CBS’ LIFE IN PIECES.

While living and working in New York, Zoe’s career as a multi-hyphenate kicked off with the critically acclaimed indie comedy, BREAKING UPWARDS, a film in which she starred, co-wrote, produced, and even wrote lyrics for the soundtrack. She subsequently co-wrote and starred in the Fox Searchlight feature LOLA VERSUS. In 2015, Zoe co-wrote and produced CONSUMED, where she stars opposite Danny Glover and Victor Garber — a dramatic thriller set in the complex world of GMOs.

Zoe’ past television credits include co-starring roles in FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES, WHITNEY, DELOCATED, and guest appearances in THE GOOD WIFE, THE CLASS, BORED TO DEATH and KIDNAPPED. She most recently had a recurring role on NEW GIRL as Councilwoman Fawn Moscato.

In addition to her screen credits, Zoe starred on Broadway opposite Jeff Goldblum in SEMINAR, and opposite Johnny Galecki in THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, a role which she originated at New York’s Second Stage Theater. Her off-Broadway credits include, in THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE AND BOO, THE ACCOMPLICES and her one-woman show CODEPENDENCE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD, which she produced, wrote and starred in, and was a New York Times Critics Pick.

Zoe made her directorial debut in her newest film BAND AID, which she also wrote, produced, and starred in, opposite Adam Pally and Fred Armisen. The film, which was featured at this year’s Seattle International Film Festival, follows a couple who, in the wake of a miscarriage, decide to turn all their fights into songs and start a band. Info @BandAidFilm

Steven Rowley is the bestselling author of his debut novel, Lily and the Octopus, which has been translated in eighteen languages. He has worked as a freelance writer, newspaper columnist and screenwriter. Originally from Portland, Maine, he is a graduate of Emerson College. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Info at Steven Rowley.com

Jenée LaMarque is a writer, actor and director, known for The Pretty One, starring Zoe Kazan and Jake Johnson, and the short film Spoonful, which premiered at the Sundance Film festival in 2012.

Jenée graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in English with a creative writing emphasis in poetry, and has an M.F.A in Screenwriting from The American Film Institute.

In 2013, Jenée was a finalist for the Tribeca Film Festival's “The Nora” award for best female writer/director award. The Pretty One was also nominated for the 2014 Best Movie By a Woman by the Women Film Critics Circle, and was sold to Sony Worldwide Acquisitions.

Her new film is The Feels, which she co-wrote, directed and stars in. The Feels received its world premiere at this year’s Seattle International Film Festival.

Follow Jenée @jeneelamarque

Actor Sam Elliott’s iconic career all began with a bit part in the classic film BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. His resonant drawl is instantly recognizable, with a voice that fuels international campaigns such as Dodge Ram and Coors.

Sam rose to stardom playing the lead of the Paramount Pictures’ cult classic LIFEGUARD. Some of his most memorable roles include playing ‘Virgil Earp’ in TOMBSTONE, ‘The Stranger’ in THE BIG LEBOWSKI, ‘Lee Scorseby’ in THE GOLDEN COMPASS, ‘General Ross’ in Ang Lee’s HULK, and ‘Kermit Newman’ in Rod Laurie’s THE CONTENDER.

His countless film credits include THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, WE WERE SOLDIERS, GHOST RIDER, THE HI-LO COUNTRY, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?, BARNYARD, OFF THE MAP, GETTYSBURG, RUSH, PRANCER, FATAL BEAUTY, MASK, UP IN THE AIR, AND THANK YOU FOR SMOKING.

On television, Sam currently stars opposite Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Elisha Cuthbert, and Debra Winger in the Netflix comedy series THE RANCH, which is now in its second season. Sam had a recurring role on the hit FX series JUSTIFIED, for which he won a 2015 Critics’ Choice Award. He also recurred on PARKS AND RECREATION. Elliott was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in BUFFALO GIRLS. Other television credits include FAIL SAFE, YOU KNOW MY NAME, which was a movie for TNT that won the first Golden Boot “Best of the West” Award, the miniseries MURDER IN TEXAS, GONE TO TEXAS, THE SAM HOUSTON STORY, THE YELLOW ROSE and FUGITIVE NIGHTS.

Film director, writer and editor Brett Haley grew up in Key West and Pensacola, Florida. He graduated with a BFA in directing from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He co-wrote, edited, and directed I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, starring Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The film won Best Actress and Best Director at the Louisiana Film Festival, and Blythe Danner was nominated for a Gotham Award for Best Actress for her role in the film. Brett’s first feature film, THE NEW YEAR, premiered and won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the Sarasota Film Festival.

Sam and Brett’s new film is THE HERO, featured at this year’s Seattle International Film Festival. Info at siff.net and TheHero.film

Latvian Actress Elina Vaska was cast in the main role of Renars Vimba's feature debut Mellow Mud as she began studying Theory of Audiovisual Art and Theatre at the Latvian Academy of Culture. Mellow Mud won the Crystal Bear for Best Film on its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Generation 14plus strand last year, and the Children & Youth Film Prize at Lübeck's Nordic Film Days. Elina, who has now also made her stage acting debut, received the Silver Peacock Trophy for Best Actress at the 2016 International Film Festival of India at the end of November for her role in Mellow Mud.

Mellow Mud was featured in this year’s Seattle International Film Festival. Info at SIFF.net, Facebook.com/MellowMud and ElinaVaska.com

James Forman Jr. is a professor of law at Yale Law School. He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, many law reviews, and other publications. He is a former law clerk for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and spent six years as a public defender in Washington, DC, where he co-founded the Maya Angelou Public Charter School.

Professor Forman’s new book is Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America.

He was in the Northwest to speak at Town Hall Seattle, presented by University Book Store and Town Hall as part of the Civics series.