REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
PANACon Virtual Conference
Saturday, July 26
8:00am – 4:00pm PT (Los Angeles)
11:00am – 7:00pm ET (New York)
4:00pm – 12:00am BST (London)
Presented by the Professional Association of Audiobook Narrators
Welcome to PANAcon!
We're glad you're here.
You asked for it.
A virtual conference by audiobook narrators for audiobook narrators.
PANAcon offers:
- educational and insightful webinars from industry leaders
- opportunities to network both in-person and virtual
- a chance to receive personalized feedback on your work to inspire creative growth
Throughout PANAcon, we hope to further solidify our sense of community and delight in our profession.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
PANAcon Registration
FOR PANA MEMBERS
-
Virtual Conference with keynote, panels, and workshops from industry experts
-
2-minute Narration Sample Review by Casting Professional
-
Virtual Narrator Showcase (Wed 7/23)
-
PANArama with a Producer (Thu 7/24)
-
Exclusive streaming access to conference videos through August 30.
PANAcon Registration
FOR NON-MEMBERS
-
Virtual Conference with keynote, panels, and workshops from industry experts
CONFERENCE DISCOUNT
OFF PANA MEMBERSHIP
Enjoy Member Benefits at PANAcon
Conference Schedule
Saturday, July 26, 2025
8:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. PT (Los Angeles)
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET (New York)
4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. BT (London)
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers may change without notice. Tickets may be transferred but are not refundable.
Welcome
11:00am - 11:10am ET
4:00pm - 4:10pm BST
Welcome
Greetings, welcome, and opening remarks. Overview of the day and what to expect.
Keynote
11:10am - 11:40am ET
4:10pm - 4:40pm BST
The Magic Is In You
Industry legend, Audible Golden Voice, award Winning Narrator Robin Miles will deliver a keynote address designed to inspire us and show us that what we do as storytellers is truly magical. We make the invisible, visible.
Speaker
Robin Miles
Actor; Casting Director; Audiobook Narrator; Audiobook Director, former PANA Board of Directors
Workshop
11:40am - 12:15pm ET
4:40pm - 5:15pm BST
Other Opportunities in Voiceover: Audio Description
Featuring Audio Description! – Learn more about this Narrator adjacent profession that makes visual content accessible to the visually challenged. Observe this art form in action live as we make the conference’s accessibility viewable by all participants, but also learn about how it works in a recorded environment. There will be a Q&A session at the end of the day in a dedicated section to address your questions.
Speaker
Erin deWard
Narrator; Audio Describer; Chair, PANA Board of Directors
Panel
12:15pm - 1:15pm ET
5:15pm - 6:15pm BST
Working With Independent Authors
From Finding the Work to Serving the Client, our panel of experts will lead you through the ins and outs of Working with Independent Authors. This growing part of our industry requires more than Narration, it requires business Know How and some hustle.
Panelists
Jennifer Jill Araya
Narrator and Coach
Rebecca Hefner
Author
Jess Guro
Director of Creator and Community Relations, ACX
Dawn Harvey, Moderator
Narrator; PANA Board of Directors
Breakout One
Topic 1
1:15pm - 2:00pm ET
6:15pm - 7:00pm BST
Going the Indie Route: Finding Work You Love with Independent Authors
Working with independent authors is often an enticing path for audiobook narrators, but it’s also one lined with question marks. For example: how do you find authors who might be a good fit? How do you know which authors write the kinds of books you will actually enjoy narrating? Once you find the authors, how do you get them interested in your work? What about contract negotiation? Do you go for a royalty share agreement or offer PFH? And how do you produce the audiobook once you’ve signed the contract? Going the Indie Route can be somewhat complicated, but the rewards are plentiful, and it’s definitely a path worth considering. This workshop will cover the entire process of working with indie authors, from searching for and finding authors, through the reach-out and contract negotiation, all the way to the completion of the audiobook production and the delivery of final files. Take the mystery out of how to go the indie route, and learn to love working with independent authors.
Speaker
Jennifer Jill Araya
Narrator and Coach
Breakout One
Topic 2
1:15pm - 2:00pm ET
6:15pm - 7:00pm BST
The More You Know: Independent Distribution Finding Success with Wide and Direct Audiobook Distribution
Often as producers working directly with authors, our newer authors look for guidance on marketing and distribution. Producers and Narrators can also share royalties for some titles. Author Rebecca Hefner will present Finding Success with Wide and Direct Audiobooks, discussing how to maximize royalties on each wide platform and in authors’ direct stores.
Speaker
Rebecca Hefner
Author
Breakout Two
Topic 1
2:00pm - 3:00pm ET
7:00pm - 8:00pm BST
Taking the Mic: Self-Producing Your Own Audiobooks
Have you ever wondered what it takes to publish your own work as a narrator? Whether it’s bringing a public domain classic to life or authoring your own content, this session offers practical advice and inspiration from narrators who have successfully made the leap.
Speakers
Cass Medcalf
Narrator/ Author
Travis Baldree
Narrator/Author
Karin Commins
Narrator; Narrators Roadmap; Public Domain Publishing Expert
Shiromi Arserio, Moderator
Narrator/Author; PANA Board of Directors
Breakout Two
Topic 2
2:00pm - 3:00pm ET
7:00pm - 8:00pm BST
The Evolving Legal Landscape, AI and Beyond
As a follow up to our successful panel this past winter on the State of AI, we’d like to focus further on the rapidly changing legal landscape for Narrators and for the industry we work in. We’ll also discuss the ways in which we can advocate for the issues that affect us.
Speakers
David Newhoff
IP & Cyber Policy Rights Advocate
Tim Friedlander
President of the National Association of Voice Actors
Jeffrey N. Rosenthal
founder of RightsClick
André Santana, Moderator
Narrator; PANA Board of Directors
30-Minute Break
(Los Angeles)
3:00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m. ET
(New York)
8:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. BST
(London)
30-Minute Break
State of PANA
3:30pm - 3:40pm ET
8:30pm - 8:40pm BST
Remarks from PANA's Chairperson
A welcome back, and a checking in on the role of PANA in the industry.
Speaker
Erin deWard
Narrator; Audio Describer; Chair, PANA Board of Directors
Panel
3:40pm - 4:30pm ET
8:40pm - 9:40pm BST
Creating Characters
In this Panel discussion, join some of the industry’s most acclaimed narrators, renowned for their exceptional character work, as they share their techniques for creating distinctive and unforgettable characters. Learn how they bring stories to life with voices that resonate and leave a lasting impression.
Panelists
January LaVoy
Narrator
Vikas Adam
Narrator
Marni Penning
Narrator
Breakout Three
Topic 1
4:30pm - 5:30pm ET
9:30pm - 10:30pm BST
Adding Accents to your Narrator's Toolbox
Accents help differentiate characters in audiobooks and offer an interesting and engaging element for listeners. Narrators with a wider array of accents in their toolbox create more opportunities for themselves. This webinar outlines an approach that can be utilized every time you need to learn a new accent. Award-winning narrator/ dialect coach Steve Corona shares how he voiced 93 characters using 28 accents in one book using his time-tested method for acquiring accents.
Speaker
Steve Corona
Narrator
Breakout Three Topic 2
4:30pm - 5:30pm ET
9:30pm - 10:30pm BST
Navigating a Changing Landscape for Long Term Narrators: A Conversation
The audiobook industry has undergone significant transformation, leaving seasoned narrators to adapt to a landscape far different from when they first began. Join experienced narrator Andi Arndt as she shares her perspective on navigating the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving industry.
Speakers
Andi Arndt
Narrator
Ann Richardson, Moderator
Narrator
Q & A
5:30pm - 6:00pm ET
10:30pm - 11:00am BST
Audio Description Q & A
After hearing our visuals described during the conference, now is your chance to ask questions about this Narrator adjacent profession.
Speaker
Erin deWard
Narrator; Audio Describer; Chair, PANA Board of Directors
Virtual Social
6:00pm - 7:00pm ET
11:00pm -12:00am BST
PANAcon Virtual Social
Wind up the conference with some fun by chatting with old friends and new at the PANAcon closing Social.
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers may change without notice. Tickets may be transferred but are not refundable.
But wait! There's more.
PANA members registered for PANAcon are invited to participate in these bonus options.
(Must register by July 15 to be eligible)
PANA Showcase
PANA Members Only
Wednesday, July 23
4:00pm PT (Los Angeles)
7:00pm ET (New York)
12:00am BST (London)
Display your skills in our Virtual Narrator Showcase. Running like an open-mic night, you can sign up to read a small sample from any genre you like and tune in to watch your fellow narrators perform online.
Register by July 15, 2025 to participate via the PANAcon Registration form.
PANArama with a Producer
Hillary Huber and producer Mandi Ogle, Harper Collins
PANA Members Only
Thursday, July 24
1:00pm PT (Los Angeles)
4:00pm ET (New York)
9:00pm BST (London)
PANArama is a conversation series where PANA members join Hillary Huber in a relaxed conversation about getting cast in audiobooks. Three narrators from varying levels, selected via lottery, have the opportunity to read a short excerpt and receive feedback from the producer on how to strengthen their narration.
Register by July 15, 2025 to participate via the PANAcon Registration form
Narration Sample Review
PANA Members Only
Submit a two-minute recorded sample of your narration to be reviewed by a Casting Professional. Submission instructions and other details will be emailed separately. The Casting Professional will review your sample based on standard criteria so everyone receives feedback on the same points. You will receive your feedback by August 30, 2025.
Register by July 15, 2025 to participate via the PANAcon Registration form
In-Person Opportunities for Fun
On Tuesday, July 22, PANA will host in-person socials on both coasts. Come out and join us!
Open to PANA members and non-members. Space is limited. You don’t have to be registered for PANAcon to participate.
In-Person Social
New York
Tuesday, July 22
6:00 -9:00pm ET
Downtown Social
Tickets include one drink and light bites at this casual East Village Sports Bar.
Purchase tickets by July 15, 2025 to attend.
In-Person Social
Los Angeles
Tuesday, July 22
6:00 – 9:00pm PT
Boomtown Brewery
Tickets will include one drink (beer or wine) and a Taco Bar at this Industrial style casual brewery.
Purchase tickets by July 15, 2025 to attend.
Conference Speakers & Panelists
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers may change without notice. Tickets may be transferred but are not refundable.
Robin Miles, Keynote Speaker
Actor; Casting Director; Audiobook Narrator; Audiobook Director, former PANA Board of Directors
Robin Miles, named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, has twice won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration, an Audie Award for directing, and many Earphones Awards. Her film and television acting credits include The Last Days of Disco, Primary Colors, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, New York Undercover, National Geographic’s Tales from the Wild, All My Children, and One Life to Live. She regularly gives seminars to members of SAG and AFTRA actors’ unions, and in 2005 she started Narration Arts Workshop in New York City, offering audiobook recording classes and coaching. She holds a BA degree in theater studies from Yale University, an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, and a certificate from the British American Drama Academy in England.
Vikas Adam
Voice Actor/Narrator, Professor
Vikas Adam is an award winning actor, voiceover artist, director and producer with work seen across numerous commercials, industrials, independent films and shows.
He has recorded over 550 audiobooksand regularly records for Apple News and The New York Times Audio. Vikas has won the Audie Award (and is a 16 time nominee), a Voice Arts Award award, 25+ Earphones awards, is on several “Best of the Year” lists and is an inaugural inductee into the Audible Narrator Hall of Fame. He was a founding board member for PANA, is founding faculty for narrator.life and sits on the SAG-AFTRA Audiobook Steering Committee. Vikas rounds out his time as faculty at the UCLA School of Theater Film and Television where he teaches Acting, Voice, and Character Exploration and Development through Movement.
Jennifer Jill Araya
Voice Actor/Narrator
Audie-Award-winning narrator Jennifer Jill Araya has been listening to audiobooks since she was a young child, and the fact that she now gets to narrate audiobooks for a living is a dream come true. Jennifer’s training as an opera singer and orchestral cellist lend a musicality and depth of understanding to her narration that help bring authors’ stories to life. A two-time Audie Award Winner, Earphones Award Recipient, American Library Association YALSA Amazing Audiobooks Award Winner, and multi-SOVAS Award Winner, Jennifer has narrated nearly 500 audiobooks for a variety of publishers and producers, including Penguin Random House Audio, Simon & Schuster Audio, HarperAudio, Blackstone Publishing, and Audible Studios. Jennifer also works with other artists and creatives within her creative entrepreneurship coaching community, Starving Artist No More. When she’s not narrating, Jennifer can be found hiking, biking, running, or generally exploring her home city of Cincinnati with her husband Arturo (aka “Partner in Crime”).
Andi Arndt
Narrator/Author
Andi Arndt has narrated over 750 audiobooks, including Audie and Earphones Award winning titles in multiple genres. She founded Lyric Audiobooks in 2014 and sold the company in 2022. She also created narrator.life, an online community for audiobook narrators and coaches, in 2020. Andi’s studio is in a renovated barn in rural west Michigan.
Travis Baldree
Narrator/Author
Travis is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author, a Locus, Nebula, and Hugo finalist, and a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and Fate. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.
Karen Commins
Narrator, Narrators Roadmap, Public Domain Publishing Expert
Karen Commins is an award-winning narrator, producer, publisher, and leading curator of information about the audiobook industry. She’s spoken about audiobook creation and marketing at VOAtlanta, on ACX University, as a guest on several podcasts, and in workshops and webinars.
After years of helping narrators on their journeys through her articles, videos, and personal consultations, in 2019 Karen launched NarratorsRoadmap.com. It’s THE destination for narrators of all levels, with a casting directory, event calendar, knowledge base, videos, and an incredible number of resource links.
Steve Corona
Narrator
Steve Corona discovered early in his acting career that he also enjoyed sharing what he knew about accents with other actors. So, for the better part of 20 years Steve has helped actors from around the world perform dialects & accents in film, tv, theatre, voiceover and audiobook productions. Steve learned from coaching celebrities like Helen Mirren & Gerard Butler that actors use a variety of techniques to acquire and integrate accents into their characters. So, over time Steve has adapted his teaching style to include audible, visual, and hands-on learning – always with a focus on practicality. Time is valuable, and as a dialect coach Steve aims to help actors use it wisely.
Tim Friedlander
President of the National Association of Voice Actors
Tim Friedlander is a voice actor and studio owner based in Los Angeles, known for his talent and advocacy within the industry.
With a career spanning various facets of voiceover work, Tim has solidified his position as a leading figure in the field.
Tim’s talent has been recognized with multiple awards, including the SOVAS Voice Arts Award for Best Political Voice Over in 2023, among numerous nominations across various categories. His dedication to excellence and innovation in voice acting is evident in his consistent pursuit of excellence.
As the president and co-founder of the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), Tim has tirelessly championed for artists’ rights, embodying a commitment to the betterment of the profession.
Jess Guro
Director of Creator and Community Relations, ACX
Jess is the Senior Director of Creator and Community Relations for Audible’s Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX). Since joining Audible in 2018, she has led a team dedicated to empowering creators to turn their passion into a profession by bringing their stories to life in audio format. Her role involves guiding authors through the audiobook creation process, advocating for community-driven features, and fostering a thriving marketplace for storytellers. With a background in the tech industry, including experience at LinkedIn driving product adoption for large enterprise customers, Jess brings a unique blend of technological expertise and community engagement to her current position. A former University of Texas student-athlete swimmer and Olympic Trials qualifier, she applies the same competitive edge and goal-oriented approach to her professional endeavors in the audiobook creation landscape.
Rebecca Hefner
Author
USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner writes romance with brilliant heroines and the grumpy heroes who adore them. She loves helping authors find success with wide and direct audiobooks so they can break free of restrictive exclusivity requirements of large corporate retailers.
January LaVoy
Narrator
January’s voiceover work includes national commercial campaigns, promos, documentaries, podcasts, and hundreds of audiobooks. She has been nominated for 33 Audie Awards, receiving 9, and has garnered 4 SOVAS awards, and over 50 Audiofile Magazine Earphones Awards. She has been honored as Audiobook Narrator of the Year by Publishers Weekly, and with Audiofile’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Golden Voice. She shares a 2020 Grammy nomination with Meryl Streep and the cast of the Charlotte’s Web audiobook, in which she plays the title role of Charlotte.
Cass Medcalf
Narrator/Author
Cassandra Medcalf is an author, audio engineer and audiobook narrator with a home studio in northern Minnesota. She lives with her adorable partner and their two adorable dogs, and can often be found snuggling with them all while enjoying a hot beverage. When she’s not reading, writing, or recording, she enjoys hosting game nights with her friends and scouting her surroundings for coffee shops. You can follow her on TikTok or Instagram at @cassandramedcalfvo.
David Newhoff
IP & Cyber Policy Rights Advocate
David is a writer, communications professional, rights advocate, and entrepreneur. Through Adastra Creative, he has provided creative communications and video production services for clients in multiple sectors. Since 2011, he has been a passionate advocate for the rights of creators and artists, primarily through his blog The Illusion of More. He has written over 1,000 articles on IP and cyber policy issues, and his writing has been cited by professional creators, academics, in testimony before the U.S. Congress, by the U.S. Copyright Office, and in one brief to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In November 2020, David published his first book, Who Invented Oscar Wilde? : The Photograph at the Center of Modern American Copyright. And in 2021, he co-founded RightsClick, Inc. with attorney/expert Steven Tepp to develop tools to help independent creators manage their copyright rights.
Marni Penning
Narrator
Award-winning actress and audiobook narrator Marni Penning is the creator of The Penning Method for the Panicked Actor (TM). She has been fondly dubbed “The Maven of a Million Voices” and is known for a theatrical depth and range that has propelled her to a successful stage and film career spanning decades. With hundreds of titles she has narrated available on Audible, Marni wants to change the world by telling raw, emotional stories about complex, flawed, and strong women. In addition to being twice Helen Hayes-nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and Audie-nominated for Best Audiobook Narrator in Fiction (up against Ethan Hawke and Meryl Streep), Marni is a co-founder of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, now in its 31st year. She is also a playwright, teacher, children’s book illustrator, and acting coach, who lives with her husband, son, dog, fish, snake, and chickens outside Washington, DC.
Ann Richardson
Narrator
Ann Richardson has been narrating in her home studio in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2008. She has currently narrated over 350 titles, four of which are AudioFile Magazine Earphones winners. Her clients include many independent authors in addition to publishers such as Audible, Blackstone, Brilliance, Dreamscape, Hachette, Harper, Macmillan, Oasis, PRH, Tantor, and more. Ann served 3 years on the Executive Board for World-Voices Organization, and volunteered for several years for the Audio Publishers Association. Ann has been organizing and teaching introductory narration classes for VoiceOne academy in San Francisco since 2019, and during the pandemic developed a self-study video program for launching new narrators through Narrator.Life. In her spare time she enjoys long-distance running, wine-tasting, and collecting neat-looking rocks to polish in her rock-tumbler.
Jeffrey N. Rosenthal
Founder of RightsClick
Jeffrey N. Rosenthal is a Partner with the law firm of Blank Rome LLP where he founded and co-leads the firm’s Biometric Privacy Team. Jeff’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation and class action defense, representing individuals and companies in disputes involving data privacy, Artificial Intelligence, biometric technology, telemarketing, and e-commerce. He also advises voice actors and serves as outside counsel to the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA). Jeff also served as Special AI Counsel to The Animation Guild (TAG) in its negotiations with the AMPTP. Jeff is a thought leader and has published over a hundred articles and presented on the intersection of technology and the law. He has also been quoted by The L.A. Times and Reuters regarding deepfake technology and emerging privacy laws.
André Santana
Narrator/PANA Board Member
André Santana adores narrators and believes PANA can propel positive change in the audiobook industry. That’s why he’s been part of the PANA DEI team since its inception, stepped into the team lead role, and answered the call to fill an interim board seat partway through 2024.
As a narrator, he’s recorded over 100 titles across most major publishers and producers and has worked as a director, mentor, and coach. André values all the different ways narrators arrive at this work. He loves that, as a Gen Z queer person of color, he’s positioned to bring his perspective to the table and find the plentiful points where narrators’ needs and dreams overlap.
As a Board member, he’s a spreadsheet guy who loves a plan, drawing not only from years of helming higher education committees but also 4 years of human resources experience, 6 years of difficult dialogue moderation, half a decade of “train-the-trainers” education in Diversity & Equity, a degree in statistical research and identity development, and more that he’s thrilled to bring to this role.
He’s proud to have worked alongside the DEI team to launch the Co-Narration Standards, planned a Human Voices campaign with fellow board members, and contributed to the Recognitions Programs. With every successful launch, André becomes more excited about what a healthy and unified PANA can achieve.
André just wants to see things work, and he’s proud of the journey PANA has gone through to find its footing and carve a space in the audiobook industry. This organization is filled with passionate, competent volunteers ready to help their peers thrive and uplift what we all love about this industry. United, we can crack open myths about our work, make the importance of the human voice unmistakeable, and cement safety as a paramount part of our culture.
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers may change without notice. Tickets may be transferred but are not refundable.
Thanks to our sponsors for making PANAcon possible.
PANACON GOLD SPONSOR
PANACON SILVER SPONSOR
PANACON BRONZE SPONSORS
PANACON SUPPORTER
PANA would like to thank the following companies for their continued support
PANA ANNUAL PLATINUM SPONSOR
PANA ANNUAL GOLD SPONSOR
