Mauricio is a Colombian born, Detroit raised, Oakland based artist who uses his engineering training to create interactive, high-tech installations that focus on representing natural phenomena in new and compelling ways. His first burn was 1998 and has led and contributed to a variety of wearable, mobile and placed playa projects ever since. He's a husband, father of teenage boys and a founding member of the Crisis Labs Art Collective.
Maya Waldstreicher is from Denver, Colorado. She is a fan of parody social media accounts, and an “Infiniswing” enthusiast. She is an avid runner and in her free time you can find her recruiting various friends for ultra marathon relay races (sometimes with little success).
Megan is an accomplished communications professional with experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. She’s a skilled leader, writer, editor, public speaker, and strategic adviser. Megan is passionate about the art of sharing information in creative and impactful ways, and believes in the power of ideas and authentic self-expression to change the world for the better. Before joining the year-round Burning Man staff in 2012, Megan spent ten years working for environmental protection, HIV/AIDS prevention, political campaigns, and the United States Senate. Born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, Megan earned a Bachelor’s degree in English & Art History from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and is a 2007 graduate of the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. She is also a certified yoga instructor who loves shaking it loose on the dance floor.
Meghan "Megs" Rutigliano is Burning Man's Associate Director of the Regional Network. She oversees Burning Man's annual Global Leadership Conference and European Leadership Summit. Meghan explores the art, events and culture of various regional Burning Man communities in her blog posts.
Melissa ‘Hormel’ Waters is a mother, an herbalist, and 22-year veteran of Burning Man’s Department of Public Works. She is currently the San Francisco Office Administrator for Burning Man Project, where she also writes for Burning Man Hive Wellness and Wellbeing. In her spare time, Melissa likes to make free and reduced cost herbal apothecaries for communities with little access to pharmaceutical or holistic health care.
Mia Quagliarello is Burning Man Project's Digital Community Manager. She went to Burning Man for the first time in 2006 (seven months pregnant, no less) and immediately wanted to leave. (She didn't know dust storms were a thing.) But 24 hours after that initial shock, she fell in love with it, and it's been a part of her life in big and small ways ever since. On playa, you'll usually find her camping in Kidsville, riding Bahamut the dragon, or hugging a speaker because she loves music so much.
Michael “Dustin” Fasman (aka Dustin) attended around 250 Dead shows and was in the “Art Police,” an art krewe that built floats first for the New Years and Mardi Gras shows, then in Black Rock City. He’s been “burning” since 2003, has attended 14 Burns and several Regionals. Dustin leads the Burning Man Project’s Documentation Team and is the Mayor of the Black Rock Tea Company camp.
Michael Holden is a photographer from Seattle, WA. He has successfully avoided having a playa name for 16 years. He likes chihuahuas, sushi, fast RAM, cheap hard drives and prime lenses. Ask him anything by emailing michael@michaelholden.com.
Misa has been burning since 2010. She learned about Burning Man by accident on internet and is dust addict ever since she stepped on playa. She started to volunteer as Regional Contact for Czech Republic and Eastern Europe, is helping the Regional Network and in 2015 became the first Burning Man Project Fellow. She is based in Prague in Europe and makes sure Europe keeps Burning. Misa also loves to wear black and volunteer with Gate, Perimeter & Exodus. Her name should be written with diacritics, but it usually breaks computers...let's try it... Míša (pronounced as Misha or Meesha).