CONvergence Guests of Honor are chosen very carefully. Of course we want our guests to attend panels and share their knowledge and experience with us, but we also try to invite guests whom we genuinely think will enjoy CONvergence and have fun themselves! It’s not at all uncommon to see current and past Guests of Honor hanging out with members in room parties, mingling with the crowd, and actively participating in CONvergence culture!
Here you can find out all about the CONvergence 2026 Guests of Honor!
Christine Galey
Christine D. Galey is an accomplished actress and puppeteer known for her work in the Star Wars universe. In 2019, she began her journey with Disney+ as part of The Mandalorian Season 1, appearing as both an astronaut and a Jawa. Her talents continued to shine in Season 3, where she took on puppeteering duties for the iconic droid R5-D4 in Episode 2. She also brought to life the Tripod Droid, also known as Tritine, in the memorable recharge bar scene.
Christine’s most notable and fan-favorite role came in The Book of Boba Fett (Season 1, Episode 6), where she made history as the first female puppeteer to portray the beloved droid R2-D2. She also portrayed Off-World Jawas in the same series, showcasing her versatility in both character performance and creature work.
Expanding her Star Wars legacy, Christine recently appeared in Skeleton Crew, once again stepping into the role of a Jawa. With five characters under her belt, she continues to inspire audiences with her dedication and unique contributions to the galaxy far, far away.
Arif Kinchen
Native Angeleno Arif S. Kinchen is an acclaimed actor, musician, voice actor and charity streamer on Twitch. He is best known on-screen for his roles in “BeverlyHood,” “Christmas in Compton,” and as La Marr Hicks in “SPARKS.”
Arif has an expansive voice-over resume including animation, feature films, AAA games, commercials, and on-air promos. Arif voices Jazz in “Transformers: Robots in Disguise,” multiple characters in “The Mandalorian,” Season 3 and “Star vs. the Forces of Evil,” and The Concrete Foreman in Pixar’s “Elemental.” Notable AAA games include Pierce Washington in “The Saints Row” franchise, multiple roles in “Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga,” as well as “Deathloop” and “Starfield.”
Arif is passionate about helping children through @askBloodDrive, his stream on Twitch.tv. There, Arif raises money for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles via The Children’s Miracle Network.
John Kovalic
John Kovalic is an award-winning cartoonist, game designer and writer. His work’s appeared everywhere from the New York Times to Rolling Stone and Dragon Magazine. His world of geeky goodies includes the Dork Tower comic strip (celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year) and Munchkin (celebrating its 25th, with a second edition).
John was a co-founder of Out of the Box Games, and was a co-creator of the revolutionary party game Apples to Apples. John’s also drawn more than 8,000 cards for the fan-favorite world-wide hit Munchkin card game, and wouldn’t mind a spot of whiskey now, thanks.
John was inducted into the Games Manufacturers Hall of Fame in 2004.
In his spare time, John searches for spare time.
Nur-D
One of the fastest rising stars in Minnesota’s music scene, Nur-D burst onto the stage in 2018. Imagine the soulful sounds of Bruno Mars or Childish Gambino, the powerful energy of Chance the Rapper, the pop culture punchlines of an episode of “Community,” all rolled up into a show that everyone can enjoy à la The Fresh Prince. Performing alongside national acts like MisterWives, Ludacris, Tyler The Creator, and the Grammy Award winning Minnesota Orchestra, Nur-D is well on his way to becoming a house hold name!
Designated Best New MN Artist in 2019 (Citypages), headlined The 2020 “Best New Bands” show at First Avenue, honoree for the 2021 National Philanthropy Day (University of Minnesota), awarded 2021 Best Live Concert (Citypages), voted the 2022 Best Musician/Local Artist (Twin Cities Collective), Nur-D brings an explosion of energy every time he hits the stage!
With nine full length projects, each with their own flair to his discography, Nur-D has something special for any occasion. Whether you’re going out on the town with “Take My Picture,” bopping to “Collide,” channeling flirty energy with “All My Friends Are So Hot,” or you just want to “Strut” your stuff, don’t be afraid to ride the “Black Wizard Wave” and celebrate yourself! Work through “The Storm” of everything going on around you, kick it with “All of That,” let “HVN” ring with community and uplift you, leaving you feeling “Glorious!”
Nur-D is a breath of fresh air in the Hip Hop world and fans are feeling the same. Boasting a fervent fan base across the US and around the globe, if you haven’t heard the name Nur-D yet you certainly will soon. It’s easy to see why many people are calling Nur-D the next big thing out of Minnesota!
JR Dawson
J.R. Dawson (she/they) is a Nebula finalist and the Golden Crown award-winning author of The First Bright Thing. They have had shorter works in places such as F&SF, Lightspeed, Sunday Morning Transport, and Uncanny. Dawson currently lives on Dakota land in Minnesota with her loving wife. She teaches at Drexel University’s MFA program for creative writing, and fills her free time with keeping her three chaotic dogs out of trouble. Her latest book, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World, is a sapphic Orpheus retelling. You can find Dawson at www.jrdawsonwriter.com.
Be sure to check out the CONvergence Schedule for panels and events where you will be able to see this year’s Guests of Honor!
Head over to Also Appearing for a list of Invited Participants and Alumni Guests who will be at this year’s convention.
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