Speakers Bureau

The following individuals have agreed to speak with researchers, scholars, and members of the media about their experiences in Peoples Temple.

Jonestown Residents During 1978

Terri Buford was in Peoples Temple for seven years (1971-1978). She lived in Jonestown for the better part of a year in 1977 and 1978.  She defected from the Temple three weeks before the massacre. She can be reached through this website. Her writings on this website appear here.

Tim Carter lived in Jonestown and escaped on the final day. Several articles by Mr. Carter appear here. He can be reached at tcarter999@comcast.net.

John Cobb lived in Jonestown but was with the basketball team in Georgetown on the final day. He can be reached at johncob@msn.com.

Vernon Gosney left Jonestown with Congressman Leo Ryan on November 18, 1978, and was seriously wounded during the shootings at the Port Kaituma airstrip. His articles on this site appear here. He can be reached at vgosney@mpd.net or alive@hawaii.rr.com.

Claire Janaro arrived in Georgetown en route to Jonestown from the United States on 18 November: cmuch@yahoo.com. She is the author of State of Mind on this website.

Laura (Johnston) Kohl was a member of Peoples Temple in California and in Guyana.  She lived in Jonestown but was working in Georgetown on 18 November. She can be reached at lkohl1920@hotmail.com. A short biographical video clip appears here. Information about her book Jonestown Survivor appears here. Her articles on this website appear here.

Deborah Layton escaped Jonestown on May 13, 1978, six months before the massacre, and met with Congressman Leo Ryan and the State Department to warn them of the impending disaster. She lost her mother and both sisters-in-law in Jonestown. Deborah is the author of Seductive Poison. Email at djlayton1@yahoo.com.

Herbert Newell was on the Temple boat, the Cudjoe, on November 18, 1978, but more than a half dozen relatives died in Jonestown. He can be reached at herbertnewell58@yahoo.com.

Eugene Smith joined Peoples Temple in 1973 and lived in the Temple's San Francisco commune before leaving for Jonestown in fall 1977. He was in Georgetown on November 18 clearing items from customs. Numerous members of his family – including his mother, wife, and infant son – died in Jonestown. He can be reached at eugene.e.smith@gmail.com. His articles on this website appear here.

Mike Touchette was among the original pioneers who built Jonestown. He and his wife were in Georgetown on November 18, but several family members died in Jonestown: MichTouc@aol.com. His articles on the website appear here.

Jordan Vilchez became a member of Peoples Temple as a teenager when her family joined. She was in Georgetown, Guyana on November 18, 1978, but her sisters and nephews died in Jonestown. She was on the Planning Commission and is familiar with many inner workings of the organization. She can be reached at jordanvilchez@gmail.com. Her articles on this website appear here.

Leslie Wagner-Wilson (Fortier/Cathey) was a child of Peoples Temple living in Redwood Valley from age 13. She lived in Jonestown until escaping with her three year old son and several others the morning of November 18th. Her husband, mother, sister, brother, niece and nephew died in Jonestown. She is the author of  Slavery of Faith - www.slaveryoffaith.com and can be reached via faithalways@slaveryoffaith.com. Her articles on this website appear here.

Other Temple members

Don Beck, a member of Peoples Temple living in Redwood Valley in November 1978, was part of group making original trip to Guyana, and for summers of 1974 and 1976 as Jonestown was being built. His email address is donbeck@cox.net. His articles on this website appear here.

Mike Cartmell’s family joined Peoples Temple in Indianapolis in 1959, and he was a member for 17 years until he left in February 1977. His mother, step-father, sister and adopted brother died in Jonestown. He may be reached at Beemermcart@aol.com. His articles on this website appear here.

Laurie Efrein Kahalas, a long-time Temple member and author of Snake Dance, created the website www. jonestown. com which now appears on this site here. She can be reached through dan_laurie@comcast.net. Her articles and reports of her investigations appear here.

Hue Fortson, Jr. was the Associate Pastor of Peoples Temple in Los Angeles at the time of the deaths in Guyana. His wife and son died in Jonestown. He may be reached at afather88@charter.net. His articles on this website appear here.

Bryan and Kristine (Johnston Tarver) Kravitz, long-time Temple members, were living in San Francisco in 1978: bryan.kravitz@hotmail.com and kristinekravitz@gmail.com. Their articles on this website appear here.

Garrett Lambrev was the first person to meet Jim Jones and join Peoples Temple after the exodus from Indiana to the west coast. A recent dropout from a doctoral program in history at Stanford and seasoned peace activist, he thought he had found in Peoples Temple the realization of all his dreams. His passage through Peoples Temple was stormy, but he didn’t finally cut the umbilical cord until apprised of what he still considers “torture”in the summer of 1976. Today he’s a semi retired public librarian, living in Oaktown, California, who operates an online used book business through Amazon Marketplace. He’s written poetry since the age of twelve. His first collection, Dogstar and Poems from Other Planets: 1964-1989, was published by Beatitude Press in 2007. He can be reached at garrett1926@comcast.net. His writings on this site appear here.

Vera (Ingram) Washington was a member of Peoples Temple for several years but left in 1973 because of conflicts she had with the leadership of the group: reginav8@yahoo.com. Her writings on this website appear here.

David Parker Wise was a Pastor of the Los Angeles branch of Peoples Temple, and is writing the book Jonestown Legacy. His email address is hopetek@gmail.com. His writings on this site appear here. Mr. Wise is also the manager of the Jonestown Legacy website.

Others

Jeff Brailey volunteered in the military's Joint Humanitarian Task Force, which aided in the removal of the bodies from Jonestown after the deaths of 18 November 1978. His e-mail address is wordworks2001@yahoo.com. He is the author of The Anniversary Syndrome on this website.

Sherwin Harris, father of Liane Harris, who died on 18 November 1978, describes himself as “co-founder of the Concerned Relatives Group [who] had a unique perspective as a non(ever)member parent dealing with the Temple and as an eyewitness to the events as they transpired in Guyana and the people and other groups involved.” He has subsequently consulted with other parents whose children “were similarly involved with cults.” His phone number is 510-581-9987; email sherwinh@comcast.net. A collection of articles by the Harris family appears here.

Lela Howard, niece of Jonestown victim Mary Pearl Willis, speaks about the shame and other emotions her family and others have endured as loved ones of Peoples Temple members, giving a different perspective as to how the massacre and media coverage affected survivors, creating a silent shame. She is dedicated to correcting this stigma. She may be reached at lelavhoward@yahoo.com. Her writings on this website appear here.

Pat Ryan is the daughter of the late Congressman Leo J. Ryan, who was murdered while assisting Peoples Temple defectors to leave Jonestown on November 18, 1978. She currently serves as Executive Director of the California Mental Health Directors Association (CMHDA), a statewide association representing county mental health departments and services. Her e-mail address is pryan@cmhda.org.

Scholars

John R. Hall author of Gone from the Promised Land, is at the Department of Sociology at University of California - Davis. His e-mail is jrhall@ucdavis.edu. He is the author of Jonestown in the 21st Century on this website.

Massimo Introvigne, CESNUR - Center for Studies on New Religions, Via Confienza 19, Torino, Italy 10121; telephone 39-011-541950; e-mail mintrovigne@virgilio.it. He is the author of Jonestown and Liberation Theology on this website.

Chris Knight-Griffin is a military researcher and historian for the jonestown report. His articles on this website appear here. He can be reached at jonestownresearch@hotmail.com.

Rebecca Moore, Department of Religious Studies, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-8143; telephone 619/594-6252; e-mail remoore@mail.sdsu.edu. Her writings on this website appear here.

Catherine Wessinger, Department of Religious Studies, Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118; telephone 504/865-3182; e-mail wessing@loyno.edu. Dr. Wessinger’s articles on this site appear here.

Rikke Wettendorff is the administrator of the Peoples Temple Discussion Forum and the co-editor of the jonestown report. Her articles on the site appear here. She can be reached at rikke@wettendorff.net.

Philip Zimbardo has written and lectured extensively on the power of charismatic leaders and the creation of obedient followers. His articles on the site appear here. He can be reached at drzimbardo@gmail.com.