2025 UFO Festival Speakers (scroll down)

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Peter Robbins is co-producer of the Speaker Series for the Exeter UFO Festival. Peter has been involved in UFO studies for more than forty years, as a researcher, investigator, writer, public speaker, activist, and author. He has lectured extensively both here and abroad on a wide variety of UFO related subjects at prestigious university, medical, journalism, science, paranormal and government venues. Professional credits include research assistant on the United Nations Secretary General’s “Report for the Establishment of a UN-UFO Department;” Editorial Assistant on “Blue Memorandum” for Parliament’s 1980 House of Lords Debate on UFOs; Founder and Editor-In-Chief of the groundbreaking website, UFOcity.com (1998-2004); consultant and participant on The SCI FI Channel’s documentary, “UFO Invasion At Rendlesham;” Event Coordinator for SCI FI’s “Alien Abduction Phenomenon: A Symposium” promoting Steven Spielberg miniseries, “Taken;” and many more. Robbins has appeared as a guest on and been consultant to numerous documentaries and television shows.

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Mike Stevens, co-producer of the Speaker Series for the Exeter UFO Festival, is the Granite Sky founder. Mike is a New Hampshire native, born and bred. Mike is a seasoned paranormal researcher and investigator. He has worked to change the stigma surrounding the abduction phenomena by promoting public awareness of the subject and by encouraging and supporting other experiencers. He was the initiating force behind the New Hampshire historical marker for Betty and Barney Hill’s UFO encounter. Mike has been interviewed in the past by newspapers, television, and radio about his involvement in the paranormal and UFO communities locally as well as internationally. Mike has become a trusted source for New Hampshire’s UFO history.

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Martin Willis, an aficionado of the enigmatic realm of UFOs, has harbored a fascination with the subject since his formative years. Martin regards the exploration of the mystery of UFOs/UAPs as one of paramount importance and unparalleled excitement. His interest in astronomy underscores his conviction that humanity is not alone in the universe, fueling a steadfast scientific curiosity regarding the vast cosmos. As a passionate advocate for the UFO community, Martin founded the acclaimed Podcast UFO in November 2011, conducting over 600 illuminating interviews on the subject (2024). His expertise and dedication have led to many prestigious speaking, keynote and event hosting engagements.

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Stephen Bassett is the executive director of Paradigm Research Group (PRG) founded in 1996 to end a government-imposed embargo on the truth behind extraterrestrial related phenomena. Steve has spoken to audiences around the world about the implications of an extraterrestrial presence engaging the Human Race. Steve has given more than 1200 radio and television interviews, with PRG’s advocacy work extensively covered by national and international media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, the Washington Post and the New York Times. Tom is also cofounder of the Hollywood Disclosure Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing relevant researchers, authors, abductees and experiencers together with content creators working across every aspect of the global entertainment spectrum.

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Eric Mintel is an experienced paranormal investigator who has hosted the highly engaging TV show, “Eric Mintel Investigates” since 2016. With a keen interest in the unexplained from an early age, Mintel’s investigations have uncovered compelling evidence linking many mysterious occurrences, some of which shed light on previously undisclosed sightings and encounters with ghosts, UFO’s, Bigfoot or Dog men. A consummate professional in front of the camera, he has had stories written up on his paranormal activities by numerous newspapers and has been featured on radio stations and podcasts across the country and around the world.

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Valerie Lofaso has deep roots in the New Hampshire community, having grown up in Derry and now residing in the Seacoast area. Valerie is a multi-faceted professional, serving as an Empathic Medium, paranormal investigator, Reiki Master, and the author of the Tangled Web of Friends series and The Vital Empath. Valerie was also the co-founder of the KRI Center for Consciousness Studies in Stratham, which remains a testament to her enduring dedication to spiritual exploration. She continues her work with the Seacoast Paranormal Research Group, staying active in the field of paranormal investigation. In addition to her professional expertise, Valerie is an Experiencer, with a lifetime of UFO and ET encounters that began in childhood. 

Valerie will speak on Saturday, 8/30, 9:00 to 10:15am. In her presentation, The Exeter Incident: Seacoast Life in 1965, How to Be A Good Witness, and Why They Still Visit, we will look at what life was like in the Seacoast area during the incident at the end of 1965, the do’s and don'ts of being a credible witness to encounters in the age of social media, and a theory about why UFOs and ETs still visit to this day.

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In the 1980s, Jimmy Petonito started taking pictures and audio recordings in local cemeteries that were thought to be haunted. In 1992, Jimmy shared his research with Ed and Lorraine Warren. He became part of the New England Society of Psychic Research team as a psychic photographer. Jimmy also taught classes on the paranormal and ghost hunting, where he earned the nickname "Mr. Haunted."

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 Charles Foltz was involved in The Allagash Abductions, one of the most well known, well debated and well verified multi-witness alien abduction cases in UFO lore. In 1976, four friends on a camping trip in Maine's Allagash Wilderness reported seeing a UFO while night fishing. Years later, under hypnosis, they independently recalled being abducted and medically examined by alien beings. Charles has been living and working in the Boston Area since 1974. A graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design, he has had a distinguished career as a medical illustrator and medical-media specialist for the New England medical community and Veterans Hospitals. Now retired, he spends his time doing photography, painting, sculpting fishing and performing consulting and community work. 

The Allagash Abductions
Charles will speak on Saturday, 8/30, 10:30 to 11:45am. His presentation, The Allagash Abductions, is one of the most famous and well-researched alien abduction cases of all time. It occurred in Maine's Allagash Wilderness in 1976. Charles Foltz was one of the four men impacted by this event. Learn about his experiences first-hand, as well as the impact it has had on his life to this day.

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Tyler Roberts

Ty will speak on Sunday from 1:00 to 2:15pm.  

Ty's journey took an unexpected turn at the age of 10 when he had a UFO sighting, witnessing a classic disk-shaped craft with three prominent spheres on the bottom. This early encounter with the mysterious fueled his lifelong curiosity about the unknown. In 2021, amidst his ongoing work with The Pop! Culture Corner Podcast, Ty experienced a profound personal loss with the passing of his mother on 4-3-21. This pivotal moment led him to explore the realms of the unexplained and birthed TOTAL DISCLOSURE, a new podcast dedicated to his mother's memory and his quest for personal truth in a world seeking its own revelations. With public attention reaching unprecedented levels, Ty has committed the remainder of his life to pursuing the larger mysteries and questions that shape our understanding of the world. Through TOTAL DISCLOSURE, he endeavors to contribute to a global conversation about the truths that have long been concealed.

• Valerie Lofaso: The Exeter Incident: Seacoast Life in 1965, How to Be A Good Witness, and Why They Still Visit
  Saturday, 8/30, 9:00 to 10:15am
  In this presentation, we will look at what life was like in the Seacoast area during the incident at the end of 1965, the do’s and don'ts of being a credible witness to encounters in the age of social media, and a theory about why UFOs and ETs still visit to this day.
  
• Charles Foltz: The Allagash Abductions
  Saturday, 8/30, 10:30 to 11:45am
  One of the most famous and well-researched alien abduction cases of all time occurred in Maine's Allagash Wilderness in 1976. Charles Foltz was one of the four men impacted by this event. Learn about his experiences first-hand, as well as the impact it has had on his life to this day.

• Stephen Bassett: Disclosure:  Where is the Congress and the Whitehouse
  Saturday, 8/30, Noon to 1:15pm
  Where is Congress and the Whitehouse as we are on the verge of a third major UAP hearing in September by the Task Force to Declassify Federal Secrets, Steve will provide the background and recent developments leading up to his hearing. Disclosure is still possible in 2025.

• Eric Mintel: Paranormal and the Connection to Everyday People
  Saturday, 8/30, 2:00 to 3:15pm
  Prepare to journey into the unknown with Eric Mintel, one of today’s most compelling paranormal investigators! In his electrifying talk, Eric Mintel Investigates the Paranormal and the Connection to Everyday People, Eric will reveal how strange and unexplainable phenomena often touch our lives in ways we least expect. From chilling ghost encounters to UFO sightings and mysterious cryptid activity, you’ll see exclusive, never-before-shared footage captured during his team’s most intense investigations. Don’t miss your chance to meet Eric in person, hear the real stories behind the mysteries, and get a signed copy of his thrilling new book—your ticket into a world where the impossible becomes possible!”

• Peter Robbins: The Graphics and the Classics: An Illustrated History of
  the Golden Age of UFO Literature, Imagery, and Beyond
  Saturday, 8/30, 3:30 to 5:00pm
  Peter Robbins is best known for his work in the field of 0UFO/UAP studies. Not as well-known is his background as fine artist, photographer, and longtime fan of period
  graphic design and book illustration, especially were UFO, science fiction, and space science illustration come together. In this unique presentation, Robbins combines his
  lifelong love of art and design, his UFO related scholarship, and his decades as a book and ephemera collector to take us back to simpler time and the art which emblemized the
  Golden Age of ufology as well as in the years that followed. Richly illustrated with images that range from the truly sublime to the genuinely ridiculous, the numerous and varied Cold War Era books and publications they’re drawn from referenced throughout. These and like images had a significant impact on America’s perceptions of and opinions about UFOs in the formative years of humanity’s growing relationship with the subject and should be regarded as such.

• Mike Stevens: The Coast with the Most
  Sunday, 8/31, 9:15 to 10:30am
  Who is the all star of American Ufology? Will the East Coast or West Coast prevail. Join us as we travel the through the timeline of cases to see which is the coast with the most and explore the possibilities from sea to shining sea. 

• Jimmy Petonito: Tales from "Mr. Haunted"
  Sunday, 8/31, 10:45am to Noon
  In the late 80's. Jimmy started taking pictures and audio recordings in local cemeteries that were thought to be haunted. He became a part of the New England Society of Psychic Research (NESPR) team as a paranormal photographer. Jimmy also taught classes on the paranormal and ghost hunting for 10 years. Since then, he has earned the name, "Mr. Haunted." Jimmy has been investigating the unexplained for over 30 years, having investigated hundreds of homes and locations and has assisted in 49 exorcisms.

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• Martin Willis: Encounters You’ve Never Heard—Until Now
  Sunday, 8/31, 2:30 to 3:45pm
  Join Martin Willis as he shares extraordinary, mostly unheard-of UFO encounters gathered during his travels—many told firsthand by the witnesses themselves. Hear about a bizarre experience along I-95 on the East Coast (do extraterrestrials enjoy ice cream?), a mysterious 1970s schoolyard encounter in South Africa where all sound suddenly vanished (not the Ariel School incident), a diver’s chilling close encounter with an intelligently controlled cube-shaped USO, and a dramatic sighting involving an Antiques Roadshow acquaintance who witnessed a box-shaped UFO explode into five glowing lights—plus many more captivating stories.

• Panel Discussion: Panel discussion and Q&A with our 2025 UFO Festival Speakers and Festival Close
  Sunday, 8/31, 4:00 to 5:15