New York Bigfoot Conference 2026

Steve Kulls began his professional career in Private Investigation and Loss Prevention, where he honed his skills in investigation and evidence analysis. His background in investigations, in both the civil, family, and criminal fields, provided him with a solid foundation for his later work in cryptozoology, allowing him to apply rigorous investigative techniques to studying elusive creatures like Bigfoot.

In 2006, Kulls gained widespread recognition when he launched the Squatchdetective website and podcast, dedicated to exploring the mysteries surrounding Bigfoot and other cryptids. Through his platform, Kulls has interviewed numerous witnesses, researchers, and experts in the field, contributing valuable insights and perspectives to the ongoing discourse on cryptozoology.

One of Kulls’ most notable contributions to the field is his emphasis on evidence-based research and skepticism. He advocates for critical thinking and thorough investigation, seeking to separate fact from fiction in cryptozoology. Kulls has participated in expeditions to known Bigfoot hotspots, employing advanced technology and investigative techniques to gather data and analyze potential evidence.

Over the years, Kulls has garnered respect within the cryptozoological community for his dedication, integrity, and commitment to scientific inquiry. While he remains open-minded about the existence of cryptids like Bigfoot, he approaches his work with a healthy skepticism, always striving to uphold the highest standards of research and evidence evaluation.

Steve has authored seven books and has appeared on History, Nat Geo, the Discovery Networks, and Fox News, with the latest being on the Bigfoot Panel of the History Channel program, “The Proof is Out There.”

Cliff Barackman has been a Bigfoot field researcher since 1994. His expeditions have taken him to 46 states and five continents, searching for evidence of undiscovered hominoids worldwide. As the evidence analyst on Animal Planet’s hit television show, Finding Bigfoot, Cliff has applied his skill and expertise to various photographic, video, film, and sound evidence.

Cliff is especially familiar with the footprint and handprint evidence for sasquatches, and he is the curator for one of the largest collections of cast evidence in the world.  He is is the co-owner and curator of the North American Bigfoot Center. Cliff is also an accomplished musician and outdoorsman living a quiet life on the western slopes of Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range, deep in the heart of Bigfoot country.

Ranae Holland is a respected leader in the field of cryptozoology, known for her analytical approach and extensive expertise in the study of elusive creatures. With over three decades of experience as a field biologist and as the “Skeptical Scientist” on the television series Finding Bigfoot, she has conducted research throughout all fifty U.S. states, all ten Canadian provinces, and six continents.

Ranae blends scientific rigor with inclusive communication and a deep respect for Indigenous cultures. Her pragmatic, evidence-based approach has made her a trusted voice in media, public forums, and cryptid research for decades. Driven by curiosity and a firm commitment to advancing Citizen Science as a tool for meaningful discovery, she champions a collaborative model that bridges scientific disciplines and communities.

Her long-term research on activity patterns across private and Indigenous lands, emphasizes respectful engagement and the integration of modern scientific methods and emerging technologies with Traditional Ecological Knowledge.

Whether you call him an Explorer, Adventurer, or Cryptozoologist, no one alive today has done more active fieldwork to prove the existence of yet-to-be-discovered animals, frequently in remote and sometimes dangerous parts of the world. From the dense jungles of the Congo and Sumatra to the Deserts of Mongolia and the Mountains of Nepal, Adam has traveled the world in search of scientific evidence of the existence of these creatures.

Notably, Adam has achieved unique results in his research. He has led and been a key part of many expeditions with excellent results. Examples include the Orang Pendek in Sumatra, Sasquatch, the Yeren in China, and the Seljord Serpent in Norway.

Adam has appeared on numerous television programs and channels, including the National Geographic Channel, The Discovery Channel, History Channel’s Monster Quest, and Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot. The majority of Adam’s research and expeditions have been self-financed, and he devotes much of his spare time to his passion for discovering the world’s mystery animals.

Adam is the author of three non-fiction accounts of his research and adventures in the field, as well as a recent and well-received foray into (fact-based) fiction, “The Revenge of the Hairy Man.”

Adam has also authored several novels, all of which can be found on his Amazon page.

Adam can be reached by email through the inquiry form on the Contact page of this website.

Dr. Esteban Sarmiento, who resides in New Jersey, is a primatologist and biologist. He is noted for his work in primate anthropology and for appearing on the Monster Quest television series on The History Channel.

Dr. Sarmiento is one of the few mainstream experts who have given serious attention to cryptozoology, particularly reports of Bigfoot. Dr. Sarmiento does not suggest that the existence of Bigfoot has been established, but that its existence is possible and that claims and evidence deserve careful scrutiny. He has stated, “If the animal in the Patterson-Gimlin film (Bigfoot) is real, this animal is exceedingly human-like… “It would be our closest relative on earth.”

Dr. Sarmiento has appeared on several History Channel series, Monster Quest episodes discussing Bigfoot and other cryptids. We are honored to have him speak at the first annual New York Bigfoot Conference.

Marc Dewerth is a long-time Ohio Bigfoot investigator who has been actively researching since 1990. He is the Curator for the Ohio chapter of the Bigfoot Field Research Organization ( BFRO) and a highly sought-after lecturer on Ohio Bigfoot sightings. Marc has been featured in shows like Paranormal Declassified and the Small Town Monster documentaries, as well as multiple podcasts.

Marc organizes the Ohio Bigfoot Conference at Salt Fork State Park, one of the largest Bigfoot conferences in North America. Each year, Mr. DeWerth welcomes thousands of people to this family-friendly and educational event.

Due to his hours of field research, Marc is also dedicated to documenting and preserving Ohio’s great variety of trees. He created and runs the Big Trees Ohio organization, a volunteer group of big tree enthusiasts who seek out Ohio’s biggest and grandest trees and document them.

Mr. DeWerth’s decades of experience with both nature and Bigfoot research make him an expert on Bigfoot sightings in Ohio and all of North America.

We sincerely thank Marc for helping us organize the first annual New York Bigfoot Conference and serving as our Master of Ceremonies.