Formerly known as "Ginevra"/"Gin"/"G" and legally known as "Emily" and occasionally called "Em" by friends and family,  Gem is the mother of Awakenus, a festival conceived by many others. 

She took a step back from wearing too many hats as a constantly overcommitted Awakenus organizer and formed a committee of amazing humans to take the reins and reign over The Awakenus Org so the festival happens rain or shine while welcoming a rainbow of humans to participate. 

Gem is passionate about sustainability and loves to remind people that you can't spell "EARTH" without "ART". You can find her teaching pole fitness classes at Studio Steel on Saturdays and volunteering at Jones Valley Teaching Farm on Mondays. 

Hayley is a Birmingham resident, yoga teacher and co-owner at In Bloom Yoga in Forest Park, and Project Manager at Ritual + Shelter in Homewood. She works as a collaborative coordinator, social educator, and spiritual medium, investing much of her energy towards arts and education. 

She has a passion for bringing people together, and enjoys the process of co-creating this yearly meeting of the weird and wonderful in the beautiful forests of Talladega. Hayley believes in the Awakenus dream of building a collaborative regional community, through art, education, and sustainable efforts that encourage social awareness! Together, we can build a thriving, loving and mindful society- let’s practice at Awakenus!

Alexis Unger is a Benefactor, Financial Analyst, Vendor Co-Manager, and Workshops Co-Manager for Awakenus 2026. She loves live music, dancing, and incorporating wellness and yoga into music festivals, burns, and events. 

She has 10 years of experience in financial consulting for banks, but prefers to bring her organizational and financial skillset to heart-forward organizations. She is a writer, yoga studio co-owner at In Bloom Yoga, yoga teacher at Yoga Lab, and tea server at Cha House Bham. In her spare time, she loves cuddling up on the couch with her orange cat, Maxie, and journaling.

Ashley Chancellor (she/her) leads marketing and fundraising for Awakenus and is also the social media manager. She is known as "Bad Bunnie", a fierce and passionate human devoted to inclusiveness and creating a stellar experience for anyone attending the festival. 

Bad Bunnie also runs Free Art Birmingham, Free Art Panama City, and continues to bring "farts" (free art) to other cities as the self-proclaired "FART FAIRY". 

Will Janus is a cornerstone of Birmingham's vibrant electronic music scene, a creative force whose journey began as a DJ in 2014. His passion for the local community was reignited upon his return to Birmingham in 2022, inspired by the community-driven "Fat Stack Tuesday" from Samacca Sounds. Since then, Will has become a true production innovator, acquiring his own lasers and elevating the visual experience of shows across the city. As the creative mind behind the high-energy projects JAMURAI and the acclaimed FEEL TRIP series, he has consistently delivered unforgettable visual experiences, including the immersive FEEL TRIP 360 and the unique psytrance experience, SUNAJ.

Beyond the spectacle, Will is a dedicated advocate for the community. He is the founder of Modern Music Entertainment LLC, a business providing top-tier event management, production services, and visual support for promoters such as Slinger Entertainment, Nu Saga, and Wubmaster Productions. His deep involvement with the Awakenus festival includes providing lasers at the original Welcome Home stage in 2023 and helping lead B.A.S.S. Camp, a theme camp and stage from Awakenus 2025. Will also actively collaborates with the non-profit B.A.S.S. (Birmingham Alliance for Safer Spaces) to promote harm reduction, ensuring the EDM community remains a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. His passion, technical skill, and commitment to community make him an indispensable leader within Awakenus and the Birmingham music scene as a whole.