Mary Lynn Manns, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Management and Accountancy at the University of North Carolina, Asheville. Her doctoral work focused on the introduction of patterns into organizations. She is well known for her many presentations on this topic.

Linda Rising, Ph.D., is well known throughout the patterns community as the editor of Design Patterns in Communications Software (Cambridge University Press, 2001) and The Patterns Handbook (Cambridge University Press, 1997). Now an independent consultant, she helped lead the introduction of patterns into AG Communication Systems in Phoenix, Arizona. Linda has worked in the telecommunications, avionics, and strategic weapons industries, and has extensive training and university teaching experience. She holds a Ph.D. from Arizona State University.