Your Hosts

Aster is the tech-savvy, skeptically-minded co-host of AlterNormal. She grew up in Utah (raised Mormon), lived in San Francisco, and eventually landed on a 10-acre property in the Maine woods — because her end game is "to be a lesbian cryptid in the middle of the woods, wearing flannel." A software engineer by trade who also works in trans healthcare, she handles all the technical side of the podcast — editing, website, and building open-source paranormal investigation tools like spirit box hardware and an encounter tracker. She approaches every story with a scientific lens ("extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence") but genuinely keeps an open mind. When she's not chasing UFO sightings or arguing about orbs, she's keeping reptiles and watching sci-fi.

Kel is the research-driven, open-minded co-host of AlterNormal. A lifelong Mainer — born and raised in Dresden and Augusta — she brings deep roots and infectious enthusiasm to every topic. She lived in South Korea for a time (where she got scuba certified, naturally), and now works in criminal justice and legislation near Augusta. She's the research powerhouse of the show, diving into rabbit holes with chaotic neutral energy and emerging with stories that make you look over your shoulder. She leans believer but values skepticism too, and her French-Maine cultural heritage means she grew up hearing about the loup garou long before the podcast existed. True crime obsessive, fantasy novel reader, horror movie lover, and self-described "real life troll."