The authors of Yes, You Can!. . . have combined nearly 60 years of teaching experience, and are the parents of three adult children, including two who are educators. Dr. Gail L. Thompson, the Wells Fargo Endowed Professor of Education at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, and the recipient of Claremont Graduate University's Distinguished Alumna Award, has written numerous books, including the critically acclaimed Through Ebony Eyes: What Teachers Need to Know but are Afraid to Ask About African American Students, and The Power of One: How You Can Help or Harm African American Students, which was nominated for the National Staff Development Council's Book of the Year award. Dr. Thompson, who taught junior high and high school for 14 years, has given keynote addresses and conducted professional development workshops for educators and K-12 students at conferences and schools, and has conducted parent empowerment workshops at churches and schools throughout the United States. She has also appeared on several radio and television programs, and her essays and articles have been published in newspapers and academic journals.

Dr. Thompson's co-author and husband, Rufus Thompson, wrote part of the Heath (now Houghton Mifflin) Middle Level Literature series and High School Anthology, trained teachers throughout California on how to implement technology into the curriculum using best practices and sound classroom principles, and taught middle school for 17 years, before becoming the Technology Coordinator of the Mountain View School District in Ontario, California. He also served as a representative on the San Bernardino County BestNet Advisory Board to Superintendents, and his Middle School Journalism program was recognized by the National Middle School Association as one of 80 innovative programs in the United States. Mr. Thompson, who has a Masters degree, has taught courses at the University of Redlands, Chapman University, and California Polytechnic University, Pomona as an adjunct. He has also provided extensive professional development workshops for teachers and school administrators, organized conferences, and given presentations at several conferences, including the National School Board Association, The National Middle School Association, Computer Using Education (CUE), and California Educational Technology Professional Association (CETPA). Mr. Thompson recently retired and is the owner of Tech Guy in a Box, a technology and best practices consulting company.