J. Gordon Melton is founder and director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion. He has authored 25 books including the Encyclopedia of American Religions, now a standard reference book on North American religious bodies. His other books include The Cult Experience, Biographical Dictionary of Cult and Sect Leaders, The Encyclopedia Handbook of Cults in America, New Age Encyclopedia, and Encyclopedia of African American Religion. Dr. Melton is also the senior editor of four different series of books on American religions. Also a prominent vampirologist (The Vampire Gallery, The Vampire Book), he is an adjunct professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.