Bumping this thread because @Homebody linked to it. :)
I've vended at Emily's expo series a couple times (pre-pandemic), and she's cool. You could have easily said hi to her.
Dav Kaufman is another YouTube celeb who is about the same in terms of friendliness. I bump into him at expos around here, and I've bought animals from him in the past.
"I'm always hesitant to speak with the breeders about their animals because, while I'm curious, I'm not going to buy, and I don't want to waste their time." I personally think it is respectful to make clear up front that you're looking for info, not to make a purchase, if that's what you're up to (just to avoid leading them on). But so long as a breeder isn't slammed with sales, any good one will be excited to chat with you about the animals they keep.
I've discussed this with other breeders at the expos I vend, and we're pretty much in agreement that a lot of the work of expos is education of keepers of all experience levels -- including rank beginners -- and that's fine. I'm not such a fan of ill behaved children (of any age) who want to hold every reptile without even knowing or caring what they are, but anyone who is legitimately seeking info or even casual discussion gets all the attention I can spare.