Executive Director, Founder, Organizer, Story Coach, Outreach Coordinator

Rachel Bemis has seen the benefits of storytelling as a long-time Tell Us Something audience member and also as a March 2022 Storyteller at The Wilma. Rachel always admired the art of storytelling from afar until she was able to dive into this creative and inspiring art form while attending the Creative Pulse Graduate Program at the University of Montana-Missoula. Tell Us Something Executive Director Marc Moss led courses on Personal Storytelling. Rachel has used storytelling as a tool in her classroom to connect students to their writing and bring their stories to life. Storytelling allows people of all ages to connect with one another.

Rachel is an Elementary School Teacher in Western Montana. Rachel has her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Reading and earned her Master of Arts in Integrated Art and Education all from the University of Montana-Missoula.

Rachel served at the local non-profit North Missoula Community Development Corporation as board chair and secretary in Missoula for 10 years where she led fundraising efforts, and board retreats and attended various conferences in and out of state. When Rachel is not working, she can be found with her St. Bernard Lorelai, on long walks with friends, reading her next book for her monthly book club, grabbing a Quattro Formaggio pizza from Biga, and planning her next road trip.

Jason Sloat grew up on a farm in Indiana. After graduating from college, he spent a couple of years working on ranches in western Montana. During that time he fell in love with the beauty of Montana’s wild spaces. He eventually completed graduate school at the University of Montana and now works for UM as the Director of Risk Management.

Ketty Monzon is thankful to have spent most of her life in Missoula and loves the open-minded, cool vibe that comes with the Missoula culture. She has worked at Blackfoot Communications for 24 years – starting in customer operations and now working in project management.

Ketty loves to volunteer and has been a fan of Tell Us Something since the first time she attended. When meeting new people, she is genuinely interested in how they got to where they are in life. The opportunity to join the Tell Us Something board is the perfect blend of volunteering for an organization that she’s passionate about while helping people tell their stories because she believes we all deserve to be heard.

In her spare time, Ketty loves to bake, listen to music, read, work and play in the sun and hang with friends.

Jason Forges is a community member that focuses on finding avenues to be open, authentic, and artistic. Jason’s goal is to create an entity titled Appreciate C.O.L.O.R that will leverage the arts to promote meaningful perspectives while provoking thought and encouraging actionable steps with himself and others.

Jason shared a story at Tell Us Something in March of 2019. His story is called “You Can’t be Curious and Angry at the Same Time”

A graduate of the University of Oregon’s folklore and public culture master’s program and previous intern with the Oregon Folklife Network, Taylor works with the Montana Arts Council and the Bear River Heritage Area on a contract basis to collect, interpret, and promote traditional arts, crafts, and folkways in Montana and Utah, respectively. Through her work, she has the opportunity not only to witness how others navigate life through their craft but through their personal stories.

Taylor spent her first experience at a Tell Us Something event crying about a liver, a hawk, and an aging apple. After the event ended and the folding chairs were packed away, Taylor left and–for weeks–no one could get her to stop talking about it; she was hooked. Today, she is happy to bring her experience working as a public folklorist to Tell Us Something as their programming committee chair.

When not hanging posters for events, she is probably playing Wordle, foraging for mushrooms, or, on a truly special day, taking a trip.

Sarah believes that storytelling is the basis for creating kinship and greater understanding.

She brings nonprofit experience ranging from communications work, and fundraising, to program management. Her love of community and people has led her to work with middle school students in St. Louis, coordinating volunteers in Montana and Idaho, and driving all over Eastern Montana for community organizing work. 

In her free time, Sarah is likely planning her next road trip with her husband and dog. She is excited to be part of the larger mission of bringing Missoula together one story at a time.

JOSEPH T. GRADY

Joseph Grady is a professional actor and artist with roles in films like Winter in the Blood, Jimmy P, and Slant Streets. He has been painting and selling art for more than thirty years throughout the northwest. Joseph graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in social work and a focus in Native American Studies and lives in his community as a change agent addressing social justice equity and anti-racism action. Joseph serves on the Missoula Food Bank Anti-Racism Task Force, and as the Chair for Tell Us Something’s Board of Directors.

Sierra is a curious individual with a never-ending interest in people and their stories. From asking fifty strangers for their best piece of life advice to sitting down to hear about pivotal stories on her podcast, Impactful Experiences with Sierra Tai-Brownlee, Sierra is always excited to meet new people and hear what they would like to share. Listen on Google Podcasts and Spotify. Outside of listening to stories, Sierra enjoys venturing to Great Harvest for some fresh bread, running, and trying to teach herself random skills.