Since 2010, Monica Thompson has shared the joy of creativity with elementary students in Missoula, Montana. Over the years, she has taught in a wide range of settings, from traveling to five schools a week with her car serving as her supply closet, to establishing a permanent home base filled with color, curiosity, and care. No matter the setting, her mission remains constant: to bring joy and delight to her students through the power of art. She strives to create a space where every child feels inspired to be creative, to solve problems with imagination, and to express themselves authentically. She was honored to have been chosen as the Montana Art Educator of the Year, and the Pacific Region Elementary Art Educator of the year for 2026. In addition to her work as an educator, she is also a practicing artist whose work was recently featured in The New York Times. Her dual passions for teaching and creating continue to inform and enrich one another every day.

Tammy is the director of the Center for the Advancement of Positive Education (CAPE) in the University of Montana’s College of Education. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver and an Educational Specialist degree from the University of Montana, and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1997.
With almost 30 years of experience as an LCSW and 15 years as a Licensed Educator in Montana, Tammy has worked across three states in both educational and community-based settings, supporting the strengths and well-being of young people. She is a Board-Certified Tele-Mental Health Therapist, a certified trainer for the I Love U Guys Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol and Reunification, and a QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor.

A proud third-generation educator, Amanda Tramill teaches at the CORE School at Morningside and is passionate about creating engaging, inclusive classrooms where all students can succeed. With a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a master’s in Curriculum and Assessment, a minor in Reading, and a Music endorsement, Amanda has taught grades 1 through 6. Committed to literacy, differentiated instruction, and student achievement, Amanda integrates creativity and data-driven practices to support diverse learners and foster a lifelong love of learning.

James Turner is a native of Great Falls, MT (Lincoln Elementary, Paris Gibson/East Jr. High, GFHS '90 and The University of Montana '95) and working mosaic artist who began his mosaic career in Missoula, MT in 1996. He moved his studio to Boise, ID in 1998, began teaching mosaic in 2002, started the Mosaic Workshop at Fort Boise Art Center in 2004 and has since taught thousands of adults and kids from around the globe the art of mosaic. He also travels throughout the Intermountain West bringing his "Traveling Mosaic Workshops" to communities which lack an existing mosaic art education presence (including Montana) offering classes/workshops meeting every experience and age level including Introduction to Mosaic, Intermediate Outdoor Installation and Advanced Architectural Mosaic. He has been the Artist in Residence at Christine Donnell School for the Arts, ANSER Charter, and Whitney and Longfellow Elementary Schools in Boise, appeared on HGTVs television program "That's Clever!" and in numerous media pertaining to the art of mosaic. Known for his expert glass shaping skills and unique color palette and content, he has work all over the globe in various collections and participated in some of the finest art shows in the West including Sun Valley, ID, Bend, OR, Jackson, WY, Bozeman, MT and beyond. He also plays the accordion and sings in Irish-influenced punk rock and Americana bands, having appeared on dozens of records and played hundreds of live shows. Overtly proud of his Central Montana roots, he counts C.M. Russell, Shane MacGowan and Lemmy as his influences.

T.J. Umemoto is a Physics and Math teacher at Billings Senior High School in Billings, MT. He has been teaching for 22 years at Billings Senior and in that time he has taught AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, General Physics, and various levels of mathematics.

Kymn has taught for 30 years in several states and different levels including middle, high school and community college levels. She currently teachers Geometry, Statistics and Calculus for Pearson Online Academy. In her spare time her hobbies include making artisan cheese and nurturing a cut flower garden

Arianna is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling. She is a Licensed School Counselor and Counselor in Montana. Over the past several years, she has worked in a local elementary school as a CSCT therapist and was an elementary school counselor. Arianna has a private practice that specializes in adult and teenage clients who are experiencing life transitions, have experienced trauma, are working on parenting, or are developing relationship skills. Her research focuses on navigating barriers in the supervision relationship. Outside of her professional life, Arianna enjoys road tripping, cooking for friends and family, and reading.

Brenda Wahler is an attorney, historian, horsewoman and freelance writer from Helena, Montana. Her research focuses on exploring the myths and misconceptions of the American West.

Dr. Burke Wallace is an Assistant Professor of Education at MSU-Northern. He has extensive experience spanning K–12 and higher education and previously worked for OPI as the School Safety Specialist. His professional background includes work as a classroom teacher, site-level administrator, and district-level administrator, giving him a systems-level perspective on teaching, learning, and school improvement. He holds an MA in Curriculum & Instruction and a PhD in Educational Leadership. As a scholar-practitioner, his work centers on bridging research and practice to support educators, strengthen school culture, and improve outcomes. He is author of the recently released book "Money Matters for Educators: A Guide to Budgeting, Debt, and Retirement on a Teacher’s Salary".

Cole has been in Law Enforcement for 18 years. He started in the patrol division in 2008. in 2023 he transitioned from a Patrol supervisor to School Resource Officer. Cole is responsible for 6 rural schools in Stillwater County. In the Role of SRO Cole has been the leader for school safety, Having all six schools adopt the Standard Response Protocol from the I love you guys foundation. He is very active in each school, teaching weekly classes in weightlifting, and coaching Varsity flag football. Cole was recently awarded the SRO of the year award for the state of Montana. He is the Vice president of Montana Association of School Resource Officers and a member of the National Association of School Recourse Officers.

Over my 35 year career I have taught many science classes, now retired I still facilitate a three - once a week science clubs and a 5 day NASA youth science space camp. MEd.

LaVeta taught all levels as a visual arts educator during her tenure in the schools of Greenville, NC. She was an active member of NCAE, serving in local, district, and state offices. Since retirement she has served as President of Pitt NCRSP and as NCRSP Region 7B Director. Currently, she continues to serve on the NCRSP Executive Board and as a Legislative Contact. She has served as an instructor at the community college in training educators to serve as mentors to beginning teachers. She is a NEA Diversity trainer and a member of Social Justice and Cultural Competence Cohorts, presenting to educators of NEA affiliates across the United States and DOD schools abroad.

Eliza Weber completed her MFA at Arizona State University and BFA at The University of Montana. She has completed short residencies at Medalta in Alberta, Canada, The Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China, Open Air at the Flathead Lake Biological Station, and Red Lodge Clay Center. Eliza was also an Artist in Residence at Pottery Northwest in Seattle, Washington and recently a Long-Term Resident at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. Her nonprofit work includes Director of Education at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art and serving on the boards of NCECA and the Ceramics Research Center. Presently Eliza is a Sabbatical Replacement in Ceramics at The University of Montana, the Education and Outreach Coordinator at The Myrna Loy, and serves on the NCECA Green Task Force.