Bonny Beth Leah Luhman Olson is a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Montana. She served as the Education Director and Artist in Residence at the WaterWorks Art Museum from 2018 to 2021, and in 2022, she launched her own traveling studio, Stickman Studios. Recently, she returned to WaterWorks as their Education Director and traveling artist. Bonny Beth holds a BFA from Montana State University Billings and was recognized as the 2016 Outstanding Graduate in Art and recipient of the Anita Krueger Memorial Art Award. When she's not teaching, Bonny Beth enjoys spending time with her husband David and their dogs, cats, and chickens. She also loves traveling, hiking, fishing, camping, baking, and playing the piano.

Jim Martin has taught in Western Montana for 20 years. He is a Teacher Leader of Montana History through the Montana Historical Society. His primary focus is Montana History and the American West.

Rusty May is the Director of the Bullying & School Safety Foundation, author of Red, What To Do When You’re Angry, and co-author of Time In Teaching. He is also the creator of SchoolToolsTv (STTV), a daily social-emotional learning webcast reaching more than 10,000 students each day across the U.S. and internationally. Since 2003, STTV has delivered one-minute, classroom-ready videos that help schools build authentic relationships, strengthen character education, and create a shared language of success for students.

I have taught a wide variety of science courses for grades 7-12 in Montana and Wyoming.

Ashleigh McCann has been the collections curator with The History Museum & Research Center since 2017. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting from Brigham Young University – Idaho. Ashleigh has extensive experience in teaching art through the Paris Gibson Square Art Museum in Great Falls, summer art camps in Rexburg, ID, and as a guest instructor at Great Falls High School. Ashleigh has a worked closely with a variety of objects ranging from textiles to wagons and everything in between.

Brent McClain is a Professional Learning Specialist for CPM Education Program and a retired Oregon HS Mathematics Teacher living in Tigard, Oregon. He has taught all levels of math 7th grade through community college level classes, and has served as mathematics professional development provider for over thirty years. Brent was the 1996 PAEMST Awardee for Oregon, and has been supporting CPM teachers with the implementation of CPM in their classrooms since 2016.

Sarah Melo is a bilingual math educator, researcher, university instructor and math coach who has trained thousands of teachers and has authored 5 teacher resource books in both English and French. She is the founder of Melo Math and the Math Teacher Academy, both dedicated to empowering educators with practical, research-informed strategies for effective math instruction. With a Masters in Math Education and a background in counseling and classroom teaching, Sarah brings a holistic approach to professional learning. Her hands-on methods for teaching K–8 math through real-life contexts like money, time, and measuring tapes, help educators build number sense and reduce math anxiety. Her sessions are known for being engaging, actionable, and grounded in a deep understanding of how students learn math.

National Board Certified 5th-grade teacher Connie Michael has dedicated 36 years to education. Currently teaching at Crow Agency Public School, her career includes teaching bilingual K-2 in Washington before moving to Montana. Connie believes in the importance of building connections with her students through building community and relationships. She collaborates with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and the Army Educational Outreach Program to bring quality science curriculum to her classroom. She has received recognition as Montana Environmental Educator of the Year, National Rural Education National Signature Project Awardee, finalist for the Presidential Award of Excellence in Science.

Jaime Middleton is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Montana, where she teaches courses including Introduction to Statistics, College Algebra, Trigonometry, Probability and Linear Mathematics, and Career Exploration in both face-to-face and virtual formats. She also serves as the Dual Enrollment Employment Project Manager for Missoula College and UM Bitterroot, where she leads the Forge Your Future initiative—partnering with regional high schools, employers, and state organizations to expand early college access and embed career readiness into curriculum. With a background spanning K–12 education, adult basic education, and higher education, Jaime brings a systems-level perspective to student success, with a focus on building confidence in mathematics and creating clear pathways from classroom learning to workforce opportunities.

Dr. Sabre Moore is the Executive Director of the Carter County Museum. She received her Ph.D. in American Studies with a focus in Public History from Montana State University in 2023, her M.A. in Museum Studies & Nonprofit Management from Johns Hopkins University in 2016, and a B.A. in History from Montana State University in 2013. Her research focuses on museums and rural community vitality, and how power is exercised in practices of place. Sabre has held leadership positions on the Montana Governor's Tourism Advisory Council and the Board of Directors for the Museums Association of Montana, Visit Southeast Montana, Starry Skies Montana, and Carter County Chamber of Commerce. She is a board member of Humanities Montana and a Site Steward for Medicine Rocks State Park and the Bureau of Land Management in Carter County, Montana.

I am a tenth-year French teacher at Billings Senior High School in Billings, Montana. Recently named Teacher of the Year 2026 by the Montana Association of Language Teachers (MALT), I look forward to presenting to teachers, coaches and administrators.
After thirty years outside my natal Montana—through undergraduate studies in Maine, adult and family life in France, and later within expatriate communities in South Africa and Singapore—I returned home with a renewed commitment to advancing French as a world language. This commitment extends beyond my classroom to Le Fournil Billings, where my husband and I offer the community a tangible “moment of France” through artisan bread/viennoiserie.
“My life between cultures” and across my work in education, mental health, and small business, I aim to present a feedback process that fosters dialogue, connection, and grassroots cultural diplomacy.

Dr. Lindsey Moses is an author, consultant, and professor of literacy education at Arizona State University. Lindsey, a former elementary teacher, works with classroom teachers across the country and internationally, supporting the implementation of effective literacy instruction. She conducts ongoing classroom-based research on elementary literacy instruction in diverse classroom settings. Lindsey brings her classroom and research experience together to provide practical, research-based instructional ideas for teachers in her books and presentations. She is the author of Supporting Multilingual Learners: 50 Strategies for Language and Literacy and Supporting English Learners in the Reading Workshop. Lindsey is also the co-author of Comprehension and English Language Learners and What Are the Rest of My Kids Doing? Fostering Independence in the K-2 Reading Workshop.

Maria Munro-Schuster is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Bozeman, Montana. She taught in K - 12 and undergraduate classrooms throughout Montana for thirteen years before beginning mental health work with children, adults, and families. She is the author of the book The Empathetic Classroom: How a Mental Health Mindset Supports Your Students—And You (Free Spirit Publishing).

Hello! My name is Amber Yates. I am currently in my seventh year of teaching, having spent five wonderful years teaching kindergarten in Thompson Falls before joining the team in Harrison, Montana. I hold a Master’s degree in education and serve as both a classroom teacher and MTSS Coordinator, where I support school-wide systems focused on student growth, intervention, and success.

As an educator, I believe in creating a classroom where curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking thrive. I specialize in designing hands-on, real-world learning experiences that spark engagement and build confidence particularly through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). I am passionate about helping students see themselves as capable problem solvers and lifelong learners.

I co-authored research with Megan Wickstrom in Exploring Mathematical Modeling with Young Learners, which explores how early learners view themselves as mathematicians and how authentic STEM tasks can reshape their mindset. Through both my classroom practice and leadership in MTSS, I am committed to creating meaningful, data-informed experiences that meet students where they are and help them grow.

I look forward to sharing practical, engaging strategies that bring STEM and student-centered learning to life in the classroom.

Nannah is a graduate students at UM, focusing in both Math Education and Abstract Algebra.