Theme: Moving Mountains

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬?
Everyone has a mountain to move. Their mountain may be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, personal, societal or community-based. You can't move a mountain alone so thank you for supporting ideas, innovation, and bringing the people of Billings together.

The Babcock Theater
2810 2nd Ave N
Billings, Montana, 59101
United States

Adam Gunton

Founder + CEO

Adam Gunton is the bestselling author of “From Chains To Saved,” founder of Recovered On Purpose, and host of The Recovered On Purpose Show. After overcoming homelessness and serious drug addiction in 2017, Adam set out to help as many people overcome similar circumstances as possible. His mission is to equip and empower addicts in recovery. He teaches them to powerfully share their stories with the world and encourage other addicts to find hope through recovery. Recovered on Purpose also doubles as a relapse prevention program by adding incredible purpose, mission and passion to their lives in recovery. It is growing rapidly and the impact this movement is making is beyond anything one person could do alone. His most exciting accomplishments to this point are all the stories his students share and tell him of the addicts who have found recovery through his program.

Andrew Lindley

Chief Information Officer

Andrew Lindley's success in life hasn't always happened according to plan. Having his first child, Isaiah, when he was just 18 quickly changed his chosen career path that would have led him to the US Army. Instead, the start of a much different path began without a firm destination. That lifelong experience of embracing whatever comes next has helped shape his philosophy on life and the ideas that he has to share with the world. Andrew's vast professional career spans industries from mining and technology education to executive leadership. Currently Andrew is serving as Chief Information Officer for Vensure Employer Services and regularly travels to the company's offices in Phoenix, Atlanta, and Medellin, Colombia. Beyond his profession, Andrew is driven by a passion for music, learning, running, and the pursuit of a more perfect life through self knowledge and reflection. In the summer he's usually enjoying trail running or listening to live music under the Big Sky in Montana.

Ashlynn Reynolds-Dyk

Associate Professor

A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Ashlynn has come to understand how perfectionism can get in the way of making good things happen. She has learned a greater appreciation for trial and error, taking a risk, and just doing it. As an Assistant Professor of Rhetorical Studies at Rocky Mountain College, Dr. Reynolds-Dyk teaches courses in writing, rhetoric, communication, and media. Recognized by her students, colleagues, and local community for her emphasis on service learning and civic engagement, Ashlynn is a recipient of the University of Montana’s Grizzly of the Decade award and The Billings Gazette’s Forty Under 40 award. Most importantly, Ashlynn is the proud mother of three school-age children. She was born and raised in Dillon, MT where she developed a love of the rural outdoor life through camping, dirt biking, skiing, fishing, and hunting. She also enjoys writing, speaking, designing, and creating because of the freedom that comes with them.

Casey Craig

Director of Education & Partner

Casey Craig is passionate about financial literacy, fintech and helping her students to achieve the three freedoms in their lives: financial freedom, location freedom and time freedom. She is also passionate about teaching emerging technologies such as cryptocurrency, blockchain and decentralized finance. Casey is the Director of Education and a partner at ARCrypto, a leading cryptocurrency and alternative wealth building education company. Casey is quickly making a name for herself in the industry. She was nominated for Wirex and The Cryptonomist’s Rising Women in Crypto Power List 2022 and won a “Shark Tank style” venture capital pitch competition for startups at the Web3 Expo in Las Vegas. Casey’s peers describe her as a life enthusiast, traveler and adventurer. When she’s not educating you can find her on the ski slopes, hiking trails or jumping from airplanes!

Elyssa Leininger

Artist + Business Owner

Born and raised surrounded by the rugged beauty of Big Sky Country, Billings-based artist Elyssa Leininger creates vivid and dramatic paintings inspired by the American West. Elyssa will share the power of public art and its impact on the quality of life in communities. Elyssa Leininger is passionate about bettering her community and sharing her love for art with others. Through her work, Elyssa seeks to convey her love for the American West and its wildlife to the viewers so they may experience her passions. She volunteers hundreds of hours to give back to communities, educates people on art’s inclusivity, and creates beauty everywhere. Elyssa is a member of the Western Heritage Artists Association, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame. She graduated with honors from Rocky Mountain College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in art, a Bachelor of Science in biology, a minor in psychology, and the Rocky Mountain College Art Award.

Goldstein Little Eagle

Certified Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialist + Recovery Coach

Goldstein Little Eagle believes that in people there is medicine. He knows that helpless feeling from his own substance use, addictions and being overweight to running ultra-marathons. He is a father and husband at home and a hope dealer in between. A full circle of helping others find their healing journey is what Goldstein promotes. Under his own acronym for his support groups: MAGPIES (Mindful Aspiring Grounded People Intentionally Embracing Serenity), he shows that people truly are medicine. He witnessed the power of the hope in people uplift his own sanity and empowerment. Goldstein knows that there is good medicine out there in our communities that so much is unseen. Goldstein is a Recovery Coach for One Health. He is a Certified Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialist (CBHPSS). He is the president of Food For The Soul – a non-profit organization that opens up a lunch for the people of Billings once a week with the goal of just asking people how they are doing.

Juliette Angelo

Singer + Songwriter + Actress

Juliette Angelo is an actress and singer. Juliette is known for her prominent roles on NCIS, Shameless, and as Reba McEntire’s daughter on ABC’s Malibu Country. She also appeared in the Oscar nominated film, Trial of the Chicago 7. Born in Little Falls, New Jersey, Juliette spent her childhood performing in Manhattan on Broadway, in the shows How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Tony Award winning Billy Elliot, and as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins. Juliette released her first solo constructed album, “Fields of Tennessee.” earlier this year. Juliette is known for her intricate songwriting skills and abstract way of communicating her own emotions. Juliette’s musical foundation is rooted in the 50’s and 60’s and she enjoys breathing new life into classic songs. Her two major influences are Patsy Cline and Mac Miller. She is a natural performer with a traditional Broadway background, and her voice holds a vintage quality that can only be described as timeless.

Kirk Williams

Owner + PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Marketing Influencer

Kirk is the owner of ZATO, his micro-agency focused solely on PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising, and has been knee-deep in advertising since 2009. He was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential PPCers in the world by PPC Hero each year from 2016 to 2021. He's known for his PPC articles in the Shopify retail blog, Microsoft blog, Moz, and MarketingLand. Kirk has published two books, "Ponderings of a PPC Professional," and "Stop the Scale." He's preparing for season two of his agency's podcast, "PPC Ponderings Podcast". He has published multiple courses privately and on Udemy and is currently working on becoming the world's foremost recognized authority on Google Merchant Center with his YouTube Channel "Merchant Center Mastery.'' Kirk is an international conference speaker presenting on all things PPC (especially Google Shopping Ads), and has spoken in London, Dublin, Milan, Sydney, NYC, LA, Dallas, Austin, Minneapolis, and several other US cities (plus online).

Leigh Schanfein

Dancer + Choreographer + Independent Researcher

Leigh Schanfein, MS, is a dancer and choreographer as well as an award-winning independent researcher in the fields of kinesiology and biomechanics. In October 2020, after 11 years in NYC, she relocated her home to Billings, Montana. In 2021, Leigh founded the Yellowstone Valley Creative Residency to help bring creative minds in dance to Billings. Her most recent collaboration was presented at the Berlin Music Video Awards 2021. In 2022, she co-founded School of Classical Ballet Company, in Billings, and she is working on a half-evening-length commission for Arc: a Montana Dance Collective, to premiere April 2023. Leigh received her M.S. degree in kinesiology with a specialization in biomechanics from Purdue University, and her B.S. degree in animal physiology and neuroscience with a minor in dance from the University of California San Diego. Her research has focused on the mechanisms by which humans control balance and how sensory feedback is integrated for the control of posture.

Nathan Blanding

Architect + Business Owner + Environmental Steward

From his first jobs in high school building tree houses and decks, to designing and prototyping exhibits for children’s museums, to helping his father build a bed and breakfast on the highline in Montana, to now, home building and planning carbon positive homes for diverse needs, Nathan Blanding has been a lifelong lover of all things carpentry. Nathan studied Architecture at Cornell University. He found joy working for A&E Architects working on such projects as the rebuild of the Rialto Theatre, Northern Hotel Renovation, Faith Chapel expansion and the Yellowstone General Stores and Lake Hotel improvements. The desire to keep building was very strong and so he opened his own Design and Build Firm, North-South Building, as a way to get energy efficient homes and retrofits available to more people. His design and technical know-how has led to another business venture, psapling, LLC that is architectural pole mounted solar design for mass production and distribution.

Nick Bravo

Rapper + Singer + Songwriter + Actor

Nick Bravo is an American Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Recording Artist, Director, Actor and Motivational Speaker. He expresses his faith through music and poetry. He is a multifaceted performer and has been doing music for over 15 years. His desire is to inspire, communicate truth and bring hope to any and all who will listen is manifesting in more opportunities in 2023 than ever before. Nick created, funded and worked on projects with local faith-based artists, rappers and poets in Southern California to provide inspirational concerts for over 1,200 locked up juveniles throughout L.A. County. He was given an award by the Mayor of Los Angeles and the White House for his work and impact in the local community. Nick currently serves on the Board of Directors for New Day Inc. in Billings Montana which is a nonprofit that works with at-risk youth. He has performed and spoken on JUCE TV, has been a keynote speaker at premier leadership development companies like Klemmer and Associates.

Nick Enslow

Area Director for Boys and Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County

Drawing on his personal experience and the shared stories of those with whom he has built relationships, Nick Enslow will speak to the crisis that our youth are experiencing and the ways we can build generational wealth as a community. Fifteen years ago, Nick took a job at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Yellowstone County, where he found his calling. Nick currently serves the club as an Area Director and has felt privileged to work with thousands of youth, from kindergarteners to high schoolers, and their families. His life goal is to enrich the lives of the youth he works with, their families, and his peers. His work at the Boys and Girls Club has given Nick the desire to help communities understand generational wealth and how to see its impact seven generations into the future. He does this through his work at the Club, with Cross Community Reconciliation, and by being the strongest father and role model possible for his son, Ezra, his friends, and their families.

Robert Doore

BIPOC Business Executive + Inclusive Community & Stakeholder Engagement Sr. Manager

Robert Doore ("Rides at the door"), is a BIPOC (Black Indigenous Person of Color) Business Executive, private business developer and owner. Mr. Doore is currently the Inclusive Community & Stakeholder Engagement Sr. Manager for Marathon Petroleum Corporation where he serves on the leadership teams for Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Robert is a proud member of the Blackfeet Nation and is also proud of his Hispanic heritage. Mr. Doore is an educated professional with a background that includes being a proud alumnus of a tribal college. He is a proud father of four children, one grandbaby, and proud husband to Angelique. Prior to MPC, Mr. Doore is the highest ranking Native American in the National Football League since Jim Thorpe was the NFL President in 1920, as the former Director of Guest Experience at FedExField in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.

Sara Beth Wald

Social Worker + Jouralist + Author + Relationship Coach

As a trauma survivor, Sara Beth Wald is passionate about empowering others to overcome domestic violence, abuse, divorce, and other hardships, and believes in the healing power of truth telling. An eternal optimist, through all the highs and lows of life, Sara has never given up on the idea that every person is a gift. Through her own journey of healing Sara created Redefining Love, a mindset framework based on the three pillars of boundaries, accountability, and grace. Sara holds a bachelor’s in social work from the University of Montana, and a master’s in Journalism from Michigan State University. As a prolific writer, she has authored books and screenplays, blogs, and was a newspaper columnist. In 2022, she finally decided to pursue publication. Her first published book, Redefining Love, is due to hit the shelves in February of 2023. She lives in Billings with her two sons, her firefighter husband Isaac, and a cat named Kitty Girl.

Steve Arveschoug

Executive Leader

Steve Arveschoug has been an executive leader for 26 years, serving boards of directors, leading professional teams, and executing strategic direction for business and community development. Steve serves on the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) Board of Directors and has been an active part of the Downtown Billings Partnership Board of Directors as well as the Billings Chamber Board throughout his tenure at Big Sky Economic Development. Steve has also been a featured speaker for many years at the Economic Outlook Forum for the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER). Steve is recognized for his passionate leadership and expertise in community and economic development, talent attraction, and building impactful organizations and future leaders. He has also shared his insights at numerous business, workforce development, healthcare, and quality of life focused events throughout Montana.

Wayne Burleson

Compost Evangelist

Wayne Burleson is on a mission to discover new ways to feed the world. For the past 16 years, he has made 22 trips to 10 developing countries, teaching farmers and gardeners how they can grow their own healthy soils that produce abundant crops without spending a lot of money. With a master's degree in Rangeland Science and having become a Master Gardener, Wayne considers himself a compost evangelist. Wayne has a unique ability to test different ways to grow very healthy food. The number one adaptation he has tested is growing food in 100% GOOD compost. Wayne will share some of his findings which include his observations on how we can adapt by changing to crops that thrive in hotter weather. You too can adapt to grow more food, spend less money, stimulate your immune system, and provide people with health and wellbeing. Our world needs healthy, alive soils full of cycling carbon that will greatly reduce soil erosion, improve profits, and have the ability to fight off diseases.