Regional Storytellers

Laurie B. Allen

Regional Storyteller

Laurie has been telling ghost stories, folk tales and Americana tales, some with music, for more years than she wants to admit. She has taught storytelling to children and adults alike. Laurie will share anywhere there is an audience and is a favorite with Ogden Ghost Tours. Contact her at storiesbylaurie@gmail.com for help with your storytelling needs

Cassie Ashton

Regional Storyteller

Cassie Ashton is a natural-born storyteller. In 1992, as a young mother, she was looking for a creative outlet. She saw a blurb for a storytelling group that sounded intriguing. That was the beginning of a lifelong passion for telling, teaching, writing, coaching, volunteering, and being fully immersed in the power of story.

As a storyteller, she is known for historical stories, ghost stories, folktales, myths, and legends. She has prepared commissioned pieces for Better Days 2020 and The Mormon Battalion Association. She is co-author of "Haunted Salt Lake City" and "The Ghostly Tales of SLC:" true stories of ghosts living in downtown Salt Lake City.

She has a private practice as a relationship coach, where she assists others to reframe and create empowering stories for their own lives.

cassieashton.com

William Boardman

Regional Storyteller

From his training in Radio Broadcasting to auctioneering to storytelling to public speaking, William Boardman has been in front of an audience in one arena or another for over 25 years.

William spent 10 years as a Respiratory Tech. 13 years performing air balance as a Journeyman Sheetmetal worker. 10 years as a Fire Direction Specialist in the National Guard.

William loves telling many types of stories, but the stories he loves the most are the stories that make you think!

Elaine Brewster

Regional Storyteller

As a child, Elaine told stories in the high branches of her walnut tree and on a homemade cardboard puppet stage. As of 2023 she has given workshops for the Tejas Festival in Texas, the National Storytelling network in San Francisco, and performed at the Global Family Reunion in Salt Lake City. She loves stories of magic and courage, and she loves sharing stories of Pioneer and Pony Express heritage to her nineteen grandchildren and Mountain West audiences. She has taught storytelling and music through the Utah Arts Council (Arts in Education) and Utah Festival Opera (Opera By Children) for over twenty years.

Kristen Clay

Regional Storyteller

Kristen Clay has circled the globe as a storyteller, actor, teacher, and perpetual student. In addition to being an author, acting coach, motivational Speaker, creator, and director of Story Tours: Utah Ghost Tours, Hysterical History Tours and custom storytelling concerts, Kristen is known for bringing various cultures alive to audiences around the world. Kristen is the co-author of the books Haunted Salt Lake City, and Ghostly Tales of Salt Lake City.

She has a passion for healing and inspirational stories that she is privileged to share in schools, prisons, rehab facilities and with youth-in-custody. Her greatest joy is watching her audiences and readers make connections with different cultures and experiences, then remember their own stories.

Charles Coltrain

Regional Storyteller

I was born in Virginia and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, giving me the distinction of being a child of the south and a son of the west. Growing up we were not poor we just didn’t have lots of money and these times are a trove of story’s from Beverly hill Billyish moments, to the joy of the NY Metropolitan Opera.

In 2017 I attended the Timpanogos Story Telling Festival for the first time, and I knew the first night that I wanted to be a storyteller. The next year I attended the festival conference classes and learned from the national storytellers the art of story. Took the Story Crossroads 8-hour story classes and continued taking the professional development classes offered by Story Crossroads. I’ve been on stage at the Clinton Storytelling Festival, here at Clearfield Story Festival twice before Story Crossroads Storytelling, on the Sharing stage at The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, and I am a member of The Utah Storytelling Guild where I share works in progress.

My Education is from the School of Hard Knocks where you never graduate with a bachelor degree but a lot of experience. With my fabulous track record of making bad choices, I have been given the ability to craft stories with spoken visualizations, filled with problems and resolutions.

Cherie Davis

Regional Storyteller

Cherie Davis is a storyteller, author, and mentor to young storytellers. She travels through Utah, the Western United States, and Internationally, sharing stories and teaching storytelling. Cherie began performing and teaching storytelling over two decades ago. Those she has mentored say she is a local celebrity. She is the founder and director of Story Camp, a storytelling day camp for young tellers ages 8-16. Cherie also authored Spooks and Saints, a collection of Salt Lake City ghost stories gathered during her years sharing the legends of haunted Utah.

Trish Duncan

Regional Storyteller

Trish Duncan is a storyteller, children's book author and elementary school librarian. Her current project involves telling the stories of your favorite fairy tale characters and how they happen to 'bump into one another'. She enjoys the stage and educating children in the art of good storytelling. She travels throughout the country to enrich the imaginations of children and families alike. She is the wife of a man she affectionately refers to as 'Doc' due to his work within the field of healthcare. Together, they have six children and a dog they call 'Ro'.

Paige Funk

Regional Storyteller

Sit back and enjoy Paige Funk’s crisp, classic, character driven storytelling. Paige’s intelligent humor and ability to tell stories from different perspectives will shed light on dusty old tales. Music has always been very important to Paige and she often uses it to help bring her stories to life. Specializing in folk tale, myth, and tales from her own imagination, Paige’s stories are thought provoking, enchanting and you can expect the unexpected.

Elizabeth Gibson

Regional Storyteller

Elizabeth Atkinson Gibson hails from a long line of informal, family storytellers, who frequently shared tales of themselves and their ancestors around the kitchen table and during front porch gatherings of extended family. This love of story led her to study Theater/Film at BYU, before going on to do some acting in Los Angeles many years ago. Introduced to the art of oral storytelling later in life, Elizabeth was drawn to its possibilities. She loves crafting her own stories that contain universal messages which transcend place and time. Over the years, she has honed her skills with a varied repertoire of southern folklore and personal narratives. Elizabeth is excited to be a part of the Weber State Storytelling Festival 2023!

Melva Gifford

Regional Storyteller

Melva has performed on the PBS radio program, Story Mine, Story Crossroads, WUS storytelling festival, Pioneer Days, and Ellis Island (Orem event). Her repertoire includes patriotic camps, community fairs, Provo Park, and churches. She told at Orem’s Library’s Liars Competition, Pioneer park, family reunions, Orem deaf school, family parties, and Springville Art Museum.

Alan Griffin

Regional Storyteller

Alan Griffin has spent 40 years in education telling stories of various kinds to his students. He often utilizes music and puppetry in his stories, many of which are geared to younger audiences. He has performed in numerous settings, including the Weber State University Storytelling festival, online with TEDx, and at several state and community events. Alan’s stories feature endless variety, and are always accentuated with surprise elements that are sure to entertain.

Harvest Home
Annie & Dan Eastmond

Regional Storytellers

HARVEST HOME – ANNIE & DAN EASTMOND are tandem and solo tellers who liven up their stories with music. Between them they play six instruments, and sing. Their Tales and Tunes are heard at festivals, conferences, libraries, schools, and community events. They are co-chairs of the Utah Storytelling Guild Olympus Chapter in the Salt Lake Valley.

harvesthomemusic.com

Rachel Hedman

Regional Storyteller

Rachel Hedman, M.A. received a national storytelling award for service and leadership as well as the Karen J. Ashton Award. She completed her Storytelling Masters and has been a storyteller since 1994. As Story Crossroads Executive Director, she will help with the 8th Annual Story Crossroads Summit & Festival in Salt Lake County, UT.

Suzanne Hudson

Regional Storyteller

Suzanne Hudson tells inspiring stories of discovery and adventure from around the world and from Utah’s past. She often steps into first person historical characters in the Chautauqua tradition. She is a long-time member and past president of the Utah Storytelling Guild and has been a docent at the LDS Church History Museum for 17 years. She loves to connect people through the power of storytelling.

www.story-connections.com

Mary Louise Hughes

Regional Storyteller

Mary Louise began storytelling in 2018 as a way to preserve personal and family history. The facts and figures come alive when fleshed out with stories! She has enjoyed telling stories in private homes, at festivals and community events. She loves to find noteworthy lessons in everyday encounters with people. While her stories are personal, you may find some uncanny reflections of the humans in your own home!

Karla Huntsman

Regional Storyteller

Karla’s storytelling is said to have “a strong sense of character and connection with the audience.” She believes strongly in the power of story to enhance, clarify and change lives. Her repertoire consists of personal, traditional, historical, and family tales and stories with music. She frequently includes original songs, guitar, autoharp, djembe drum, washboard, and /or puppetry with her storytelling programs.

Wayne Kartchner

Regional Storyteller

Wayne started storytelling at a young age, following the example of his father. He put his six children to bed with stories of George Bunny and space visitors. Now with 22 grandchildren, including two sets of twins, he keeps in practice.

Wayne tells stories at many local events and is the President of the Farmington Bay Chapter of the Utah Storytelling Guild, until such time as he can get someone else to take over.

Wayne never lies. He only improves the truth. Cross his heart and hope to not get caught.

He speaks fluent Spanish, pretty good French, and is currently studying Mandarin.

Bradley Mackay

Regional Storyteller

Bradley Mackay is an immersive storyteller and actor. He adapts fairy tales, myths, pens original pieces from many genres, and performs them with a theatrical flair. He is thrilled to return to the Weber State Storytelling Festival. He has previously told at the Story Crossroads Festival, Utah's Biggest Liar Competition, and Hauntings Competition. Recent theatrical credits include Pride and Prejudice at Hale Center Theater Orem, and Mousetrap at Hale Center Theater Sandy. Watch for his storytelling podcast, "Immersive" to go live later this year!

Janine Nishiguchi

Regional Storyteller

Janine is an engaging storyteller that has engaged audiences in many venues. She is a past president of the Utah Storytelling Guild, and is currently on the Weber State Storytelling Festival Committee. She uses her magical storytelling as a children's librarian in her storytimes and programs. She loves connecting with audiences of all ages and one her favorite audience's is her two grandkids that are always ready for a story.

Bob Olson

Regional Storyteller

Bob Olson is from Ontario, Canada just north of Minnesota, but he and his wife, Sandy, now reside in Kaysville. Bob loves writing stories and setting them to song. His youth in Canada, growing up on a farm, near the boreal forest, provided fertile ground for creativity for his craft.

Ginger Parkinson

Regional Storyteller

Ginger Parkinson tells stories that whisk the imagination where it can romp around like a loose puppy.  She spins curriculum-based stories at Freedom Academy Elementary School as their resident teller.  She lives in Springville with her husband and four children.

Steffani Raff

Regional Storyteller

Steffani's stories surprise with unexpected humor, heart, and wisdom. Her voice is captivating and the images she paints with words will immerse you into whatever story she tells. Steffani’s warmth and genuine delight for people encompasses each audience to create a memorable experience.

Steffani’s first book, “The Ravenous Gown: And 14 More Tales about Real Beauty” won a Storytelling World Award in 2016. The Deseret News called Steffani’s stories, “clever, humorous, thought-provoking tales.” The best place to buy it is through the publisher www.familius.com.

You can find her at: www.storypossibilities.com where you can sign up for her monthly newsletter.

Mo Reynolds

Regional Storyteller

Mo Reynolds has tried to like knitting and crocheting but the only weaving she really enjoys has to do with words. Based in Idaho, Mo travels the country weaving personal stories with folk and fairy tales, throwing in a tall tale here and there for good measure. She performed on the National Storytelling Festival Exchange Place stage in 2022 and will be featured at the Stone Soup, Women’s Storytelling, and Kansas Storytelling Festivals in 2023. Her YouTube channel, Miss Mo Storyteller, is a platform for families and teachers to bring folk and fairy tales into their homes and classrooms. Mo shares stories to foster connection, encourage confidence, and invite compassion. Plus, it is just a whole lotta fun.

Jan C. Smith

Regional Storyteller

Known for her humor and flair, Jan C. Smith is an exciting storyteller and an engaging workshop presenter. She has performed on the stages of the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, the Weber State Storytelling Festival and presented workshops and performances for the Roots Technology Conference, BYU Arts Express and school residencies. In 2020, Jan donned a costume and portrayed Susan B. Anthony in celebrations commemorating women getting the vote.

Tom Walker

Regional Storyteller

Thomas (Tom) Walker is a native Utahn and lifelong outdoors enthusiast. His family owned a business at Alta ski area from 1963 through 1990, which both invested Tom with a love of the sport and introduced him to a great deal of skiing's historical lore. Among Tom's most important contacts where skiing history is concerned is a man named Ray Conrad. Himself a professional ski patroller, Ray employed his creative genius to record, with richly accessible humor and an insider's keen insight, various elements of the skiing experience. With Ray's blessing, Tom shares these iconic bits of the sport's early days, in addition to recounting his own experiences growing up immersed in the sometimes checkered pleasures of living the ski area life.

Nannette Watts

Regional Storyteller

Nannette is known for bringing stories to life. Combining careers in storytelling, choreography, and a degree in Music Dance Theatre, she embraces the world of performing arts. She was a featured regional teller at Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and festivals from Idaho to Utah’s corners. She is a highly requested storyteller, storycoach, and director of National Youth Storytelling. She is the author of Youth Tell and co-authored two Haunted Salt Lake City books. She blends movement and voice, creating characters that captivate listeners.

Lynn Wing

Regional Storyteller

Lynn Wing has entertained audiences as far away as Russia to as close as her front room. With wit, humor, and sometimes a little wisdom, Lynn delights young and older audiences with folktales, haunted tales, “mostly true” personal stories, and outright lies. This is not surprising since Lynn is Utah’s official Biggest Liar and has unofficially been Utah’s Biggest female liar three times. Lynn also won the title of Utah’s scariest teller in the 2020 Hauntings contest.

After enjoying Lynn’s storytelling an audience member commented, “One minute we were laughing, the next crying, and the next laughing. How does she do that?”

She currently tells stories with Story Crossroads, is a storyteller for Ghost Tours in Salt Lake City, and is a storyteller with StoryFusion. Lynn is a proud member of the Utah Storytelling Guild.