“My work is somewhere else.

Something else.

I have ideas of things to make.

Lots of them.

Book, films, teachings, tours— the ideas never stop coming.

Like I have to make them, or I’ll spontaneously combust. I sit in those meetings with this voice in my head constantly repeating,

I just wish I could do my work.”

- Rob Bell, Everything is Spiritual

From volunteering to working to all the odds and ends in between, I have two philosophies:

  1. Everything is easier to do when you have a smile on your face and are creating a positive atmosphere around you.

  2. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
WW2 TBM Avenger Reunion Airshow

My love for live events and production goes back to my very first “show” in 2021. I was a volunteer reenactor dressed as a WW2 WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot) at my town’s annual Veteran Parade and Airshow.

I spent each day of the event selling charity raffle tickets, assisting in set up, greeting and interacting with guests, and escorting Veterans around the premises. The experience was so rewarding as I could see the effect it had on some of the Veterans who had memories of the 1940s and their older brothers or fathers going to war and their mothers serving back home. I heard many, “My mother looked just like you when she was younger,” or “You look just like my sister back in the day.” That filled my heart.

For more info on this great event or to see a video of previous years, visit TBM Avenger Reunion

Working for the city

This was my first job, and I loved it. I worked for my city’s parks department every summer for three years. My job was to clear back foliage from, scrape, prep, and paint curbs, crosswalks, guardrails, parking spots, and fire hydrants. I loved working in the sunshine every day, and by the pictures, you can probably tell I didn’t mind getting dirty.

Lone Mountain Ranch

Lone Mountain Ranch is what first brought me to Montana all the way from Illinois. I was hired as a hostess for the Horn and Cantle restaurant there on the ranch (serving as the “handshake of the restaurant” greeting guests with a smiling face). During last summer season, while hosting, I also worked events including our weekly Sunday BBQ’s. I was then moved up to being an AM server at the end of last season. When we returned for the winter season, I first worked as a server on our famous Sleigh Ride Dinners. Then, I became a server’s assistant (SA). I also volunteered for our summer youth program and absolutely loved working with the kids. The last summer I was there (2025), I was an SA along with working events again including Sunday BBQ’s, weddings, and our well-known Tuesday Night Rodeos every week.

Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Rodeo

I was able to have the awesome experience of working the Big Sky PBR Rodeo through Lone Mountain Ranch serving food and drinks last year (2024). Getting there early every morning to set up also meant I got the privilege of seeing all the behind-the-scenes of the event including watching all the bulls being brought to the pens behind the chutes.

The days were long (sometimes close to 12hr shifts), but I was so in my element that they felt short. The bar I was working behind was right next to the live music, too, and given that I want to eventually work in the live music industry, I was living my dream. I would love to work on a rodeo circuit if given the opportunity.

PBR 2025 with Outlaw

In 2025, the company that I worked for full-time (Lone Mountain Ranch) was not a sponsor/vendor at the PBR, but I loved working for the rodeo so much the past year through LMR, that I decided to reach out to the main company that puts the event on every year (Outlaw) and asked them if I could have the privilege of working for them for the event. They graciously said yes, and I worked at the PBR all three days of the event. I had a blast again, and I got to see a little more behind-the-scenes action on how a huge event like this is run internally. I was taking mental notes of all I could from the set-up to the mid-event tasks to the sound check at the concerts performed there afterwards in order to glean all the experience I could while also making myself as helpful and valuable to the company as possible. 

Stagehand for broadway musicals and Concerts

In an effort to familiarize myself more with live productions, I started working as a stagehand at a local arena where I helped load in, set up, and load out the stage and equipment for “Chicago” the Broadway Musical when they came to Bozeman on their “Cell Block” tour and Sturgill Simpson on his “Who the F—k is Johnny Blue Skies” tour.

After working with those shows, I was hooked. I searched for as many stagehand and music-related jobs were available and fit them into my schedule working these jobs on my days off from my primary, full-time job. I worked security for a Billy Strings concert and then switched to stagehand mode and did the load-out immediately after.

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS 2025

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS 2025

Music in the Mountains is a free weekly concert series held every summer by the Arts Council of Big Sky (a nonprofit cultural organization) that draws crowds of about 3,000 and brings in bands as big as The Nude Party (featured on the soundtrack to the popular Netflix show OuterBanks), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Lukas Nelson, Corb Lund, and Turnpike Troubadors. This summer, I had the privilege of working each concert doing set-up, being a runner for the bands, selling merch during the shows, and tearing down/loading up.

This was my first,multi-show job I’ve been hired onto, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with so many amazing bands and learn from all the “veterans” of the business who taught me all the ins-and-outs of putting on a multi-act concert every single week.

Wildlands 2025- Runner for Dave Matthews

Since my thirst for more live entertainment jobs could not be quenched, I also applied to work for Wildlands Music Festival (which was hosting Dave Matthews, Molly Tuttle, and Lukas Nelson). I got the job and was hired to be a runner for Dave Matthews for both days of the festival.

I had an awesome time working with his amazing production and touring team and really enjoyed getting to make new friends with some of the merch sellers and band members touring with the other artists. The kindness and friendliness of both the other young people and the seasoned veterans of the industry never ceases to amaze me.

Up To Date

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Up To Date *

Currently, in between days at my full-time job, you can find me spending my days off working as a stagehand with a local crew here in Nashville, TN. I stay busy learning all I can so that when the day comes for me to go out on a tour, I have had all the preparation I could possibly get.

The hours are long, but the fulfillment I get from this kind of work is very real.