It takes a virtual village. We’ve had much support from Megan Dubois, of the City of Fairfax, VA, where our Festival takes place when we are in the physical world. We also appreciate the support of the National Storytelling Network.
In addition, we want to thank the Emcees for the Festival, who will be guiding us through the weekend’s storytelling events, and our other volunteers – the ones who helped with the planning and the ones who will be working behind the scenes during the festival. Please take a moment to read all about our wonderful support team below.
Nick Baskerville
VolunteerNick tells stories and jokes in the DC, MD, and VA area, for shows such as The Moth, Better Said Than Done, Mistakes Were Made, Perfect Liar’s Club and more. In addition to telling stories, he tells jokes regularly with Armed Services Arts Performance (ASAP) military community and other local clubs and virtual shows. Nick is currently hosting the stand-up comedy show Clean AF Comedy Show every Friday night on Facebook.
Noa Baum
EmceeBorn and raised in Israel, Noa Baum is an award-winning storyteller, author, and coach. She presents internationally to diverse audiences ranging from the World Bank, prestigious universities and organizations to inner city schools and congregations. Noa’s recordings won Storytelling World and Parents’ Choice awards,
her memoir A Land Twice Promised – An Israeli Woman’s Quest for Peace is a winner of several awards including the Anne Izard Storyteller’s Choice Award.
More at noabaum.com/
Vicki Bryan
EmceeVicki Lynn Bryan, featured storyteller of Sweet Water Stories & Tales, uses life events, folk tales, and humorous stories to inform, engage and entertain her audiences. Storytelling is life affirming… a tool for learning and reminiscence. According to her family and friends Vicki has been telling stories since the day she was born. Sharing stories rooted in the African American experience with children, adults and elders in the community, gives her great joy. Vicki invites folks to nourish their spirits and souls with a sip of Sweet Water.
Allen deBey
VolunteerAllen DeBey lives in Osborne Kansas. He has been writing and performing his original tall stories for 19 years. He has won 3 tall tale contests and named a master and is no longer allowed to compete in Kansas. He has been called one of the biggest fans of storytelling.
Ellie Klein
VolunteerEllie Klein is a writer, outdoor adventurist, and yoga teacher. She has been telling stories with Better Said Than Done for over four years. She spends her days with her Havanese-Pomeranian pup named “Clyde.” She enjoys witty comedy, mediocre wine, and the company of friends and family.
Katie Knutson
EmceeStoryteller and Teaching Artist Katie Knutson used to travel the world to tell stories, lead workshops, and teach classes, performing in Canada, Chile, Italy, the United Arab Emirates. She is the Chair of the National Storytelling Network. Through her own company, Rippling Stories, Knutson trains teachers and librarians to use storytelling effectively. In addition to writing for Storytelling Magazine, Knutson has also contributed to three books.
Carol Moore
EmceeCarol Moore is a storyteller and public speaking coach. She has presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, served as a speaker coach for TED speakers through TEDxTysons, and won the title of Moth StorySLAM Champion. She’s competed in public speaking competitions with Toastmasters International and is a member of both the NSN and the National Communication Association.
Miriam Nadel
EmceeMiriam Nadel has performed folk tales, personal stories and original fairy tales at venues ranging from a Hollywood art gallery to the Washington Folk Festival. She is also the Virginia State Liaison to the National Storytelling Network. All of the stories she tells are true, whether or not they happened that way.
Anne Rutherford
EmceeA featured teller at the 2018 National Storytelling Festival, Anne has also twice been a Teller in Residence at the International Storytelling Center. Rutherford’s CD, The Habit of Joy, is a Storytelling World award winner. However, she is also five-time first place winner of the Northwest Folklife Liar’s Contest — so don’t believe everything she tells you.
Rutherford performs and leads workshops across the country, often in with her husband Norm Brecke as Anne & Norm: Storytellers.
Jack Scheer
VolunteerJack Scheer has been telling stories with Better Said Than Done since 2015. Prior to that, he spent nearly three decades telling other people’s stories as an actor and director in community theater, performing with groups all around the Washington region. A native Chicagoan who bounced between Illinois and the DC area for many years, he now resides in Silver Spring, MD.
Laura Simms
EmceeLaura Simms is a storyteller, author and educator who performs and teaches worldwide.
For five years she was artistic director of the National Storytelling Festival, and is now the Artistic Director of the iconic storytelling series (gone virtual) sponsored by the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center in NY. She has performed in events including The Nobel Peace Festival, and Beyond the Borders, and was featured at the Monterrey Compassion Festival. www.laurasimms.com
Her most recent book is OUR SECRET TERRITORY: The Essence of Storytelling
Cyndi Wish
EmceeCyndi Wish enjoys cooking, well organized plans, and large dogs. Though born in Virginia, Cyndi moved to New Jersey at a young age and identifies as being from the Garden State. She has a terminal degree in visual art, dreams of obtaining a PhD in linguistics, and strongly opposes the acceptance of “irregardless” into the OED.
Andrea Young
EmceeHaving lived in four of the continents for over 10 years outside of North America, Andrea’s global nomad experiences have taken her to more than 26 countries. There has to be a story in there somewhere and she finds them. Andrea enjoys storytelling and has performed twice for Better Said Than Done.
