ANNOUNCING the 2021 Women’s Storytelling Festival STORYTELLERS!
Mary Theresa Archbold, Sheila Arnold, Robin Bady, Carol Birch, Sarah Brady, Laura Deal, Jane Dorfman, Lyn Ford, Bonnie Gardner, Rachel Hedman, Claire Hennessy, Megan Hicks, Arthuretta Holmes-Martin, Priscilla Howe, Jennifer Kamara, MJ Kang, Rona Leventhal, Jenice Matias, Misty Mator, Jennifer Munro, Vijai Nathan, Ingrid Nixon, Laura Packer, Kristin Pedemonti, Mo Reynolds, Cindy Rivka Marshall, Jessica Robinson, Margarita Rozenfeld, Ellouise Schoettler, Sarah Snyder, Regina Stoops, Sage Tyrtle, Diana Veiga, Donna Washington, Kim Weitkamp, and Andrea Young!
Bios of all the storytellers below.
Carol Birch
Carol Birch received the National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence.
Featured nine times at the National Storytelling Festival, Birch has appeared on more than 100 festival stages around the world, and lectured at more than 50 universities. Her books WHO SAYS? and THE WHOLE STORY HANDBOOK, as well as 8 of her recordings, have earned multiple awards. Media appearances include Nightline, CBS’ Morning Show and National Public Radio.
www.carolbirchstoryteller.com
Sheila Arnold
Sheila Arnold has been gifted by God with performance skills; using this talent since she was eight years old. Since 2003 she has been a full-time Storyteller traveling through the United States and sharing a variety of stories, as well as doing Historic Character Presentations, Christian Monologues, Coaching and Workshops.
www.mssheila.org
Robin Bady
Award winning storyteller Robin Bady performs nationally, internationally and virtually – at Fringe
Festivals, theaters, schools, museums and storytelling festivals. Her one-woman show,
Nancy Drewinsky and the Search for the Missing Letter, about the effects of
McCarthyism and anti-Semitism on her family, has been received with standing
ovations. At home in Brooklyn, she hosts the BADYHouse Storytelling Concert series.
RobinBady.com
Mary Theresa Archbold
As a storyteller, she’s appeared on Moth Mainstage, Radio Hour, Podcast and now NY Times Bestselling book, Occasional Magic, as well as, NPR’s This American Life, Risk! and co-host of my own storytelling podcast Funny Parents. As an actor, she’s appeared on TV (Law &Order: SVU, Bull, Inventing Anna), Off Broadway, and in countless musicals all over the US.
maryarchbold.com
Sarah Brady
Sarah Brady holds a Bachelor of Science degree in speech education, with an emphasis in interpretative speech, and a Master of Arts degree in interpretative speech. Sarah has recently returned from living in the United Kingdom for three years, where she added numerous stories to her repertoire. She tells stories in both the UK and the USA, working with such entities as Arts for Learning; Epic Tales; Cambridge Storytellers; the White Rose Project; and the Suffolk Archives. Find out more at www.sarahosburnbrady.com.
Laura Deal
Laura Deal tells traditional, original, and personal tales to children and adults. Hear her stories on YouTube, the Story Story Podcast or on her CD, The Diffendaffer Taffy Cafe and Other Stories. Her storytelling has taken her from classrooms to festivals, and from the Grand Slam stage of Boulder’s Truth Be Told to the online virtual stages that have grown out of the strange days of 2020. Laura lives in Boulder, CO with the spouse of her house and two mismatched cats. Find more about her storytelling at www.LauraDeal.com.
www.firstchurchofmetaphor.com
Jane Dorfman
Jane tells tales of dutiful daughters and wise women, faithful sons and wicked kings; personal stories about her New Orleans childhood and her Maryland neighbors. She has told at Speak!, Rose Valley, at the Andersen statue in Central Park, and the inaugural Women’s Storytelling Festival. Shes recently started lying and finds it very liberating.
She is President of Voices-in-the-Glen. She has two Cds, one of which won a World Storytelling Award for 2020. More at voicesintheglen.org/jane-dorfman/
Lyn Ford
Lynette (Lyn) Ford is a storyteller, author and teaching artist. Her stories are rooted in the gifts of her Affrilachian family’s heritage of folktales and personal stories. Lyn’s work has taken her to schools and conferences, to correctional facilities and women’s retreats, from her home in Ohio across the United States, to Australia and Ireland, and around the Zoomiverse to Germany, Singapore and South Korea. Lyn is also a certified laughter yoga teacher.
storytellerlynford.com
Bonnie Gardner
Bonnie Gardner is a former journalist who changed careers to work in IT, but never lost her love of a good story. In January 2020, Bonnie performed with Better Said Than Done, her first time on stage since winning a 4-H public speaking contest as a kid. Shes performed with BSTD, the Scheherazade Project’s #101Nights series, and Stories for Healing. When she’s not at her day job, she’s helping run Big Big World Project, a non-profit supporting children in two orphanages in Vietnam.
Rachel Hedman
Rachel became the first recipient of the J.J. Reneaux Mentorship grant from the National Storytelling Network. Rachel has been Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance Co-Chair, National Youth Storytelling Showcase Board Member, and Utah Storytelling Guild President. Rachel received the national ORACLE Award for service and leadership in the Western Region as well as the Karen J. Ashton Award. She completed her Storytelling Masters from East Tennessee State University. She kickstarted Story Crossroads, a Salt Lake county storytelling festival in 2016.
RachelHedman.com
Claire Hennessy
British-born Claire Hennessy is an award-winning storyteller, podcaster (The Bonkers Brit) and author. She performs funny, true and often embarrassing stories around the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been published in award-winning anthologies and is hoping to find an agent for her humorous memoir before she is too old to go on a book tour. She started Six Feet Apart Productions with Regina Stoops at the start of the pandemic and produces online live storytelling shows on YouTube.
Megan Hicks
Megan Hicks lives in Philadelphia, where she tells stories, writes, and makes art from stuff people usually throw away. She performs in festivals throughout North America and she has toured in Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. She loves attending slams and occasionally throws her name in the bucket and performs at them. But to tell the truth, her favorite genre of storytelling is Fairy Tales. For the 2021 Women’s Storytelling Festival, she has created a true personal story/fairy tale mashup inspired by the only Shakespearean comedy she absolutely hates.
MeganHicks.com
Arthuretta Holmes-Martin
Arthuretta Martin was told as a child that she talked too much. Once she grew up and realized that gift of gab was an asset, she blossomed, perfected her craft, and now connects with audiences young and old through stories. As a human and social rights activist, she has shared the power of story through historical and personal narrative, folk tales and fables, motivational speaking, and songs for decades. A TEDx Salon Alum and Distinguished Toastmaster, her audiences range from academic institutions, nonprofits, corporations, and governmental organizations. “Own Your Story!” www.arthurettaspeaks.com
Priscilla Howe
Priscilla Howe travels the world (14 countries to date) with a headful of stories and a bagful of puppets. Though she is known as a children’s performer, Priscilla also has a full repertoire of personal stories, folktales and literary stories for grownups. During the pandemic, she has been hosting Zoom storytimes and workshops on story games, puppetry, telling folktales and more. Her collection of Bulgarian folktales gathered during a 2015 Fulbright Scholarship will soon be published by Parkhurst Brothers Publishers. Priscilla grew up in New England but has lived in Kansas for much of her adult life. She is also looking for the best restaurant pie on earth.
PriscillaHowe.com
Jenn Kamara
Jenn Kamara has told stories on the stages of Story District and Risk! and has the great distinction of having both the Worst Job and Worst Date. Originally hailing from Long Island, Jenn struggles with pronouncing words like “coffee” and “water.” Currently, she’s a policy analyst by day and an absurdity magnet by night, sometimes by day as well. She earned her MPP from Pepperdine Univeristiy and her BA in Africana Studies from Cornell University.
M.J. Kang
M.J. Kang is an actor, playwright and improvisor born in Seoul, Korea and currently based in Los Angeles. She has won a Moth slam, won a Story Collider slam, been on PBS’ Stories From The Stage and been on RISK! podcast and live.
Rona Leventhal
Rona Leventhal has been sharing her passion of story for nearly three decades. Rona tells folktales, personal stories and original works to audiences across the country and beyond. Her one-woman show, “The Prince of Pirates and The Witch of Wellfleet” has received rave reviews. Rona is a Teller of Tales, Improv Theatre and Movement Specialist, Workshop Leader, Coach, Teaching Artist and Consultant. Her CD, “Into the Dark: Stories From the Shadows (Creepy Stories for Adults and Fearless Teens)” is winner of Storytelling World Award. Her family CD, “Raps, Rhythms and Rhymes: Stories to Tap, Rap, Shake and Sing” will be out this year.
RonaTales.com
Jenice Matias
Jenice Matias works as an EMT and as a special service teacher. But Her passion is performing. She is a dancer, singer, actor, comedy writer , comedian and storyteller. She has performed story telling for the Moth, Monti, The Story Collider and Risks, just to name a few. Her stories can be heard on “ A funny Thing on Splitsider”, SoundCloud, and podcasts. She has written and performed several solo shows. In 2020, she performing her solo show on zoom entitled “Pussinomics, A comedy” she plays different characters. She is current working on her next solo show entitled. “I don’t suffer from insanity, I enjoy every moment of it”. Learn more about Jenice Matias at Jenicematias.biz
Misty Mator
Misty Mator inherited the storytelling mantle from her German grandmother. She captivates with timeless tales that teach history, celebrate culture, inspire creativity and promote moral values. Misty draws on her study of traditional myths and her experience as a mother-of-four to entertain, educate, and amuse audiences of all ages. She is a member of the TELL: Pittsburgh Storytelling Series production team, and has performed at Pittsburgh’s Alphabet Trails & Tails, the Ellwood City Storytelling Festival, Better Said Than Done, and the Historic Fayette Theater in West Virginia amongst other venues.
storytellermistymator.com
Jennifer Munro
The recipient of the National Storytelling Network’s prestigious Circle of Excellence Award, Jennifer Munro
tells original stories, laced with her signature wit, that resonate with a Dickensian charm and celebrate the
frailty and courage of the human condition. She has produced three Storytelling World award-winning CDs
and a collection of short stories, Aunty Lily and other Delightfully Perverse Stories, which was also a
Storytelling World winner. Jennifer has performed at major festivals across the nation, most notably the
National Storytelling Festival, TN, and the Timpanogos Festival, UT.
JenniferMunro.net
Vijai Nathan
Vijai’s humor springs from her experiences of growing up as a “foreigner” in America- despite the fact she was born and raised in a suburb of Washington D.C. She lovingly and hilariously talks about growing up as an Indian in America, dating, cultural clashes with her parents, and the racism she dealt with as a child and now as a comedian.
She’s developing a new project, “I’m Not Racist, But…” which will debut in 2021.
You can catch her on an episode of Netflix’s “Lady Dynamite, ” starring comedy legend Maria Bamford, and in the film “Meet the Patels,” an Oprah Magazine pick that Variety calls “Sharp” & “Riotously Funny.”
Ingrid Nixon
Exploration nail-biters, tall tales, traditional and personal stories—Ingrid tells them all on international expeditions, and at venues around the country, including the National Storytelling Festival. Ingrid’s audio recordings have earned the Storytelling World Gold Seal for listeners of all ages. She is a champion liar many times over. She holds a Masters in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University and is the Artistic Director for the Forest Storytelling Festival in Port Angeles, WA. Ingrid currently hails from Southeast Alaska. IngridNixon.com
Laura Packer
Laura Packer knows that the best way to the truth is through a good story. Whether folktale or true, epic or flash, her stories captivate, enlighten, and amuse audiences. She is the author of From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great story, and has won multiple awards for her performance, coaching, and leadership. Laura has published, told, taught, ranted, raved, consulted and considered storytelling around the world.
LauraPacker.com
Kristin Pedemonti
Kristin Pedemonti is an award-winning Storyteller, finalist in TED Talks Talent Search, a highly sought after presentation skills coach at World Bank and founder of Steer Your Story, trauma recovery program. She has performed and presented in 20 countries on 5 continents, her favorite so far, Iran. 2021 Kristin began her Master’s in Narrative Therapy.
SteerYourStory.com
Mo Reynolds
Mo Reynolds is based out of beautiful Northwest Montana. Yes, it is just as beautiful as you imagine. She travels throughout Montana, weaving folk tales and personal narratives together in a way to help listeners connect to their own stories and to the humans around them through performances and workshops. She was a featured storyteller at the Florida Storytelling Festival in January 2020 and has been spotlighted in online concerts with Better Said Than Done, Teton Storytelling Festival, and Artists Standing Strong Together. Plus, she makes a mean batch of banana bread.
MoReynolds.com
Cindy Rivka Marshall
Cindy Rivka Marshall is an award-winning professional storyteller based in the Boston area. She’s got her own versions of folktales as well as personal stories up her sleeve. Through her business, “Story Arc” she aims to “Reach, Teach and Change with Stories,” offering workshops, consulting and story coaching for congregations, schools, and organizations to bring story-based approaches to education, diversity awareness and community building. Her commitment to social justice motivates Cindy to design and facilitate personal story sharing experiences that lift up marginalized groups.
CindyMarshall.com
Jessica Robinson
Jessica Robinson, Founder of Better Said Than Done, has performed at such venues as Atlas Performing Arts Center, The National Women’s Equality Monument, and The Miracle Theater. Jessica’s one woman show, “Tech Babies,” premiered at Stories in the Round. Jessica performed at Exchange Place at the International Storytelling Festival in 2018, and, in 2020, on PBS’ “Stories from the Stage,” and as a featured performer in the Women’s Storytelling Festival. Jessica is co-author Roar: True Tales of Women Warriors.
Find her upcoming performances and workshops here.
Margarita Rozenfeld
Margarita Rozenfeld has performed at multiple stages throughout D.C. and nationally, including the D.C. and Rochester Fringe Festivals. Her stories humorously touch on the sometimes difficult experiences of growing up in the former Soviet Union and the universally-painful immigration journey. Off-stage, Margarita is the CEO of Incite International, an award-winning leadership and organizational development company (For full professional bio visit www.inciteinternational.com).
Ellouise Schoettler
Ellouise Schoettler says she was born into a North Carolina family of aunts who told wonderful personal stories and she continues to do that kind of talking,
Ellouise is a storyteller, writer and artist which keeps her creative self active every day.
She writes stories for her weekly cable television program on Montgomery County Television CTV, gathers stories for a memoir and hopes to
clean out her basement. Ellouise also welcomes opportunities to tell stories on TV with other storytellers during today’s protective restraints. By the way – Ellouise is over 80
and is proud to say she wears her mask.
EllouiseSchoettler.com
Sarah Snyder
Sarah Snyder has worn hats as a newspaper columnist and reporter, writing instructor, communications manager and consultant, blogger, and book author. Her blog focuses on self-care, retreats, and re-inventing the way we live for the benefit of all. Her memoir, Plant Trees, Carry Sheep: A Woman’s Spiritual Journey Among the Sufis of Scotland, was published in 2019 and The Value of Your Soul: Rumi Verse for Life’s Annoying Moments, was published in 2020. She has also written a travel guide to her home state of Montana: Scenic Driving Montana. The 4th edition will be published in 2021. Sarah lives in northern Virginia.
Regina Stoops
Comedian, writer and award winning storyteller Regina Stoops has lived a life filled with so many causes she’s run out of room on her bumper. From a childhood in a town called Normal to life as a gay suburban soccer mom, special needs parent and MS Warrior, Regina uses storytelling as her weapon of choice to help tackle diversity, adversity and suburban chaos.
ReginaStoops.com
Sage Tyrtle
Sage Tyrtle’s stories have been featured on NPR, CBC, and PBS. She is a Moth StorySLAM and GrandSLAM winner. She’s also one of those Americans who swanned around saying, “If this gets any worse, I’m moving to CANADA,” but then she really did. More at tyrtle.com.
Diana Veiga
Diana Veiga is a writer, storyteller and comedienne who has performed throughout the DC area from the Lincoln Theatre to the DC Improv. She is the founder and curator of, Telling Stories, a virtual series for African American storytellers. Diana is a Spelman woman, a DC resident, and DC Public Library employee. She loves eating tacos, quoting Outkast lyrics and drinking Stoli Blueberry and Sprite.
DianaVeiga.com
Donna Washington
Donna Washington is an internationally known master storyteller, artist educator, and published author who has been performing for audiences of all ages for thirty-two years.
Donna’s eleven storytelling CDs have garnered twenty-eight national awards. She is also the author of four children’s books. She travels all over the world performing and giving workshops but she lives with her husband and two cats in Durham, NC.
dlwstoryteller.com
Kim Weitkamp
“If we are talking Rock ‘n Roll, Tina Turner was a national treasure; country has Dolly Parton and in the world of storytelling we have Kim Weitkamp.”
Steve Perry, Highway 89- SiriusXM
Kim grew up as the red headed middle child of exhausted parents.
Kim carved out her role as the class comedian at a young age; writing plays and skits and sharing stories that exasperated her parents while thrilling her high school theater teacher.
The results of these influences show up in her work time and time again.
KimWeitkamp.com
Andrea Young
Having 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.
