Amy Allender is a hyperlocal content guru and the creator of Hey Minot, a lifestyle platform helping people discover the good stuff in Minot and across North Dakota. Originally from Indiana, Amy is a proud transplant who turned her passion for helping others enjoy life in North Dakota into a thriving brand. She is a sought-after resource for communities and organizations looking to harness the power of hyperlocal content creation to connect with audiences, tell compelling stories and make the most of their marketing dollars. A writer, speaker and content creator, Amy holds a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications and has built a career around using storytelling, creativity and communication to serve people and businesses.

After facing life-threatening depression, Amy became determined to live life with abundance and help others do the same. She believes life is more fun when you learn to love where life has you—a perspective that shapes both her content and her speaking. Amy draws from her experiences to speak on mental wellness, perspective and personal agency, while encouraging others to use their creativity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around them.

Amy Dalrymple is editor of the North Dakota Monitor. She previously worked as editor and reporter for The Bismarck Tribune and as a reporter for Forum Communications newspapers.

Kaelee Wallace serves as Marketing Manager at the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, bringing the organization's vision to life by connecting people to Medora for positive, life-changing experiences. With over six years at TRMF alongside agency account management experience, she leads strategic marketing initiatives that bring teams, audiences, and channels together to build impactful campaigns and lasting connections.

Morgan Twardoski serves as Communications Specialist at the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, where she develops communications and content that connect audiences to Medora and its mission. A graduate of North Dakota State University with a degree in Strategic Communications, she brings a background in marketing, digital media, journalism and creative storytelling. At TRMF, she works across teams to tell compelling stories that highlight the people, experiences and impact behind Medora.

Cammie Veldkamp is a third-year senior at Bismarck State College and will be the school's first Organizational Management & Leadership B.A.S. graduate this December. Veldkamp is a Collegiate DECA national and international champion and has owned three of her own businesses - an online stationery company at 15, a lawncare business at 18, and a mobile energy drink stand this summer.

Chris Pickett, | MrGoodVibes Photography, is a Bismarck-based photographer and content creator focused on documenting people, places, culture, and community. His work blends street, event, and documentary photography, with an eye for everyday moments and overlooked scenes that can become part of a larger story. As he continues to build his creative foundation, Chris has grown his work through personal projects, local events, and community collaborations while continuing to learn through the process.

My first time writing my bio as a ... passion-led content creator! I'm so proud of even writing that out! I was accomplishing everything I thought was my dream and still felt unfulfilled. I knew I was meant for more but couldn't pinpoint what was missing. So, the first day of this year, I decided to make every decision out of what would bring me joy ...  so I picked up my phone and posted my first social media challenge ...

BSC Alum and faculty member Dylan Kahl has almost 10 years of graphic design experience in the creative industry. A jack of all trades in graphic design, he has done logo design, animation, printing, illustrating, and photo editing. 

During his time at BSC as a student, he won the KCATF Region V Certificate of Merit for his poster design for Dracula, and a Gold Addy for elements in advertising for a photo that was used for the cover of The Mystician.

In the professional field, he has worked in marketing agencies and sign shops producing logos, web site designs, and animations. As an illustrator, he has been commissioned to create comic book covers for Valiant Comics and Comic Realms and has gone on to self-publish his own comics.

Katie Winbauer is an attorney with the Vogel Law Firm in Bismarck. Her practice includes a focus on media law, and she serves as legal counsel for the North Dakota Newspaper Association. She served as editor-in-chief of the Mystician while a student at Bismarck State College, and she was actively involved in legislation passed to protect student journalists and advisers. 

Caleb Hauff, as Co-Founder and Director of Photography at Threefold, brings his expertise in technology and video production gear to the company.

Tanner Ecker is the current staff photographer with The Bismarck Tribune. He has won awards has won awards including the 2024 NDNA Multi-Day Photo of the Year with his photo of the BSC Volleyball team celebrating after winning the NJCAA Region XIII championship.

Haylie Flesness is a North Dakota–based photographer with over 10 years of experience in commercial, adventure, and documentary work. She's a Project Manager and Photographer at Threefold and freelances through Haylie Flesness Photography. She photographs everything from brand campaigns to rugged landscapes and personal photo essays.

Cecile Wehrman is a 40-year media veteran with experience in both print and broadcast. She is the publisher of The Journal in Crosby and the Executive Director of the North Dakota Newspaper Association. She is the author of two books: The Brothers Krimm: The bank robber and the hero; and Call me ‘Jerry’ -- the soon-to-be-released biography of North Dakota’s longest-serving Supreme Court Justice, Gerald W. VandeWalle.

   In the 40 years Mike McCleary has devoted as a fulltime professional photographer he has challenged himself to become a better photographer every day by studying the techniques and approaches of other more accomplished photojournalists throughout the world.

In his 36 years as a photojournalist for the Glendive Ranger Review in Montana and The Bismarck Tribune, Mike has met the demanding photo deadlines of a newspaper while covering the devastation of natural disasters, murder scenes, presidential visits, 17 state legislative sessions, college and high school sports to the DAPL pipeline protests and the miracle of two childbirths.

   For Mike, the most fulfilling assignments came in the form of the photo essay. He would spend months to years documenting a person’s life struggles or achievements or tackling important community issues such as hunger, the unhoused, medical debt and numerous disability issues.

   For the past four years Mike has shifted gears and is taking on a new challenge as photographer in the Public Affairs department at the University of Mary where his images help promote the university through marketing, website traffic and social media.

   Mike is married to his high school sweetheart and has three grown children and four grandchildren.

Geraldine Paglia KFYR-TV Sports Anchor/Reporter is part of the KFYR sports team and tells stories that matter most to the Bismarck community.

Grant Coursey reports on politics and state government for the Bismarck Tribune. He is originally from Northern California and graduated from Colorado State University. He has worked as a communications professional for a non-profit community action agency, as an outdoor guide leading climbing, skiing, and ice-climbing trips in Colorado and as a freelance reporter in Ukraine during the war. He has been with the Tribune since December 2024.

Taylor Aasen KFYR-TV Digital Host/Anchor works with Your News Leader KFYR-TV as a Digital Host & Anchor. Taylor loves writing the stories of North Dakotans and hopes to continue making her fellow locals proud.

Michael Achterling is a North Dakota Monitor reporter in Bismarck. He previously worked as digital editor and reporter for the Detroit Lakes Tribune in Minnesota and served as news director for Detroit Lakes radio stations.

Nicole Morrison is a business faculty member at Bismarck State College, where she teaches courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, small business, and business strategy. She brings real-world experience as an entrepreneur, author, and strategist into the classroom, with a focus on helping students connect ideas to action.

Jack Dura is a reporter based in Bismarck for the North Dakota Monitor. He previously worked for The Associated Press and The Bismarck Tribune.

Jacob Orledge is a North Dakota Monitor reporter based in Bismarck. He was a fellow with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in 2024-2025 and has also worked for the Tioga Tribune in the Bakken. 

Master Sgt., U.S. Army (retired) Rob Keller is a communicator who has spent his career helping the public stay informed during both calm and crisis. A retired U.S. Army Public Affairs Officer, he has worked through floods, wildfires, protests, and other major events where clear, accurate information can make all the difference in saving life, limb, and property.

During his 26-year Army career, Rob was deployed twice to Iraq and five times to Africa on public affairs missions, experiences that shaped his approach to communication and leadership under pressure. With a background in TV news, law enforcement communications, and military public affairs, he now trains future crisis communicators through FEMA and the North Dakota Public Information Officer Association, which he co-founded.

He’s passionate about preparing the next generation of communicators to be ready when their “gray sky” moment arrives.

Matt Fern is a North Dakota filmmaker and media producer whose award-winning work includes projects for adidas, CNN, and Travel Channel. He serves as Executive Director of Film North Dakota, advancing the state’s film, television, and media industry through advocacy, collaboration, and education.

Justin Cancilliere has been podcasting since 2008. He has done several different podcasts: paranormal, writing, and music. He has worked at Dakota Media Access since Nov. of 2023 as the Radio Operations Manager. He is also a self-published author and established the BisMan Writers Guild in 2020 as a non-profit dedicated to uplifting North Dakota writers.

Staff Sgt. Samuel Kroll serves as the marketing noncommissioned officer for the North Dakota Army National Guard. He enlisted on Aug. 28, 2014, as an Army bandsman, beginning a career defined by creativity, service and leadership.

Over the past 11 years, Kroll has developed extensive experience in communication, media production and public engagement.

From April 2022 to May 2025, he served as the North Dakota National Guard’s visual information photographer, responsible for documenting historical events, capturing command-level portraits and fulfilling digital media requests across the Department of Defense. His work capturing natural disasters and other significant events has been featured in national publications, including Lockheed Martin’s 2025 calendar, as well as in local and national news outlets. His visual storytelling has preserved the Guard’s history and highlighted the dedication of its Soldiers.

On June 1, 2025, Kroll assumed his current role as marketing noncommissioned officer, where he continues to strengthen the connection between the Army National Guard’s mission and the public—using creativity, authenticity and purpose to inspire the next generation of citizen-soldiers.