Spencer Gossel

My name is Spencer and I am first and foremost a single momma to a very busy teenager Bentley Kaysen and dog mom my SharPei, Abraham Wrinklin. I am a mortgage loan officer with the Oman Mortgage Group at CMG here in town for almost 5 years now. I love what I do to help people get approved and educate them for the biggest financial decision of their life! I am also always happy to help realtors with some of the financing questions that pop up. At 23 I didn’t think I had any place trying to buy a home alone- but it was the most empowering, rewarding and best financial decision I’ve made for me and my little family. Side notes about me- I am a writer, power lifter, I’ve lost over 100 lbs and beat cancer…. I am always looking for new genuine connections and opportunities to try and learn new things. I am also the “chick who sells the whitening toothpaste” in town as many have come to know me for… In addition to the founder and owner of “SideGig Marketing” where I help business owners come up with logos, content and other marketing ideas for their small businesses.

Shasta Moreno

I was raised in the Black Hills and lived with 6 other entrepreneurs. Each one started and owned their own business, so when I graduated, the only lifestyle I had known was with those businesses calling the shots. It’s why it took me a lot longer time to start my own! After spending years in operations, leadership, and learning & development, I earned my business education at the school of hard knocks too. The companies I worked with had the same frustrations I watched my family deal with for years. It was in searching for a better way that I discovered my passion for coaching teams to execute their visions. While I truly enjoyed celebrating each time we accomplished our top goal, my true calling was to help business owners back home just like my family. When I was introduced to EOS®, it was a perfect match. I jumped in with both feet, started my business, and not one day in my session room has felt like work since! I am passionate about sharing EOS® with other owners and leaders. I’m blessed to use my unique background, passion for helping leaders grow, and genuine love of coaching to every client session so they can run a better business and live a better life!

Alyssa L. Tanner

Alyssa L. Tanner is a Caricature artist and illustrator from Rapid City South Dakota. She studied at Indiana Wesleyan University and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Illustration. She has been a professional caricature artist since 2011. When she is not drawing caricatures at Storybook Island she is creating coloring books. Her hobbies include hiking, movie watching, and aerial silks. Please welcome Alyssa from Caricatures by Alyssa.

Barbara Downen

I’m a SD native, raised on a ranch west of Fairburn SD. I attended high school in Rapid City and moved to Denver after graduation to attend The Colorado Institute of Art (now called The Art Institutes) for an associate degree in advertising design. After completing the program I came back to Rapid City and was blessed to have a career as an illustrator and Graphic designer for the next 30 years. Photography started as a hobby, having had several classes at art school, I had learned the basics with an all manual film camera, and with an eye for composition and a fine art background, I used my skills to create artistic portraits with the idea of having my own images to draw and paint without worrying about copyright infringement. I started collecting my studio wardrobe back in the 90’s, dressing up my friends and photographing them in nature. I discovered an entirely new art form and gained a deep love of portrait photography. Friends started to ask me to take senior portraits and under duress, I shot my nephews wedding all with film. I had no clue what I was doing, and basically handed over 9 rolls of film with a wish and a prayer. I never saw all of those pictures, but the images they printed were not so bad for a total rookie. Thank goodness for the launch of digital age! I already had the computer skills, so seeing what I could create with my visual and technical skills pretty much set my world on fire as an artist.

Kassie McDuff

Kassie McDuff was born in Sioux Falls, SD but grew up in Rapid City. She met her husband Walter (Duff) at age 17 and has been married for almost 20 years. He retired after 20 years in the Air Force in December of 2022.They have two great kids, Anthony (18) and Alexis (15). From 2013 to 2017 they were stationed in Okinawa, Japan and loved every minute of it but are glad to be back home in SD.

Kassie has had many jobs since she was 14 and most were in some type of customer service. She was a cave tour guide, a server at Perkins and TGI Fridays, call center representative, substitute teacher and a paraprofessional at Steven’s High School. In 2010 she started working for her family’s HVAC business and that’s where she learned bookkeeping.

While in Okinawa, she obtained her associate degree in business management while working as a substitute teacher.

Not knowing what she was going to do when they got back to Rapid City, Kassie took a job at a local high school as a paraprofessional and then decided the family business was where she needed to be. While business was still great through Covid, the family decided to keep their employees to a minimum, which freed Kassie up to pursue other things.

While still working for the family business, Kassie started what only made sense, a bookkeeping business. This is how Honest Bee Bookkeeping came to fruition. Kassie is all about honesty and wants her clients to know they can trust that she will have their books ready to hand over to their accountant when it comes to tax time.

Honest Bee Bookkeeping goes beyond bookkeeping by building a strong partnership with all their clients. They can do that by keeping the business small and really knowing and understanding each client’s specific needs.

Tonya Dirks

Born and raised on a farm in rural Nebraska. Growing up in this setting instilled the values of resilience, work ethic, and a strong sense of community.
After high school, I ventured to South Dakota. Attending SDSU and studying Hospitality and Food Service Management. Here, I embarked on a journey of personal and professional growth. During these years, my passion for entrepreneurship began to take root.
Following graduation, I found myself drawn to the dynamic world of food service, where I honed my skills in customer service, management, and operations. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of the restaurant industry, I decided it was time to move on. I discovered an interest in digital marketing—a field that seamlessly combined my love for creativity, strategy, and technology.
Driven to carve my own path and make a meaningful impact, I took a leap of faith and started Inspired Bliss Creative. Drawing upon my diverse background and experiences, I set out on a mission to empower small business owners, helping them navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence and clarity.
Fueled by a passion for helping others succeed, I strive to alleviate the overwhelm often associated with digital marketing, offering tailored solutions and personalized guidance to each client. Whether it’s crafting compelling content, optimizing online presence, or devising strategic marketing campaigns.
Outside of my professional endeavors, I find solace and joy in the simple pleasures of life, often spending my free time exploring the great outdoors with my wonderful boyfriend of 7 years, Casey, and our two dogs L.C. and Stella. Whether embarking on scenic hikes through rugged terrain, pitching a tent under the stars for a weekend camping getaway, or simply curling up with a good book. Additionally, I enjoy live music and hanging out at the nearby craft breweries.

Sande Lofberg

Born and raised in Omaha NE, Sande Lofberg has been able to enjoy much of life. Married to her USAF husband for 55 years, she saw most of Europe when they were stationed in England.

Serving on the US National Leadership team for Aglow International, she has been a bus guide for Aglow trips to Israel over 20 times. The Lofbergs travels have taken them to 49 states. Her passion is to see people living and enjoying their best life.

A licensed Massage therapist since 1988 and part of the New Health Nutritional team helped fulfill that desire. In 2022 She joined LifeWave, a global photo therapy company that has changed her friends and family’s health, her financial income and given her the freedom to continue to travel. Sande is also an associate pastor at Destiny Four Square church. The Lofbergs have two adult daughters and 6 grandchildren, 4 of whom are internationally adopted from Ukraine, India and China.

Sara Young

Sara and her husband moved to the black hills in November 2020. With the yearly hail damage that occurs in the black hills, this was a perfect place to land.

Prior to meeting Carion, her husband, she had only really lived and spent time in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Carion is a “storm chaser” and had to explain that hail does in fact damage cars. Since then she has gotten to spend a lot more time in the mid west. They also no longer chase hail now that they have settled in Rapid City.  

She has 2 kids, Cory 14 and Wyatt 21, who live in Kansas City with their dad. Cory spends his summers here with his mom, while Wyatt is at that fun adulting stage.

Sara enjoys networking with various groups including but not limited to this group, Business Networking in the Black Hills, Black Hills Home Builders, Elevate, SD CEO West Women’s Business Center to name a few.

Out side of Networking you may see her and Zeus (their service dog) out on the local walking paths, or around downtown on a nice day.

Andrea Miedema

You will soon here from Andrea Miedema but first she has a true confession…she wrote a bio and then used AI for the first time ever asking it to assist her in revising it. And AI did not disappoint! Please enjoy this “too well written to be Andrea” introduction supremely polished by AI technology!

“Andrea Miedema is a vibrant and compassionate individual who radiates enthusiasm for Jesus and helping others discover their true worth. With a talent for making friends and fostering connections, Andrea has excelled in various careers, from teaching to social work to librarianship. She is currently the medical clinic office manager of Well Beyond Functional Medicine. After overcoming a long-standing false diagnosis and breaking free from people-pleasing, Andrea now speaks truth with boldness, grace, and love. Published writer, passionate advocate, and aspiring therapist, Andrea is set to inspire others towards wholeness and purpose. She is currently researching graduate schools and plans to pursue a degree in clinical mental health counseling utilizing a Biblical perspective informed by functional medicine. Andrea’s big dream envisions an upscale women’s retreat center where women can uncover their multifaceted God-given beauty and freedom to embrace their calling. Andrea hopes you too will dream big like she and her bosses have done and are continuing to do in 2024 and Well Beyond! Enjoy Andrea’s contagious enthusiasm and unwavering dedication to igniting agents of love, healing, and reconciliation!”

Colleen Marie Boling

A disciple of Jesus, Daughter of Helen, Wife to Phillip, Mother to Tyler, and Soon to be Grammie, Founder of Win2ition.org a 501c3 providing Inspiration in the Storm with the Single Caregiver community.

Beth Howard

Beth Howard grew up in a military family who moved 16 times before she entered high school. Once all the moving had stopped, and they settled down, her mother started to acquire more and more things. After her dad passed away at the young age of 51, her mother’s sorrow mixed with childhood traumas caused her need to acquire more items to explode. In order to understand and help her mother, Beth started her quest to learn about hoarding: why it happens, how it affects the family, and how to help her mom. After years of research, she became fascinated with the psychology behind hoarding and coupled it with her love of helping others and started Better Rooms For You. While most of her clients are not classified as “hoarders”, understanding why people hold onto certain items helps Beth guide them into letting go of excessive or unnecessary possessions in order to make their home look and function better. She also helps people prepare for downsizing into smaller homes and offers a pre-move purge and prep for her clients to identify items that they no longer need or want in their next home, and helps them stage their home for sale. Beth often says that she “helps people get out from underneath their clutter to live a better life”, and she sees that when stress is lifted from her client’s shoulders, their expressions become brighter and how excited and proud they are when the work is done.

Beth and her husband Kris have 3 wonderful and fun adult daughters scattered across 3 different states. She loves camping, photographing nature, and of course organizing.

Jan McGrath

“Long distance running, Muay Thai kickboxing, circuit training, squash, and Pilates. This in a nutshell covers 20 years of Jan’s athletic life. Married 20 years, Jan and her husband home educate their teen sons in between camping, skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. If Jan isn’t isn’t working out, she could be found playing her piano, cooking in the kitchen, or simply nestled on the sofa with a book authored typically by a dead author. To Jan, Pilates is simple, affordable, and enjoyable and she invites us to learn why!”

Kathy Sazama

As a certified Image Consultant trained in color, style, skin care, and make-up, I will work with you to enrich your professional appearance.

I have also provided education and training to college students and private businesses on professional dress, business etiquette, body language and communication.

By helping others with their image, I believe it helps them gain the edge in our competitive world. The more you know and understand about your personal style, the more confidence and success you will have in pursuing your dreams.

Michele Blake

Michele (with one L) is a Rapid City-based headshot and branding photographer with a passion for travel, brunch, and finding the best in people — both in person and through the camera lens.

Her biggest phobia in life is Fear of Taking Unflattering Photos. Yes, she’s the photographer who runs the other way when the camera is pointed at her.

That’s why she’s on a mission to make everyone look and feel amazing in front of her lens.

As a headshot photographer for the past 12 years, she has learned that everyone is photogenic. In fact, she believes that If you don’t often have photos you like of yourself, it’s not your fault! You just need a photographer who knows how to use lighting, posing, and the right lens to flatter every face shape and body type. Michele (with one L) has honed that skill and created her own system that works without fail — so you can finally have the photos you deserve!

Michele is a wife, mother of four grown children, and grandma to four beautiful granddaughters. Michele and her husband moved from Colorado to Rapid City in 2021 (and are now living in Gene and Jeanne Taylor’s old house, with the most amazing neighbors). They love their new-found quality of life here and wish they’d known about the Black Hills sooner! (Michele’s dad is from eastern South Dakota, though, so she jokes with him that she’s returning to HIS roots — minus the freezing cold winters and outhouses.)

When she’s not behind the camera (michelewithoneL.com), you’ll find Michele traveling, finding the best brunches, walking and hiking, reading the Bible (her passion — micheleblake.com), or helping people with their resumes and business writing (grammarprincess.com).

Nikol Wendt

Nikol Wendt has been living with her husband, Trevor, in the Black Hills since 2009. Nikol enjoys homeschooling her children, fostering, traveling, volunteering at her church, and sharing great tools with people as a Pampered Chef consultant. Through Pampered Chef, Nikol has been able to help many people find the same love of cooking and time with friends and family that she enjoys. Her business motto is ‘food is a necessity and it should be good.’ With the right tools and a little bit of knowledge, she has brought this motto to life for many and even made some great connections along the way.

pamperedchef.biz/teachernikol

Jamie Alligier

Jamee is originally from California, but spent most of her school years in Livingston, Montana. She moved in the middle of her senior year to Salt Lake City Utah where she spent about 3 years before moving to Colorado. She found her way to South Dakota in 1999 when her parents relocated here and she decided to go back to college.

Jamee graduated from National American University with a degree in Business Management and Marketing. She spent many years as an event manager managing events like the Home Show, the Parade of Homes and the Sports Show prior to going into the mortgage world.

Jamee and her husband Russ have been married for 22 years and have 2 beautiful girls together. Addyson is 17 and a senior at Stevens High School and Lilly is 13 and an 8th grader at Empower Ed. They share their home with more pets than she cares to admit but loves them all. While she loves calling South Dakota home, she is counting down the days until she can snowbird and avoid snow of any sort.

In her spare time you can find her avoiding housework by doing all sorts of art and crafty projects, helping Lilly with her soap business or enjoying the outdoors with her girls.

Kristi Forman

Kristi has a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology, she’s an unlikely photographer.  But something in her has always known that this is what she wanted to do.     So what is a Picture Perfect Portrait? It’s whatever phase of life you are in & capturing that- the silly, the candid, & posed.  It’s freezing that little moment in life to look back at on when you have a day that isn’t so Picture Perfect (like when you clean your house & then a day later it looks like a natural disaster hit, when you have a bad day, or when life just happens). It’s hanging that family picture on the wall for all to see so when there are bad days you are reminded of the good days too & how truly blessed you are. Life is rushed enough, she will take her time with your pictures to make sure your moments are captured. She is married to a kind and generous man, mother to three beautiful children, and has a very naughty cat named Boo, & an escape artist of a dog, Silla. She simply adores photographing families, probably because photos of her own family are among her most prized possessions.  And she love chocolate & coffee.  It’s the simple things in life that can bring happiness…chocolate, coffee, and a great picture!

Rachel Winters

Rachel grew up on a family farm and ranch near Martin, SD where she was instilled the values of faith, family, integrity, and of course hard work. Some activities and hobbies she likes to do in her spare time are hunting, fishing, woodworking, hiking, and reading. Recently she’s been learning the art of canning. She is always on the lookout to learn something new or better herself mentally, physically, or spiritually.

Shivani Patel

Shivani loves working to help those around her, she’s skilled in project management and holds a bachelor’s in exercise science. Shivani is very passionate about building relationships with her clients, and maintaining an organized team culture that is very productive. Shivani was born and raised in Rapid City. She went to college in Spearfish and graduated in 2017. She’s been a part of the HealthSource & Fit To Lift team since 2017. Before that, she’s worked in the hotel industry since she was a teenager. And also at Harley Davidson, in finance. She enjoys skiing, biking, sailing, hiking, and traveling most of all! She’s been to many countries and gotten to explore & experience different cultures.

Stacy Keyser

Stacy Keyser is first and foremost a child of God striving to bring souls to Jesus through her business and personal human connections. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Family Mediation & Conciliation Specialist, Public Speaker, Mental Health Supervisor and Mentor, and the President and Owner of Rapid City Counselors. Stacy is passionate about living faith, demonstrating love to her children and grandchildren, hosting friends and family, good cuisine, fine wine, quality education, gardening, yoga, playing and listening to good music, hiking, camping, horseback riding, and paddle boarding. Stacy notes that growing up in South Dakota was always taken for granted until 2020 during the COVID crisis and realizing others sought to live in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Thus, becoming more appreciative and honored to be a South Dakota native. She honors responsible committed individuals, genuineness, hardworking people that seek to help and pray for others. In her spare time, she enjoys presenting welcoming living and therapy spaces. An update: Stacy is building up her speaking career and developing a Christian Online Course for Women surviving the grief of divorce and supporting them as brighter lights of God to have a profound impact on those in and around their life.

Lisa Boorman

I was born in Montana and lived in Alaska for almost 30 years. After meeting my husband who was stationed in Alaska we spent time in Germany, Idaho and Washington. I love to travel and meet new people. We have 7 children and 6 grandchildren. We spend our free time outdoors and watching our children and grandchildren play hockey, softball, baseball, and figure skating.

I came and visited the Black hills a few years ago with my family and fell in love with the state and the people. We loved the beauty, the freedom, and how welcomed we felt. I was a real estate agent in Idaho and took a break to be a business owner of 3 café’s in Washington. Running three businesses was rewarding and hard work. Now I am back into it with Re/Max Results and loving every moment of it.

Debbie Pack

Vanessa Rotoni

Vanessa was born and raised in Nebraska. She has lived in Tennessee and now South Dakota as of 2 years ago. She is a Travel/Lifestyle promoter with Seacret Direct, as well as a stay at home momma.

She graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Family Science and Sociology, and has been married to her husband Daniel for 14 years. They have two little boys, Ritz-five and Westin-three, with their 3rd boy due in August!

Vanessa helps people Look Better (with skincare from the Dead Sea), Feel Better (with organic plant based nutrition), and Experience the World (with a curated wholesale travel club).

She’s been in the travel industry for over 13 years and has been blessed to build and oversee a team of 10k+ customers and agents across the globe. She loves people, and her passion is to help them travel more and pay less, while creating memories for them and their family that will last a lifetime!

When she’s not busy running after her boys, she enjoys worshiping the Lord, singing, traveling, taking pictures, coffee, wine, and shopping! Her favorite food is pizza and her favorite two places I’ve ever traveled are Hawaii and Fiji!

Tricia Birdwell

I am a board-certified family medicine physician with over 20 years of experience. I chose this specialty because it involves providing primary care to individuals and families over all stages of life. I have a direct primary care office in Rapid which is a membership-based, old-fashioned medical practice. It allows for direct access to a doctor that cares and is not hindered by an over-booked schedule, insurance companies or burnout.

Shasta Moreno

I was raised in an entrepreneurial family here in Rapid City and spent the better part of my career learning from entrepreneurs and coaching business execution.

I have coached teams and companies in different industries, from small to large, and recently have returned to my roots and now focuse solely on helping entrepreneurs and small to medium business owners: Clarify… Simplify… and Achieve their Vision.

Vesta Johnson

Corinne Perkins

Tina Sharp

Alyssa Lynea

Cindy Carver

Melanie Munson

Beth Howard

Colleen Marie

Kathy Sazama

Jolene Nedved