Whitney Bakarich (She/Hers), Mental Health Professional

Whitney Bakarich is the Youth Resiliency Program Manager at Northwest Colorado Health. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a passion for learning and positive youth development. She earned her Masters in clinical psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage with an emphasis on rural mental health. Whitney has been serving youth and their families in the Routt/Moffat region since 2014. Born and raised in Colorado, she loves adventuring outside with her husband and dogs.

Graham Hackett (He/Him), Speak Your Truth Instructor

Graham Hackett serves as the Social Change Program Manager for Advocates of Routt County. A lifelong educator and justice advocate, Graham worked with juvenile inmates for many years as part of a gang violence prevention initiative in North Carolina, which instilled a deep understanding of social conditions, impacts of trauma, and the roots of toxic behavior. In 2014, he built and led a touring program, Culture
of Consent, for colleges across the United States for several years before serving as Education Coordinator and ultimately Director of Prevention Programs for Our Voice, the rape crisis center for Buncombe County, NC. In his current position with Advocates, Graham coordinates outreach efforts and facilitates original skill-building programs for schools, businesses, and the community.

With two decades in the creative sector as a performer and writing coach, Graham has also been on stage hundreds of times at various arts events, while leading new writers to compose and share their work from coast to coast.

Chelsie Holmes (She/Hers), Song Bird and Speak Your Truth Instructor

Chelsie Malynn is a singer/songwriter whose most recent album, Mad Creek, was released this past July and is now available on all major streaming platforms. All of Chelsie’s recordings were completed using simple technology on her phone. She is excited to share her process so that others may create in this way as well. Chelsie is also a passionate advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as a local activist of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Sylvie Piquet (She/Hers), Visioning You Instructor

Sylvie Piquet is the program director at Steamboat Creates and loves sharing her passion for creativity with all ages. Sylvie has used vision boarding for many years as a routine of identifying areas of her life she values and areas she wants to grow. Sylvie serves as a member of the local social justice coalition and is pursuing her Masters in Social Work online. She lives in Steamboat Springs with her wife and two fur babies and enjoys yoga, hiking, swimming, camping, and outdoor winter fun!

Samantha Wade, Sonic Arts Instructor

Samantha Wade grew up in Rangely, Colorado, across the road from an abandoned water tank. For years musicians and sound artists had come to Rangely to play and record in the Tank’s deep resonance. Samantha’s grandmother held the key to the place and let them in. At age 11, Samantha began participating in their sessions, singing in The Tank and learning about the recording process.

Samantha was one of Tank’s first volunteers as it became The Tank Center for Sonic Arts, a nonprofit with a recording studio, concert programming and community events. Gradually she became an official guide, known as “The Voice of The Tank,” for her singing and for encouraging visitors to sing. As a vocalist, she has been credited on many Tank recordings, including Christina Ivanna’s CD Strings of Lights, Mad Dog Friedman’s Be Tankfull, Scot Ray’s VeSseL, and Rangely A Caroling at The TANK, a CD of Christmas carols by 50 local residents. She’s been featured as a vocalist in the Los Angeles Times.

As a recording engineer, Samantha learned from The Tank’s team of professionals, including Bob Burnham, Bruce Odland, Greg Heimbecker, Mark Fuller, and Tom Wasinger, often assisting them on recording projects at The Tank. Since 2016, she has been the Tank’s Resident Engineer, recording dozens of sessions each year. In 2018, she received a Colorado Creative Industries Career Advancement Fellowship and a scholarship for a Residency at the Music District in Fort Collins.