The Jackson Hole Connection

Talia Atkins is the Executive Director of Carving the Future. She was born right here in Jackson. After graduating from High School in 2008, Talia left home to volunteer, travel, and find her place in the world. 6 years and 35 countries later, Talia realized everything she was searching for was back in Jackson. She returned to her hometown in 2014, to coach for the JHSC Freeride Team. Talia has worked with youth of all ages, teaching English, music, art, yoga, gymnastics, big-air, snowboarding, and leading therapeutic wilderness trips for teens. 

In this episode, Talia and Stephan talk about mental health, childhood adversity, addiction, loss, gratitude, resilience, and helping underserved populations. 

Carving the Future is a non-profit organization that empowers youth through access to snowboarding and skateboarding. They provide gear, programs, lessons, and athletic scholarships for underserved youth. Learn more about Carving the Future at CarvingTheFuture.com

Red Top Meadows is a residential treatment and therapeutic wilderness program established in 1980 to serve adolescent males. Learn more about Red Top at TetonYouthandFamilyServices.org

Connect with Talia by emailing [email protected] 

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling is reminding residents and small businesses that the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is open on select days, through the end of October, by appointment only. To safely and responsibly dispose of household chemicals or other substances that pose a danger to our environment, visit tetoncountywy.gov/recycle to schedule your appointment today! More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com)

Suzanne Boots Knighton is an author, ski instructor, educator, aspiring rollerblader, survivor and a friend. In this episode, Boots and Stephan talk about overcoming tragedy, listening to your body, and looking for the magic and joy in the world.  

Boots was inducted into the Heart Warrior club on January 15, 2021, via open-heart surgery for unroofing for a rare congenital heart defect - myocardial bridging. She continues to monitor her other defects which include a bicuspid valve and tortuous arteries. All of this came to light while on a mountain bike ride on in 2020 when she experienced heart attack symptoms at age 42. Thanks to all of this, Boots has been given a priceless perspective on life and wants to spread the gifts of that awareness and joy in knowing we aren't born perfectly, and that life can still be kick-ass despite imperfect hearts or whatever didn't quite pan out for us in utero. She is working on her first of three books and publishes weekly on her Substack, Joyful Beat. 

Connect with Boots on Instagram @boots.knighton

Photograph by Lara Agnew

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling is reminding residents and small businesses that the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is open on select days, through the end of October, by appointment only. To safely and responsibly dispose of household chemicals or other substances that pose a danger to our environment, visit tetoncountywy.gov/recycle to schedule your appointment today! More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Support also comes from Compass Real Estate, the region's largest and most dynamic real estate company in the valley. For more information and to view current listings visit COMPASS.com or at @compassjacksonhole

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

In this special episode, Stephan and Michael take a look back on the past 4 years of doing the podcast. Michael Moeri is the editor and marketing director of The Jackson Hole Connection. 

In this episode, Stephan and Michael talk about some of the unexpected life stories, funny guests, and heartfelt conversations of the past year. They discuss how life can sometimes make it a struggle to create a weekly podcast and what motivates them to share new stories each week. Thank you to all of our listeners and supporters, we couldn’t do this podcast without you.  

We’d love to hear from you. Give us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts, follow us on Instagram and Facebook or send an email to [email protected]. 

Quite a few past episodes were mentioned in this week's episode, below are some quick links to use as a reference:

Episode 203 – A Chat with Our Friends of the Bridger-Teton with Scott Kosiba

Episode 200 – Saving Homes with Esther Judge-Lennox of Shacks on Racks

Episode 199 – Helping People with Disabilities Find Adventure featuring Joe Stone of Teton Adaptive

Episode 197 – Living a Happy Life in Jackson Hole with Hal Johnson

Episode 195 – Brain Health Starts in the Kitchen with Annie Fenn

Episode 194 – Becoming Radically Generous with John Hamon

Episode 186 – The Worm Cowboy featuring Stefano Daza Arango

Episode 184 – Creating the World’s Finest Snowshapes with Mikey Franco

Episode 182 – Beyond Skid Cooking featuring Lily Krass and Max Ritter

Episode 169 – Keeping Jackson Laughing with Brian Lenz 

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling is reminding residents and small businesses that the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is open on select days, through the end of October, by appointment only. To safely and responsibly dispose of household chemicals or other substances that pose a danger to our environment, visit tetoncountywy.gov/recycle to schedule your appointment today! More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com 

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection?

Dr. Diane Hudson is the founder of Advanced Behavior Change. Advanced Behavior Change’s mission is to use the science of Applied Behavior Analysis to give children, teens, and caregivers the tools to change their environments and behaviors and to meet and exceed their goals. 

In this episode, Diane shares the path that lead her out to Jackson from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She talks about moving her practice up from Salt Lake and the benefits of being able to work with people remotely and in person. Diane then goes into some of the techniques she uses to increase positive skills, such as communication, social, and adaptive skills, and decrease problem behavior. Stephan and Diane also talk about neurodivergent individuals and how diagnosing ADHD and Autism has changed over the years. 

Follow Diane on Instagram @drdianehudson

Find out more about Advanced Behavior Change at advancedbehaviorchange.com

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. Old Bill’s Fun Run donations directly support zero waste education and outreach. Recycle often, recycle right, and donate today! Donate at OldBills.com. More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Georgie McNiff, RN is the founder of Nurse Georgie Health which offers in-office, concierge and telehealth services that are science backed and researched based. 

In this episode, Georgie shared why she picked up during the pandemic and moved out to Jackson from New York. She talks about what went into starting up her practice and how it has grown over the past couple of years. Stephan and Georgie discuss the health of our community and some of the unique services that Nurse Georgie offers, including vitamin IV therapy, functional nutrition and testing. 

Find out more about Nurse Georgie at nursegeorgiehealth.com

Follow Nurse Georgie on Instagram @NurseGeorgieHealth

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. Old Bill’s Fun Run donations directly support zero waste education and outreach. Recycle often, recycle right, and donate today! Donate at OldBills.com. More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Willi Brooks is the Event Operations Director for The Center for The Arts. Willi is one of the lucky ones who was born and raised right here in the Valley. On top of working full-time at The Center, Willi is also one of the owners of Roots Cannery and is an active member of the Travel and Tourism Board. 

In this episode, Willi shares what it was like to grow up in Jackson. He goes into how a part-time job at The Center has turned into a full-time career as the Event Operations Director. Willi talks about the impact The Center has on the area and how appreciative they are to be a part of such a supportive community. Stephan and Willi also chat about the Scouts, the Jackson Hole Food Cupboard, Roots Cannery, the farmers market, and the importance of volunteering. 

Find out what events are happening at The Center at jhcenterforthearts.org

Learn more about Roots Cannery at RootsKitchenCannery.com

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by The Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum connecting people to local history by sharing artifacts and ideas to foster curiosity and continual learning, forge connections, and inform our 21st-century dialogue. Learn more online at jacksonholehistory.org

Support also comes from Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. Old Bill’s Fun Run donations directly support zero waste education and outreach. Recycle often, recycle right, and donate today! Donate at OldBills.com. More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Carlin Girard is the Executive Director of the Teton Conservation District. Originally from western Massachusetts, Carlin grew up surrounded by nature. He ventured out west to attend college in Prescott, AZ and made his way to the oil fields of the Big Piney area before landing in Jackson Hole over 15 years ago. 

In this episode, Carlin shares what it was like growing up near the Appalachian Trail and why he eventually headed west. He talks about how a college thesis landed him in the oil fields near Big Piney and the research he was conducting. Stephan and Carlin then talk about some of the important work that the Teton Conservation District does for the community. Some of the programs and collaborations that they have been involved in include growing the native plant species, wildfire risk mitigation, well water test kits, wildlife monitoring, alternative energy, and many more.  

Learn more about the Teton Conservation District at TetonConservation.org

Follow Teton Conservation District on Instagram  @tetonconservation

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. Old Bill’s Fun Run donations directly support zero waste education and outreach. Recycle often, recycle right, and donate today! Donate at OldBills.com. More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH 

Support also comes from Compass Real Estate, the region's largest and most dynamic real estate company in the valley. For more information and to view current listings visit COMPASS.com or at @compassjacksonhole

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Scott Kosiba is the Executive Director of Friends of Bridger-Teton. Originally from Michigan, the study of Sage-grouse brought Scott out to Wyoming in 2010.

In this episode, Scott shares the story of what brought him out to Wyoming and what it is like living in the Pinedale area. He talks about the increase in visitation to the Bridger-Teton area and the impact it has had on the public lands. Scott dives into some of the bigger initiatives that they have accomplished, including installing and maintaining vault toilets at Shadow Mountain. He then explains the three different types of camping on the Bridger-Teton land. Stephan and Scott also touch on fire and bear safety, tagging photos responsibly, and how volunteers can make a big difference.  

Do you know what a Charmin flower is? Listen to this episode to find out. 

Follow Friends of The Bridger-Teton @bridgertetonfriends

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling. Old Bill’s Fun Run donations directly support zero waste education and outreach. Recycle often, recycle right, and donate today! Donate at OldBills.com. More at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH on instagram.

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com)

Lynsey Dyer is a freestyle skier, artist, filmmaker, entrepreneur, activist, podcaster, and a new mom. Lynsey is the founder of the movie production and apparel company Unicorn Picnic and co-founder of SheJumps.org. 

In this episode, Lynsey shares how her cousin (A.J. Cargill) was a big influence in helping her make the move to Jackson from Sun Valley, ID. She talks about her early days of living in the Hole, working at D.O.G., and getting her start with Teton Gravity Research. Stephan and Lynsey chat about some of the impactful organizations she has helped create and her latest project that involves local wildlife. They then discuss sponsorships, parenthood, the changing pro athlete industry, and what is in store next for Lynsey. 

Follow Lynsey on Instagram at @lynseydyer

Listen to Lynsey’s podcast ShowingUp at LynseyDyer.com/podcast

Learn more about Unicorn Picnic at UnicornPicnic.com

Learn more about SheJumps at SheJumps.org

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling, announcing the new commercial Curb to Compost Program for restaurants and other commercial food waste generators. More at TetonCountyWY.gov or at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH on Instagram

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Brad Boner is a father, photographer, author, and the Director of Visuals for the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Originally from the Black Hills area of South Dakota, Brad moved out to Wyoming back in 2004.  

In this episode, Brad shares the path that led him to the Jackson Hole area. He talks about his family's western roots and the legacy of the 12 Mile Ranch. Brad then discusses his stunning 2017 photography project that takes a new look at some of William Henry Jackson’s most famous photos of the Yellowstone area. Stephan and Brad also chat about the Jackson Hole News & Guide, what goes on behind the scenes, and some of Brad’s more powerful stories. 

Find a copy of Yellowstone National Park: Through the Lens of Time at the Teton County Library.

To connect with Brad email [email protected]

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling, announcing the new commercial Curb to Compost Program for restaurants and other commercial food waste generators. More at TetonCountyWY.gov or at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH on Instagram

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at [email protected]. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)