An Agency of State Government
Angella enjoys living in Bozeman, Montana, where she is currently Associate Professor of Violin and Viola at Montana State University. A devoted teacher, she was named a “Most Valuable Professor” by Montana State University as well as being awarded “Professor of the Month” by Mortar Board, an honor society at the university. Angella has had an extensive career with her trio, Ahn Trio, performing not only in every state in the U.S., but in over 30 countries in venues as diverse as the White House, the Jazz Dock in Prague, Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colon, New York's Lincoln Center, Leipzig's Gewandhaus, Beijing's Concert Hall, Istanbul's Aya Irini, and for TEDWomen. In addition to live performances, they have nine highly acclaimed albums. Angella serves on the Montana Arts Council and is the Artistic Director of Big Sky Classical Music Festival. She can be seen in “Angella Ahn & Friends,” a program presented by Montana PBS’ Emmy award-winning 11th & Grant with Eric Funk, also in “The Hive”, a film produced by Tippet Rise Art Center in collaboration with the celebrated sculptor Stephen Talasnik and director Matthew McKee. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music.
Ahn Trio: TEDWomen2010
Tippet Rise: "The Hive"
Ahn Trio: Nuvole Bianche
As a nationally renowned western landscape impressionist, Troy Collins creates paintings with brilliant color, texture and insight from his studio nestled in the middle of the Bitterroot Mountain Range.
His paintings have graced the halls of the Montana and California State Capitols, the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, and are included in many corporate and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. Troy’s work has been featured in over 100 magazines and four books and he has also been chosen as one of the top 25 quick finish artists in the West. Troy is a proud member of the C.M. Russell Museum’s Russell Skull Society of Artists.
Julie Mac is a TV host and content producer who paints pictures with images, sound, and words. In her years of experience in the television and commercial industry, Julie has been blessed with production opportunities at Discovery, A&E, NBC, MTV, VH1, FOX, ESPN, HGTV, and others. She has covered star-studded events such as the Billboard Awards, the iheart Radio Music Festival, and Sundance. When Julie is not producing you'll find her speaking at a youth event, emceeing a fashion show, or introducing artists on a concert stage.
Julie loves discovering fun things to do, and creating enjoyment for others has made her the perfect host for Montana's Best. Having grown up skiing the slopes, hiking trails with breathtaking views, and working with local businesses, she's a Montanan through and through. Dirt doesn't scare her, outdoor adventures thrill her, dressing to the nines excites her, and people fascinate her. All of which makes hosting Montana's Best a dream job.
Julie has an eye for detail and a passion to communicate. Her mission is to "motivate, educate, and influence people for the better by using media."
John L. Moore is a third-generation rancher, award-winning novelist and award-winning journalist from Miles City. His writing career began at age 17 with the Miles City Star and in the past 52 years he has authored seven novels, several non-fiction books, over 1500 articles, and has published literary short stories and poetry. He has also appeared in four documentaries as an authority on the history of horses on the Great Plains. He is a 2019 inductee into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and a 2021 inductee into the Montana ProRodeo Hall and Wall of Fame.
A native Montanan, Greg Murphy became interested in the arts at an early age when he took up the French horn while in grade school. He was the principal horn player at the University of Montana in his undergraduate days, and played horn with the Missoula Symphony, the Helena Symphony, and the Billings Symphony—the latter for 23 years. He has been practicing law in Montana for over 40 years. Greg has earned many professional accolades, including the William J. Jameson Award, the highest award given by the Montana State Bar Association, for having shown “ethical and personal conduct, commitment and activities that exemplify the essence of professionalism.” He's been ranked by his peers at the highest level of professional excellence for his legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards. He was named a Mountain States “Super Lawyer,” as well as listed among the “Best Lawyers in America.” Greg chaired the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the Montana Board of Bar Examiners, and the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the national law school accrediting agency. He has served on many other state, community, and charitable boards. Greg’s wife, Kate, is a photographer and painter. Greg and Kate’s three children are accomplished musicians in their own right.
Bridger is the Executive Vice President of Production at Warm Springs Productions, based in Missoula, MT. He's a full-service independent television producer who produces shows for multiple television networks including History Channel, Animal Planet, Fox Business, and Discovery Channel. Bridger counts himself fortunate enough to work every day with amazingly creative people in Montana and across the US, to create incredible projects and tell unique stories.