For thirty years JoAnne was the Artistic Director and Choreographer for the Avodah Dance Ensemble, a New York City based modern dance company. Avodah toured nationally and internationally presenting its repertory in diverse settings from theaters, synagogues, churches, college campuses, community centers to prisons.  Reviewed by the NY Times, JoAnne was sited as a choreographer as one of the "best creating heart felt pieces."  Now retired from directing the dance company she found that the work in women's prison still resonated strongly for her and served as motivation for founding Healing Voices - Personal Stories.

JoAnne brings a background of study at The Juilliard School as a dance major and a Ph.D. in Theatre from the University of Wisconsin.  She is author of two books, Torah in Motion: Creating Dance Midrash and Creative Movement for a Song: Activities for Young Children as well as numerous articles for journals and magazines related to her work with Avodah.  She has taught on college faculties including Hebrew Union College and the University of the District of Columbia.

Now living in Santa Fe she divides her time between painting (mainly oils) and work in film from extra work in film and television to featured roles in student projects. Check out her art website at www.joannetuckerart.com. She sees her role with Healing Voices - Personal Stories as that of a producer.

Lynette Montoya has been actively involved in the building and business sectors on the local and national levels for more than 20 years.  Lynette began her career as Marketing Director for an architectural firm.  She was the founder of the Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and served as its Executive Director.  She has also held the position of Director of Economic Development for the City of Santa Fe and was instrumental in the city's adoption of the 2030 Challenge.  Working with HUD, Ms. Montoya facilitated a partnership among HUD, the Enterprise Foundation, Rural Community Assistance Corporation and The Housing Assistance Council to provide affordable housing services to the citizens of New Mexico.

As President of Global Hotel for 12 years, Ms. Montoya worked with clients throughout the U.S. and abroad.  Her volunteer work includes co-chairmanship of the Buckaroo Ball, which raises and distributes funds to non-profits serving Santa Fe's youth.

Lindarose has been a Clinical Social Worker, treating ill people in a psychiatric setting.  She also took part in nonprofit boards of directors that were both professional and community based.  She was a founding board member of the Connecticut Society for Clinical Social Work. Over the past decade, her professional work has moved into a minor roll, as she turns her attention to volunteering for nonprofit organizations.

Her most recent venture has involved her functioning as a board member and board President of Yampatika, an environmental educational organization in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  She watched this nonprofit nearly fail and then transition into a successful, flourishing agency.  At the same time, she is volunteering her professional skills to a School Based Mentoring program, as a consultant to the staff and mentors.

She now turns her professional and personal interest to Healing Voices-Personal Stories.  She has a deep interest in the destructive impact of trauma to the development of young people and adults and their ongoing struggle to survive and flourish.

Regina is an award winning storyteller, actor, writer, and educator, who has perfomed and taught from Brazil to Broadway, in English and Spanish, in settings from grade schools to senior centers, prisons to Carnegie Hall, homeless shelters to The White House.  Recent performances include an international storytelling festival in Zacatecas, Mexico and the title role in Peter Shaffer's comedy Lettice and Lovage for the Highland Playhouse.  She teaches storytelling for NYU's Program in Educational Theatre and produces the storytelling series at The Provincetown Playhouse.  www.RnRProductions-nyc.com.

As a teaching artist, she has given workshops in schools through Arts Horizon and Young Audiences NY.  She has performed and led workshops at women's prisons in NY, DE, and CT.  In the aftermath of 9/11, under the auspices of Mercy Corps, she facilitated workshops for adults on the issue of children and trauma.

Regina is a Board member of the NY Storytelling Center and the NY Metro Liaison to the National Storytelling Network, which, in 2003, awarded her an Oracle Award in Regional Leadership and Service.  She has published numerous articles, including: Love at First Sightin Parabola Magazine and The Holocaust, Littleton, and Our Children and A Matter of Cultural Survival in Storytelling Magazine. Her original story The Earth Dreamers was published in Holiday Stories All Year Round (Libraries Unlimited).

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Regina Ress holds a BS in English from Carnegie Mellon University. an M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University, and Certificate in TESOL from The New School.

21 Sunlit Dr. E

Santa Fe, NM 87508

201-659-7072

healingvoices.personalstories@yahoo.com