Land, Leadership, and Legacy: George Washington and Montana Identity (Helena, MT)

Sara Marie Massee

Dr. Massee has many years of experience in the field of living history. Her particular passions are interpreting the enslaved community and conducting 18th-century cooking, baking, and textile demonstrations, using a combination of research and hands-on experience to illuminate daily life. She received her Ph.D. in Cultural Studies from George Mason University. She recently developed a walking tour titled "Washington the Farmer" about how George Washington’s innovative farming experiments at Mount Vernon transformed agriculture, revealed his forward-thinking leadership, and helped shape his vision for the future of the nation.

Expertise: Textile Production at Mount Vernon, Historic Cooking Techniques and Food Traditions, Foodways of the Enslaved

Aaron Kind

Aaron Kind is the Park Manager at Chief Plenty Coups State Park. He has been the ranger there since 2013 and held positions before that with the US Forest Service, the BLM and the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Aaron has his degree in Anthropology, is an experienced interpreter and teacher and has done much to enhance the educational programs at the park. Aaron is originally from Centerville, MT and enjoys spending time with his family, fly fishing and rooting for the Bobcats.
 

Sunny Day Real Bird

Sunny Day Real Bird serves as the Director of American Indian Outreach at Montana State University and leads the Native American Achievement Center. Sunny is an enrolled member of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation and a descendant of the Aaniiih (Gros Ventre) people.
She holds a Master of Educational Leadership from Montana State University Bozeman, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching with an emphasis in Secondary Mathematics, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.

Prior to her work at MSU Billings, Sunny served as the Director of Indian Education for the Ronan School District and taught middle school mathematics at Ronan Middle School. She has over 15 years of experience in K–12 and higher education, with a focus on Indigenous student success, culturally responsive education, strategic planning, recruitment, retention, and community partnership development.

Sunny is recognized for her leadership in Indigenous education, language revitalization, cultural preservation, and student advocacy. Under her leadership, the Native American Achievement Center has increased Native student enrollment and retention while securing significant grant and scholarship funding to support Native student success initiatives, cultural programming, and community engagement opportunities.

Her honors include being named Confederated Salish and Kootenai Educator of the Year, receiving the Sapsik’ʷałá Outstanding Community Service Award, and earning the Excellence Award for service and leadership.

Sunny is passionate about creating spaces where Indigenous students feel seen, supported, and empowered through education, culture, and community. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, beading, and supporting cultural arts and language revitalization efforts.
 

Shawnel Padilla

Shawnel Padilla is Mi’gmaq First Nations. She’s a former classroom teacher turned school librarian in Alaska. Shawnel earned a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in History and an M.A. in Education from the University of Alaska. She earned a library certification from Montana State University with a primary focus on
Indigenous Perspectives in School Librarianship. Shawnel completed her fellowship in 2023 through the War in Washington’s World Fellowship and is a teacher facilitator for the George Washington Teacher Institute. She is a curriculum creator and consultant with a focus on elementary social studies curriculum and Indigenous perspectives. In her free time, she travels across the United States, exploring museums and historical sites and hiking with family and friends.