Our Team

Susan O’Connor

Director of Programs

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 281
Email: susan@storytellingcenter.net

Susan is responsible for the overall direction and artistic programming of the National Storytelling Festival, the Teller-In-Residence Series, as well as ISC’s visitor activities and regional outreach programs.

Susan is a graduate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science degree in educational psychology. A former teacher, she began her work with the organization in 1989.

Sandy Reaves

Director of Finance & Operations

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 279
Email: sandy@storytellingcenter.net

As the Director of Finance, Sandy is responsible for ISC’s accounting practices, maintaining financial records, preparing financial management reports and procedures, as well as administering the employee benefits program. As the Director of Operations, Sandy is responsible for the direction and coordination of the organization. She is responsible for the growth and profitability of the organization. This role includes expense control, staff management, facilities oversight, and department supervision.

Sandy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from East Tennessee State University. She worked with Lewis and Associates, a public Accounting firm in Johnson City, Tennessee for three years before joining the ISC staff in February of 2003.

Krystal Hawkins

Program Administrator

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 282
Email: krystal@storytellingcenter.net

Krystal is responsible for coordinating the talent logistics for the National Storytelling Festival, managing the daily operations for the 26-week Teller-In-Residence Series and providing general administrative support of all programs. She joined the ISC staff full-time in July of 2017.

Lesley McDavid

Facility Director

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 226
Email: lesley@storytellingcenter.net

Lesley is responsible for planning, coordinating and directing all Center activities including facility rentals, gift shop stock and staff management for the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall.

Lesley has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management from East Tennessee State University. Lesley joined the ISC staff in July 2020.

Lisa Whaley

Director of Development

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 224
Email: lisa@storytellingcenter.net

Lisa oversees all aspects of Fund Development at the International Storytelling Center. This includes procuring, developing, and managing relationships with donors and sponsors, as well as developing new and innovative ways to seek funding sources, including grants and gifts.

Lisa helps to strengthen and build visibility at local, national and international levels and to all constituents, while also strengthening and diversifying communications with target audiences through community relations, speaking engagements, and the ways we tell ISC’s stories.

Marianne Huff

Festival Registration Coordinator

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 283
Email: marianne@storytellingcenter.net

Marianne is responsible for overseeing all mail, phone, and online registrations for the National Storytelling Festival as well as on-site Festival registration. Marianne joined the staff in 2012.

Angela White

Communications Associate

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 230
Email: angela@storytellingcenter.net

Angela serves as the communications associate. She administers all aspects of ISC’s marketing and digital communication efforts, including ISC’s web presence, traditional marketing, media relations, program ad sales, and coordinates sponsorships for Festival and Teller-in-Residence programming.  

Angela is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and holds a master’s degree in Brand and Media Strategy, and a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications. Angela joined ISC in 2021.

Sarah Bethea

Customer Service Host

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 222
Email: frontdesk@storytellingcenter.net

Sarah is responsible for welcoming and serving our on-site visitors at the ISC, providing information and support for registrants of the National Storytelling Festival and the Teller-In-Residence Series. Sarah is responsible for overseeing the vast volunteer program at the Center. She also assists the facility director with various activities. Sarah joined the staff in 2021.

Kate Walters

Administrative Assistant

Phone: 800-952-8392 ext. 284
Email: kate@storytellingcenter.net

Kate is responsible for providing administrative support for ISC’s managerial staff. Kate joined the organization in 2006.

Kiran Singh Sirah

Past President

Email: kirandeepsirah@gmail.com

Storytelling: A Peaceful Power – A TEDxNashville with Kiran Sirah

Namaste, y’all –  The Rotarian, February 2019

Speaker Profile

Kiran Singh Sirah is Past President of the International Storytelling Center (ISC), prior to his appointment at ISC, Kiran developed a number of award-winning arts, cultural and human rights programs in cultural centers across the UK and Ireland. Widely recognized for advancing storytelling as a tool for building social empathy and intercultural understanding, he has spoken and led programming at the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, the US Senate of foreign relations, US state department, and the Pentagon.  Kiran champions his beliefs in the power of human creativity, arts, storytelling and social justice through his advisory role to UNESCO Scotland and through his service as a Rotary Peace Fellow.  In 2017, Sirah was awarded the “Champion of Peace” recognition at the Rotary International Day ceremony at the United Nations in Geneva. Kiran firmly believes Storytelling not only has the power to enrich lives, but it also holds the key to building a conflict free society.

Jimmy Neil Smith

Founder & President Emeritus

Ariel Gratch, Vice Chairman

Second Term Ends 2024

Assistant Professor of Communication Arts Utica College

Ariel Gratch is an academic and a storyteller. As an academic, Ariel has published on how storytelling takes shape in the digital age, how storytelling plays an integral role in shaping our identities, and how storytelling is an educational tool. Ariel is also a storyteller who likes to experiment with new ways of telling stories, be it through audience participation, the incorporation of new media, or by drawing on avant-garde performance techniques in his telling. He has performed at the National Storytelling Festival’s Story Slam, the New Orleans Fringe Festival, the Experimental Methodologies Symposium in Surrey, the SOS Winter Storytelling Festival, and at many universities and theatres in the United States. Ariel loves to tell and listen and believes that we become our best selves through storytelling.

Claudia Kozinetz

Second Term Ends 2023

Professor and Chair, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at ETSU College of Public Health

Claudia Kozinetz is an epidemiologist, professor and Chair, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, ETSU College of Public Health.  A sound story is an important tool for informing the public of health issues and risks.  Storytelling is thus an important skill for our public health students to master.  A native of Massachusetts, Claudia lives in Johnson City, TN after residing for over thirty years in Houston, TX.  She finds it a great honor to collaborate and support the ISC.

Donna Cherry

First Term Ends 2023

Associate Professor, Department of Social Work at ETSU College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

Donna Cherry is a social work educator, licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma, and co-founder/executive director of Huschka House, a transitional living program for youth at-risk for homelessness, including those aging out of foster care.  She believes in the power of story for her students and clients to understand and heal from trauma and find meaning and purpose in life. Donna is a native of Oregon and is proud to be part of the Johnson City/Northeast Tennessee community and especially delighted to be part of ISC Board and ISC’s SHEro’s Journey program for at-risk female youth.

Lyn Ford

First Term Ends 2024

Lynda Harris, Chairwoman

First Term Ends 2024

Nikki Niswonger

Second Term Ends 2023

Nikki Niswonger is a community volunteer that focuses her service on education, history and wellness.  She has served on boards for the United Way, Frontier Health, Greeneville-Greene County History Museum, Community of Promise and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.   She was a founding member of the Greeneville City School Foundation and the East Tennessee Women’s Fund.   Nikki currently serves at the secretary to the Niswonger Foundation.  As a passionate patron of all Storytelling events, she has introduced many newcomers to the performances in October and throughout the year.  She is dedicated to the mission of the ISC to have “a better life, a better world, through storytelling”.

Ryan Chupa

First Term Ends 2023

Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership

Ryan Chupa serves as the Vice President of Finance and Administration for the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership. He oversees the financial management for six non-profit organizations and serves on several regional boards. Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Milligan College, Master of Business Administration degree from East Tennessee State University and an Economic Development Certificate from the University of Oklahoma. Ryan grew up in Carter County, Tennessee and has lived in Johnson City since 2003. He believes the Appalachian Highlands is a hidden gem and storytelling will be a major component in the success of the region. Ryan lives with his wife Jessica and two kids, Reese and Carter. In his spare time, he enjoys biking, hiking, fishing, golfing and kayaking.

Sue O’Halloran

First Term Ends 2023

Senior Consultant for The Kaleidoscope Group

Producer, Speaker and Storyteller – O’Halloran Diversity Productions

Since 1969, Sue O’Halloran has performed nationally and internationally and led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seminars in corporate and nonprofit settings. Sue is author of several books and curricula including Diversity in Our Schools, Common Cross-Cultural Mistakes, Kaleidoscope: Valuing Differences and Creating Inclusion and Compelling Stories, Compelling Causes: Nonprofit Marketing Success.

In addition, Sue produces award-winning multicultural performances including White, Black and Brown: Tribes & Bridges at the Steppenwolf Theatre and More Alike Than Not: Stories of Three Americans – Christian, Jewish and Muslim. She is producer/director of the www.RacebridgesStudio.com site which showcases over 250 social justice video stories and receives over half a million visitors each year.

Sue believes in the power of storytelling to bring people together. About her own storytelling skills, The Chicago Reader’s Critic Choice said, “O’Halloran has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.”

Terry Countermine

Board Emeritus Member – 2020

Terry served on the ISC Board from 2013-2019.

Thelma Kidd

Board Emeritus Member – 2020

Thelma served on the ISC Board from 2013-2019.