Our Team

Crista Munro is the co-founder (with her late husband, Dan Appenzeller) and former executive director of FolkWest, a cultural nonprofit that produces the Four Corners Folk Festival and Pagosa Folk ‘N Bluegrass in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. She took the helm at SFF Presents in July of 2019, bringing 2+ decades of music event production, marketing, and nonprofit administrative experience to the position. Crista also serves on the board of directors of Explore Sisters and enjoys attending concerts, camping, hiking, and cross-country skiing with her husband Rob and their two dogs, Ellie and Toby.

Brad Tisdel is a creative spirit, musician and educator, and has lived in Sisters since 1995. He co-founded and helped create the Americana Project, the Americana Song Academy, and the annual fundraiser My Own Two Hands. Brad believes in community integration and connection and has helped steer the non-profit SFF Presents into being a year-round cultural arts organization. A native Oregonian, Brad loves the beauty and solitude of Sisters Country and enjoys sharing it with his wife, Tiffany, and their son, Spencer.

As a CPA for over 20 years, Teresa brings her knowledge and experience to SFF Presents. She enjoys all things SFF Presents, including the accounting and budgeting! Teresa believes that the arts – all arts – truly change lives and is honored to be a part of the journey with the SFFP team, patrons, and supporters. In her spare time, she can be found cycling, hiking, or enjoying music.

Erin joined the team in 2022 with a great enthusiasm for spreading the word about the incredible work done at SFF Presents. She has experience in marketing, brand management, and writing with a degree in Journalism and Media Communication from Colorado State University. Originally from Telluride, CO, she has been fortunate to have been raised attending the Telluride Bluegrass and Blues & Brews festivals all her life. When she’s not working, you’ll find her rafting the Deschutes, skiing at Mt. Bachelor, or tackling a new recipe in the kitchen.

Kaela grew up in a family of musicians and river guides, attending her first folk festival while in her mother’s belly. From those roots she grew into an event producer, forming a gourmet food and music event company (Serenade), co-founding and producing her own micro music festival (Folk & Forage), and leading white water rafting trips in Oregon and California. Kaela is a mother, a preparer of extravagant meals, a garden putterer, and an appreciator of the art of a well organized spreadsheet. In joining the SFF team, Kaela is excited to put her energy and care into the music, the community, and a cause she truly believes in!

Dedicated to curating spaces that inspire, Ty joined SFF Presents after honing his skills for nearly two decades in the entertainment industry. Born and raised in Central Oregon, he brings a wide base of experience to this realm and a deep love for implementing creative ideas through innovation. His skillset includes bringing new life to corporate audio visual work, coordinating festival and tour logistics, and crafting venue workflows that succeed. His knowledge of the PNW brings insight, and Ty is passionate that the quality of his work matches or exceeds the expectations of our unique region. Music and production have woven their way into the fabric of his whole life.

Ruth originally hails from Wales, and joined SFF Presents after a varied professional life focused on international education. During this time, she worked with institutions across Europe, East Africa and most recently New England and California. Since moving to PNW, Ruth has been a full-time volunteer with the Oregon State Parks system and the Department of Fish and Wildlife; working on everything from video tutorials for staff, to counting and measuring migrating chinook. Outside of her role with SFF Presents, she is a keen, if rather basic, downhill skier, an enthusiastic baker, and amateur photographer.

A native Oregonian eager to keep the outdoors forefront, while also living closer to family, Leanne moved to Tumalo from Alaska in 2004, then to Sisters in 2019. She has two adventurous children and two energetic grandsons. Leanne has more than 24 years of executive experience in the commercial real estate industry. In addition, she’s worked in the health and community initiative sectors, and taught writing at both the University of Alaska-Anchorage and COCC. She’s also been active on several non-profit boards and served as a search manager for Deschutes County SAR. Currently, Leanne is a leadership training consultant. She believes leaders who access creativity, both professionally and personally, can help others discover and hone their own adaptive and innovative capabilities. She’s excited to bring her experience and creativity to the SFF board.

Phoenix moved to Sisters with her husband, Tom, to fulfill her dream of being a part of this beautiful community! She spent the bulk of her career working in the mental health field with children and teens and is currently the counselor at Black Butte School in Camp Sherman. She also teaches yoga throughout the community, helping people live in alignment. Phoenix is thrilled to be a part of the SFF board. She is moved beyond measure by the power of music and art; in healing and growing healthy humans. We nurture our souls with the things that breathe life into it. Phoenix does this by running long distances, practicing yoga, being with music, and spending quality time talking and playing with the people she loves.

For over 30 years, Jeff and his family have recreated for much of the year in Sisters country. And while his wife, Rhonda, advocated throughout that time for a fulltime move to Sisters to raise their three sons, they weren’t able to pull that off until early 2019, when they moved to property just outside of town. As a strong supporter of the Sisters community and someone who loves to listen to music, play music, and watch others play music, Jeff is excited to join a board that does so much to promote and support community activities using music and the arts. After a long career in the legal and investment world, he is most happy now on the farm fixing things, mending fences, making things out of wood, or taking trips with Rhonda and their two dogs, Buck and Cody, to camp, hike and fish (or catch a music festival somewhere!).

Wanting to explore and enjoy a more pristine lifestyle upon retirement, Steve and his wife Sheryl moved to Sisters in 2017 after living in Portland all their years prior. After attending their first Sisters Folk Festival in 2016 they were hooked and wanted to be part of this vibrant and giving community event. Steve earned his B.S. in Marketing from Oregon State and his MBA from George Fox College and retired as the NW District Vice President of Sales for Eaton Corporation. Steve has served on multiple boards and is very excited about contributing his energy and skill set to helping the Sisters Folk Festival. Steve enjoys fly fishing (tying his own flies) and can be found often attempting to trick a trout on the Metolius to engage his fly.

Paul, his wife, Mary, and children moved to Bend 30 years ago. A celebrated veteran in brand strategy, design and advertising, Paul led the teams behind the creative development of craft beverage brands such as Humm Kombucha, 21st Amendment, Deschutes Brewery, Odell Brewing and Crux Fermentation Project — which he co-founded. Then in 2017, Paul co-founded Riff, a cold-brewed coffee company, along with his son, Bobby, and veterans from Stumptown and LinkedIn. Paul is also a long-time active Central Oregon community member, having played a significant role in launching both the Bend Volunteer Corps and TEDxBend.

Judy Fuentes has lived in Central Oregon for 16 years and is a mother to 4 awesome humans. Judy is an artist and art educator. For over 20 years Judy has developed art curriculums to bring authentic art education into schools and communities and is currently the middle school art teacher at SMS. She has worked with musicians, actors, and artists to empower youth as they search for their sense of self, explore their unique identities, and appreciate the diversity in the world. She enjoys connecting and collaborating with community members of all ages to create experiences and artwork. Judy is excited to be part of the SFF Board! When she can, Judy nourishes herself through the beauty of nature, music, art, and friendships.

Bio coming soon!

Jim Cornelius is a co-founder of the Sisters Folk Festival. His passion for music grew out of his love for good storytelling, and his musical heroes tend to be storytellers — Tom Russell, Dave Alvin, Steve Earle, Guy Clark. He makes his living with his pen as the editor of The Nugget Newspaper in Sisters, Oregon and is himself a songwriter and performer. He keeps the history blog FrontierPartisans.com