Staff & Board

Susan Denson-Guy

Executive Director

For more than four decades, Susan has advocated for the arts with a strong belief in their power to serve as a springboard for engaging thoughtful conversations and community transformations. Through the course of her career, she has worked for land-grant universities, state agencies, and local non-profits promoting the benefits of arts and culture. She has served as the Executive Director of the Emerson Center for the Arts & culture for more than a decade with a palpable passion for the Emerson’s creative community. Away from the office, she enjoys tagging along on her husband’s research projects, exploring the wilds of Montana, gaming, and being mom to their two sons and pack of Australian Shepherds.

Erik Hansen

Maintenance Technician

With more than three decades working in construction and renovation, and a BFA in Sculpture from MSU, Erik Hansen is uniquely qualified to care for the Emerson’s historic building and its tenant’s artistic needs. As the Emerson’s Maintenance Technician, Erik enjoys being surrounded by like-minded creatives and appreciates being able to use his skills to benefit the community. After the boiler has been diligently tended to, minor plumbing catastrophes averted, and the grand old building is tucked in safe and sound, Erik likes to explore Montana’s backroads and unique places with his family and his dogs.

Heidi Krutchkoff

Artistic Director

A performer by trade, Heidi is an graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. In between performance gigs Heidi spent her time in the world of event planning, managing NYC hotspots and hosting high-profile premiere parties for movies and Broadway productions. After the birth of her first child, the call of wild was too strong and Heidi found herself returning to the mountains of Montana. Not quite willing to give up her city vibes Heidi has spent the last decade performing locally with The Ellen Theater, Shakespeare in the Parks, Verge Theater and Raison D’Etre; and producing sold-out productions of her famous Variety Show. When not in the theater you can find Heidi camping under the stars or floating the Yellowstone with her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 shelter dogs, and 1 fabulous husband.

Noah Massey

Director of Operations

Creativity, celebration, and education deeply resonate with Noah Massey. A 4th generation Bozemanite who embraces the weird hidden nuggets that make Bozeman so unique, she feels a shared history with the Emerson that brought her to be Director of Operations. Noah brings an exceptional sense of planning, organization, and most importantly humor to managing the public spaces and operations of the Emerson. She has degrees in Studio Art and Art History, a Masters of Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is a well-known figurative painter whose pieces are rich in color and personality. Crowned the “Master of Mayhem” by her family, Noah can be found training as a weightlifter, wrangling two mastiff pups and a small gang of goats, and tending her gigantic garden.

Calli Nissen

Education Curator

With years of experience teaching all levels of art education, Calli loves working with students of all ages and backgrounds. From leading an art education program in rural Eastern Montana to developing and running a summer art academy in busy Dallas, Calli brings excitement to her students through her passion for art. Calli found this passion for art and education while attending Northwest College, a small community college in her hometown of Powell, Wyoming. She received her BFA from the University of Wyoming focused in ceramics and printmaking, then went on to receive her MFA from the University of Dallas focused on Printmaking.

Dacotah Stordahl

Theater Manager

Dacotah Stordahl discovered his passion for audio and visual tech as a teenager, in the Emerson’s own Crawford Theater. After studying at MSU’s School of Film and Photography and gaining years of behind-the-scenes experience, Dacotah has returned to the Emerson as the Theater Manager. His skills in studio and live audio engineering; lighting design; stage management; show control system design; and graphic design equip him to tackle almost any production project. Outside of the theater, Dacotah plays in a local electronic band, Best Korea; scopes out Bozeman’s underground music scene; teaches K-12 students about theater tech; and enjoys the local terrain.

Lumay Wang Murphy

Vice President

Lumay Wang Murphy is an Investment Principal at ZX Ventures' Growth Equity Fund. As a corporate strategy expert, she has gained much experience in consumer product and retail industries through previous positions at Anheuser-Busch InBev and Monitor Deloitte. Lumay has served on the legislative staff of Senator John Kerry and Congressman Scott Peters. She received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and graduated from Tufts University summa cum laude where she was awarded two department prizes for her art history thesis. Lumay also serves on Bozeman's Sustainability Citizen Advisory and The Ocean Foundation board. Her first paying job was an Art Educator Assistant at the National Gallery of Art where she supported children's programs. She lives in Bozeman with her husband and young son.

Suzy Rea

Secretary

With a project management career spanning two decades, Suzy has led teams in the production of media for theatrical films, special venue installations and museums worldwide. Some of her work can be seen at NASA’s Space Center Houston, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Upon moving to Bozeman, Suzy applied her expertise in the classroom as an adjunct instructor for Montana State University’s School of Film and Photography and continues to develop film projects.

Mark Melief

Treasurer

The Emerson continues to be a large part of Mark’s family. His mother is an Emerson tenant, former board member, and long-time supporter. Now, his own children attend summer art camps. He grew up spending the school year in New York, and summers and vacations in the west. Mark earned a BA in economics from Pomona College in Los Angeles and has lived and worked in Seattle, San Francisco, and Napa Valley. When his father passed away in 2018, he joined his brother-in-law in taking the reins of the family business, Quinn’s Hot Spring Resort in western Montana. Mark and his young family moved to Bozeman 2020. Mark is passionate about the outdoors, energy technology, and the arts – especially performing arts. He is excited to bring his experience in marketing, program development and events, and financial management to the Emerson.

Lucas Swart

Director

Lucas Swart grew up in Bozeman before moving to Washington for college and to pursue a degree in Geology at Whitman College. After college, Lucas moved to Seattle where he worked for 10 years in geotechnical and environmental consulting. He moved back to Bozeman 4 years ago to lay fresh roots for his newly growing family. Lucas is a construction management professional and works in Big Sky. MT. His personal interests include photography, climbing, skiing, and mountain biking as well as other outdoor activities.

Our Team

Emerson Staff