COMMANDER LAUREN GURNEY

Wyoming’s only female D.U.S.T.O.F.F. MEDEVAC pilot and Commander of G Co 2-211th Aviation Regiment

Wyoming’s only female Army MEDEVAC pilot and the first woman to serve as a Ground Communication Outlet (GCO) Commander in Wyoming, Lauren “Lolo” Gurney is a leader whose mission in aviation is to rise to the call and save lives. Piloting UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, Lauren’s flight journey had humble beginnings, first inspired by watching the movie Dumbo as a child. Between the ages of 9 and 19, she raced cars with her dad and worked as a mechanic in his pit crew. When she was 16, the Sports Car Club of America honored her with the title of “Mechanic of the Year.” Her grandfather, a veterinarian, Korean War paramedic, and former NASA Valkyrie project technician, pushed Lauren to pursue her flight, outer space, science, and medical interests. Enlisting in the Army at 17 years old, she graduated from military college in pre-medicine and, five years later, graduated from flight school.

Lauren has served multiple deployments abroad, including combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, where she served as the officer-in-charge (OIC). She’s been an active member of the Wyoming National Guard as a UH-60 D.U.S.T.O.F.F. test pilot and pilot in command since 2016 and a MEDEVAC pilot since 2010. D.U.S.T.O.F.F. stands for “Dedicated Unhesitating Support to Our Fighting Forces.” Most recently, Gurney is the first woman in Wyoming to hold the title of Commander of G Co 2-211th Aviation Regiment at F.E. Warren Airforce Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

When she’s not piloting an aircraft or guiding her team, Lauren can be found expressing her creative joy as a self-taught baker and chocolatier. She’s owned multiple baking businesses over the years, including Jackson Hole Cake Co and CoCopellie Chocolatier in New Mexico. Baking is her outlet where she builds relationships around love and connection. She’s baked in every country in which she’s been deployed and loves baking for her community the most. 

ROSIE BERGER

Former Wyoming legislator and community leader

The eldest of seven children, Rosie stepped into leadership at an early age. Growing up on a dairy farm in Daleyville, Wisconsin, Rosie determined by age 13 to get a good education, learn French, and travel. She worked in Switzerland and studied art history at the University of Wisconsin. On a road trip out West, Rosie fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and eventually settled in Sheridan where she’s lived since 1978. She managed and co-owned Sheridan’s Brittain World Travel for 18 years, and served as President of the Sheridan Chamber of Commerce. As a community leader, Rosie worked with the Wyoming Film Commission, Sheridan Arts Council, Wyoming Theater Board, State Parks and Cultural Resources Commission, and the Dog and Cat Shelter, among other organizations.

During her seven terms in Wyoming’s House of Representatives, Rosie worked with four Governors and was involved in almost every aspect of state government. Most notably, she helped institute legislation for the judicial system, landowner rights, economic development, health industry, and the prevention of animal cruelty. She served as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Speaker Pro Temp, and Majority Leader. Rosie was chair of the Council of State Governments-West and on the executive board of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

She is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Wyoming and a current facilitator for the statewide program. She is a co-founder of the Leap Into Leadership event and the Wyoming Women’s Legislative Caucus, both of which encourage women to rise up and pursue leadership positions. Rosie’s served on the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission, the Brinton Museum National Advisory Council, the ENDOW initiative, CLIMB Wyoming, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, and several other state organizations that fulfill her mission to build up and serve her community.

Rosie was awarded the Governor's Woman of Distinction in 2023. 

HILLARY WALRATH

Wildlife biologist, manager of the Henry’s Fork waterway for Trout Unlimited, and founder of the Seedskadee Women’s Fly Fishing Float

Hillary Walrath grew up on a remote ranger station in northern Idaho where the Lochsa River flowed through her backyard. That experience instilled an intrinsic connection to water, wild places, and rivers, which have remained a constant presence in her life, and which she has translated into her career. As a Wildlife Biologist and Outreach Coordinator for Trout Unlimited, Hillary’s mission is to find creative, smart solutions that work for both wildlife and landowners. With increasing populations, pressures on natural resources, and the value of water in the West, creative problem solving is called for on a daily basis.

She’s also an avid outdoorswoman and founder of the Seedskadee Women’s Fly Fishing Float, an annual fly fishing event that empowers women to get on the water and learn to fish. As a mother of two daughters, Hillary noticed she was often the only woman on the river; she created the float to inspire more women to feel confident getting outside with their families.

Her goals with her recreational and conservation outreach efforts are to instill value and appreciation for Wyoming’s wild places and to inspire more people to utilize public lands so they care about the preservation of land for future generations.

ELIZABETH FERNANDEZ

Creator, choreographer, and the executive and artistic director of Rocky Mountain School of the Arts and Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre

Dancer, teacher, and choreographer Elizabeth Fernandez creates a space for performing artists in Cody, Wyoming as the Executive and Artistic Director of Rocky Mountain School of the Arts (RMSA) and Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre (RMDT). After graduating with honors from the University of Northern Colorado in Dance Teaching/Movement Analysis and Dance Kinesiology, Elizabeth moved home to open her own dance school and performing arts company. Under her direction, RMSA and RMDT train students of all ages in the arts of dance and theatre, focusing on building dancers with strong foundations in the technical and performance aspects of ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and musical theatre.

In addition to teaching full-time, Elizabeth creates and choreographs; projects include The Nutcracker Ballet and an original musical, the Wild West Spectacular, which is about Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. She is a lifelong learner and certified at the highest level through the Russian American Foundation’s Bolshoi Ballet Academy.

Through her work cultivating opportunity for young people in the performing arts, she inspires young dancers and actors to strive for excellence in technique, self-discipline, self-confidence, individuality, and artistic expression, while promoting the performing arts as a vital force of reflection and perspective in Wyoming.

JILL WINGER

Online homestead mentor and author of The Prairie Homestead cookbook

Jill Winger’s homesteading evolution began when she and her husband Christian bought a 67-acre, tumbledown property outside of Chugwater, Wyoming. Flooded with an overwhelming rush of inspiration on how she could make their land sustainable, they started a compost pile, bought a few chickens, and began delving into the homesteading lifestyle. In 2010, Jill launched her official brand, The Prairie Homestead, which started as an online blog to share what she was learning with other like-minded souls.

Today, Jill has grown her brand into a global platform with tens of thousands of followers who want to live more intentional lives. She recently debuted her cookbook in partnership with Macmillian Publishers; it quickly became an Amazon best seller. Self-described as “old-fashioned on purpose,” Jill’s philosophy to return to the land is not to be trendy but because it brings her a great sense of peace and joy.

An entrepreneur and influencer, Jill loves empowering others to incorporate rural arts and skills into their lives, no matter where they live, and reap the physical and mental health benefits that can result from living more simply.