Our Team

Tammy Pate

Founder

Tammy Pate was born and raised in Montana, and has a long family history rich with rodeo and ranching roots. Her parents, Gordon and Shirley Clark, raised her horseback and provided a childhood filled with horses and rodeo. Tammy attributes her love of the western lifestyle and especially her appreciation for the cowgirl spirit to her grandma Betty Kunesh, a true pioneer woman who could break horses as well as she can bake a pie. Along with being a horsewoman, Tammy has created her own name in the horsemanship world, one of her foundation events being “Experience Horses and Yoga,” at the Home Ranch in Colorado, which boasts the prestigious Relais and Chateaux mark of approval. Tammy is an artist and boot maker. She is passionate about the western lifestyle and the art and craftsmanship this way of life provides

Mesa Pate

World’s Greatest Horsewoman, Ranch Rodeo, and Elite Ranch Horse Sale Director

Mesa Pate was born and raised in the ranching community of Montana. Her life began on a ranch, and that way of life runs deep in her veins. Growing up her parents traveled the country putting on horse training demonstrations and clinics. Mesa was exposed to different people and cultures and all different types of cattle, horses and handling techniques from a very young age. Curt Pate has created a name for the Pate’s in the livestock industry by putting on low-stress livestock handling workshops and demonstrations. Through that, Mesa was exposed to a very innovative way of handling animals and practices that today. She is an advocate for animal welfare and is involved with working to create a healthier environment for livestock and to promote a good image for the livestock industry.

Jaimie Stoltzfus

COO & Executive Director of Foundation

Jaimie was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona and the love of horses ran deep from a young age. She had the privilege of studying under some amazing horsemen and women growing up which only deepened her desire for learning the art of horsemanship. Jaimie attended Colorado State University and obtained a degree in Ag Business and Equine Science. Jaimie and her husband Austin now manage Griffin Land and Cattle outside of Billings, MT with their two young children.

Jaimie enjoys raising high quality meat and founded Cowgirl Meat Company to sell pork and beef direct from the ranch to consumers across the US. Jaimie also has a heart for helping people and offers workshops and retreats through her equine coaching business, Spurring Change. You will usually find Jaimie with her two young kids alongside her “learning the ropes”, enjoying the lifestyle they love.

Kim Davidson

VIP Director

Kim was born and raised in Montana and has been involved in fundraising and event
planning for 30 years. She has volunteered for many school fund raisers, foundation
boards and rodeo committees. She chaired the Miss Last Chance Stampede Queen Contest
and became involved working with Tammy when Tammy was Miss Rodeo Montana. She
lives with her husband Griff on a small ranch near Butte, Montana and is excited to be
working with Art of the Cowgirl and promoting the western lifestyle.

Marilyn Callaway

Tradeshow Director

Marilyn was a partner in a national livestock magazine for 14 years, the leader of the local 4-H club and supported her daughters through musical ride, high school rodeo and trick riding amongst other directions their hearts led them.

Her summers are spent competing in the Senior Pro Rodeo Association where she is the current break away roping director, as well as competing in break away roping and barrel racing jackpots around Alberta.  When the summer rodeos wind down and fall approaches she enjoys going to the pasture helping with the fall round up.  Early morning gathering and sorting are the best way to start the day.

Savanna Simmons

Event Experience Program Director

Savanna Simmons is a ranch wife, mother to two young cowboys, and horseman. She was born and raised in Wisconsin where she grew up learning good horsemanship.

After earning her journalism degree, she married a cowboy. She and her husband Boe and sons Brindle and Roan have lived in the middle of nowhere Wyoming on a large commercial cow-calf and yearling operation ranch since 2014. Savanna “busses” the kids 30 miles to school in a town of 700 in South Dakota, the closest school by miles.

Savanna works for the media team at the American Angus Association. She has written and self-published three western children’s books, one of which is a chapter book and another of which she illustrated. She also dabbles in silversmithing as a creative outlet.

Savanna and Boe give a week of their time each year to Art of the Cowgirl, an event revolving around a fellowship program that supports women learning western trades from master artists.

Savanna and her family live a simple, quiet life on the remote ranch. She loves house design, making good horses, and moving cows with her husband and kids.

Kim Williams

 Merchandise Director

Kim was born in Billings, Montana and is the niece of “Grandma Betty”.  She grew up spending time in Montana and Washington State.  Kim found a passion in running in her 20’s when she was politely told “it is snowing in hell” (when she applied for a career with the FBI – they told her she needed to be able to run, and her reply was “when hell freezes over!” 😊 ) Her passion for running led her to a career in “event marketing/sponsorship/branded merchandise”, in the fitness industry for 18 years.  For almost two decades, Kim never felt that she “worked a day”.  Her closet is filled with cowboy boots, running shoes and stilettos!  When Tammy started Art of the Cowgirl it gave her the opportunity to provide leadership and expertise to the team in regards to “branded merchandise”. She recently moved to Arizona where she enjoys all aspects of Arizona weather and native critters.

Kim currently is working in the “event merchandise department” of Art of the Cowgirl.

Hanna Spencer

 Merchandise Director

Originally from Rifle, CO, Hanna now calls Steamboat Springs, CO home. She graduated from Colorado State University in the Spring of 2023 with a dual major in Animal Science and Equine Science. In her senior year, Hanna started her own photography company, specializing in capturing the authentic grit and rawness in western lifestyle. Most of her work up until now has combined her artistic abilities with her background in agriculture and outdoorsmanship. In addition to photography, she is pursuing an interest in law, working at a small firm in Steamboat Springs to discern if law school is in her future. Upon graduating college, she has been blessed with her first horse, a filly of which she will be starting herself as a reiner and cutter over the next year. Over the summers, she has scribed horse shows and worked horseback at various cow/calf, yearling, and seed stock operations. Aside from horses and cattle, you’ll find her running (yes, she’s that crazy person who enjoys the pain of marathons), backpacking, hunting, skiing, rafting, or truly anything outdoors! She is incredibly thankful for the opportunities that Art of the Cowgirl provides and the ability to work with such an outstanding group of women in the industry!

Lauren Summers

Photographer & Graphic Designer

Lauren is an Indiana-based graphic designer and photographer. She was honored to be the 2019 Art of the Cowgirl Photography Fellowship recipient and is now proud to be part of the Art of the Cowgirl team. She photographs the January event and works on our creative designs throughout the year. Lauren is owner of Lauren Summers Designs- www.lsummersdesign.com.

Doreen Shumpert

Tradeshow Director

Doreen is a 4th generation Colorado native who grew up in the horse industry, showing English, Western and gymkhana events in 4H, breed shows and saddle club. In college, she showed and rodeoed (roping, barrel racing) for Colorado State University and became a certified professional riding instructor through the CSU equine program. She has served as an editor and freelancer for dozens of equine and rodeo publications, including Spin To Win team roping magazine and Art of the Cowgirl. Currently the Shumpert family operates X2D Ranches and Ranch Ministries out of Ault, Colorado and continues to support youth rodeo and ranching.

Cassi Nichols

Assistant Event Coordinator

Cassi was born and raised in Fort Collins, Colorado where she spent her youth competing in gymkhanas and exploring the vast Rocky Mountains on trail rides alongside her father. With a deep passion for horses and the equine industry, Cassi decided to pursue an education from Colorado State University’s Equine Sciences Program. It was during her time at CSU that Cassi came to know Art of the Cowgirl, and she began volunteering at the yearly Arizona event. Cassi earned her bachelor’s degree in Equine Sciences with a minor in Business Administration from CSU, and shortly after married her college sweetheart, Zachary. The two recently relocated to Fort Worth, Texas where they live on their property with many, many animals.

Cassi currently works in the marketing department of a western fashion company and runs her own western home goods and jewelry boutique. She loves being part of Art of the Cowgirl and embracing the bond all who possess cowgirl spirit share.