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Gretchen Peterson joined Portland Storytellers Guild in 2014 and has told stories live on stage and on Zoom. She also wrote and performed two one-women shows with Portland’s Fertile Ground Festival.

She enjoys crafting personal stories, original folktales, fairy tales, and myths, usually with the theme of women who love women. Her mantra is, “I have a story, and my voice matters!”

A multilingual storyteller transplanted from Arizona performing in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English, with some Quechua and Nahuatl thrown in. Studied and performed with the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute in Phoenix AZ. Crafts all types of stories & favorites are ones with humorous twists, unexpected outcomes, or flat out lies. First a professor of languages, now a professor of adaptive technology, a trombonist, and a storyteller. A member of Portland Storytellers Guild in Portland.

Mike has always been a teacher, and Storytelling has always been at the core of his teaching style. In 1997 Mike was named National Teacher of the Year by the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education. The award noted “…his creative use of story in helping students see the importance of day-to-day values and ethics.” His stories are often narratives that listeners recognize in their own lives.

A few years ago Mike retired from over 40 years of teaching. But he may be the most “Un-Retired” retired person you will ever see. For a while Mike was the oldest Lifeguard in the Portland Metro Area, but he moved on to become an umpire for the United States Tennis Association. He is also a Substitute Teacher and volunteer at Neighborhood House. And “Oh Yeah!” Mike joined the Portland Storytellers Guild and now serves on their Board. In March of 2019 Mike won a Moth STORY SLAM, sponsored by National Public Radio, and went on to compete in the Grand SLAM competition. He has Told Stories in Schools, Churches, Community Centers, Senior Centers, Libraries, Theaters, Convention Centers, Zoom and Bars.