About Us: Travelers/Helpers
James Wilbur Walton
The late Tlingit elder James Wilbur Walton, was an inspiration for a myriad of people through his lifetime of work on behalf of indigenous people. Jim always talked about the indigenous teaching that says "There won't be peace on earth until the voices of the grandmothers are heard." Though he has passed to the next world, his teachings and life work provided the inspiration for us to learn more. We forever honor and remember him.
Tatyana Martynova and Nadia Noeva
Tatyana Martynova (left) who was also interviewed for the project, lives in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic (Yakutia). She is a psychologist who is one of the women responsible for starting the first women's centers in the Republic in Cherski, one of the northernmost villages in the world. Tonya currently works with women and handicapped children in Yakutsk. A portion of the proceeds from this project will go to help fund a center for women and children in that city.
Nadia Noeva (right) is an English teacher and professional translator in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic. One of her life dreams has been to capture the beauty and majesty of her traditional Sakha culture and become a filmmaker. She served as the translator for the project and as the primary filmmaker.
Cheryl Eldemar
Cheryl Eldemar works for an environmental group protecting the world's oceans. She currently lives in Juneau, Alaska. Cheryl has dedicated her life to helping to preserve her Tlingit culture and to preserving mother earth. Cheryl is also an accomplished artist.
Victoria Linssen
Victoria Linssen is an award-winning photographer and documentary filmmaker whose mission is to tell conscious visual stories that uplift and inspire people to take better care of our world. She is a cum laude graduate of the Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, CA and has Bachelor of Science degrees in Visual Journalism and Business Finance. The emphasis in her visual career has been in the nonprofit sector developing :truetories that bring awareness to worthwhile projects.
Lisa Barbee
Lisa Barbee is a singer/songwriter from Ojai, California whose inspiration for writing comes from her life experiences. Lisa says her ability to write has been a gift from God and she hopes to use it to lift others up in some way. She lives life simply, hoping to make a positive difference to her fellow travelers. Lisa's contributions to the project include our theme song "Listen to Their Voices" and "The Good Red Road."
David Schermerhorn
David Schermerhorn wrote and co-produced the critically acclaimed independent film "Broken Vessels" which won the Audience Award for “Best Film” at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, was nominated for a British Independent Film Award and was an official selection at the Toronto Film Festival. The film was hailed by Variety as one of the “Top Ten Independent Films” of the year. David has directed a number of award-winning short films including, "Angryman", He was an Executive Producer of the documentary series, “Chapel Of Love” for ABC Family and “Driving Force” for A&E Networks. David freely gave his expertise and talents to help The Women's Voices Project.
Sarah Hawley
Sarah Hawley is a singer/songwriter and a healer, who also freely gave of her talents to the Women's Voices Project. Sarah has worked as a Shaman and a therapist for 20 years. She finds time to also perform with local improve theater groups and has written numerous songs that can be found on Itunes. Sarah donated the songs "Believe" and "God's Will" to our project and has provided support and guidance to us along the journey.