November/December 2023 Down Country Roads NovDec 2023 1 | Page 4

jason ferguson
kate najacht
esther noe
jay gismondi
Jason Ferguson has been writing for the better part of 20 years and has won dozens of South Dakota Press Association awards and one National Newspaper Association Award . He was named the state ’ s Outstanding Young Journalist in 2002 . Ferguson has a bachelor ’ s degree in English and journalism from Chadron State College . He enjoys movies , sports , exercising and being outdoors .
Kate Najacht moved to the Black Hills in June 2014 after living in a small college town in Ohio for 30 years . She earned a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and popular culture in 2004 and worked for an academic library . She loves God and her son .
Esther Noe has been writing since she could first hold a pencil . In 2021 , she graduated with a bachelor ' s in Liberal Studies from Thomas Edison State University where she studied writing , communications and literature . Today Esther is an office manager and an award-winning journalist for Hill City Prevailer News and was named the South Dakota Newspaper Association ' s Outstanding Young Journalist for weekly newspapers in 2022 . When not writing , she enjoys crafting , reading and spending time with family and friends .
Jay Gismondi has traveled and lived all over the country and the world . He is a father of six children and a K-9 enthusiast who loves rucking and hiking in the Black Hills . Jay is an avid horseman who has accomplished two - 1,000 mile endurance rides , five - 500 mile plus endurance rides and has ridden horseback on three continents . He now rides a desk doing graphic design for Down Country Roads and several other publications .
nathan steele
leslie silverman
Nathan Steele is a Black Hills native , having grown up in Custer and only leaving to earn his bachelor ’ s degree in English at the University of Wyoming . Upon graduating , Nathan returned home to Custer in late 2022 to begin a career as a reporter at his hometown newspaper , the Custer County Chronicle . He is passionate about the outdoors and loves to hike , kayak and view wildlife . He enjoys art in all forms , collecting houseplants and his mom ’ s homemade ice cream .
Leslie Silverman has called the Black Hills home since 2018 . She earned a bachelor of arts degree in English and physics in 1994 and worked in education for more than 30 years before beginning her second career in journalism . She loves being outdoors and spending time with family , friends and her dog Sadie .
laura lindblom
Laura is a writer and photographer near Hermosa , SD , where she ranches with her husband . She writes a blog , Song Dog Journal , and does portrait photography , western lifestyle , and fine art photojournalism . When she isn ' t working cows , writing , or taking pictures , you can find her in her garden , hiking with her dog , Josie , or wrangling chickens .
deb mclain
Deb worked for the Custer Chronicle for nine years before catching the wanderlust bug , which led her to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana . Today , you ' ll find her as the creative director at The Sheridan Press in Sheridan , Wyo . Deb has a passion to work with small businesses helping them craft unique brand identities
4 Down Country Roads November / December 2023