Carter County Geological Society Meetings
Programs & Events
CCGS Meetings & Lecture Series
Free Admission
Join us on the first Thursday of every month from September through June for Carter County Geological Society meetings! All meetings are free and open to the public and begin at 7 p.m. Light snacks and refreshments are provided. Each month features a different topic related to the subjects of paleontology, geology, archaeology, or art in the area. All CCGS programs are eligible for professional development credits for the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
Executive Board Meetings of the CCGS meet at 5:30 p.m. before each meeting. We do not hold CCGS meetings in July and August.
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2024-25 Carter County Geological Society
Lecture Series
Meet our Speakers:
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DR. NATHAN CARROLL
Dr. Nathan Carroll is the Carter County Museum's Curator of Paleontology and a founder of the Annual Dino Shindig event. Nathan received a B.S. in Earth Sciences from Montana State University, where he studied pterosaurs. His doctoral thesis at the Earth Science Department at the University of Southern California focused on flight-feather evolution studying three-dimensional amber, coprolites, and lithic fossils. In addition to his curatorial duties, Nathan manages the museum’s paleontology lab and active field program.
Dr. Sabre Moore is the Executive Director of the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka, Montana. She received her Ph.D. in American Studies with a focus in Public History from Montana State University in 2023, her M.A. in Museum Studies & Nonprofit Management from Johns Hopkins University in 2016, and a B.A. in History from Montana State University in 2013. Her research focuses on museums and rural community vitality, and how power is exercised in practices of place. Sabre serves on the Montana Governor’s Tourism Advisory Council as the liaison for the Montana Historical Commission. She has served in leadership positions for the Board of Directors of Visit Southeast Montana, the Museums Association of Montana, Starry Skies Montana, and Carter County Chamber of Commerce. In addition to being a DarkSky Advocate, she is an EMT for Dahl Memorial Healthcare Ambulance and a Site Steward for Medicine Rocks State Park and the Bureau of Land Management in Carter County, Montana.
Shawn Backbone
Shawn Backbone, is a member of the Apsáalooke/Crow Tribe and has served as a tribal officer and legislator, with a strong belief in empowerment and giving back to his community. He also serves on the board of Visit Southeast Montana. His lecture series if funded by an opportunity grant through Humanities Montana.
LAUREN HUNLEY
Lauren E. Hunley has spent nearly 20 years in the museum field. Earning her Master of Arts in Learning & Visitor Services in Museums and Galleries through Leicester University in England, she’s worked for both small museums and national museum service organizations. She is the author of 101 Museum Programs on a Shoestring Budget and has presented at numerous museum conferences. She is currently the Community Historian at the Western Heritage Center in Billings, Montana, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Mountain-Plains Museums Association.
Cecelia GAvinsky
Cecelia Gavinsky is the collections manager at the Western Heritage Center (WHC) of Billings, MT. A Billings, Montana, native, Cecelia obtained a master’s degree in art history with a concentration in museum studies from the University of Denver. She has worked at the WHC for eight years, presenting lectures and tours throughout her career. She earned a certificate in interpretation through the National Association for Interpretation in 2020. Her recent projects include Evelyn Cameron: Pioneering Wildlife Photographer, Sewn Together: Stories from the Museum’s Clothing Collection, and The Photography of Larry Mayer.
Betty Cline
Betty Cline was inspired by her mom, Ethel Frye, who loved water color and oil painting, especially of Carter County scenes. Her favorite mediums are water color, acrylic, and alcohol ink. She enjoys painting and drawing landscapes, ranch life, and custom pet portraits. visit: https://www.facebook.com/artbybettycline
Mike Madler
Mike Madler is a retired land surveyor. He surveyed 47 years in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Mike has always had an interest in history, especially frontier history and over the years he has researched and gathered historical information in the areas that he has worked. Since retirement he has put that information into exhibits and talks that he presents at area libraries and museums. Mike and his wife Donna live in Spearfish, South Dakota. They have three grown children, sixteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Chris La Tray
Chris La Tray is a Métis storyteller and an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He is the author of One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays from the World at Large. His next book, Becoming Little Shell will be published by Milkweed Editions in 2024.