Meet Our B Bar Family

El is in her 29th year at B Bar. Originally from the East Coast, El earned her degree in Health Education. Before joining B Bar, she worked in Yellowstone Park for 10 years as a manager and a health educator in a hospital setting. At B Bar, she has held various roles, including Guest Ranch Coordinator, Housekeeper, Office Administrator, and Ranch Administrator.

El and her husband, Tom, raised their children in Gardiner, Montana. Their children now reside in the Boston area and Northern Montana. In addition to her work, El serves on a local church board, manages a vacation rental, volunteers in the community, enjoys Nordic skiing, and loves to cook and read.

Amy grew up in Kansas, where she met her high school sweetheart, who eventually swept her away to Montana in 2014. After managing an outdoor adventure company in Gardiner for six years, Amy fell deeply in love with the area and all the ways to explore it. The B Bar Ranch and Tom Miner Basin were always her top recommendations for guests traveling the region, and in 2019, she had the opportunity to join the team!

In her free time, Amy enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, rafting, and embarking on adventures with her husband, Kenney (B Bar’s maintenance foreman), and their three dogs, Bella, Beans, and Bluey.

Growing up in Kansas, Kenney enjoyed annual vacations at his family’s cabin, just across the drainage from B Bar Ranch. The cabin was built in the 1980s. In 2013, he brought his now-wife, Amy, to Montana, and she fell in love with the state. Within a year, they found jobs and relocated here. Kenney worked as a river raft guide and manager and also pursued carpentry and building projects before joining B Bar. His interests include woodworking, fishing, road trips with friends, and carpentry. Kenney and Amy live in Tom Miner Basin with their three dogs, Bella, Beans, and Bluey.

Originally from the Kansas City area, Artie first fell in love with Montana as a young man while vacationing with his friend-and current B Bar Maintenance Foreman-Kenney. Artie is now a full-time Montanan who spends his free time fishing, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. When he isn’t out exploring or working, he enjoys time with his girlfriend Tabitha, his stepson Kyler, and their dog, Arlo. Artie is thrilled to be part of the B Bar team and is soaking up all the natural wonders the ranch has to offer.

Hi! My name is Hailie Stevens and this is my first season at B Bar! I am currently a senior studying Psychology with a minor in Sociology over in California. I love all things outdoors and my favorite hobbies are riding horses and reading! I love all animals and hope to incorporate that into my future career. I also absolutely love learning new things and am eager to see where this summer takes me. I am so excited to call B Bar home for this season!

As a native Floridian I have spent the majority of my life on the east coast. After graduating with a Business Administration degree from the University of North Florida, I spent ten years in the Florida Keys. I am amazed and excited to live and work in this beautiful remote location!

Hi guys! I was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN and have always had a love for the outdoors and spend a lot of my time hunting and fishing. I love to travel and try new things as well so if you are ever looking for an adventure buddy, I’m your girl! I just graduated from UK in May and am starting Nursing school in January and am looking forward to my time here!

Hi! My name is Emalee! This is my first time in Montana, and I’m so excited to be spending the season at B Bar! Outside of work, I love spontaneous road trips, photography, thrifting, grabbing coffee, and snowboarding. I’m enjoying getting to explore everything Montana has to offer!

Hi, I’m Sadie! I’m 21 and from Rochester, NY! I just graduated from Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY with a degree in business that focused on Human Resources and Finance.

Mark, a third-generation Montanan, has dedicated his life to agriculture. Married to Maria, they have two sons, Cayden and Taylor. Don’t be surprised if you see Cayden and Taylor lending a hand on the ranch alongside Mark this summer!

Hi! I am so excited to spend the next two summers as a Land and Livestock Intern at B Bar through the Dan Scott Ranch Management Program at Montana State University! Growing up in San Francisco, I always felt concerned with how disconnected people can be from where their food comes from. This, coupled with my passion for livestock and horsemanship pushed me to move to Montana and pursue a career in the ranching industry. I think that being part of the small community of producers in the US who then feed the entire country is a superhero job. I love to travel, hike, work with horses, meet new people, and do anything outdoors! So this is definitely the place to be. I am thrilled to learn from such an amazing group of people during my time here!

Ian is a ranching systems student at Montana State University. He is originally from Kansas City and doesn’t have an agriculture background. The B Bar will be the third ranch he has worked on in Montana! Ian enjoys working horses and all things related to bovine. He brings with him a heeler border collie named Iddo (AI-doe), and a 6-year-old grade sorrel horse named Rango. Fun fact: Ian is left-handed.

Jackson, a native of Topsfield, Massachusetts, a small town north of Boston, grew up visiting his grandmother, Maryanne, at B Bar Ranch. Accompanied by his brother, Jackson is fulfilling a lifelong dream by working at the ranch. While he may not be cowboying as he initially envisioned, he’s utilizing his business degree from CU Boulder as the Marketing and Sales Manager.

Jackson’s favorite ways to experience B Bar include splitboarding (backcountry snowboarding) and hiking. He’s particularly fond of the Petrified Forest and the summit of Ramshorn Mountain. Jackson is a yoga teacher and is excited to lead guests in a practice this year!

Anna is passionate about creating an unforgettable experience for everyone who visits the ranch, making each guest feel welcomed, valued, and right at home. A world traveler at heart, she spends her winters exploring new countries and cultures while embracing every adventure along the way. She also leads a nonprofit dedicated to holistic community development in a rural village in Kenya through RCPUSA.org. When she’s not traveling or at the ranch, you’ll likely find her painting, roller skating, skydiving, chasing sunrises on a road trip, or dreaming up her next adventure. Anna brings warmth, joy, and an adventurous spirit to everything she does.

Katie and Troy, both born and raised in a small Utah town, spent their formative years surrounded by extended family, horses, agriculture, and the beauty of the mountains. In his past life, Troy was a business owner, historic building restorer, and a PRCA rodeo clown. Katie, on the other hand, has a background as a teacher, fiber artist, mother, and member of a professional bagpipe band. The couple relocated to the Upper Yellowstone region in 2021 and have fallen in love with Montana. They share a passion for fine dining, thought-provoking conversations, outdoor adventures, and exploring the world by bicycle.

With a profound love for the natural world, I am an enthusiastic gardener and traveler committed to fostering deep connections between people and their environment. While my roots are on the coast of California, the mountains of Montana have always held a special place in my heart. I feel privileged to contribute to the B Bar Ranch and assist in the stewardship of this incredible land. I look forward to meeting you in the Garden! 

Hi, I’m Claire! I studied journalism in college because of my passion for storytelling and a life motto: lead with curiosity. I love learning new things, asking questions, and hearing what people are passionate about. I’ve found that listening and keeping an open mind yields opportunities to grow and connect to the world around us. I’ve always felt drawn to Montana because of its incredible wildlife and sprawling landscapes. This summer, I’m excited to spend my days outside, diving into classic Montana experiences like fly fishing and hiking in Yellowstone. In my free time, I write for my blog, photograph the world around me, and spend as much time outside as possible. I believe meaning lives in the small moments — and that noticing them is its own kind of storytelling.

From a young age Mihail was interested in where food came from and spent a great deal of time with a local ranch family that sold beef to his parents’ restaurant in Billings, Montana. In college he worked at ZooMontana while completing his degree in environmental studies and this is where he fell in love with ecology. After graduation he went on to work as the environmental restoration manager for Montana Audubon, charged with restoring an old gravel mine to various native ecosystems. At some point it became clear to him that the best use of his restaurant and ecology backgrounds was in raising food and when the opportunity to work at B Bar arose, he jumped at the chance. Mihail approaches agriculture with his ecology background and believes that without a healthy functioning ecosystem, you can’t raise high quality food. Throughout the last ten years he’s been able to learn a great deal about regenerative agriculture and see the results of these processes as he manages the day to day and beef production of the ranch. Ecosystems are in a constant state of flux and therefore one needs to be able to adapt their management to the present and future conditions.

Coquina, Bisou, and Hadley are often seen exploring the B Bar Ranch. If you’re lucky, these friendly dogs might even let you give them some love!

Catnis “Mouse Hunter.” Though her origins are a whiskered mystery, she found herself a home at B Bar. Catniss enjoys every meal and hiding in the garage loft.

Okie is the assistant top cat. While Okie may seem aloof at times, a perfectly timed can opener will gain her attention. She tolerates chin rubs with regal indifference and dispenses purrs like precious jewels, only to those deemed worthy.