IAM August Connects

Our speakers:

Brandi Burns is the executive director of the Yellowstone Historic Center, which operates the Museum of the Yellowstone in West Yellowstone, MT. Burns received her Bachelor of Arts from Idaho State University and her Masters from Boise State University. Burns spent twelve years as the City Historian in Boise, Idaho, where she focused her research on the American West, women’s history, and the field of public history. Currently, she serves as the chair of the Public History Committee of the Organization of American Historians, and her previous speaking engagements include academic conferences; RootsTech, the world’s largest genealogy conference; and numerous community presentations.

Jacey Brain, Visitor Services Coordinator, Old Idaho Penitentiary (Idaho State Historical), earned his Master of Applied Historical Research degree (2012) at Boise State University. He worked for TAG Historical Research & Consulting (2008-2010), and for the Idaho Heritage Trust as a private contractor. He developed a written history of the 1000 Block of Boise’s West Main Street, coinciding with new public art and historic signage in the area, culminating in guided tour programs and a walking tour brochure. Old Idaho Penitentiary programs include the 2019 Faces of the Idaho State Penitentiary exhibit, smaller exhibits on prison animals and music, as well as the 13 Stories film competition and the annual Dennis the Cat Day event. His publication assistance includes, Making Livable Places (2010) and Numbered: Idaho’s Prison for Women, 1887-1968 (2020). He is the lead author and editor of the upcoming book, 32 Cells: Artistic Reflections on the Old Idaho Penitentiary (2022). He currently serves as Vice President of the Boise Museum Association, after serving two years as President.