Food For Thought
Join us for Food for Thought 2026, a fundraising dinner benefiting the Billings Public Library. This year’s event, What the Margins Remember, brings our community together for an evening of inspiring speakers, meaningful conversation and connection. This year, we’ll bring the whole room together to hear from three engaging speakers. After each presentation, you’ll have time for table conversations to share perspectives, explore the topic and learn from others in the room. It’s a format designed to give everyone the benefit of the full presentation while still creating space for meaningful, interactive discussion. Each Individual ticket secures you an evening of thoughtful dialogue over a delicious dinner with wine, beer, and other beverages. Please note that photos taken at this event will be used for promotional purposes. New Date: Tuesday, October 13 Location: Billings Public Library Topic: Learning to Read the Word, is Learning to Read the World Background: Dr. Kari Dahle-Huff is an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Professor of Literacy and Reading at Montana State University Billings. She has worked in education for 23 years, beginning as a long-term substitute teacher in the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Schools after earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Montana Western. Dr. Dahle-Huff earned her PhD from the University of Minnesota, where much of her doctoral work was connected to the Minnesota Center for Reading Research and included serving as a reading interventionist in Minneapolis Public Schools. Since joining MSUB in 2015, she has continued her research in reading and literacy. This past March, she presented her research at the Oxford Education Research Symposium in the United Kingdom. Topic: The Ripple Effects of Censorship … And How to Prevent Them. Background: Mary Sheehy Moe grew up in Billings and has since lived and worked in many areas across Montana. After earning a B.A. in English from the University of Montana in 1972, Mary taught English for 18 years. She returned to UM for a master’s and doctorate in Educational Leadership, focusing on censorship law, policy, and effects. She later served as Dean/CEO of Great Falls College (2001) and Montana’s Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education (2010). Since retiring, Mary has been elected as a school board trustee, a state senator, and a city commissioner and has also served on several state and local government boards. Throughout her life, she has been a regular writer for Montana magazines and newspapers and is now the world’s oldest active baton twirler. Topic: Navigating Truth, Trust, and Connection in Today’s Evolving Information Landscape Background: Andrea Lutz is an award-winning weekday anchor and investigative reporter for the Montana Television Network with 20 years of experience. She anchors the 5:30 p.m. newscast and covers government, public policy, and accountability across the state. A University of Montana Broadcast Journalism graduate, Andrea has reported across Montana and Idaho on breaking news, politics, crime, and public safety. She is known for asking tough questions and clarifying complex issues. Throughout her career, she has interviewed public leaders, examined public records, and reported stories holding institutions accountable, driven by a passion for helping Montanans understand what’s happening in their communities – and why it matters.
Food for Thought 2026: What the Margins Remember
October 13, 2026
Registration
Time: 6:00 – 9:00p.m.Speakers
Dr. Kari Dahle-Huff, Professor of Literacy and Reading
Montana State University Billings
She then served for more than two years in the Peace Corps in the Republic of Georgia, teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), before returning home to teach English at St. Labre High School.
Mary Sheehy Moe, Former Montana’s Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education
Andrea Lutz, Weekday Anchor
Montana Television Network