Erik Balkey is a national award-winning songwriter. He has written hundreds of songs and has toured the country. He charted No. 1 on the FolkDJ album charts as a solo artist and with the duo The Copper Ponies. He was a 2005 Kerrville New Folk Winner. He is now an artists' rep for CD distribution and promotion to folk radio with his company Hudson Harding Music. With a history in folk music starting in the mid-nineties, Erik was a volunteer at the Fast Folk Cafe (NYC), Music Among Friends (Hoboken, NJ), Nameless Coffeehouse (Cambridge, MA) and Philadelphia Songwriters Association. He created and organized the Plowshares Songwriting Contest (Philadelphia, PA) which ran for seven years, and wrote a pre-blog era daily tour journal called "The Songwriter's Tour Guide" chronicling years on the road. His song “Baseball in my Blood” has been featured on NESN, the Boston Red Sox television network.
The 24 Hour Music mission statement is, "Presenting Concerts For Artists and Community." 24 Hour Music has been presenting concerts mainly at The Burren, a world famous 100 to 200 seat room that has hosted folk legends Johnathan Edwards, Steve Forbert, Patty Larkin, Jeffrey Gaines, David Wilcox, Vance Gilbert as well as rock legends Greg Hawkes (The Cars,) Guster, Juliana Hatfield, Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses, The Breeders,) Kay Hanley (Letters To Cleo,) Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom,) and we even hosted MLB World Series Winner Bronson Arroyo when he released his first original music record. We of course also host a wide variety of local artists and are not genre specific in any way.
As a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation’s first, and Massachusetts’ largest, preservation and conservation nonprofit, and its more than 100 reservations are destinations for residents, members, and visitors alike, welcoming millions of guests annually.
Critically-acclaimed artist Meghan Cary didn’t mean to be a musician. When her fiancé unexpectedly died, she picked up his guitar and wrote her debut record, earning her Billboard’s “Critic’s Choice”. Her latest album, SING LOUDER, debuted top 10 on the US/International Folk DJ Chart, and John Platt of WFUV extols, "These times require songs of compassion and commitment, and Meghan has several which inspire us to reach our higher selves. She sings them with such infectious joy you can’t resist joining in." A fan-favorite on the fest circuit, find Cary at Philly Folk, Black Bear Americana, Falcon Ridge, Woodstock and others, as well as music halls across the US.
A professional stage, screen and voice actor, Cary has written and performs a one-woman show, records VO’s for tv and radio, and is currently collaborating on a Broadway-bound musical. Cary coaches performance and songwriting for universities, arts organizations, festivals and privately.
Melissa Ferrick is an artist, Professor of the Practice at Northeastern University and founder of artist management company Drive Music Agency where she represents Brennan Wedl and Joh Chase. On Aug 15, 2023, she released “Black Dress,” her first single in eight years, via Kill Rock Stars Records, the date coinciding with the 30th anniversary of her first album, Massive Blur. Ferrick signed with Atlantic Records at the age of 21 and has released seventeen albums over the last twenty-five years, winning numerous awards for songwriting, production and performance. Melissa has shared the stage with countless acts, including Morrissey, Joan Armatrading, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, Mark Cohen, Paul Westerberg, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin and more.
I worked for more than four decades in PR/marketing/media relations while also doing folk DJ work at a major public radio station. Since I retired from my "day" job, I have been writing and marketing my own fiction. I am a member of the Folk Alliance Folk Radio Hall of Fame.
A classically trained vocalist when it comes to songwriting she always goes back to her roots in folk music. Kay Francis has always been a singer storyteller going all the way back to childhood. She grew up in a home filled with music where her father played in a G.I. band. She received a vocal scholarship from the University of Miami in the late 70s and was often found performing with her guitar at local venues.
Kay relocated to Canada in the late 80’s and continued performing part time at many events, festivals (Ottawa Jazz Festival, Winterlude, etc.) and sang with Opera Lyra. In 2022 they sold their family business to focus exclusively on her music.
Her first single “Burning Clouds” was released in 2024 where 100% of the proceeds support families impacted by devastating wildfires.
Kay’s sound: “Beautiful voice, haunting melodies, engaging stories through laughter and tears”
Winning the esteemed Guitar Player Magazine’s ‘Guitar Superstar’ award in 2008 and
lauded as one of the top 100 female guitarists, Vicki plays her own percussive technique
of 'slap-tap' acoustic guitar, and has been showcased as one of the world’s top guitarists at
festivals, Venues and Performing Arts Centers worldwide. In addition to being a dazzling
instrumentalist, Vicki is an award-winning singer/songwriter with a high-energy stage
presence and an accomplished educator.
Dan Gottfried is the co-founder of Voices in the Heights and serves as the treasurer of four non-profit boards. He has served on the Programming Committee for the NERFA Conference for four years and facilitates the NERFA monthly peer group for presenters. He was the executive director of a Unitarian Universalist Camp and Conference Center for almost 20 years, spent over thirty years as a clinical social worker, is a certified school district administrator and social studies teacher in NYS, and has a masters degree in both social work and instructional technology.
During the pandemic he helped to create continuing opportunities for musicians to perform for a dedicated listening audience by streaming the Voices in the Heights Concerts. Since that time, he has been instrumental in developing an infrastructure at Voices in the Heights for high-quality streaming and recording of their live concerts.
Lydia "LovelySinger” Harrell is one of Boston’s finest musical treasures. Her sultry, soulful voice and evocative songwriting have garnered her the attention and respect of the nation’s finest musicians and venues. Jazz/Soul is where her heart is, however, Lydia has shown an unbreakable ability to mold herself into any musical situation.
Lydia is also a professional actor. She has appeared in many commercials, films and theatre productions. She was cast in the New Repertory Theatre production of "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" playing the role of the one and only Billie Holiday. Unfortunately the show was canceled due to the pandemic. Since then, Lydia has appeared in the 2023 Hulu/20th Century Film, Boston Strangler and performed as Sarah's Friend in Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Boston Pops.
In March 2023, she released her first single that she composed, performed and produced in many years, Don't Let It. Since being a part of the Club Passim Folk Collective, Lydia has become inspired to record several new projects all coming very soon. Lydia is also a voice instructor at, one of the top music colleges in the world, Berklee College of Music and Berklee Online.
A.J. Kiernan is a lover and creator of music and safe spaces for musicians for over 20 years. She works as a volunteer with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, as well as an avid supporter and volunteer for NERFA. Her regular work within the scene includes hosting a weekly open mic residency, and starting the NERFA Coffee & Wood songwriters series through the aid of grants and personal business donations. She performs out solo and with her band ‘Woodshed’ regularly. A.J. currently works during the day as The Original Tarot REALTOR®️; a licensed real estate agent in MA who utilizes ‘holistic agency’ in her business. Most recently she has also become an autoimmune wellness coach with “The OTR”; guiding clients and friends all over the country to a more grounded and natural way of living well with autoimmune disorders. A.J. is also the proud mother of three human kids and four ‘furry’ ones.
The Listening Booth is a new music venue in Lewes, DE that serves as a haven for music, musicians, and culture appreciators looking to be entertained, build community, and support original art. Listeners have a fully immersive experience with drinks, snacks, and light bites from local vendor partners while enjoying original music from local and national touring acts.
For two decades, Heather Aubrey Lloyd has travelled the country playing anywhere that might make a good story: bait shops, biker weeks … even clothing-optional resorts. A recovering reporter whose love of the journey evolved into equally adventurous songwriting. Pat Wictor hails her “sing-me-the-phone-book” voice. “Janis Joplin meets Joni Mitchell,” says the Montgomery Caller. Comfortable in any genre, Lloyd blends folky finger-picked guitar with lyrical rhythms/hand percussion influenced by Baltimore's diverse music scene. Best known as the co-front of ilyAIMY, Lloyd's recent solo efforts are gaining national recognition: Falcon Ridge Folk Fest Most-Wanted Artist, National Women’s Music Fest Emerging Artist, No Depression-FreshGrass Finalist and Top 4 Telluride Troubadour. She is also the 2019 Grand Prize Winner of the prestigious Bernard Ebb Songwriting Award. You’ll find her back on her beloved road, performing solo, with ilyAIMY, and alongside Grammy-nominated lute-rocker Ronn McFarlane as part of Ayreheart.
Heather Pierson is a full-time, nationally touring multi genre singer/songwriter, pianist, song leader and performer from New Hampshire. Bernice Martin is a singer/songwriter, song leader, ordained minister and licensed massage therapist from Western Maine. In 2018 Heather and Bernice launched the ‘Heart Songs & Circle Songs’ project.
‘Heart Songs & Circle Songs’ is an ongoing interactive community singing project with international participation. Heather and Bernice share and teach their original songs, chants and rounds with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Their inspiration for the project comes from their love of music and the power of song to cultivate harmony, connection, joy, peace, resilience and justice making.
Jillian Matundan is an award-winning, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter who continues to win audiences with her deft, percussive guitar style, soothing vocals, and her warm, unassuming stage presence. A first-generation Filipina American from Central New York, Jillian has been a musician since the age of three. She took a fifteen year hiatus from writing and playing her own music until January 2019, when she started hitting open mics with songs she had only written months before. She's been on a tear ever since, winning twelve Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Awards, playing in venues including The Bitter End, Club Passim, Rockwood Music Hall, and Jammin' Java, and opening for a number of musicians, including Susan Werner and Scott Cook. She released her debut EP, “Hangin' On”, in 2020 and released her first full-length, fully crowd-funded album, “Singing to the Moon”, in March 2024. Jillian lives in Northern Virginia and works in the labor movement.
Erin McKeown is a musician, writer, and producer known internationally for their prolific disregard of stylistic boundaries. Their brash and clever electric guitar playing is something to see. Their singing voice is truly unique —clear, cool, and collected. Over the last 20 years, they have performed around the world, released 11 full length albums, and written for film, television, and theater, all the while refining their distinctive and challenging mix of American musical forms.
Pamela Means is an Easthampton MA-based, multiple award-winning, singer-songwriter and jazz musician, known for penning pointed protest songs from her view as a Biracial, Queer, artist-activist in the world. Means stands out as “one of the fiercest guitar players and politically-rooted musicians in the industry today," (Curve Magazine) - who's worn a hole in two of her guitars - with her "insanely brilliant" (Press Herald, Portland ME) and “stark, defiant songs.” (New York Times)
"When Pamela Means picks up her guitar and begins to sing, a listener doesn't forget her. She possesses musical attitude and purpose." - Steven Winters, WSHU Connecticut Public Radio
“Good lord. RUN…don’t walk…to see Pamela Means wherever you can.”
-Matt Smith, Club Passim (Managing Director)
Award-winning musician, filmmaker, and organizer, Cliff Notez’ art is a continuous exploration of self. Rooted in hip hop, his art tackles the political and the personal, exploring the intimate consequences of a society where black bodies are easily ignored, forgotten, or disregarded. Cliff Notez was named “Best Musician” and one of the “100 Most Influential Bostonians” by Boston Magazine, and listed among the “50 Most Influential Bostonians” by Boston Common Magazine. With over 11 Boston Music Award nominations and as the winner of “Song of the Year” in 2020 and the coveted “Best New Artist” award in 2018, Cliff
For nearly 50 years, Ron Olesko has been presenting folk music on radio, concert stages, magazines, and now on the Internet. Since 1975, Ron has served as a producer and folk music radio host at WFDU-FM, the non-commercial radio station owned by Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. In 2019, Ron launched FOLK MUSIC NOTEBOOK, a 24/7 Internet radio channel available worldwide that is devoted to the folk music old and new at www.folkmusicnotebook.com. Ron was the President and Booker of the Hurdy Gurdy Folk Music Club in Fair Lawn, New Jersey and has been a writer for Sing Out!.
Cheryl Prashker studied classical percussion at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she is from. She has toured Canada, U.S. Europe and Russia with The Yiddish Theatre of Montreal. She spent many years in NY City where she honed her skills as an accompanist. She has toured with many solo artists such as Garnet Rogers, Eric Andersen, Pat Wictor, Tracy Grammer and more. She is a founding member and still tours with the Celtic Roots band RUNA. Cheryl spent 15 years helping to run the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference (NERFA) while living in Philadelphia. She was also President of the Board of Directors. She now lives in Ontario and is the Artistic Director and General Manager of the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival and College in Goderich, Ontario where she first attended as an artist in 2011.
Singer, guitar player, lifetime member of Musician's Union and the Federal Witness Protection Program.
In their 49th year as Schooner Fare, brothers Chuck and Steve Romanoff were a trio with Tom Rowe for 28 years before his untimely death in 2004. They perform across the U.S., Canada, and Ireland. Schooner Fare was described by Tommy Makem (of the Clancy Brothers) as "The best folk group I've heard in 25 years," and by Lincoln Center , NYC as "... the premier performing group of original and traditional songs." They infuse their concerts with "Downeast humor" while performing with The Boston Pops Orchestra, at Washington, D.C.'s Wolftrap, or while featured on "CBS Sunday Morning." Their original songs reflect a commitment to Democracy, social consciousness, family, and good cheer and are played worldwide, often adopted and performed as "traditional folk songs" in other countries.
With a rich background as an artist, coach, curator, Shea Rose brings a unique flair to consulting for organizations aiming to create transformative music-based program models and initiatives.
Her holistic approach ensures these programs captivate diverse audiences and cultivate genuine community engagement. Shea’s knack for blending the power of music with innovative strategies sparks meaningful change. From curating the Rise Music Series at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to leading The Folk Collective at Club Passim, her vision consistently introduces fresh perspectives and fosters deep connections.
Through her work, Shea inspires and empowers, highlighting the transformative impact that well-crafted programs can have on individuals and communities. To learn more, visit: shearose.com
Michelle teaches voice at NYU Tisch, and formerly taught at Rider University and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. She has a thriving private studio of diverse singers in terms of ages, genres of music and professional levels. She holds an MM in vocal performance from NYU and the Distinguished Voice Professional certificate from NYSTA. Certified in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method since 2005, she joined the CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute faculty in 2012 is now the President of the LoVetri Institute. Professional credits include Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella, Jeanie in The Stephen Foster Story, plus leading roles in The Medium and Dialogues of the Carmelites. She has sung folk music and rock with various bands. She has appeared in Europe, New York venues, in regional theatres and on National Tours.
The Zeiterion Performing Arts center, fondly known as The Z, is the premiere non-profit venue for live entertainment in Southcoast MA. Established in 1923 as a vaudeville theatre, The Z has undergone a number of transformations and is about to embark on an ambitious 12-14 month historic restoration and renovation. Programmatically, The Z and its two resident companies New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and Festival Theatre bring all disciplines to the stage; live music, dance, comedy, theatre and more. The Z's Education and Community Outreach programs reach thousands of students each season. For the past 15 years, Dori Rubbicco has focused much of her time on working events as Director of FOH and Patron Experience and programming the Stage Door LIVE series. Off the clock, she is also a seasoned singer-songwriter, performing at The Z, the NB Folk Festival, and at clubs, concerts and private events in the area.
MPress Records was founded by award-winning folk-pop singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and visual artist Rachael Sage. Sage has shared stages with Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Judy Collins, Beth Hart, Eric Burdon, and Howard Jones, and plays over 100 dates a year throughout the US, UK, and Europe.
Her albums have charted on Billboard, AAA, Folk and College radio, and been favorably reviewed in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and MOJO. Billboard.com called her "the stitch between the great rock and pop traditions of the past and what those traditions have wrought in the hypermodern world of the present", and legendary producer Phil Ramone said "she very much reminded me of Dylan in the way she approaches her work."
A John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Winner, Rachael has received several Independent Music Awards and OutMusic Awards including “Best Producer”. Her 17th album "Another Side" is out now on MPress/Universal.
Steve has played music since about 4 or 5, studied music theory at Juilliard, got a BA at Brown in composition. He took apart a ton of old radios when a kid, which led him to the electronics part of Your Heaven® Audio.
Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rees Shad began his musical journey with Anderson, Ohio (1994), and critics called him a “wordsmith to watch.” It’s a reputation the remarkably prolific and eclectic singer-songwriter/storyteller has proudly cultivated. Shad now boasts a catalog of 16 solo albums, each of which reflect an unyielding combination of emotion and expression that has become his hallmark. American Songwriter hailed 6 Strings and a Story (2023), as “a superb sampling of the skill and savvy that have been a hallmark of Shad’s career.” His latest, The Galahad Blues (2024) “etches a film-noir atmosphere as a soundtrack to an unseen movie” (Nippertown). Americana Highways declared “It’s hipster jive married to a swing melody tied to the human heartbeat. Three decades into his career Mr. Shad’s expressive music has bottomless resources.”
I’m the founder of Folk Newengland. An archive that commissioned interested in the rich history of New England Folk Artists.
And their history
Singer / Composer Moira Smiley has toured the world and recorded with Indie-pop favorites, Tuneyards, performing with them on all the late-night TV shows (Kimmel, Colbert, Conan O’Brien, UK’s Jools Holland, etc.) and recently to re-open David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in NYC with Chris Thile, Hilary Hahn and Brad Mehldau. She began her singing career in Baroque and Medieval music, collaborating with Paul Hillier, Fretless Consort of Viols, Dufay Collective and Sinfonye, BBC Singers and New World Symphony. As a folksinger, she’s fronted the legendary Irish-American supergroup, Solas as well as the Lomax and Folklife Projects produced by Jayme Stone, and continues to lead her own vocal collaborations as VOCO and The Voice Is A Traveler.
Moira’s 2018 solo album ‘Unzip The Horizon’ premiered at the prestigious Savannah Music Festival in 2018, and she published its companion choral Songbook in 2019. In February of 2021, she released her vocal album ‘In Our Voices’, featuring international VOCO collaborators. A new album (and accompanying book!) of folksongs with string quartet, ‘The Rhizome Project’ will be released in 2024.
Railway Concerts started in 2001, and spent the first 5 seasons at the parish center of (now All Saints') Episcopal Church. In 2006, we moved to Gallery 51 on Main Street in North Adams until 2012. We returned for a quick stint at the HiLo when it was located on the corner of Union and Canal Streets, between early 2020 and late 2021 (with a pandemic in between). After nearly a year of conversation, the Railway is now housed at a beautiful new performance space, Studio 9 at the Porches Inn. We hope for a long and thriving relationship with Studio 9 and lots of new and returning Railway patrons coming to some of our most memorable shows!
Jami Smith is the creator of Songs That Saved Your Life, a weekly radio show and Substack newsletter about the queer roots of rock & roll. Jami shines a spotlight on the often overlooked stories in music and explores the impact of LGBTQ+ artists and queer culture on music history. Jami is also a freelance journalist who has been featured in The Advocate and OUT magazine.
Matt Smith is currently the Managing Director of Passim. He started as a volunteer in 1995 when the venue re-established itself as a non-profit organization. He's been a juror, panelist and emcee for festivals and conferences as well as a tour manager. Matt also hosts the Local Music Cafe on WMVY and teaches Venue Management for Berklee Online.
Jessica Smucker is the kind of writer and performer who can lull a noisy room into a hush with a single line. Wrapped in catchy melodies, her lyrics appear simple and relatable on the surface, but each listen will uncover more hidden pockets of nuance. Based in Lancaster, PA, Jessica performs regularly throughout the U.S. She has released two EPs, three full-length albums, and a handful of standalone singles, with plans to put out a new collection in 2025.
Columbus, Ohio-raised, Boston-based Frankenstein of genres Almira Ara uses elements of folk, rock, and rnb to create music that is most honest to their soul. They look into their emotions & experiences, those of others, and the goingson of the world cultivate a musical experience that is moving and can resonate not only with their community of queer BIPOC who influence their music, but with anyone who listens. Ara’s goal through their music is to be a beacon of hope, and a mirror for listeners as well as the world.
Heralded by Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine, Amy Speace is one of contemporary folk and Americana music’s leading voices of the new generation. Lauded by mentors Judy Collins, Tom Paxton and Janis Ian, NPR’s “All Things Considered”, her songs have been recorded by Judy Collins, Red Molly, Sid Selvidge among others. In 2020, her song “Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne” was awarded International Song of the Year by the Americana Music Association (UK)
Introducing Christine Sweeney, the vibrant musical force hailing from Long Island whose most recent full band EP, Heart in a Hurry, was among the Top 5 added on the NACC radio charts. “A magnetic performer with a show-stopping voice… Sweeney has crafted an enchanting approach to folk, one that retains its emotive storytelling roots while blurring its genre lines.” - Under the Radar Magazine (Virginia). With a blend of soul, Americana, and rock, Christine's music is a beacon of feel-good groove, igniting spirits wherever it's heard. Through her sharp, open-hearted lyrics, she invites listeners to celebrate the transformation of life’s most negative experiences into something beautiful and positive.
Featured at celebrated US folk festivals such as Falcon Ridge, CT Folk, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Ladybug Music Festival as well as taking on acoustic touring in Germany this past May and again later this month. In addition to her national and local stage appearances, Christine has also showcased her talents on Paste Magazine's Live YouTube Channel series, and her music has been played on the beloved NY radio station WFUV.
Louise Taylor is gifted with the ability to impart her life experience and deep understanding of the natural voice succinctly. Through encouragement which she calls "Permission to Try" paired with simple vocal techniques she has helped countless singers discover their natural voice.
In 2017 Taylor co-founded Your Mindful Voice Retreats with fellow Singer/Songwriter and Mindfulness Coach Wendy Beckerman. Balancing effort and ease, Your Mindful Voice explores the commonalities of mindfulness practices and vocal technique while engaging in the open kindness of non-judging awareness.
Aaron Tornberg is an accomplished songleader, singer/songwriter, and music presenter. He has been writing for almost 40 years and is finally getting around to producing a comprehensive album of his work. He has a background in academia with several degrees in Education and Technology-related certifications. He has been managing non-profit music venues for the past 6 years and is also an experienced open mic host. He is currently working on collaborating with Hip-Hop artists to create something he is calling "Folk-Hop"
Tracy Walton wears many musical hats: Singer songwriter, bassist, producer, author, and studio owner. He has toured the country with various groups including most recently the duo Belle of the Fall. Tracy has also played bass with David Bromberg, and Vernon Reid among others. He released his 4th solo album, “Small Town America,” in 2021. He also produces albums for artists at his studio, On Deck Sound Studio, in Northfield CT. Tracy has twice been nominated Male Artist of the Year in the New England Music Awards and was a 2024 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist.
ORG: We are one of the most versatile and intimate venues in the Boston area, one of the only black-box theaters too, and entirely self-sustaining. Our mission is to present work of any medium that fulfills our four pillars: Funny, Dark, Smart, Great
DEBY: Deby is the new Artistic Director of The Rockwell Theatre. With 8 years of professional experience in NYC as an award-winning director (PORTFringe, FRIGID Fringe Festival) and performer, Deby is passionate about new work that is Funny, Dark, Smart & Great.
Pittsburgh-based singer-songwriter Brad Yoder has been writing and performing original songs for over 30 years, and has hosted "Musical Chairs" at NERFA since 2006.
Natalia Zukerman is a queer Jewish musician, painter, journalist, educator, cartoonist, trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher, cultural diplomat, and community organizer. She has recorded 8 albums on her own and Willy Porter’s Weasel Records labels, toured with and/or opened for Janis Ian, Ani DiFranco, Susan Werner, Melissa Ferrick, Glen Phillips, Richard Thompson, Shawn Colvin and Dar Williams to name a few. She is currently the conference director of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), an editor and cartoonist at The Millerton News and Lakeville Journal, a contributing writer for Acoustic Guitar Magazine, a part-time caregiver for her mom, and a full-time mom to her own two dogs, Millie and Georgie.