WHETHER IT’S
A BUSINESS
CONNECTION, OR
ANY ONE OF HER
MANY FRIENDS FROM
ALL WALKS OF LIFE,
INCLUDING FELLOW DJ
EMBE DRUMMERS,
HER CHILDREN, AND
EVEN HER
EX-PARTNERS,
WE ALL COLLECTIVELY
AND UNANIMOUSLY
CONCUR THAT TAMI IS,
INDEED, ALL HEART.

CALI IS CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT TAM HIGH AND INVOLVED IN A TWO-YEAR INTERDISCIPLINARY FILM PROGRAM
FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS THAT INTEGRATES THE CLASSES OF ENGLISH, HISTORY, AND A DOCUMENTARY MEDIA
STUDIES CLASS INCLUDING PRODUCING SHORT DOCUMENTARIES. SHE IS ENJOYING IT MORE THAN SHE EXPECTED
AND CONSIDERING STUDYING FILM IN COLLEGE AFTER TAKING A YEAR OFF TO TRAVEL.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM TAM HIGH IN 2017, RYAN ATTENDED BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND COMPETED IN THEIR
D1 TRACK PROGRAM UNTIL AN ACHILLES INJURY HIS JUNIOR YEAR. FOLLOWING GRADUATION, HE MOVED TO
DALLAS WHERE HE IS WORKING IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUING HIS LOVE OF TRAVELING THE
WORLD WHENEVER HE FINDS THE TIME”.

Tami, originally from Bend, Oregon, has been a resident of the Bay Area since 1996. That was the year she moved to the bay area after living bi-coastal in Seattle and New York. She’d certainly achieved enough success to sleep at night after a good 7 year run as a prominent sales executive, strategic networker, and C-level recruiter in a primarily male-dominated tech industry. But ultimately she knew something wasn’t right. While her journey toward creating Mill Valley Living magazine and Mount Tam Media was not a direct one, there were many signs along the way. In the 90s and early 2000s, Tami was a part of a cutting-edge, new world order, as art and media were just beginning to fuse with technology. Her ability to connect people has always been the cornerstone of numerous success stories. During a recent interview, Tami reminisced about how much was happening in media and  art, both of which were her passions, and how she had made deep and broad connections in these fields. Due to her work in tech, she found it incredibly fulfilling and exhilarating to watch her friends and colleagues achieve their objectives and secure lifelong financial stability, even though many of her own creative ideas, scripts, patent-pending products, etc. were often left scattered across hard drives and file cabinets (if you know Tami this should evoke a chuckle as it will with her) and would remain shelved until a fateful phone call 3 years ago. 

Tami’s childhood was spent at the foothills of a magnificent mountain in Bend, Oregon, a place that many refer to as “God’s Country.” Although it was stunning, she often fantasized about living near the ocean someday. After her first bike ride on Mount Tamalpais while visiting a friend in the area, Tami has been a resident of Mill Valley for 26 years, the place she considers home, where she raised her two children, Ryan, 24, and Cali, 16, her self-proclaimed “pillars of strength.” Lately, whenever Tami drives the short 20 minutes through the Redwoods to Stinson Beach, she often ponders and reflects on whether her children, as they surf in from their last ride of the day or hike in the headlands, are aware of the spectacular masterpiece being painted behind them as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean. She wonders if they realize how fortunate they are to have grown up at the foot of a magical mountain, surrounded by majestic redwoods, the ocean, the bay, and one of the world’s most stunning cities.

Tami’s love for writing began at a young age when she first learned to hold a pen, but it truly flourished during her Journalism studies at the University of Oregon. She took this passion a step further by consciously preserving her children’s lives through detailed letters, chronicling their growth and development from infancy to the present day. Tami’s letters are filled with personal observations and reflections, capturing not only her own experiences but also those of her children. She felt it was important to document even the tiniest moments so they could be cherished and passed down for generations to come. Although Tami initially planned to wait until her children were older to share the letters with them, she eventually realized that her children were wise beyond their years and didn’t need her guidance in the way she had anticipated. Tami believes that her children’s ability to make their own decisions, despite the challenges of being raised in different homes, is a testament to their resilience and strength. She takes great pride in having immortalized their journey through her writing and hopes that her children will read about their lives through her perspective and be inspired by their accomplishments for years to come.

“Mom has always been my rock. I am so grateful to have a mother that allows me to be independent while always lending a helping hand and being the person I can look up to. She inspires me every day to be present, in the moment, and to do what I love. Thank you for always being you mom, I love you”
– Cali.

In 1998, when Tami’s son, Ryan was born, Mill Valley was and still is a close-knit community. But back then, single parents were a rarity so the chances of being welcomed with open arms into seemingly safe circles with other married women and couples were slim. After splitting with Ryan’s Father when he was a toddler work and travel became Tami’s haven and where her friendships flourished with more ease. During our recent interview, Tami reflected, “Families break apart for various reasons, but today it’s becoming more and more common. Having lived through it, there is one thing I think we all did right and remain dedicated to today… when we made the decision to keep our relationship challenges private and spent more of our co-parenting time respecting each other, the respect flowed through. Today we are certain that decision played a crucial role in contributing to our children’s overall well-being and self-confidence. It’s not always easy but whenever possible give your children the space, free of unnecessary drama so they have a chance at reaching their ultimate personal potential. Tami’s situation might be a little on the unusual side though, as she mentioned that she is also very close with her stepsons, Danny and Alon, though no longer with their Father. She continued to tell us that it wouldn’t be odd to come across her boyfriend Dennis, his three children, ex-wife and new husband, Tami’s ex, and all their blended children spending Thanksgiving together. Tami’s situation might be a little on the unusual side though, as she mentioned that she is also very close with her stepsons, Danny and Alon, though no longer with their Father. She continued to tell us that it wouldn’t be odd to come across her boyfriend Dennis, his three children, ex-wife and new husband, Tami’s ex, and all their blended children spending Thanksgiving together.

In early 2019, Tami considered returning to the corporate world as her daughter, Cali had grown older and her son, Ryan had left for Boston University. She underwent a series of intense interviews for a new strategic C-Level Recruiting position at Amazon in Seattle. However, during the final interview, she began to feel physically ill and realized that she could not go back to that world. As she walked out, she found herself thinking “When did midriff tops become acceptable attire in corporate offices?” That evening, feeling down in her hotel room, she received a call from a close friend, Lauren Hull who had recently started a local magazine in Windsor. “You should consider starting one in Mill Valley, that market is open” Lauren suggested. There’s usually a defining moment, a clearing, a sense of certainty, and often its coupled with butterflies when people meet their life purpose for the first time. That was Tami’s moment and she’s never looked back. “It’s so cool that it was one of my best friends in life who led me there”, Tami said.

“I was extremely lucky to grow up in separate households where co-parenting was still a possibility. It didn’t come without ups and downs but my parents’ friendship and overall respect for each other helped tip the scale toward an amazing childhood. I couldn’t have asked for better mentors and friends in the form of two amazing people”
– Ryan

 Starting a magazine from scratch with no funding is not an easy feat, but Tami was determined to make it work. She spent countless hours researching the industry, networking with other entrepreneurs, and developing her business plan. She was also determined to keep her magazine local, which meant that she had to build a team of writers and photographers who were passionate about Mill Valley and its residents while partnering with local organizations, charities, and dedicated sponsors.

Most mainstream media operates on a pay-to-play model, burying the best stories in long, dense publications that few people read cover-to-cover. Mill Valley Living, on the other hand, features one main story about a local family or resident who always appears on the cover. 

If nothing else, readers will recognize them from the community which in turn, peaks curiosity and in the case of local publications like Mill Valley Living, one of over 1000 local publications in the US and Canada that’s supported by Best Version Media, this strategy has resulted in an astounding 89.9 percent open rate across the board. With a much smaller page count and local, relevant content the chances of people reading it cover to cover become much higher. That said, Tami believes that telling inspiring stories is just the beginning and with an unwavering commitment to finding stories that haven’t but need to be told, the result is more people learning about unique perspectives and alternative solutions to everyday issues. But in her heart she knew in order for change to happen, inspiring stories had to live on and finding a way for that to happen became the impetus that eventually led Tami to finally launch her passion project, Mount Tam Media. For the past two years, Tami along with her partners have been evolving Mount Tam Media and will be rolling out an ecosystem of new platforms allowing more stories to be heard and new concepts to be explored such as 3 podcast series, Immersive community experiences, robust “think tank” sessions, engaging meet and greets with feature residents, world class masterclasses and feedback sessions to collect and make use of findings. The overriding purpose? To learn how to remove the obstacles that get in the way of us finding our life’s purpose and passion. 

For instance, without giving too much away, they will soon feature a local famous musician, singer, and songwriter. The same artist will attend a hosted “Greet and Meet” session with fans prior to a show they will be performing at the Sweetwater. The “Meet and Greet” will include a panel discussion with other musicians in the band and possibly special surprise guests. The artist will also be conducting a masterclass workshop offering songwriting and poetry, for adults and teens. This workshop is inspired by the curriculum of the prestigious Berklee College of Music from which the artist is an alumni. Following the workshop, the attendees will have the opportunity to showcase their work at a future event, where they can share their songs and poems and present their work for more feedback.

Mount Tam Media has been busy producing podcasts of their feature residents and others to add more dimension to the stories they already have but just need a little life breathed back into them. So far they have highlighted remarkable individuals such as Isabella Welch on “The Other side of the Mountain” podcast, Tiffany Shlain on the “Women are Smarter” and completed over 65 interviews with musicians around the globe, soon to be released on their podcast series, “Tales From The Greenroom”.

Tami invites all members of the community to contribute their ideas for featured residents and other stories for Mill Valley Living. With great feedback and three years of experience, she is now looking to expand distribution and increase the number of pages, including adding a much-needed local sports section. Anyone interested in supporting the community which includes a plethora of sponsorship opportunities in Mill Valley Living can contact her at tami@mttammedia. com, For more information about the podcast series, meet and greets, immersive experiences, and many other community-centric events, visit mountammedia.com.

Tami is a testament to the power of entrepreneurship and the opportunities it can provide for those who are willing to take the leap. She remains passionate about fostering a community that encourages connection, growth, and self-discovery, and she does this with her commitment to doing so with compassion, empathy, and authenticity. Whether it’s a business connection, or any one of her many friends from all walks of life, including fellow djembe drummers, her children, and even her ex-partners, we all collectively and unanimously concur that Tami is, indeed, all heart.

“It’s been a wonderful experience working with Tami, Mill Valley Living, and Mount Tam Media. As Isabella previously noted, Tami is an exceptional individual with a dynamic personality. Our shared enthusiasm for community building, creating immersive experiences, and exploring diverse perspectives led to an instant connection. This connection resulted in the development of a podcast called “The Other Side of the Mountain and The MTM Hub Club.”
– Stefanie Atkinson Schwartz

“The moment I met Tami, it was clear she was a force of nature. Her innate ability to make people feel comfortable to open up is remarkable. Her authenticity and enthusiasm for different perspectives is felt by everyone she meets – a true icon.”
– Isabella

“I recently determined that my unwavering decision to always be true to myself, remain inquisitive about virtually everything, be fearless when necessary, and never stop dreaming, provided the essential foundation to finally build my own company. I for one, do know how incredibly fortunate I was to find and ultimately choose Mill Valley as my home. Mill Valley Living and Mount Tam Media are therefore, in part, my way of giving back.”
– Tami

The family recently lost their beloved chocolate lab, Temba, sister to Shaka, who passed 2 years prior. Tami wanted to make sure we shared this poem she wrote the morning she passed.