Kurtis Karn, Co-creator, Sunshine & 79
Ever since a young age, Kurtis Karn has been drawn to people. It should have been a sign when he told his mom in 7th grade that, “I think I’m just going to focus on getting to know my classmates instead of focusing on actual school,” that he was destined for a life in human resources. He jokes that if he could have majored in “talking with people” he would have without question! Since spending over 10 years in the human resources field his passion for company culture and employee experience has driven him to want to help organizations help support their people in becoming awesome humans. He is an avid runner, musician and is consistently told by his seven year old son that he is the funniest one in the family. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and communication from the University of Jamestown and his master’s degree in human resources management from the University of Mary. He is certified with his SHRM-CP and his PHR designations in the human resources field, and when he is not bringing fun to people’s lives, he loves going to concerts with his wife, singing and dancing to 80’s songs with his son and daughter, playing fetch with his wiener dog, and is constantly planning his next tattoo.

Nicole Turchin, Co-creator, Sunshine & 79
When Nicole Turchin was young, she frequently got into trouble for talking. Talking in class, talking on the bus, talking at funerals - talking, talking, talking! She never understood why people got so uptight about an idea exchange, conversation, and dreaming wildly, regardless of the location or event! Since then, not much has changed except the intention she now exhibits to use her gift of gab to encourage others to share their stories and bring some sunshine back into the world. Nicole believes when we shift the perspective of how we see things, moving away from the negative and walking boldly into the positive, we can truly shift the world. Currently pursuing her master's degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis in servant leadership from Gonzaga University located in Spokane, Washington, Nicole believes it's our responsibility to foster workplaces of encouragement, support, silliness, and dare she say, love! Nicole graduated with a bachelor of science degree in speech communication with a minor in sociology from North Dakota State University (Fargo) in 2001. Since then, she's pursued opportunities in support of her purpose of helping others, bringing fun into our workplaces, and encouraging humans to be the best versions of themselves possible. When not having fun in her professional life, Nicole loves spending time with her husband Terry, and their two dogs, Huck and Doc. They enjoy lake living to its fullest, making the most of sunshine and 79-degree days!