Event Details
The Terrace Hill Partnership will present the Tea & Talk series at 2:00 pm each Saturday in February. Guests will hear from local speakers, who will cover topics centered around conservation, local Iowa history, arts and culture, and Terrace Hill artifacts and collections. Speakers will give short presentations in Terrace Hill’s Drawing Room. Tickets are $10 per program or $35 for a season pass. The speakers are donating their time and all proceeds will benefit the gardens of Terrace Hill. Tickets are available on Eventbrite at https://terracehillteaandtalk2025.eventbrite.com or by calling the Terrace Hill office at 515.281.7205.
Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Introducing Our 2025 Speakers!+
February 1
Molly Thompson, Terrace Hill
Storytelling with Objects: The conversations we have with material culture
What can objects tell us about their history and significance? In this presentation, Terrace Hill Administrator Molly Thompson will discuss methods of object interpretation using examples from Terrace Hill’s collection. Audience members will have a chance to practice their object interpretation skills and are encouraged to bring a small object, family heirloom, or photograph for a show-and-tell portion of the program.
Molly Thompson returned to the Terrace Hill staff in 2023 as the Administrator after being a member of the staff from 2018-2020 and also has past experience at Seed Savers Exchange and Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, both in Decorah, Iowa. Originally from Elkader, Iowa, Molly received a Master of Science in Visual, Material, and Museum Anthropology from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Theatre from the University of Northern Iowa.
February 8
Michael Morain, Business Publications Corporation, Inc.
Headlines from History: Seven Stories from Iowa’s Past
News reporters are always chasing the latest scoop and the next big thing. But what if they had a press pass to the past? dsm magazine editor and former Des Moines Register reporter Michael Morain shares seven fascinating stories from Iowa history that he wishes he could have covered as they happened.
Michael Morain has edited dsm and ia magazines since early 2023. He grew up in Ames, earned degrees from Graceland and Northwestern, covered arts and culture for a decade at the Des Moines Register, managed communications for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and is a two-time fellow of the NEA Institute for Arts Journalism. He and his husband, Heath Smith, live downtown with an assertive cat named Eleanor Roosevelt.
February 15
Tim McMillin, Des Moines Performing Arts and Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble
The Development of the American A Cappella Choral Tradition
Have you ever stopped to question from where the traditions of today's professional, collegiate and even secondary school choirs come? It isn't as ancient a proposition as you might think. In this presentation, DMVAE's Artistic Director and Conductor Tim McMillin will trace and discuss the legacy of contemporary collegiate and professional choral ensembles dating from the early decades of the 20th century. Early collegiate a cappella choirs such as the St. Olaf Lutheran Choir (F. Melius Christiansen), the Northwestern University (Peter C. Lutkin) and the Westminster Choir (John Finley Williamson) established standard performance practices that today's ensembles often imitate without awareness of their origin. Further, these same ensembles discovered, performed, commissioned and promoted works that are now part of the standard choral repertoire.
Tim McMillin serves as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble, an auditioned chamber choir in the greater Des Moines community committed to excellence in choral artistry. He also co-founded and serves as co-director for Simpson College’s Master of Music (M.M.) in Choral Conducting degree, offered online with an intensive three-summer residency intended for practicing teachers.
From 2004-2019, Dr. McMillin served as Director of Choral Studies at Simpson College, where he worked with undergraduate musicians and served as Chair of the Department of Music. Before his appointment at Simpson College, Dr. McMillin directed choirs in Minnesota where he created and led award-winning high school programs.
Tim earned the DMA in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University in East Lansing and degrees in music education from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. In addition to his work in academia and choral music, Tim has also enjoyed positions in arts administration working with Des Moines Metro Opera from 2019-2024 as Director of Advancement and now with Des Moines Performing Arts as Vice President of Development.
February 22
Kim Perez, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Connecting Plants, People, and the Natural World
In the heart of downtown Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is helping visitors find their true nature. Kim Perez, President & CEO, will discuss the past, present, and future of the Botanical Garden and the programs that are strengthening these connections within the community and for a growing number of visitors to the region.
An Iowa native, Kim was named President & CEO of the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden in March 2021. As its top leader, Kim drives a bold vision for the future. She is directly responsible for this vibrant 12-acre public garden, which offers enduring guest experiences, transformative educational opportunities, and engages a wide range of communities.
Kim's extensive nonprofit and social service expertise complements the Botanical Garden's devotion to being a community-focused and community-welcoming environment for those of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. She strongly believes public gardens and green spaces can and should play an essential role in building relationships to strengthen communities.
Her previous experiences include serving as President and Chief Executive Officer for The Cradle, which is one of the foremost adoption agencies in the country, located in Evanston, IL. Kim was
responsible for bolstering the organization's capacity to continue leading the way in services for building and strengthening families for years to come. She also was Executive Director of People's
Resource Center, a nonprofit helping low-income families. Earlier in her career, Kim held several leadership positions at the social services agency Lifelink, where she was Vice President of Child
and Family Services.
Kim earned a master's degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago and a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa. She, her husband, and son are lifelong Midwesterners, and the family relocated from Chicago when Kim joined the team at the Botanical Garden.
