Te'Jal Cartwright, Owner and Story Coach
Te’Jal Cartwright has built a career that weaves together media, community advocacy, and the transformative power of storytelling. She is an award-winning journalist, an entrepreneur, and the proud owner of Lore, a company dedicated to teaching the art of storytelling to inspire action and foster authentic connections.
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Te’Jal’s storytelling journey began with What’s the Biz with TJ, a digital platform she launched in 2018 to highlight Black-owned businesses across the nation. Over four seasons, she amplified the stories of more than 100 businesses, earning recognition for her ability to connect audiences and drive impact.
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In 2018, Te’Jal joined Lore as a digital strategist, where her expertise in media and marketing helped storytellers refine their narratives and share them widely. The shift to lead story coach in 2021 allowed Te’Jal to dive deeper into helping individuals and organizations tell stories that resonate. By 2024, she became the sole owner of Lore, turning it into a space where stories transform lives, businesses, and communities.
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Te’Jal’s work goes far beyond the stage. She has collaborated with organizations like Project Jericho, The Hope Center, and Co-op Dayton, using storytelling to empower individuals to elevate their voices and tackle challenges collectively. Through her work with StoryChain, she helped incarcerated parents record stories for their children, proving that stories can heal and connect even in the most difficult circumstances.
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Today, Te’Jal leads Lore with a vision rooted in community, connection, and creativity. Her mission is simple: to help people discover the power of their own stories and use them to build relationships, solve problems, and create meaningful change.
Bridget Flaherty, Senior Story Coach
Bridget Flaherty has a successful career in Information Technology and Business Process Improvement and she is a Storyteller. Odd combination? Yes. And it makes her uniquely qualified to teach storytelling for business.
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The first time that Bridget got on stage to tell a story, she won the competition. Instantly, she was hooked. She began traveling to share stories across the Midwest, including cities like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Louisville, Cincinnati and Dayton.
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Quickly, Bridget recognized how a captivating story can impact business success through effective leadership, captivating marketing, increased sales and clarified company culture. It was a natural fit. Marrying her more than 20 years of experience in business leadership with her passion for storytelling, Bridget developed a curriculum that makes sense for business professionals and she began to share the art of storytelling. LORE was born.
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Bridget led storytelling workshops, small group sessions and provided one-on-one coaching for business professionals that desire to tell a captivating story. In 2024 Bridget stepped down as the owner of Lore to focus on the next chapter of her life. She still consults closely with the Lore team to support with workshops and continue her love of story sharing.
Allie Ellison, Story Coach
Hi, I’m Allie Ellison — Lore Story Coach and Director of Student Recruitment and Engagement at the University of Dayton’s School of Business Administration. My career has been fueled by one driving force: the power of a great story. Whether I’m highlighting student successes, creating campaigns that foster connection, or designing experiences that give purpose to life, storytelling is central to everything I do. With degrees in public relations (BA – University of Dayton, MA – University of Georgia) and organizational change (MPS – Penn State), I’ve led recruitment, communications, and engagement efforts across higher education (UD and Penn State) and impact-focused organizations like United Way and the Girl Scouts. Outside of work, you’ll find me spending time with my husband Kaleb, our two corgis — Goose and Maverick — and our cat, Ruxin, who calls the shots at home.
Lauren Karch, Story Coach
Lauren Karch is a Lore Storytelling graduate and has told stories at audiences at Dayton Story Slam, Cincinnati True Theatre, Cleveland Story Club, and on the Moth's Mainstage.
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She works in local government and volunteers at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center, the League of Women Voters of Dayton, Gem City Kitties, and some other spots.
Basically, she's around. Or else in Alaska.
Kwaunisha Moore, Story Coach
Kwaunisha Moore is thrilled to serve as a Lore Storytelling Coach, empowering others to share their unique journeys with authenticity and confidence. With every class, she creates a safe, welcoming space where voices are honored, stories are celebrated, and transformation begins. Having overcome her own challenges and embracing a path of self-love, Kwaunisha understands the courage it takes to be vulnerable. Her mission is to guide, encourage, and inspire others to use the power of their voice—not only to tell their story, but to heal through it.
