Knepper started volunteering with the Festival at Sandpoint at six years old in 2014. She is now 17 years old, marking the 2024 Summer Series as her eleventh year volunteering. 

Knepper is the current department chair in training for the Green Team and is the leader of all youth volunteers in the department. She helps lead the Green Team through performance setup, keeping backstage clean, and a full venue sweep at the end of each night.

“Makaia is one of our youngest volunteers, and her dedication to this organization and our community is inspiring.” Executive Director Ali Baranski said. “It has been so exciting to watch her grow into her role with the Green Team over the years.”

Although much of the Green Team’s work is done behind the scenes and therefore may go unnoticed, they are instrumental in keeping the venue clean for our guests, staff, and artists. 

“We welcome thousands of guests into the venue for each performance, which, as you can imagine, can create quite a mess,” Baranski said. “Thanks to the Green Team, after every evening we can return to a clean venue, ready for the next performance.”

Knepper's involvement as a volunteer started at a young age, following in the footsteps of her parents, Jon, Green Team Chair, and Amanda, Festival Street vendor, and Green Team volunteer, both of whom have volunteered with the Festival for more than 10 years.

When asked what sets her apart from other teenagers, Jon Knepper said, “She is very compassionate and kind. Her volunteering comes naturally to her. She looks forward to [volunteering at] the Festival as a huge part of her summer.”