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Team TIV

The dream team that keeps us on the road.

Ryan Shepard
CEO/Owner

Ryan Shepard studied Professional Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and began storm chasing in 2007 with his close friend Johnathan Skinner. In 2008 he chased with Sean Casey and the Discovery crew of Storm Chasers as the TIV-1 driver. In 2019 he purchased the TIV-2 from Sean and with the help of his team, restored it.

James Breitenbach
President

James Breitenbach was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas and began his chasing career in 1988 as a storm spotter. In 2004 he joined Silver Lining Tours as a guide and in 2019 joined Storm Of Passion to help restore, facilitate and maintain TIV-2. James is also a Farmer out of central Kansas.

Ashlee Carson
Vice President

Ashlee Carson grew up in Colorado. She handles our merchandise, finances and brand management at Storm Of Passion. Based out of Wyoming, Ashlee is happily married and mother to six children.

Evan Breitenbach
Crew Cheif

Evan Breitenbach grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. Eldest son to James, he began chasing with his father at a young age and started working with the TIV-2 and Storm Of Passion back in 2019. He has now become the vehicle’s primary driver.

Angelo Breitenbach
Doghouse Navigator

Angelo Breitenbach, son to James, began chasing with his father at a young age and continues to today. He operates the TIV-2 support vehicle, Doghouse. Angelo recently began work as a corrections officer out of Kansas on top of storm chasing.

Brian Flynn
Social Media Manager

Also known as Tofu or Don’t Spill the Tofu, Brian is a social media influencer that gained traction in Roblox Twisted content and then collaborating with the TIV team, he now chases storms in real life on his own and with the team. He has also been involved in SOP events and content creation.

Tyler Schlitt
Navigator/Photographer

Tyler Schlitt is a published photographer from Washington, Missouri. Tyler has chased storms for over eleven years and is Storm Of Passion’s primary photographer. In 2019 Tyler and chase partner Randy Hicks successfully deployed a video probe ahead of the photogenic McCook, NE tornado.

John Hamisch
Moderator

Living in California, John has been around from the start of our Brand. John is great at managing brand relationships and finding opportunities. He currently moderates our social media platforms and has driven TIV on a chase, as well as been out on our monsoon chases in the late summer.

Addison Baxter
Support Crew

Addison had experience chasing on his own and collaborating with storm chasing brands. Today he works on the support vehicle crew often driving his red pickup truck with a mesonet and providing content of the TIV and crew chasing. He has a goal to film the TIV being impacted by a tornado

Jesse GillettDirector of Media Communications

Jesse Gillett is a digital content creator and YouTuber based out of New England. He joined Storm Of Passion in 2024 as a producer and now operates as the team’s Media and Communications Director. Jesse produced a feature length film about the Breitenbach and their relationship with Storm Of Passion.

Justin NoonanNavigator/Forecaster

Justin is a professional forecaster in Australia. He met James and Ryan when working as a guide with them on Silver Lining Tours. Justin travels to the US every few years to chase a chunk of the season, and often works as a forecaster/navigator with the crew.