Laura Acker, Parent Educator
Laura Acker is a Parent Educator with the Mineral County Health Department and has spent the past 10 years dedicating her career to empowering families and building healthy communities. With certifications as a Parent Educator, Community Health Worker, Lactation Counselor, Child Passenger Safety Technician, Birth Doula, and Death Midwife, Laura brings a wealth of expertise to her work. But she doesn't stop there - Laura is constantly seeking out new training opportunities to expand her toolbox and provide even more resources to the families she serves. Outside of her day job, Laura is an active board member of the non-profit Bathing Breath, where she has helped bring vital Death Midwifery training to Mineral County. Recognizing the importance of end-of-life planning, Laura has designed workshops to guide people through completing the "6 Essential Documents" - empowering families to have crucial conversations and make informed decisions about death.
Alice Anderson, M.Ed
Alice Anderson has devoted 42 years to educating children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Alice grew up in Helena, Montana and received her Bachelor degree from Montana State University. Alice then obtained a Masters in Deaf Education from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Alice began her career in Lewiston, Idaho as an itinerant teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. After serving in Lewiston for one year, Alice moved to Yakima, Washington where she completed 31 years in the Yakima School District in a Deaf Education Program primarily at the elementary school level. Alice saw a need for an Early Intervention Educator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing and pursued a Masters Level Certificate for DHH Infants, Toddlers, and their Families through Gallaudet University. Alice then worked as an Early Intervention Educator for the next 8 years for Yakima Memorial Hospital Children’s Village. Alice and her husband moved back to Montana and she has been a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Outreach Consultant for the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind for the past two years. Alice recently completed her certification in supporting the Education of Deaf-Blind students through the University of South Dakota. Alice’s desire to continue to learn new and innovative methods in the field of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education and Deaf-Blind Education is what drives her to share best practices with the communities that she serves.
Brooke Hathaway Angst, M.Ed., MA.C., TBRI Educator, HOPE Champion
Brooke Hathaway Angst is the founder of Angst Learning Services and a national consultant and educator with deep expertise in early childhood education, child development, and family engagement. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from Texas A&M University and completed her graduate work in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on Early Childhood from Concordia University, and her Masters in Counseling from St. Edward’s University. Brooke is also a certified Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)® Practitioner and Educator through Texas Christian University’s Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development and certified HOPE Facilitator through Tufts Medical School.
With nearly 20 years of experience working with children and families impacted by trauma and adversity, Brooke has trained school districts, nonprofit organizations, and early childhood programs across the country in relationship-based, strengths-focused approaches. She specializes in helping providers and educators create safe, connected, and empowering environments where children and caregivers can thrive. Brooke currently lives in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, where she offers local and statewide training, consultation, and advocacy services.
Jennifer Banna, MS
Jennifer Banna, B.S., is the Center Coordinator for the Montana Family to Family Health Information Center. With degrees in Child Development and Elementary Education from Montana State University, she has worked on a variety of grant funded programs while raising five children. She is pleased to use her experience raising her children with special health care needs to assist other families on their journey. She is very interested in genetics and policy changes at the local, state and national level.
Melanie Batt
Melanie Batt joined the Mineral County Health Department in December 2021. Melanie primarily serves as both a clinical investigator and a communications coordinator. As a communicable disease investigator, she focuses on cases related to COVID, influenza, and STIs. By the end of 2022, she expanded her responsibilities to include the role of Communications Coordinator, where she is tasked with researching, creating, and disseminating newsletters, social media content, and promotional materials for various health programs, including those related to wellness, immunizations, and early childhood initiatives. In January 2023, Melanie participated in a training with The Death Midwife and Earth Traditions to earn her certification as a death midwife. This emerging field is dedicated to offering holistic, compassionate, and individualized support to individuals and their families during the dying process. Their services encompass the completion of end-of-life documents, the organization of home vigils and funerals, and emotional support for both the dying and their loved ones.
Kim Brown, BSW, MSW, RSW
Kim Brown, BSW, MSW, RSW, started her human services career in 1982. She joined the 91次元 Rural Institute in 2003 and has provided technical assistance, training and on-site support to schools, agencies, families, and students in the areas of transition, employment, and Social Security Work Incentives. She currently serves as Project Coordinator for the Rural Institute Consumer Advisory Council, Principal Investigator for the Family-to-Family Health Information Center, and Director for the Children’s Special Health Services Transition Project and the Montana DeafBlind Project. Kim has taught both on-campus and online undergraduate-level social work classes in the United States and Canada. In addition, she runs a small private counseling practice.
Hollin Buck, MS
Hollin Buck currently serves as Program Manager at Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, where she works with professionals across Montana to strengthen the confidence, competence, and capacity of parents and caregivers during the most formative years of their children's lives. Her work focuses on empowering families and building sustainable support systems that make a lasting impact on child development and family wellbeing. A native Montanan, she returned home after earning a master’s degree in psychology from SUNY-Binghamton to begin her work in early childhood systems. With expertise in family-centered care and early childhood development, she spent over a decade leading early intervention programs dedicated to supporting families with children with disabilities. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring Montana on skis, bikes, and the water with her two children, two Labs, and husband
Jen Burckhard
Jen Burckhard is the Director of Community Services at Florence Crittenton in Helena, Montana. With over 20 years of experience working with children and families, she is dedicated to developing programs that strengthen families and build healthier communities.
Beth Ann Carter
Daniel Champer
Daniel currently serves as the Director of Clinical and Residential Services for Florence Crittenton Family Services. A farm kid from Ohio, Daniel believes in hard work partnered with care and nurture. He has worked for over 15 years in the mental health field and has served as a direct care staff, therapist, clinical supervisor, and clinical director in programs specializing in lockdown residential treatment, sex offender treatment, group home care, school-based services, and outpatient services. He earned his Masters of Arts in Counseling from Waynesburg University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Daniel specializes in childhood development and complex trauma work throughout the life stages. He is passionate about digging in and coming alongside the tough and complicated situations that so many experience. He and his wife stay busy after work chasing seven children and a variety of farm animals in an attempt to live simply but fully.
Abbie Chermack
Abbie has been with Healthy MT Families for the last 7 years as a Program Specialist. With a background in state and community nonprofits and social services, she believes a healthy family in the basis for healthy communities. She lives outside Helena with her pack of dogs, horses and chickens and enjoys spending time outside skiing or floating with her daughter.
Michelle Cross
Michelle Cross has dedicated the past 25 years serving Montana students and is currently an MSDB Outreach Vision Consultant for the past 10 years in various areas across the state. Prior to working in Outreach, Michelle was a VI classroom teacher at MSDB for 10 years working with students with multiple impairments and visual impairments. She began her career in education working as a Paraprofessional in an ED special education program. Michelle then went on to get her bachelors in elementary education and special education and in 2020; Michelle graduated from Texas Tech University with a Masters in Special Education, emphasis in teacher of students with visual impairment. She resides in Great Falls.
Stacy Dreessen, LMSW
Stacy has over 30 years of experience working with children and families. Her mission revolves around those she serves in the community - helping children grow up in safe, stable, nurturing environments and helping parents and caregivers to build resilience in themselves and their children. She worked for The Family Tree Center in Billings, MT for 18 years, serving as the Executive Director for 12 of those years. At the same time, she was Co-Director of Child Abuse Prevention Network of Montana and currently sits on their Board of Directors. She also serves on the Yellowstone District Exchange Club Board and the Intermountain Deaconess Children’s Services Board. Stacy currently works as a consultant and trainer. She has facilitated the Nurturing Parenting Program for nearly 20 years, is a National Trainer for Darkness to Light/Stewards of Children, Exchange Parent Aide Home Visiting, Visit Coaching and Adverse Childhood Experiences, Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care. Stacy lives in Billings, MT with her husband of 36 years, Kent. She has two grown children and two grandchildren.
Dawn Gunderson, CLC
Dawn Gunderson serves as the Program Coordinator for Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, The Montana Coalition, where she oversees the LIFTS resource guide, the Safe Seat and Safe Sleep for Baby programs, and supports statewide family-focused partners and coalitions. Her background includes leading behavioral health initiatives and providing WIC services, including nutrition education and lactation support. As a mother of six, she’s deeply committed to ensuring families have access to the care and community they need to thrive.
Shelby Gustin
Becky Haines
David Haines
Kathy Keel
Kathy Keel serves as a Family Liaison for the Montana Empowerment Center (MEC), where she supports families by providing information, resources, and guidance. She plays a key role in the development of MEC’s monthly newsletters, tip sheets, and manages the organization’s calendar, helping to promote statewide training opportunities for educators and families.
Kathy brings over 25 years of experience in Early Intervention and family support. Her career began as a Head Start preschool teacher, followed by teaching in elementary classrooms. She later served as a Family Support Specialist and Infant and Toddler Specialist for Part C of IDEA and the Family Education and Support Program. Kathy’s passion lies in empowering families and fostering collaborative partnerships that support young children’s growth and development.
Alex Keith
Melissa Lavinder, BS, CPH
Melissa Lavinder, BS, CPH, is the State of Montana's Early Childhood Program Evaluator, primarily focused on evidence-based and universal home visiting programs. She completed her BS in Pre-Professional Biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2013 and is currently pursuing a Master's of Public Health degree from the 91次元. Melissa has accumulated over 11 years’ of experience working at DPHHS to strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment. She has experience in program administration and evaluation, grant allocation processes, and stakeholder engagement. Melissa is a recipient of the Service to Children and Abby M. Zent Service Recognition awards. Melissa spends most of her free time with her family, enjoying the outdoors, baking, and crafting.
Rob Lawler
Rob Lawler serves as Montana’s Faith and Community-Based Services Coordinator within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). He is part of a small but growing national network working to strengthen partnerships between government agencies and houses of worship and faith-based nonprofits. These collaborations aim to deliver essential resources to communities by leveraging one of their most consistent assets: churches and the people who serve through them. Rob brings over 27 years of experience as a faith-based nonprofit leader and pastor, alongside academic training in Social Work, Sociology, and Seminary. His career has included trauma-informed roles in Child Welfare in Nevada, as well as work in disaster services, homeless outreach, and transitional housing programs. Rob is married and the proud father of three grown children. He and his family share their lives with two dogs and five cows. In his free time, Rob enjoys camping, fishing, hunting, and traveling—especially by RV.
Leslie Lee
Leslie Lee is the Healthy Montana Families Section Supervisor and also the MIECHV project director for MT DPHHS. Leslie has over 25 years of experience in the fields of early childhood and public health and lives in Helena with her family, three teenagers, and two dog (children).
Lace Lesofski, MEd
Lace Lesofski has dedicated 9 years to supporting students who are Deaf or hard of hearing at Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind. She was a classroom teacher for 8 of those years before switching roles to become an Outreach Consultant for Great Falls, Stillwater, Sweetgrass and Park County. She holds a Bachelors in English Education from Montana State University, as well as a Masters in Deaf Education Birth - 21 from the University of Northern Colorado. Lace determined at a young age that she wanted to be in the field of education and continued to pursue those dreams. She brings a unique perspective and voice as an individual with a profound sensorineural hearing loss from the age of 7. She is a bilateral cochlear implant user for the past 14 years. Her goal has been to show not only students with hearing loss or deafness, but families that they can do anything they set their mind to, regardless of their hearing abilities.
Kendra Lewis, OTD, OTR/L
Kendra Lewis, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist and Public Education Specialist for MonTECH’s Rural School Outreach Program and The Sandbox Project. She grew up in rural Montana, so she is very passionate about meeting the needs of our rural communities. She not only has the opportunity to do this in her role with MonTECH, but also founded the non-profit Cutting Fences Foundation, which serves farmers, ranchers, and Veterans in agriculture living with a disability or illness. She is grateful to be a part of the team at the Rural Institute to help meet the needs of our state and rural communities. Jennifer Banna Kari Tarter, MSpEd, has worked in the special education field since 2018, first as a paraprofessional, then as a lead special educator. She has also supported young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities as a peer mentor for a unique post-high school transition program. Kari serves as the Public Education Specialist focused on Transition and Deafblindness. She is excited to connect community members to valuable services and contribute to inclusion for everyone.
Charity Middlemas
Charity Middlemas is a Home Visitor for Lewis and Clark Public Health. She is a Parent Educator for the Parents as Teachers Program, and an Asthma Educator for the Montana Asthma Home Visiting Program. Charity is a Community Health Worker, Certified Lactation Counselor, Certified Asthma Educator, and Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. Charity was born and raised in Townsend, where she lives with her partner and her two children. She enjoys sports, lake days, camping, fishing, gardening, all things summer, traveling, photography, reading, hunting, and spending time with family and friends. Charity has a passion for supporting and empowering families and is thrilled that she can utilize that passion every day at Lewis and Clark Public Health.
Jenn Norlander
Jenn Norlander has committed 17 years in the field of special education by serving as a paraprofessional and then special education teacher. She holds a masters degree in Special Education from Montana State University Billings. Jenn pursued a certification in teaching students with visual impairments to further help students in her classroom. She obtained the certification from Texas Tech University in 2020. In hopes to help other teachers and families, she joined the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind outreach team. Jenn is currently an outreach consultant for southwest and south central Montana.
Teresa Nygaard, LBSW
Teresa Nygaard, LBSW, is a dedicated professional with over three decades of experience working with children, families, and communities. As the owner of DragonFly406 Training & Consulting, she serves as a Montana ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Master Trainer and a National Trainer for Nurturing Parenting Programs and Darkness to Light/Stewards of Children.
Previously, Teresa served as the Executive Director of The Parenting Place and currently contributes to the field as a member of the Board of Directors for the Child Abuse Prevention Network of Montana. Her work spans diverse populations, including incarcerated individuals, law enforcement, school systems, and Montana's reservation communities. Teresa’s extensive experience has deepened her commitment to prevention and healing, rooted in the belief that positive relationships are the foundation of meaningful change.
Barbara Otey
Barbara Otey As an early childhood educator, Barbara Otey understands "big feelings." She knows what it means to "sit in the ick" with the children as they develop emotionally. And after struggling with depression, anxiety, undiagnosed ADHD, and a suicide attempt, she knows a thing or two about sitting alone in the ick and what it takes to get out of it. Barbara's story of stubborn determination, resilience, and celebration of self will help you understand how to sit in the ick with big feelings and not lose yourself in the process.
David P. Otey, MA, MBA
David Otey, MA, MBA Across his varied career, speaker/author/speaking coach David P. Otey has served as Chief Engineer of a public television station; General Manager of an industry-wide training effort that reached more than 10,000 broadcasting professionals; owner of a training business specializing in soft skills for high-level technical professionals; and now a sought-after speaker on suicide prevention, relating his lived experience with depression, suicidal ideation, and the near-loss of a daughter to a suicide attempt. David is a member of the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee, and he recently helped Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas lead five organizations to successfully complete Colorado’s pilot H.O.P.E. Certification program. David is available to travel from Denver, Colorado, to speak to organizations wanting to increase both awareness and action around their employees’ or members’ mental health and overall well-being.
Haley Permar, MS, CCC-SLP
Haley Permar, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech language pathologist and has been working with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families in various roles since 2015. She currently serves as an Assistive Technology Special Projects Manager at MonTECH, Montana’s statewide AT program, where she supports early childhood providers with training and technical assistance through The Sandbox Project. She brings a practical, family-centered approach to supporting communication and access to learning spaces for all young learners. Kendra Lewis, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist and Public Education Specialist for MonTECH’s Rural School Outreach Program and The Sandbox Project. She grew up in rural Montana, so she is very passionate about meeting the needs of our rural communities. She not only has the opportunity to do this in her role with MonTECH, but also founded the non-profit Cutting Fences Foundation, which serves farmers, ranchers, and Veterans in agriculture living with a disability or illness. She is grateful to be a part of the team at the Rural Institute to help meet the needs of our state and rural communities.
Mackenzie Peterson
Mackenzie Petersen is the Project Director for the Community Health Worker Training Program and Native Youth POWER. She has over 15 years of professional experience working with communities to improve health and reduce disparities. Mackenzie loves to develop creative solutions and change systems with the expertise of partners and people with lived experience. Before joining the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development, Mackenzie worked for almost five years at the Department of Public Health and Human Services as a section supervisor for behavioral health services in Medicaid and Children’s Health Services in Public Health. In these roles, she developed and improved partnerships with key partner organizations in an effort to dismantle silos and improve collaboration.
Christine Philips, M.A. Ed
Christine Phillips, M.A. Ed is an experienced early childhood educator, teacher instructor, and parent educator. She has been a Montessori classroom teacher for 17 years in Bozeman for children ages 3-6. In addition to her Montessori certification and Masters in Education, she has specialized training in the science of reading, Montessori Applied to Children at Risk from the Shelton School in Dallas, TX and is a certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator. She teaches children at Mountain Meadows Montessori, instructs aspiring Montessori teachers for the Montana Montessori Teacher Education Institute and coaches graduate students for St. Catherine University.
April Quinlan
April Quinlan serves as the Family Programs Supervisor at the Mineral County Health Department, where she brings over 23 years of experience supporting and working with families and the professionals in their lives. A Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and certified Facilitated Attuned Interactions (FAN) Trainer through the Erikson Institute, April is passionate about empowering individuals to care for themselves so they can continue caring for others.
April holds a bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Recreation Management from Arizona State University and a master’s degree of Education in School Counseling from Montana State University Billings. Her career has been shaped by a deep commitment to strengthening communities through compassion, connection, and intentional support.
She lives in western Montana with her husband, son, their dogs, and a cat, and finds purpose in contributing to the well-being of others—one caring interaction at a time.
Jackie Ronning
Jackie earned her BS in Elementary Education and her MA in Reading. Since 2004, Jackie has taught many ages and grades, but preschool through third is her favorite place to be. Before working for OPI, she had been a Kindergarten teacher, the Literacy Coach, the Assessment and Intervention Coordinator, as well as the Preschool Coordinator for a K-12 school. Jackie joined OPI in the CETA unit and worked with the state’s Gifted and Talented and MTSS Grants. She is now with the T&L unit, working with Early Literacy initiatives. Jackie’s educational interests are anything to do with the Science of Reading, Dyslexia, and Reading/ Literacy Intervention. In her spare time, she enjoys life in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains, flower gardening, and spending time with her husband, children, and pets.
Melanie D. Sands-Snyder
Melanie Sands-Snyder is a respected leader, dynamic keynote speaker, accomplished author, and passionate advocate dedicated to empowering individuals and transforming organizational cultures. With nearly a decade of extensive experience in Human Resources, Recruiting, and Talent Retention, Melanie currently serves as Supervisor of Recruiting, Onboarding, and Retention at St. Peter’s Health. Her strategic vision and innovative approach have consistently elevated recruitment strategies and significantly enhanced employee engagement, enabling organizations to attract, nurture, and retain exceptional talent. As a compelling keynote speaker and impactful breakout session facilitator, Melanie uniquely combines professionalism, warmth, and authenticity. She addresses critical topics including resilience, workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, innovation, and effective leadership. Melanie's powerful storytelling and actionable insights resonate deeply, inspiring audiences to embrace their full potential, pursue meaningful career paths, and drive positive organizational change. Melanie is also the author of the influential book series, "Becoming Me," which thoughtfully explores themes of resilience, self-compassion, and authenticity. Her deeply personal yet universally relatable narratives empower readers to navigate life's complexities with courage and purpose. Melanie's own journey, from traumatic brain injury survivor to celebrated author and influential speaker, embodies her transformative message of strength, resilience, and boundless possibility. A proud member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe from Rocky Boy, Melanie integrates her Indigenous heritage into her professional endeavors, advocating passionately for increased representation, inclusivity, and equity in the workplace. She is dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices, building inclusive environments, and supporting individuals in realizing their unique talents and contributions. Melanie Sands-Snyder continues to positively impact countless lives through her dedication to personal growth, her commitment to fostering inclusive communities, and her unwavering pursuit of workplaces where every individual can thrive and succeed.
Jean Schroeder
For the past 25 years, Jean Schroeder has dedicated her career to assisting families with children who have disabilities, helping them connect to essential services and supports. Her first-hand experience as a mother with an adult child with a disability has greatly enhanced her ability to guide families in how to advocate for their children's needs.
Jean has served the past 5 years as the Project Coordinator at the Montana Empowerment Center (MEC), Montana's parent training and information center. Jean coordinates events and activities for the organization. She is one of the trainers at workshops and conferences. Jean also provides one on one assistance to families who have contacted us for assistance.
Alisa Straw
Social Worker, Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator, CLC (in training), Spanish-speaking, with 10+ years in Family Services. Alisa started with Gallatin City County Health Department as a Home Visitor in January 2025, but was at Head Start for 10 years, 6 years as a teacher and 4 years as Family Support Coordinator.
Bradley Tiefenthaler
Bradley Tiefenthaler serves as the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program Manager at Family Outreach, Inc., where he leverages his extensive expertise to drive transformative outcomes. Holding a Master of Education from Montana State University - Billings (MSU-B) and certified as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in Montana, Bradley excels in fostering authentic connections and building a supportive community. As the President of the Montana Association for Behavior Analysis (MTABA), he integrates unparalleled practical and leadership experience into his role. Currently pursuing a PhD in applied behavior analysis at Endicott College under the esteemed Dr. Mark Dixon, Bradley’s advanced training includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge (PEAK) curriculum, and Skills-Based Treatment (SBT). His unwavering dedication to empowering abilities and realizing their potential is central to his professional mission at Family Outreach. Outside of his professional work, Bradley enjoys spending time with his wife and son, golfing, and singing in the car.
Allison Wilson, PhD
Dr. Allison Wilson, an Associate Professor and the Director of the 91次元 Institute for Early Childhood Education, earned her PhD in Special Education and Early Intervention from the University of Oregon. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Wilson has dedicated her career to supporting young children and their families. Her teaching encompasses a range of topics including family engagement, curriculum design, early assessment practices, and child guidance. Dr. Wilson's research, which employs an Improvement Science framework, is focused on enhancing the preparation of early childhood professionals, implementing community-level initiatives to promote equitable opportunities for young children, and developing strategies to foster positive, language-rich interactions between young children and their caregivers. More information about the UM Institute for Early Childhood Education can be found at
Dylan Wright, M.A., LCPC, LSC
A Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and advocate for positive psychology, Dylan Wright serves as the Community Liaison for the Center for the Advancement of Positive Education (CAPE). In this role, he shares his expertise through presentations and instruction.
Dylan earned his M.A. in School Counseling from the 91次元, where he was a key contributor to the research and curriculum development of the Montana Happiness Project. His work on fathers' well-being was recently featured in the Greater Good Science Center's publication, Family Well-Being for the Greater Good: A science-based workbook for people supporting parents.
He also consults for Families First, providing facilitator supervision for his self-developed fathers' group, Dads and Dialogues. In addition, he volunteers as a Family Law Mediator. When not working, Dylan loves to mountain bike and spend time with his wife and adult children.