Systems Development Bureau

Jim has a BS in Computer Science from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. He has 30 years experience in the Finance industry as a technology professional including software development, project management and program management. He has led software development teams for over 20 years and served as the head of all IT efforts for a top 10 national mortgage lender. Jim joined the State of Montana workforce as the OPI's Bureau Chief of Software Development in November of 2007.

Sharon has a BS degree in Computer Science from Montana Tech. She has worked for the state for 20 years in a variety of Information Systems positions. Most recently she was the manager and database administrator for the Remediation Division of the Department of Environmental Quality. She started at OPI in March 2001. Her current projects include developing, installing, and maintaining the OPI database server software, maintaining Central, and other programming duties related to Centralized services. She reviews and ensures the consistency and quality of the database structures, and reports and corrects inconsistent data. She coordinates changes to the data with the programming staff.

Lynnette has BS degrees in Computer Science and Accounting from the College of Great Falls. She has worked for the state since July 1992 in both the Department of Labor and the Office of Public Instruction. She works in OPI's Finance Division where she is responsible for MAEFAIRS, Audit Tracking, Impact Aid and Transportation systems. Outside the Finance Division, she works on the Traffic Education and Adult Driver's Education systems. Her expertise is in MS Access and SQL Server. Her other responsibilities include: ensuring programming standards are met through consistent and frequent code reviews for all OPI programs, making suggestions and following up on programming, helping to create and document OPI programming standards, understanding the general function and methods of all OPI programs, and providing technical supervision for programming staff, especially new hires

Matt has a BS in Computer Science from DeVry University. He has programmed for over 20 years for a wide variety of businesses. He has programmed in Assembler, JCL, Cobol, dBase, FoxPro, Visual FoxPro, Visual Basic, and other modern languages. As a programmer, he has worked on difficult technical problems in health care, insurance, and energy. He has worked at OPI since August 2004. He is responsible for AYP, SABERS Human Resources integration, Annual Data Collection, and Educator Licensure.

Marc has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Math from Washington State University.  He later received a MS in Computer Science from Union College in Schenectady, NY.  He has worked for the State of Montana since 2003 and began as the Bureau Chief for Software Development at the OPI in March 2005.  Marc has been involved in professional software development since 1997 and has used numerous technologies to develop solutions for the engineering, medical and transportation industries.

Linda has a BS in Math and Education from University of Northern Iowa, and a Masters degree in Math from Portland State University. She has worked as junior high math teacher. Linda has worked at OPI since March 1999. In July 2000 she began working for the Information Systems Development Bureau. She provides support to OPI staff in their design and use of Access databases and programs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and survey projects. She assists other OPI programmers in the design phase of their projects, testing new systems, providing training to users, and writing documentation and user's manuals. Her current projects include Annual Data Collection, Adult Basic Education MABLE program, the ESEA Federal Consolidated Application, calculating eligibility and allocations to school districts for federal and state programs, and E-Grants.

Karla has a BS degree from Rocky Mountain College with majors in Business Administration and Elementary Education.  Prior to joining the OPI in 1996 she taught Title I reading and math in East Helena.  Karla started her OPI career in the Educator Licensure Division, moving to Career, Technical and Adult Education in 2000.  She joined the Systems Development Bureau in 2008 as the E-Grants designer.  She is responsible for the OPI's electronic grants management system (E-Grants).