21st Century Fall Conference Registration

John Kretzmann (Jody) is Co-Director of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute, a research project of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University.

Lee Gault has been involved in outdoor, adventure-based alternative education for almost 30 years.  He has been with the Montana Conservation Corps for 13 years, 10 of those as program director.  Before that he worked for the Colorado and North Carolina Outward Bound Schools for 10 years as well as various other adventure programming organizations, specializing in working with delinquent and at-risk youth. Lee also has experience as a classroom teacher and counselor.

Julie Hancock has been the director of LINKS For Learning, a 21st CCLC program since 1999.
Ria Overholt is in her fourth year as program director for the Hamilton K-12 Schools.  She began working in the school district as a gifted and talented teacher.  Previous to that she worked with small, local non-profits providing afterschool and summer programs on a limited budget.  She is always working to balance her job and her life with her own two girls. 

Peggy Perry has been a teacher for 31 years. She has been the Centerville School afterschool director and the Title I teacher for the past four years. 

Susan Court has been with the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) since 1997 as the HIV/AIDS education specialist and the YRBS program coordinator – both programs are funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Prior to being at the OPI she was an elementary health enhancement teacher for 18 years.  A graduate of Hinsdale High School her interests include playing piano and golfing.

Tim Brurud is currently the Director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line.  He has spent the last 11 years as an educator, both as a secondary science teacher and in afterschool programs.   Tim also serves as the president of the Big Sky chapter of the Boys & Girls Clubs Workers' Association and coordinates the Havre area afterschool coalition.

Karen Richem has presented at numerous local and state conferences, including the assessment conferences, MEA/MFT, and the County Superintendents' Conference.  She has been providing training to school districts on data analysis and reporting systems for two years.

Jason Andreas is the Director of Alternative Education for Browning Public Schools.  He has spent seven years developing programs for the Browning Public Schools and is the Administrator for the Blackfeet Academy Alternative High School, Project Choices Dropout Prevention Program, the Blackfeet Academy Wilderness Adventure Program, and the 21st Century Community Learning Program.  He has a Master of Social Work from the University of Kentucky, and has over 12 years of youth development experience.

Brian Suttle is the Coordinator for the Blackfeet Academy Wilderness Adventure Program (partially funded through 21st CCLC).  Brian has spent seven years working for Browning Public Schools developing experiential learning experiences for students.  He has a Bachelor of Education from Cedar Grove College.

Brenda Peppers is a School Nutrition Specialist with the OPI School Nutrition Programs, and conducts Montana school reviews and provides technical assistance.   Previous to joining the OPI School Nutrition, Brenda was a nutrition specialist with the Montana Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).  She enjoys visiting schools and residential child care institutions and working with school personnel to improve the school nutrition environment.  Brenda is a member of the State of Montana Obesity Prevention Task Force and is the liaison for the Montana State Nutrition Action Plan with the USDA/Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

Elaine Anderson-Wood has been an educator for more than 15 years.  She has taught children ranging in age from 3 to 13 in both public and private school environments.  Elaine earned her B.A. in secondary education from the University of Montana and a B.S. in elementary education from the University of Great Falls.  She has minors in English, Sociology and Asian Studies.  Elaine currently teaches at Franklin School in Missoula.  This is her third year as a 21st CCLC afterschool teacher, a job she finds to be truly rewarding.  As "captain of a pirate ship," Elaine has developed a unique program where students are extremely eager to engage in a wide variety of educational activities.

Jeanne Moe has developed archaeology education materials and accompanying professional development for both formal and informal audiences. She coordinated National Project Archaeology from 1994 to 2001 and has directed the program since 2001 when NPA moved to MSU. In the course of this work, she has developed an extensive network of archaeology educators to deliver NPA materials and professional development. Ms. Moe has published extensively in archaeology education and won the Excellence in Education Award from the Society for American Archaeology in 2003. She is currently studying public archaeology and multicultural education in preparation for a doctoral degree in education.

Crystal Alegria holds degrees in archaeology and history.  She is the National Project Archaeology Network Coordinator and the Montana Project Archaeology Director.  She has 11 years experience in archaeology education program planning and the development of inquiry-based archaeology curricula.

Mary Ellen Earnhardt holds a Master in Counseling from Oregon State.  She has been a career counselor at the college and jr. high level.  She has taught pre-school-adults.  She has been the author and director of two career grants for educators.  Mary Ellen is a member of the National Career Development Center and loves kids.

Sarah R Sadowski is dedicated to the National Service movement in Montana and delights in the opportunity to work with students of all ages and diverse communities to engage them in service that earns them an Education Award. Sarah is an avid outdoor adventurer who enjoys backpacking, camping and fishing.

Travis Fredrickson and Jack Hatch have been working with data and evaluation surrounding the 21st CCLC program in both Montana and Idaho from the inception of the state funded program.  Serving as statewide evaluators in Idaho and management system support in Montana has provided valued insights into the 21st CCLC programs in both locations.

Kathleen Brown is a teacher and is currently working in the Helena school district as an Indian Education Specialist.

Cathy Gaiser graduated from Bigfork High School in 1979. With her husband Bud they ran a successful gymnastics club for four hundred children in Geelong, Australia for nine years. They moved back to Bigfork in 1994. Bud obtained his teaching degree and Cathy started a small gymnastics program while raising their two children who are now 17 and 14. She is now director of the Bigfork LEAP program that has just concluded its second year.

Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer is the executive director of Hopa Mountain, a nonprofit organization based in Bozeman, Montana that invests in rural and tribal citizen leaders, adults and youth, who are working to improve education, ecological health, and economic development.    She loves spending time in service to others and outdoors.