Steering Committee Member Profiles
Katelyn Andersen
Montana State University Extension Agent for Ravalli County
Contact: (406) 375-6611 or
Katelyn is happy to call Montana home after traveling her entire childhood as a daughter of an Air Force Officer. She now lives in Corvallis with her husband Chris, their new daughter Taylor, and their chocolate lab Sage. Katelyn graduated from the University of Wyoming (UW) in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences (focus in Textile and Merchandising). Continuing at UW, Katelyn then graduated in 2006 with a Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences. Katelyn has served as one of two Montana State University (MSU) Extension Agents for Ravalli County since June 2006. Her programming efforts include 4-H/Youth Development, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Community Development. MSU Extension is an educational resource dedicated to improving the quality of people's lives by providing research-based knowledge to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental well-being of families, communities, and agriculture enterprises. Katelyn serves as a co-representative for MSU Extension on the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee (BCPSC). She believes in lifelong learning and is an advocate of education. Serving as a BCPSC representative provides the opportunity for MSU Extension to be a part of the many educational avenues in Ravalli County.
Chuck Jensen
Vice President for Administration and Finance
Flathead Valley Community College
Contact: (406) 756-3808 or
Chuck was born and raised in far eastern Montana around the Plentywood area. Chuck holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Montana State University-Bozeman (MSU-Bozeman) and a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from the University of Montana (UM). Chuck started his career with the Montana Legislature in the Legislative Auditors Office. From there he began working for the Montana University System, employed at MSU-Bozeman and UM-Helena College of Technology before spending seven years at MSU-Northern as the Vice Chancellor for Fiscal and Student Affairs. Chuck is currently with Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) where he serves as the Vice President for Administration and Finance. Chuck is pleased to represent Flathead Valley Community College on the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee. He looks forward to being able to offer advice and share the knowledge FVCC has in regards to providing adult and higher education services to a local community.
Patricia Meakin
Bitterroot Valley Community College Effort Representative
Contact:
Patricia Meakin retired from the US Navy in 1990. During her Navy career she lived in several states, finally moving to Montana in 1997 with her husband, John. There she pursued a second career in elementary education. She established a successful elementary after-school program in Stevensville and now works as the Coordinator for Children's Programs at the North Valley Public Library in Stevensville. Patricia has served on the Stevensville School Board since May 2007 (2007-present). In addition, she was an elected member of the Montana State School Board Association Delegate Assembly (2007-2009) and was selected as a Key Communicator for the Montana School Board Association (2007-present). Patricia has been involved with the Bitterroot Valley Community College Effort since 2006. She is a graduate of a college of technology, a community college, and two universities (including The University of Montana). She sees these experiences as giving her a unique perspective and valuable insights in her work ahead with the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee. Patricia's personal goal is to ensure that this generation, and those which follow, will continue to have access to a variety of affordable postsecondary education opportunities through the Bitterroot College Program.
Kimberley Mills
Student
The University of Montana College of Technology
Contact: (406) 961-5648 or
Kimberley lives in Corvallis and works for the State of Montana. She and her 13-year-old son enjoy living in the Bitterroot Valley. Kimberley's personal dream is to complete her education (preferably before her son graduates from high school!) and secure employment at the Rocky Mountain Lab as a Microbiologist. For the past 15 years Kimberley was employed in real estate. However, with the onset of the real estate downturn, Kimberley became concerned about being able to provide for her household and knew she needed to make a change. Kimberley relocated to Montana in late 2007 and participated in a career assessment test being offered by the Bitterroot Job Service. The results of the test provided Kimberley with options which highlighted her natural strengths and weaknesses. Kimberley now attends The University of Montana on a part time basis, pursuing degrees in Microbiology and Business Management. Currently, Kimberley commutes to the UM campus three times a week and attends a course offered locally at the Hamilton Carriage House Annex. Kimberley's hope on the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee is to bring accurate representation of the many barriers facing adult students in Ravalli County and to be a part of overcoming these obstacles. Her sincere desire is to see that each and every person who wishes to pursue higher education has the opportunity to do so.
Deb Morris
Director of Human Resources
Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital
Contact: (406) 273-0122 or
Deb Morris earned an Associate degree in Accounting from Casper College in Casper Wyoming, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Human Resource Management from The University of Montana (UM), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the UM. Deb has 27 years of Human Resources experience and has been employed at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital since 1991 as the Director of Human Resources. She is a member of the Bitterroot Valley Job Service Employers Council and has held the Treasurer position. She is a member of the Ravalli County Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Workplace Issues committee. She is active with the Montana Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administrators and has held the Treasurer, President Elect, and President roles; she is currently chair of the Education Committee. She received the Chapter Officer Award from the American Society of Healthcare Human Resource Administrators (ASHHRA) during her tenure as President. This year she received ASHHRA's Outstanding Chapter Achievement award. She and her husband Lou have a daughter and son-in-law, Nicole and Sou Thao; both hold Bachelor degrees from The University of Montana. Deb loves her horses—competing in reining and cutting, while also enjoying trail riding. Her three Pembroke Welsh Corgi's keep a smile on her face. Deb considers herself a lifelong learner and is an avid supporter of higher education.
Rick O'Brien
Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce Director
Contact: (406) 363-2400 or
After purchasing property in Ravalli County in 1987, Rick and his wife Cheryl moved permanently to the Hamilton area in 1999. Rick and Cheryl have two grown children, with their first grand baby arriving in August of 2007. Well-suited to the Montana lifestyle, Rick enjoys fly-fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, and camping with his wife and her dog Sasha. Rick was an independent businessman in the oil and gas industry for over 35 years, traveling the world and counseling with all walks of life. Currently, as Executive Director of the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rick has been able to utilize his acquired experiences and business skills in order to benefit the Chamber, its members, and the area's communities. Rick has been actively involved in bringing affordable and responsive higher education to Ravalli County since joining the Bitterroot Valley Community College effort in 2006. As a member of the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee (BCPSC), Rick is charged with representing economic development interests for communities valley-wide. The Chamber represents over 615 local businesses, engaging approximately 10,000 Ravalli County residents. Rick hopes that the Bitterroot College Program will utilize the services of the Chamber in order to reach out to those who are interested in improving their lives and those of their children. Rick's personal goal as a BCPSC member is to assist in structuring a new model for higher education in Ravalli County, one that will provide educational opportunities which reflect the needs of the area's six communities and their core engine industries. Rick welcomes the committed involvement of The University of Montana (UM) and asks that the UM join with local stakeholders in exploring the creation of an educational delivery model which will provide core courses at a cost equivalent to those offered via a community college. Rick believes that success in this affordability concept will lay the foundation for a bridge to transfer education at the UM, thereby benefiting all parties.
John Robinson
Bitterroot Valley Community College Trustee-elect
Contact:
John grew up in Chicago. He was a Naval Aviation Cadet at the end of WWII. He attended Villanova for two semesters and then graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1949. John worked in a variety of jobs for the next three years and then attended John Marshall Law School, graduating in 1955. John practiced law in Chicago for ten years and married Dorothy in 1959. John and Dorothy have four children: Bain, Josh, James, and Maggie. In 1965 John and his family moved to Victor, Montana where John taught the sixth grade for three years and then taught high school history and drafting for five years, while throughout coaching football, basketball, and track. John attended The University of Montana for three summers, acquiring his principals' license. John was then the high school principal at Victor for five years, in addition to teaching and coaching. In 1967 the Robinson family acquired a large ranch in the Corvallis area, and the family ran cattle and ranched for 12 years. Also in 1967 John acquired his license to practice law in Montana. A decade later, upon leaving the cattle business, John opened a law office in Hamilton. Dorothy worked as legal secretary, and the two ran a small practice. The practice grew rapidly and over the next four years John acquired three partners. In 1986 John sold his interest in the law firm to his partners and ran for County Attorney of Ravalli County. John served four years as County Attorney and then retired from the practice of law. In May of 2005 John began writing a column for the Ravalli Republic every two weeks. Everyone needs something to keep them involved, and writing the column has kept John involved. John ran for (and was elected) trustee of the effort to establish a much needed community college in the Bitterroot Valley—which the Montana Senate defeated in committee in February of 2009. John has now stepped forward to serve as a member of the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee which is continuing the effort to establish adult and higher education, both credit and non-credit programming, in the Bitterroot Valley.
Bobbie Roos
Montana State University Extension Agent for Ravalli County
Contact: (406) 375- 6611 or
Bobbie has served as one of the two Montana State University (MSU) Extension Agents for Ravalli County since August 2008. Her programming efforts include Agriculture/Natural Resources/Horticulture and Community Development. Before coming to Ravalli County, she served for 15 years as the Extension Agent in Daniels County. She received her Bachelor of Science ('83) and Master of Science ('85) degrees from Western Kentucky University in Agriculture and Biology with a Secondary Education Endorsement, respectively. She and her husband, Dave, still farm in Northeast Montana, where Dave teaches part time at Scobey High School in Technical Education. Dave's three sons graduated from Montana Tech in Mining Engineering and Bobbie's daughter attended The University of Montana. MSU Extension is an educational resource dedicated to improving the quality of people's lives by providing research-based knowledge to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental well-being of families, communities, and agriculture enterprises. Bobbie serves as a co-representative for MSU Extension on the Bitterroot College Program Steering Committee. She believes in lifelong learning and is an advocate of education. Serving as a BCPSC representative provides the opportunity for MSU Extension to be a part of the many educational avenues in Ravalli County.
Dixie Stark
Literacy Bitterroot Director
Contact: (406) 363-2900 or
Dixie was born and raised in extreme southeastern Montana south of Broadus. She married Mike Stark in the fall of 1977 and they moved to Missoula to attend The University of Montana (UM). After Dixie completed a Bachelor of Arts in Botany and a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, the couple moved just south of Darby where they still reside. Dixie later completed a Master of Arts in Botany at the UM. In 1991 Dixie was appointed the director of Literacy Bitterroot (formerly Literacy Volunteers of the Bitterroot). As director, she has raised more than a million dollars to provide developmental education and GED services free to local students. She loves to garden, read, take long walks, and serve on local boards. Dixie currently serves as Chairperson of the Darby Public Schools Board of Trustees, Treasurer of the Ravalli Services Corporation Foundation Board, and a member of the Sapphire Community Health Center Board. Dixie is a leader in the non-profit arena in the areas of advocacy and collaboration, and she is a lifelong learner. She looks forward to applying the innovative concepts that produced high quality local literacy services to the need for developmental and transfer education in the Bitterroot Valley.
Lynn Stocking
Associate Dean
The University of Montana College of Technology
Contact: (406) 243-7801 or
Lynn was born in Missoula and raised in the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. She has been a resident of Missoula since returning to attend The University of Montana (UM) as an undergraduate. She is married and has an adult son who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Lynn is currently the Associate Dean for The University of Montana College of Technology (UM-COT). She is actively involved with the academic, student services, and business operations of the UM-COT, as well as being an academic advisor for the college's Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs. Lynn is also engaged in the greater Missoula community, working with the Missoula Job Service, the Missoula Chamber of Commerce, and the Poverello Center. Via her position at the UM-COT, Lynn is professionally associated with the Bitterroot College Program (BCP) Steering Committee as a representative for the UM, bringing her career-long experience in 2-year education, community programming, and UM systems to the BCP effort. Lynn is personally honored to have been asked to be involved in the BCP Steering Committee. She approaches the year ahead as an opportunity to be involved in a positive, community-based (Ravalli County and UM) collaboration toward developing accessible programming in the Bitterroot Valley. She is excited about the opportunities and systems which are available and which can be developed and created.