Overview
The CIRE team consists of University of Montana staff, faculty, and professionals located across the United States and at the main campus in Missoula, Montana. For more information on CIRE's leadership and project managers, see the below.
Leadership Team
Kevin Swinford
CIRE Director
P: (406) 550-1151
E: kevin.swinford@umt.edu
ISB 412
As Director of CIRE, Kevin Swinford develops, implements, and oversees execution of the Center’s strategic vision, and directs collaboration with our Federal, Tribal, State, University, and private-sector partners. Swinford joined CIRE in 2022 after a 28-year career with the Air Force where he served as an active-duty and reserve officer and civil servant. Among other roles, he served as a warranted contracting officer, lead procurement analyst at an Air Force MAJCOM HQ, OIC of the Facilities Engineering Projects Branch at HQ USSTRATCOM, chief of environmental compliance at Offutt AFB, and as the environmental compliance and cultural resources contracts Program Manager for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Midwest Region. Swinford also served as a rated Navigator/Electronic Warfare Officer with over 500 hours in the RC-135S, including 118 combat hours in Operations OEF/OIF. He holds a BS from Bellevue College, a BSN from Creighton University and an MLS in Environmental and Agricultural Law from the University of Nebraska College of Law and is APDP certified in Contracting, Program Management and Facilities Engineering.
Austin Blank, MBA
CIRE Associate Director
P: (406) 214-9710
E: austin.blank@umt.edu
ISB 412
Austin serves as CIRE’s Associate Director and has spent over 10 years working with a variety of federal agencies. As the Associate Director, he is responsible for the execution of CIRE's vision and operations. He holds a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Montana and a Bachelor's with Marketing Emphasis from Lewis-Clark State College. In past roles, he has provided in-field GIS services, created Access databases and interactive GIS solutions, and served as the IT specialist both in the field and office. His work experience has included projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bonneville Power Administration, the Army, Air National Guard, US Marine Corps, Navy, and US Air Force.
Jon McRoberts, PhD
CIRE Natural Resources Programs Manager
P: (406) 546-8496
E: jon.mcroberts@umt.edu
ISB 412
Jon McRoberts is CIRE’s Natural Resources Program Manager responsible for task-based research project execution. Jon earned his Ph.D. in Wildlife Science and M.B.A. from Texas Tech University and was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources. Jon has managed field projects throughout the western United States and Mexico for Federal, State, Tribal, academic, and private-sector partners. Jon is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and has published peer-reviewed literature on a variety of natural resource topics.
Katy Bonner-Davis, PMP
CIRE Environmental Compliance Program Manager
P: (406) 550-3388
E: katy.bonner-davis@umt.edu
ISB 412
Katy serves as CIRE’s Environmental Compliance Program Manager. She has 15 years of experience managing, advising, and supporting environmental compliance, natural resources, and cultural resources programs for the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and Federal Civil agencies including Fort Carson, Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, Offutt Air Force Base, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Her areas of expertise include program/project management, proposal management, contract management, and data analysis. She is a certified Project Management Professional.
Project Managers, Faculty Partners, and Affiliates
Cris Howard
NEPA and Community Planning Manager
Ms. Howard is a NEPA and master planning specialist with 24 years of experience guiding DoD agencies through complex environmental review and long‑range planning. She leads Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, and regulatory compliance efforts, integrating technical analysis, stakeholder coordination, and strategic planning. Her work supports agencies including the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and NAVFAC.
Dalton Franks
Senior Natural Resources Project Manager
Sean Bowerbank
Cultural Resources Project Coordinator
Catherine Wiechmann
Mesonet Project Manager, located at University of Montana
Ragan Callaway, PhD
Regent's Professor of Ecology: University of Montana's Division of Biological Sciences
Former Director of Montana EPSCoR, Former CIRE Director