American Indian Outreach & Project Coordinator

Where did you attend college?

I am proud to be a two-time graduate of the University of Montana earning both a B.S. in Athletic Training and M.S. in Health and Human Performance.

What brought you to Montana?

I am a native Montanan, born in Kalispell and raised in East Glacier and the Browning area on the Blackfeet Reservation.  I am an Amskapi Pikuni (Blackfeet) descendant, my father is an enrolled tribal member.  I spent my high school years in Las Vegas, NV, then returned to Montana on a collegiate track scholarship and have stayed in the Missoula area since 2002.  

Why did you choose to be part of the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana?

I have always been interested in healthcare, which is a big reason for me becoming an athletic trainer.  Throughout my collegiate and post collegiate education I have become passionate about healthcare inequity, especially in regards to American Indian/Alaska Native populations and frontier settings.

What are your interests outside the University and FMRWM?

I love to spend time with my wife Jenessa and son Finley, as well as our three dogs. I am a hunter and fisherman and when I have other free time I like to do leatherwork and make wooden rings. 

What do you love about Western Montana?

I like the geographic diversity and all it has to offer year-round. As a native Montanan I love that Montana is “one small town with really long streets.”

What’s your favorite book?

I like non-fiction and historical books.  I really liked Jumping Fire by Murry Taylor, Young Men and Fire by Norman Mclean, and Roadside History of Montana by Don Spritzer.