Board/Staff

2012 LCCF Board Members

Frank Cote – President Frank Cote has more than 25 years in the insurance industry. Frank  currently serves as the Senior Director of Public Relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana. In 2001 and 2002, under contract to the State of Montana, Frank served as a Special Deputy Supervisor/Rehabilitator for Montana Benefits and Life Company. He successfully rehabilitated the financially-distressed Montana Benefits and Life Company (MBLC), at the time the second largest health insurer in Montana. From 1993 through 1999, Frank served for seven years as the Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner of Montana. Frank  is an alumnus of the University of Montana where he earned his degree in Political Science and economics. Frank lives in Helena, Mt.

	Marcy McLean – Vice President Marcy McLean was elected to the LCCF Board of Directors in January 2010. While attending Summerfest 2009, Marcy was so impressed by the quality of grants awarded by LCCF, she asked to join the Board. Having served on several non-profit Boards, such as The Friendship Center, Child Care Partnerships, and the American Cancer Society, she committed to preserving the quality of life in Lewis and Clark County for generations by helping build the LCCF Endowment. Marcy is an Account Executive for the Montana Medical Association Health Care Plan and is married to Dan McLean.
	Curtis Larsen – Past President Curt grew up on a corn, oats and soy bean farm in southeastern South Dakota. He attended college at Sioux Falls College (now known as the University of Sioux Falls) in Sioux Falls, S.D., majoring in mathematics. After college, Curt attended law school at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Curt has worked in private practice, as state agency legal counsel, and in the law departments of a large business corporation and a quasi-private/government organization, namely the Montana State Fund. In addition to his law degree, Curt earned an MPA degree from the University of Montana in 2004, and taught a class in the MPA program at MSU as an adjunct instructor. Curt has served on the boards of several Helena area nonprofits, including Prickly Pear Land Trust, Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, Boyd Andrew and First Christian Church.
	Heidi Goettel – Secretary Heidi R. Goettel joined the LCCF board of directors in 2007. She currently serves as board Secretary. Heidi was born and raised in Helena. She attended The University of Montana and graduated from The University of Montana School of Law in 2005. She practices law, primarily estate and trust planning and administration, in the commercial department of Crowley Fleck PLLP in Helena. Heidi is married to Bob Cochran, an information analyst with the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Heidi and Bob live in South Central Helena. They have two sons, Lincoln and Barrett Cochrane.
	Lisa (Downs) Bullock – Treasurer Lisa is a Manager Consultant/IT Project Manager for Public Knowledge. She is the mother of three children (Caroline 9; Alexandria 7, and Cameron 5) and married to Steve Bullock. Lisa grew up in Helena, graduated from Carroll College (1989) and the University of Southern California (1994). She worked for IBM, taught high school Mathematics in Pasadena, and worked for Northrop Grumman in Reston, VA before returning to Helena in 2004. Lisa enjoys hiking, skiing, playing basketball, traveling, baking and reading. She is grateful for the opportunity to help serve her community through LCCF.
	Casey Kyler-West – Board Member At Large Casey was elected to the LCCF Board of Directors in July 2011. She currently serves as the Communications Director for the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Before coming to work for the State, Casey was the News Director for the Local NBC Affiliate in Helena. She started at the station as an intern in 2000 and became the News Director in 2005. As the Communications Director for the Department of Labor and Industry Casey’s primary responsibilities are publishing the Department’s biannual magazine “Main Street Montana”, coordinating media coverage and updating the Department’s internal and external website. She is also responsible for promoting career network information, The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and how it affects Montana’s workforce; employment statistics, the evolving energy industry and its impact on the workforce, as well as making sure employers and employees know their rights when it comes to workers’ compensation, safety in the workplace and the Montana Human Rights Act. Casey also coordinates public service announcements and education campaigns for the Department of Labor and Industry.
	Steve Browning Steve is a retired lawyer, who lives in the summer in Helena and the winter in Tucson Arizona. Mr. Browning is currently a board member of the Lewis and Clark Community Foundation, an organization that he formed with others in 1994. He is a founding and retired attorney of the Montana law firm, Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry and Hoven, P.C. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Indian Institute, an organization he has served since 1993. He has been a trustee of the Greater Montana Foundation since 2003. Also, he has been very active over the years in supporting community foundations in Montana. He was a founding board member of the Montana Community Foundation from 1989 and served as its chair until the end of his term in 1999. Browning was very active with the Myrna Loy Theater in Helena. He chaired the fund raising drive to build the Myrna Loy Theater in Helena, when he was serving on the board of directors of Helena Presents, Inc. from 1984 to 1994. Mr. Browning has also served as an appointee of various Montana governmental boards, including the Montana State Board of Science & Technology [Chairman], the Montana Historical Society Board, and the Montana Power Authority Board. Mr. Browning has been married to his wife, Judy, since 1964.
	Bridgitt Erickson Bridgitt grew up in rural Nebraska and received a BA degree, summa cum laude, in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa in 1985. She received a Juris Doctorate degree in 1988 from Creighton, a private Jesuit university in Omaha, Nebraska. Bridgitt was a government prosecutor for 9 years, criminal defense counsel in private practice for 11 years, and since 2008 has served as the Chief Hearing Officer for Montana Dept. of Public Health & Human Services. In addition to her work on behalf of charitable organizations, Bridgitt is a patron of the arts and enjoys the solitude of her mountain home near the Blackfoot River where she skis cross-country, rafts, quilts, cooks, and hikes through the forest with her labs.
	Aimee Grmoljez Aimee Grmoljez is a Partner practicing in the firm’s Government Affairs and Litigation Departments at Crowley Fleck. Ms. Grmoljez was raised in Billings and graduated from Boston College in 1994 with a B.A. in English and the University of Montana School of Law in 1998. Ms. Grmoljez clerked for U.S. District Judge Don Molloy in 1999. Ms. Grmoljez served as the Chief Legal Counsel for Governor Marc Racicot from 1999-2001. In 2001 Ms. Grmoljez joined the law firm of Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry and Hoven and was a partner representing various governmental affairs and litigation clients during her nine years at the firm. Ms. Grmoljez’s principal areas of counsel are government affairs and insurance defense litigation. Ms. Grmoljez is a member of the State Bars of Montana and Colorado. Aimee is mother to Sophie (4) and Isabella (2) and married to David Shanight. Aimee feels lucky to live in Lewis and Clark County and be able to serve on the LCCF Board.
	Sarah Howe-Cobb Sarah was born in New Hampshire and is married to Mike Cobb. They have ranched in the Augusta area since 1979 raising Charolais cattle. They have two daughters. Sarah attended Kenyon College and graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in Anthropology and from Montana State University with a degree in Nursing. She is currently the Public Health Nurse for the Augusta area and has worked for the Lewis and Clark City/County Health Dept. since 1984.
	Jason B. Jewett Jason joined U.S. Bank’s Private Client Group in 2010 as a Vice President in the asset and wealth management group. Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Jason practiced law in the Missoula and Helena areas most recently with the law firm of Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry and Hoven, P.C. His prior legal practice emphasized civil litigation as well as business structures and transactions, finance and real estate. Jason holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Montana State University and obtained his J.D. from Gonzaga University. Jason is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Helena and is an active member of the Helena Exchange Club.
	Julie Johnson Julie Johnson was elected to the LCCF Board of Directors in July 2008. Ms. Johnson is an attorney with the State of Montana Legislative Services Division. Previously Julie was with the Helena firm of Gough, Shannahan, Johson and Waterman. She represented clients in a variety of general civil litigation matters. Her practice includes insurance law, employment law matters and immigration law. Before joining Gough Shanahan, Julie clerked for the Honorable W. William Leaphart at the Montana Supreme Court. Prior to law school, Julie served in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa where she was the health director of a small village. She also taught English in Chile at the Instituto Chileno Norteamericano. Julie, a Helena native, is a member of the Helena Symphony Chorale and is active in Grandstreet Community Theater.
	Christine Odegard Christine resides in Wolf Creek. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and her master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. After receiving a Master’s in Education, Christine was a Fellow in Organizational and Community Systems at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. After a career in teaching and consulting, she retired in 2001. She and her husband, Ron, enjoy traveling, reading, kayaking, and cross-country skiing.

STAFF OF LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

 

 

Former Board Members

Jane Amdahl, Helena (2004 to 2006) Brent Anderson, Lincoln (2006 to 2007) Carla Anderson, Lincoln (2003 to 2005) Sidney Armstrong, Helena (2005 to Pam Atardo, Helena, (2007 to 2009) Leslie Gilkey, Lincoln (2000 to 2003) Nora Hohenlohe, Wolf Creek (2001 to 2004) Connie Horder, Canyon Creek (2001 to 2004) Ed Jasmin, Helena (2009 to Carroll Jenkins, Helena (2001 to 2004) Joel Kaleva, Helena (1999 to 2002) Bob Kiesling, Helena (2001 to 2004) Cheryl Lux, Augusta (1999 to 2005)

Loretta Lynde, Helena (1999 to 2004) Dan McLean, Helena (2003 to 2006) Galen McKibben, Helena (1999 to 2002) Steve Polhemus, Helena (2001 to 2007) Karen Potter, Lincoln (1999 to 2002) Kathy Ramirez, Helena (2006 to 2008) Rebecca Rearden, (2008) Lizzie Range, Wolf Creek (1999 to 2005) Sheila Sullivan, Helena (2006 to 2008) Don Templeton, Lincoln (2008 to 2009) Cindy Utterback, Helena (1999 to 2007) Mike Varone, Helena (2005 to 2007)

 

Former Advisory Board Members
Steve Browning Cheri Burns Marilyn Daumiller John Delano Joan Duncan Lynn Etchart Gloria Hermanson Scott Hibbard Gordon Hoven	Bonnie Lambert Loretta Lynde Kay McKenna Galen McKibben Dan McLean Jeannie Morrison Aidan Myrhe Nancy Nicholson Rae Olson	Steve Polhemus Clark Pyfer Kathy Ramirez Rebecca Reardon Annabelle Richards Lynne Robson Sheila Sullivan Doris Towery Ralph Yaeger