91´ÎÔª

Chris Mackey is a Senior Project Coordinator in Community Health at the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham Alabama. Lakeshore is also one of the homes of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability, or NCHPAD. The work of Lakeshore/NCHPAD focuses on building the capacity of public health and health promotion professionals to be inclusive of people with disabilities. Chris has served as the lead staff member for work focused on public health professionals, with an emphasis on diabetes prevention.

Prior to joining Lakeshore, Chris worked for the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health (NCODH) for 16 years. There he focused on increasing the capacity of public health and health promotion programs to include people with disabilities with an emphasis on inclusive fitness and recreation, accessible medical and dental care, emergency preparedness, and worksite wellness for people with disabilities. Chris graduated from East Carolina University with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation and was an International Sports Science Association Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT) and a trainer for the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP.)

Mary Pittaway has worked in public health in state and county governments, non-profit and private organizations since the early 1970’s. During her professional career, she’s initiated and managed state and local public health programs including WIC, community sustainable agriculture start-ups, osteoporosis prevention, population-based breastfeeding work, health department accreditation, obesity prevention, community-based vitamin D interventions, farmer’s market development and population based health promotion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  As a faculty affiliate at the 91´ÎÔª Department of Health and Human Performance, she teaches public health nutrition.

She filled the role of Health Promotion Global Clinical Advisor with Special Olympics International for 20 years, and now consults with Special Olympics on population based health provides Public Health consultation services for Special Olympics focusing on strategies to identify and support intentional inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into evidence based public health programs. Mary owns and manages Diversified Resources, a small business that delivers osteoporosis prevention, screening, education and referral services.

Nonie Woolf is an enrolled member of the Yakama Tribe from Washington state and Choctaw from Oklahoma. She is a Registered Dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and  retired in 2010 after working 30 years as an Indian Health Service, Public Health Nutritionist, O6 USPHS Commissioned Officer.  As a Public Health Nutritionist, Nonie provided a nutrition component to local wellness programs as she worked with Blackfeet community partners at schools, Head start, Team nutrition and local tribal and state feeding programs. Nonie also provided nutrition education through individual counseling, group workshops, staff training and creation of a “Cooking for Good Health” Cooking Classes curriculum published for use by Indian Health Service nutritionists, nationwide.

After retirement, beginning in 2015, Nonie enjoyed leading the FAST Blackfeet Board of 8 members and is one of three original founders. Nearly 10 years later she is in awe of the tremendous work of the board and the staff at FAST Blackfeet who continuously provide expertise to create a strong, healthy, food secure Blackfeet Nation beginning with improving food access, teaching participants to eat healthy on a limited budget and incorporating indigenous ways into our work as we reclaim food sovereignty in the Blackfeet Nation. Beginning in 2024 FAST is addressing the need for a food resource center in the Blackfeet community.

Nonie’s passion for finding and creating ways to address nutritional health in the community has led to creating  the Blackfeet Inclusive Health Delegation that envisions an inclusive Blackfeet Nation where individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities can live the most independent healthy lives possible.

Josh Slotnick moved from Grand Forks, ND., to Missoula as an 18 yr old, to go to college. He got a degree in Philosophy from the 91´ÎÔª, served in the US Peace Corps in Thailand, furthered his education at UC Santa Cruz with a certificate in Ecological Horticulture, and in graduate school at Cornell (MPS 95' Agriculture Extension). 

Josh has been farming here with his wife on their family farm since 1992. In 1996 he co-founded Garden City Harvest (GCH), and the PEAS Program in the Environmental Studies program at the 91´ÎÔª. These entities have grown considerably since, and Josh's work, with many partners, has been well recognized.

Josh has received many awards including:

• The Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Partnership Award, 2004;

• Jeanette Rankin Peace Center's Peace Maker of the Year Award, 2006;

• The Don Aldrich Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Award in 2010;

• and the Alumni Impact Award, from the US State Department, in 2015, for his work in the State Department's Professional Fellows program. 

Josh has also received three awards from the 91´ÎÔª for service to students.

Josh has spoken at dozens of universities (including UC Berkeley, Harvard, Brown, University of Michigan), more than 50 public events and his TEDx talk has been seen by thousands of people.

In Missoula, he has served on many voluntary boards of directors, including: The Missoula County Weed Board, the Missoula City County Planning Board, Homeword, AERO, and the Missoula Farmers Market. He has written articles, essays, book chapters, and one book. 

Josh initially farmed in Missoula at the current River Road farm site, and later began the PEAS Farm. Now both of those sites are preserved for the long-term. In the growth of PEAS and GCH, and everything he has been involved in, Josh has brought partners to the work, and spread both the responsibility and the benefits of these projects. He is a collaborative leader.

Tom has been deeply engaged in public health practice in several different roles and environments for more than 25 years. Upon his return from US Peace Corps service in the Kingdom of Nepal, Tom identified his life’s purpose of a career in public health, specifically in working to remove barriers to the achievement of health for all people. He returned to school and earned his MPH from Yale University in 1999 after which he worked as a Public Health Specialist for the WHO. When his mother passed, he moved back to his childhood home to take care of his older sister, a person with IDD. He spent the next 23 years working in county level public health departments where he served in a variety of roles, beginning as an epidemiologist and concluding as Health Commissioner and/or Director in three different health departments.

Throughout his public health career, he has been actively engaged with APHA, including service as the Chair of the APHA Executive Board and as APHA President. He has also represented APHA on the boards of numerous national public health entities.

Tom’s involvement with people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities is lifelong. Prior to his Peace Corps experience and his public health education and employment, Tom earned an MA in Counselor Education and worked in the family counseling space with families in which a person with developmental disabilities lived and where behavioral issues threatened the individual’s ability to remain in the family’s home.

Tom’s work has come full circle to his current role with Special Olympics International where he serves as the Senior Director of Health for the North American region, including the US, Canada, and the Caribbean. His mission remains as it has been throughout, the pursuit of health equity for those who experience disproportionate system, institutional, and societal barriers in their pursuit of optimal health and well-being.

Mallory Frank is the Health and Fitness Director at Special Olympics Montana, a role she has held for two years.  She earned her degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion at the University of Idaho.  Mallory chose to work at the Special Olympics Montana because of her passion for promoting inclusive health and fitness opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.  She is dedicated to making a positive impact on the health of athletes by fostering a supportive and empowering environment. 

Stacey has been a Special Olympics athlete for 39 years. She has participated in 18 different sports—golf is by far her favorite! Not only does she very much enjoy the competition aspect of Special Olympics, but also all the other opportunities SO has provided her that go beyond competing.

Hillary has been involved in the Special Olympics for 39 years. She is on the Missoula Diamondbacks team and competes in golf, bocce, basketball, bowling and track and field. She loves to meet new friends, exercise, and help others.

Coley has been involved with the Special Olympics for 10 years.  He competes in alpine skiing, bowling, bocce, track and field, swimming, golf, and basketball.  He loves all sports but especially alpine skiing!  The biggest impact of the Special Olympics has been making friendships for life.   

Erin Bley is the Health Education Specialist with the Montana Disability and Health Program and Arthritis Program. Erin has a health and human performance degree from The 91´ÎÔª, as well as a Health Enhancement Certificate. Erin holds various certifications through the American Council on Exercise. She is excited to meet and collaborate with all of you and discuss how we can support you and your facility to bring Evidence-Based Programming to your participants!

Melissa Dale has worked in public health for almost two decades. She is currently works at the Department of Public Health & Human Services as the Program Manager for the Montana Arthritis and Falls Prevention Programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from the Montana State University and a Master of Public Health degree from Walden University.

Chris Bryan is a Senior Account Executive with over a decade of experience helping clients and team members achieve outstanding outcomes. He has spent the past five years working with customer organizations in California to connect those they serve with valuable resources to improve population health and quality of life.  Prior to joining findhelp, Chris worked with Social Solutions helping nonprofit organizations demonstrate the impact and outcomes they provide to their communities.

As the Inclusive Health & Wellness Director for the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute, my responsibilities include promoting inclusive health for people with disabilities and the communities that serve them. I serve as certified Health Promotion Clinical Director for Special Olympics Kentucky. I have expertise in applying universal design strategies to health programs and services at local, national, and international levels that incorporate inclusive strategies and broader access with over 15 years experience working with the disability community. I have degrees in psychology, exercise science, and health promotion with certificate in developmental disabilities and currently pursuing a PhD in Health Education Sciences. In my free time, I enjoy dance parties with my three daughters and two sweet pitbull pups.

Ian leads the Food Access Program at the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition. Born and raised in Montana, Ian was shaped by our vast mountains and plains, and is committed to working toward a food system that is socially just, regenerative, and culturally sound. Ian has experience farming in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, and for the past four years has worked to bring food access programs like Double SNAP Dollars to communities across the state. Ian spends his time tending to his garden, exploring the backcountry with his partner and dog Moose, and cooking up local foods and local ideas in his kitchen with friends and family.

Tracy Boehm Barrett is a professional consultant with over 25 years’ experience in academic, non-profit and social service organizations, fulfilling both administrative and direct-service roles. She received her Masters in Public Health from the 91´ÎÔª, and over the past 16 years, has focused on disability research and program development, with an emphasis in health promotion. Currently, Tracy is leading horticultural therapy (HT) programming, a specialized practice that engages people with plants, horticulture activities, gardens and greenspaces to improve health and well-being.  She was the creator of Project DIG (Disability Inclusive Gardening), a pilot demonstration project to explore the health and wellness benefits of gardening with people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  Trained and experienced in horticultural therapy, Tracy is driven to collaborate with a variety of community-based partners and organizations to envision and implement sustainable HT programs to support the quality of life of all community members. 

Jean Morgan began her career in the Intellectual and Developmental disabilities (ID/DD) field as a Direct Support Professional and has held a variety of positions at several organizations, including Residential Director, Training Director, Behavior Specialist and Vice President. She joined the Spring Meadow Resources Team, as the Executive Director, in 2020. 

Throughout her more than 40 years of work, Jean has collaborated with providers, families, stakeholders, and others invested in services to people with ID/DD across Montana, assisting in the development of programs and policies that benefit staff and program members state-wide. Jean is also a Board member for the Montana Association of Community Service providers (MACDS).

Travis Hoffman is the policy director at Summit Independent Living in Missoula, MT, where he has worked since 2004. He attended the 91´ÎÔª earning a Bachelor’s in Social Work degree in 2006.

Travis has been active in the disability rights movement scene for many years. He first got involved in the disability rights movement as a student at the 91´ÎÔª with the student organization, Alliance for Disability and Students of the 91´ÎÔª (ADSUM), serving as the group’s president in 2001-02. Travis got involved on the national level with the National Youth Leadership Network in 2002, where he served for five years on the organization’s governing board, including a year as the board’s vice president. Travis also sits on various advisory councils/committees, including the Montana Health Coalition, the Community First Choice Development and Implementation Council, various local transportation committees, and coordinates IL community grassroots advocacy efforts throughout Montana.

As a person with a spinal cord injury, Travis knows firsthand many of the barriers people with disabilities face every day and works to protect and advocate for the human, legal, and civil rights of Montanans with disabilities while advancing dignity, equality, and self-determination.

Travis has been the recipient of the DPHHS CSB Leadership and Advocacy Award, the Montana Association for Rehabilitation Presidents Award, and the NCIL Region VIII Advocacy Award for his efforts in disability advocacy.

Travis Hoffman is the policy director at Summit Independent Living in Missoula, MT, where he has worked since 2004. He attended the 91´ÎÔª earning a Bachelor’s in Social Work degree in 2006.

Rocky Mountain Gardens Coordinator

Molly has a background in agriculture, horticulture and habitat restoration. She is currently in the process of maintaining and continuing to develop Rocky Mountain Gardens, a small botanic garden in Missoula, MT. Molly is excited to facilitate a garden space that is free and accessible for the community to explore the ecology and culture of plants.

Emily Kern Swaffar, she/her, Community Gardens Director with Garden City Harvest

Emily earned a degree in landscape architecture from Colorado State University and brings her expertise with native plants, ecology, permaculture, and landscape design to the community garden program at Garden City Harvest. In addition to managing Missoula's 12 community gardens, she has developed three new community garden sites, teaches gardening workshops, and contributes to Garden City Harvest's blog, The Real Dirt.

Ethan Smith, he/him, Operations Director with Garden City Harvest

Ethan has a Master’s of Science from the 91´ÎÔª and works to keep Garden City Harvest facilities and general operations running smoothly, including the PEAS Farm. Working to maintain and improve Garden City Harvest's 20 sites, he also consults on soil improvement practices and assists with new garden installations.

Olsonoski is the proud owner of Moving Mountains Therapy Center and the President and Founder of Moving Mountains Foundation. As a dedicated occupational therapist, she is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for both children and adults with developmental and acquired disabilities. Her mission is to introduce, maintain, and improve essential skills that empower individuals to participate fully in meaningful activities and feel genuinely included in their communities.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the 91´ÎÔª and a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Pacific University. Her extensive education and experience have equipped her with specialized skills in feeding therapy, sensory processing disorders, and assistive technology. As a certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), she excels in helping individuals with mobility challenges navigate and access their environments with greater ease, enjoyment, and independence.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Olsonoski enjoys an active lifestyle. She loves hiking, playing basketball, watching rugby and creating lasting memories with her two children, husband and good friends.

Marissa Bremner is the Growing Health Program Manager. She is a member of the Blackfeet Tribe and grew up in Browning, MT. She graduated from Blackfeet Community College in 2013 with an A.A. degree in Natural Resource Management. Marissa then became an employee at Blackfeet Community College for over 8 years and offered student support in various programs. She really enjoys being an active member of the community.

Marissa is a mother who loves animals. She enjoys the outdoors either playing softball, hiking, kayaking or sledding when the weather permits it. When indoors, she enjoys a game of cards or dice. She joined the FAST Blackfeet Team because she sees it as an important and a meaningful opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle to the community she lives in. She looks forward to working with the community members to help improve food sovereignty in the Blackfeet Nation.

Rebecca retired from The Missoula City County Health department in 2020.  Currently she volunteers in her community in a number of areas, including Special Olympics Montana Health Promotion as a Clinical Director, as a lactation expert in a support group for new mothers, at Soft Landing's United We Eat program which assists refugees in pursuing their vocation in the food service area, and as requested by other service organizations. She was the recipient of the Global Galisano Health Leadership Award in 2022, recognizing her work in inclusion for people with health disparities, including intellectual disabilities, into essential public health services.

Katie is registered dietitian who is passionate about accessible nutrition. As a member of the Mom’s Meals team, Katie works with health plans, case management agencies, Area Agencies on Aging, state governments, and other organizations to help vulnerable community members receive access to home delivered meals.

Michelle Allen, B.A., ATP, is the Assistive Technology Professional for MonTECH. MonTECH is Montana's free assistive-technology resource and training center. Michelle has extensive experience working with equipment from low-tech to high-tech and strongly believes people can achieve their full potential with the right tools. She has guided hundreds of Montanans with a wide range of diagnoses toward tools and strategies that support success in independent food prep and self-feeding. 

Jacqui Denegri is the NEP Program Assistant Senior, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in Fayette County for the Nutrition Education Program at the University of Kentucky. She has been in this role for over 10 years and has had the opportunity to serve as a mentor to NEP program assistants and provide insight on various NEP statewide projects. She was invited to be part of the Special Olympics Inclusive Nutrition Initiative in Washington DC. In her position she has had the opportunity to develop and implement numerous programs empowering physically and intellectually challenged individuals. In addition, she has implemented programs for substance recovery facilities, and teenage mothers in an alternative school. She was recognized in 2023 with the National Association Teachers of Family Consumer Sciences Champion for FCS award at both the state of Kentucky and National level.

Jacqui has over 20 years of teaching experience at the high school level, where she taught Spanish and Geography, and is currently teaching nutritional education. She works with children of all ages from preschool to high school and adults. Her years of experience help her to cater her teaching style to her audience.  She is a first generation Hispanic American and integrates her cultural background into her classes.

Jacqui’s motto is stop, collaborate, and listen and has found this to be the most successful way to serve her community.

Theresa Martinosky is the Program Support Specialist at Summit Independent Living in Missoula, MT. In this position, she wears many hats, but among her favorites is facilitating classes such as the CHEW cooking workshops.

Although Theresa has only been working at Summit for about 18 months, her background in both teaching and disability advocacy spans decades. After graduating from the University of MT in 1993 with a degree in elementary education, Theresa worked with children with disabilities from K through 8^th grade. In 1999, Theresa became a full-time PCA, and met her late partner of 17 years who had a lifelong disability. Together they actively engaged in disability advocacy on many levels, from personal advocacy to politics on the state and federal levels.

In her free time, Theresa enjoys spending time with her dogs, cats, and chickens as well as growing African Violets, and, of course, cooking!