HELENA, MT – Governor Greg Gianforte on June 7th, announced the following appointments:

Underground Facility Protection Advisory Council

• Brandon Lance, Billings: An experienced energy professional with 28 years in the industry, Lance serves as the Rocky Mountain and Eastern Idaho Regional Director of Montana-Dakota Utilities and Intermountain Gas Company. His term will run through July 1, 2025.
• Aaron Arthur, Miles City: As the Vice President of Field Operations at MidRivers Communications, Arthur has over 20 years in the telecommunications industry. His term will run through July 1, 2025.
• Doug Hardy, Great Falls: An electric utility industry professional serving cooperatives for over 48 years, Hardy is passionate about promoting underground facility safety and compliance. His term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Keith Meagor, Butte: As a manager of gas transmission compliance and system integrity at NorthWestern Energy, Meagor has a background in engineering and pipeline safety. His term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Mandi Nay, Circle: Serving as the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority Coordinator, Nay has over 10 years of experience in the water management industry. Her term will run through July 1, 2025.
• Theron Pavlik, Manhattan: An excavation expert, Pavlik has a background in construction project work. His term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Nick Pericich, Belgrade: Superintendent of Bozeman Water and Sewer, Pericich has experience managing large waste and water systems. His term will run through July 1, 2025.
• Michelle Slyder, Laurel: With over 25 years of engineering and construction experience, Slyder is a permitting and compliance expert in underground facility industries. Her term will run through July 1, 2026.

Board of Veterinary Medicine

• Tia Nelson, Helena: A veterinarian with 25 years of experience, Nelson has owned and operated within her own practice since 2019. Her term will run through July 1, 2026.

State-Tribal Economic Development Commission

• Paul Green, Helena: Director of the Montana Department of Commerce, Green served as executive director of Two Rivers Economic Development Authority and as a member of Montana Economic Developers Association. His term will run through January 5, 2025.
• Mark Blasdel, Helena: The Director of Economic Development at the Governor’s Office, Blasdel is the former president of the Montana Senate and a small business owner in the Flathead Valley. His term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Jennifer Finley, Pablo: As a Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes member, Finley is an author and an advocate for economic development. Her term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Melissa Lonebear, Lame Deer: Serving as the Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s secretary, Lonebear also has a background working with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Cheyenne Nation. Her term will run through July 1, 2026.
• Richard Sangrey, Box Elder: Involved in tribal government with the Chippewa Cree of Rocky Boy, Sangrey is familiar with tribal economic development efforts. His term will run through July 1, 2026.

Burial Preservation Board

• Kevin Askan, Pablo: Serving in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Tribal Preservation Office, Askan has a background in preserving cultural resources. His term will run through September 1, 2027.
• Michael Black Wolf, Hays: A preservation officer at the Fort Belknap Indian Community, Black Wolf has a background in working with various tribal historic preservation offices across the region. His term will run through September 1, 2025.
• Aaron Brien, Crow Agency: A preservation officer at the Crow Tribe, Brien has an extensive professional background in archaeology, historic preservation, and cultural consulting. His term will run through September 1, 2025.
• Conrad Fisher, Billings: With ten years of experience serving in the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Fisher has a background in preserving cultural resources. His term will run through September 1, 2027.
• Skye Gilham, Cut Bank: A research project coordinator with Blackfeet Community College, Gilham is also a physical anthropologist. Her term will run through September 1, 2027.
• Weber Greiser, Missoula: An archaeological professional, Greiser is also a member of the Montana Archaeological Association. His term will run through September 1, 2025.
• Andy Lebrun, Red Lodge: President of the Montana Coroner’s Association, Lebrun brings professional experience as a coroner in Cascade and Carbon Counties. His term will run through September 1, 2025.
• Thomas Livoti, Missoula: A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Livoti is an archaeological advocate. His term will run through September 1, 2027.
• John Murray, Browning: The Tribal historic preservation officer for the Blackfeet Tribe, Murray has a background in preserving cultural resources. His term will run through September 1, 2027.
• Duane Reid, Elmo: The Tribal historic preservation officer for the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Reid has a background in preserving cultural resources. His term will run through September 1, 2027.
• Erika Scheuring, Missoula: A senior archaeologist with the U.S. Forest Service, Scheuring serves in the Montana Historic Preservation Office. Her term will run through September 1, 2027.

Trauma Care Committee

• Benjamin Beasley, Billings: Serving as chair of his facility’s Provider Leadership Council, Beasley has a background in medicine and in advocating for improvements in the emergency care system. His term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Christopher Benton, Red Lodge: A registered nurse at the Beartooth Billings Clinic, Benton has 28 years of experience in the healthcare industry and understands firsthand the challenges rural Montana faces in trauma care. His term will run through November 1, 2024.
• Michelle Cole, Missoula: With over two decades of experience, Cole works as the Providence Saint Patrick Hospital’s Trauma Program Manager. Her term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Lisa Foley, Billings: The trauma program manager at Intermountain Healthcare – Peaks Region, Foley has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Her term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Theresa Madril, Havre: An emergency room nurse at Fort Belknap Indian Health Service, Madril has worked in the healthcare industry for over 15 years. Her term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Barry McKenzie, Billings: Serving as the trauma medical director with Saint Vincent Healthcare, McKenzie is an advocate for improving trauma care statewide. His term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Lysa Mikes, Helena: Serving as the trauma coordinator at Saint Peter’s Health, Mikes has over 15 years of emergency medical technician and nursing experience combined. Her term will run through November 1, 2027.
• Camille Ratzburg, Shelby: Serving as a trauma coordinator at Logan Health, Ratzburg oversees an extensive trauma program. Her term will run through November 1, 2024.
• Jeremy Virts, Great Falls: Serving as a captain and paramedic with Great Falls Fire Rescue, Virts is also a military veteran and has over 25 years of experience in emergency response and paramedic work. His term will run through November 1, 2027. 
• Donald Whalen, Missoula: With over four decades of experience in emergency services, Whalen served as manager for Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. His term will run through November 1, 2027.

Commission on Community Service

• Zach Hawkins, Helena: Serving as the director of the Indian Education for All program at the Office of Public Instruction, Hawkins also has experience teaching in the classroom. His term will run through July 1, 2026. 

Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

• Amy Galt, Kalispell: A professional engineer by trade, Galt has worked in the industry since 2005, mainly focusing on project management and quality control for power distribution, lighting, and fire alarm systems for large-scale buildings. Her term will run through July 1, 2025.

Board of Personnel Appeals

• Joseph Halladay, Columbus: A union representative for over 20 years, Halladay is experienced in mediation and outreach. His term will run through January 1, 2025.