Staff

I have the good fortune of working with all of the Food and Nutrition Services of the HRDC (Gallatin Valley, Headwaters and Big Sky Community Food Banks, Summer Lunch, KidsPack and Senior Groceries). My primary responsibilities include managing budgets, developing innovative solutions for food security, seeking funding and cultivating relationships in our community. I also work with the other directors at the HRDC to integrate all of our programs and to provide a path for our customers to thrive. I love being outside and seek untrammeled places and enjoy searching for charismatic mega-fauna in my time off. For most of my life, I have worked for organizations that utilize volunteers. Volunteers add compassion and enthusiasm and volunteering is one of the few things that we know will truly make a difference in this world. I hope to always work with volunteers. Some people knit, I cook. It is a creative outlet with immediate gratification. Food is very important to me. I live in a place with my husband that I dreamed about since I was 12. Alma mater: Go Horned Frogs!

I oversee and track food inventory & safety, warehouse & staff management. Food drives also fall within my responsibilities.

Previous employment before the food bank: U.S. Forest Service Wilderness work in Alaska, Colorado, Montana, and Idaho

Passions: Defying gravity (with a paraglider); getting into the mountains on foot, bike, or ski; quality time with family; home brewing.

Favorite thing about working at the food bank: Helping to feed so many people in need while keeping millions of pounds of food out of the landfill!

I am extremely excited to join the food bank as the Programs Manager. My role is to support our amazing staff and to develop, oversee, and assess our customer-facing programs. I’ve lived and worked in our community for over 10 years and I’m deeply committed to creating an equitable and accessible local food system that benefits everyone! I completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at MSU and have a background in agroecology, education, food systems, and community engagement.

Outside of work, I enjoy lounging in the sunshine with my two dogs, gardening, birdwatching, cooking, traveling, and obsessing over dragons and magic systems. Come find me if you have a good book, manga, or poetry recommendation!

After volunteering at the food bank for 5 years I had the good fortune to be hired on a part-time basis to help in the food bank office. Little did I know I’d found my dream job! Fast forward 7 years and I’m now the Programs Manager.  I work with our office staff and oversee interns, as well as coordinating the annual Can the Griz Food Drive with the awesome folks at MSU.  Additionally, I assist our FB Director with financial donation receipting, accounts payable, and budgets.

Hobbies: I love the wide open spaces and majestic scenery Montana offers. Hiking exploring Yellowstone, baking and spending time with family and friends are all favorite activities.

College: Texas A&M… yep, I’m an Aggie

Originally from Texas…one of my favorite words to use is ‘y’all”

What I’ve learned working at the food bank: Everyone needs some kind of assistance at some point. It might not be related to the services we offer but no one stands alone and does it well. Thanks to the generosity of our community the food bank provides emergency food assistance to thousands of folks each month. It’s a beautiful scene that plays out every day here and it never fails to encourage me.

After working as the Food Rescue Coordinator for four years, I was excited to step into the role of Programs Coordinator. My main responsibility is distributing food whether that is through Senior Groceries, Kidspack, or packing food boxes for pickup. I have really enjoyed getting to know all the staff, volunteers, donors and customers that come in on a daily basis.

Hobbies: I spend a lot of my time playing ultimate frisbee! I also enjoy cooking, working out, listening to audiobooks, and traveling!

Previous work experience: I worked in agriculture labs at MSU for three years after graduating from the University of Montana. My work ranged from taking soil samples to blow-drying bumblebees.

I am originally from a Boston suburb and moved to Montana in 2006. I am an avid hiker and love nothing more than a good book and a strong cup of coffee.  I used to have hobbies but now I have an eleven year old so I essentially have his hobbies.  Or rather he has hobbies and I am his chauffeur.  My wife, Sara Savage, also works for HRDC, with the Head Start Program.

As warehouse coordinator I am tasked with attempting to maintain an orderly environment which will allow the store to run more efficiently.  I also assist with Food Rescue and generally try to be available to help wherever needed around the store.