CHCM Members
Community Health Corps Montana is a statewide AmeriCorps program that places dedicated individuals in full-time service roles with organizations across Montana. CHCM members help build healthier communities by addressing the root causes of health challenges, behavioral health, chronic disease, and social determinants of health, through outreach, education, building capacity, and partnership development.
Meet the 2026 CHCM Cohort
Ten AmeriCorps members are currently serving across Montana from January to August 2026. Together, they represent a range of academic backgrounds, lived experiences, and career aspirations — all united by a commitment to strengthening community health.
Members serve full-time alongside host sites in rural and tribal communities, supporting outreach, partnership development, systems coordination, and community-led education.
Below, meet the individuals behind the service.
Donna Howe
Serving with: Messengers for Health
Why I Serve:
I serve in AmeriCorps because I believe I am like the pebble thrown into a lake or ocean that creates a ripple effect and makes an impact for a better world.
donna@messengersforhealth.org
Ethan Rickett
Serving with: Montana Office of Rural Health & Area Health Education Center
Why I Serve:
I serve to gain real-world experience while making a positive, meaningful difference in Montana communities.
ethan.rickett@montana.edu
Janene Padilla
Serving with: Salish Kootenai College -- Health Promotion Practices Department
Why I Serve:
I serve because listening to the community voice is the first step toward meaningful connections.
janene_padilla@skc.edu
Misty McKay
Serving with: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Food Sovereignty Program
Why I Serve:
I serve in AmeriCorps to share and gain knowledge within the tribal communities while making lifetime connections.
misty.mckay@cskt.org
Rodney First Strike
Serving with: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Food Sovereignty Program
Why I Serve:
I serve to give back to the community. I build bridges and foster connections that promote healthy community development. As long as my people are good, life is good.
Rodney.FirstStrike@cskt.org
Ruby Winocur
Serving with: Greater Impact
Why I Serve:
I serve in AmeriCorps to get my boots on the ground in my community to get first-hand experience helping with addiction recovery and mental health.
ruby@greaterimpact.us
Sammie Abel
Serving with: Richland County Health Department
Why I Serve:
I serve because information and opportunity should be available to all Montanans, regardless of zip code.
Samantha.Abel@richland.org
ShayLyn Andrew
Serving with: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Food Sovereignty Program
Why I Serve:
I serve to support community resilience, aid in cultural preservation, and contribute to critical projects like education, food sovereignty, and environmental stewardship.
ShayLyn.Andrew@cskt.org
Willow Purvis
Serving with: Western Montana Area Health Education Center & Missoula Public Health
Why I Serve:
I chose to serve in AmeriCorps to get connected with my Missoula community while gaining real-world experience in public health.
Willow.Purvis@mso.umt.edu; wpurvis@missoulacounty.us
The 2026 CHCM cohort brings together recent graduates, career changers, and community-rooted leaders. Some arrived with public health training. Others with communications, social work, education, or lived experience in rural or tribal communities. Together, they are strengthening Montana’s health systems from the ground up.
What It Means to Serve with CHCM
Serving with Community Health Corps Montana is not an internship. It is not a classroom simulation. It is full-time, hands-on community work rooted in real partnerships and real needs.
CHCM members commit to approximately 40 hours per week of service over a 10.5-month term. During that time, members are embedded within Montana host sites — public health departments, tribal health programs, nonprofits, schools, and rural clinics — where they strengthen existing efforts rather than start from scratch.
Service With Structure
Members do not serve alone. CHCM operates as a statewide cohort model.
You will:
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Participate in multi-day in-person trainings
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Attend monthly cohort calls focused on leadership and community engagement
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Receive structured supervision from your host site
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Engage in reflection and skill-building with CHCM staff
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Attend the Montana Service Symposium with other AmeriCorps members across the state
The program is intentionally designed to develop transferable skills in:
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Community engagement and facilitation
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Project coordination
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Cross-sector collaboration
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Public health communication
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Systems thinking
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Data-informed decision-making
What You Receive
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$1,200 biweekly living allowance
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Health insurance
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Access to the AmeriCorps Member Assistance Program
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$5,176.50+ Segal Education Award upon successful completion
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A statewide professional network
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Direct experience in rural and tribal community health systems
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A strong foundation for careers in public health, nonprofit leadership, education, or healthcare
Interested in Serving?
Our next cohort will launch in September 2026.
Applications will open in April/May 2026.
Join our notification list to be the first to know when applications open.
Questions?
For more information about Community Health Corps Montana, please contact:
Angela Davis
angela.davis9@montana.edu
406-994-2984
