Meet Our Staff

Kailyn is a Montana State University alumna, earning both a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Master of Health Administration. Kailyn serves on Montana’s statewide Nursing Action Coalition, is the Immediate Past President of the Montana American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Chapter, and is a National Rural Health Association Rural Health Fellow.  In her free time, Kailyn enjoys spending time with her husband, two young daughters and golden retriever, traveling our beautiful state, and watching college football!

Rachel grew up in a rural community in Washington State. She moved to Bozeman to attend Montana State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business, Accounting in 2013 and became a Master in Public Administration nine years later. Rachel’s role is to manage the numerous grants and contracts that flow through the office and serve as a liaison with MORH/AHEC’s partners statewide. Outside of work, Rachel spends as much time as she can in Montana’s beautiful landscape with her husband and 2 dogs.

Originally from Havre, MT, Mandy graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology & Neuroscience before earning her Master of Public Health (MPH) from Creighton University. As Assistant Director, Mandy oversees core operational efforts and leads a variety of healthcare workforce development initiatives, including Montana AHEC and the Montana Healthcare Workforce Advisory Committee. In her free time, you can find her enjoying the Montana outdoors, running half marathons, cheering on the MSU Bobcats, or traveling to new places.

Grace graduated from Carroll College with a Bachelor’s in Public Health and Sociology and earned her Master of Public Health in Health Systems, Management, and Policy from the Colorado School of Public Health. At the office, she supports a variety of community initiatives, including the REACH program, Caring for Indigenous Montanans, and evaluation projects. With over a decade of experience partnering with rural individuals and communities, Grace is passionate about developing programs that reflect community priorities and create meaningful, sustainable impact. She values the opportunity to work alongside communities to address the issues that matter most to them. Outside of work, you can find her hiking, fly fishing, or catching up on her favorite podcasts.

Natalie, as the Assistant Director of the Montana Office of Rural Health, brings nearly 15 years’ experience and working knowledge of rural health issues and has worked closely with rural communities and facilities to make a positive impact on rural health delivery. She provides overall grant management for the Montana Office of Rural Health and oversees implementation of hospital and clinic-based technical assistance programs and population health efforts. Natalie served as President for the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), was a National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Rural Health Fellow, and received the NOSORH Emerging Leader Award in 2011. Natalie earned her Bachelors of Science in Community Health Education from Montana State University and her Masters of Public Health from Oregon State University.

Beth Ann has been working for Montana AHEC since 2010 and with the Program Office since 2015. She has worked on a number of projects related to healthcare workforce training in rural and underserved communities within the state. Beth Ann currently oversees all of the behavioral health-focused projects, which include the Montana Behavioral Health Workforce Network, the Montana Community Health Support Network, the Community Health Worker Program, the Behavioral Health Training Program, and the Montana Family Support Program.  Withroots in Harlem, Montana, she understands the struggles that many small communities face with access to quality healthcare.

Cheryl joined the staff of MT AHEC/Office of Rural Health as an Accounting Analyst in April 2015. She received her B.S. in Education from the University of Nebraska in 1993. Cheryl has many years’ experience in bookkeeping, and originally started working on campus in 2006.  Her responsibilities include reconciling multiple accounts and performing various administrative duties. A native of rural Nebraska; her hobbies include skiing, hiking, biking, golf and music.

Jake Kaminetzky grew up in Shoreline, WA and attended Montana State University, graduating with Full Honors in Political Science, Economics, and Liberal Studies with Minors in Mathematics and Statistics. He works as a data analyst, researcher, and process improvement specialist for the Behavioral Health Programs, Community Health Worker Program, Academic & Collegiate Programs, and the Community Health Services Development Program. He also manages Salesforce development initiatives for the office. In his spare time, Jake enjoys cooking, swing dancing, and playing Viola with Bozeman Symphony and the Second String Community Orchestra.

Sydney is a Bozeman, Montana native and a sixth-generation Bobcat. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Montana State University before moving to Seattle, Washington, where she completed a Master of Public Administration in Health Policy and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Washington.

Prior to joining MORH/AHEC, Sydney gained valuable experience in health care access and engagement with the broader MSU community through her work with Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Montana State University Alumni Foundation, and Community Health Partners. In 2025, she earned her Doctorate in Health Administration, with research focused on access to obstetric care in rural Montana.

At MORH/AHEC, she oversees the SANE Training Program, Oral Health Initiatives including Regional Initiatives in Dental Education, as well as Internships. In her free time, she enjoys adventures all over the state with her husband, son, and their three four-legged friends.

Ande grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado, then moved to Kentucky, where she attended Centre College and graduated with a BA in Anthropology and International Studies. She returned to the Rockies and worked for the Custer-Gallatin National Forest on a wilderness trail crew for three seasons, then worked at the University of Montana as a Research Technician coordinating a study on cheatgrass. She comes to MORH/AHEC with a love for Montana and a passion for helping people; her role here is to oversee technical assistance programs and assessments for small critical care facilities around Montana. In her free time she’ll be on a trail somewhere or trying a new food.

Shea grew up in Polson, MT and graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Microbiology while gaining healthcare experience working and interning in primary healthcare facilities. In her role as project coordinator, Shea assists with nursing initiatives including the ANEW Scholars Program, Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET), and the AHEC Scholars Program. In her free time she enjoys skiing, fly fishing, being outside, and spending time with her friends and family.

Angela serves as the Project Coordinator. This role involves the development and implementation of key planning activities to explore the possibilities for statewide public health AmeriCorps programming. Her work includes collaboration with community partners, strategic planning, and ensuring compliance with AmeriCorps guidelines. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Florida and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Montana. When not in the office you can find Angela outside with her partner and loveable pup enjoying all the natural beauties Montana has to offer. 

Fiona grew up in Boulder, Colorado before moving to Montana State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She worked in a health psychology research lab and inpatient crisis stabilization facility before moving to Baltimore to obtain a Master of Science in Public Health — Social and Behavioral Interventions from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Fiona works on community initiatives at the office including the REACH program and Senior and Long-Term Care assessment with Tribal Nations. She has spent the past 5+ years collaborating with Indigenous communities to partner on research priorities related to mental and behavioral health. Outside of work, you can find her skiing, biking, hiking, climbing, trying to learn Irish, or reading a good book. 

Danika grew up in rural Wyoming before attending Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah and graduating with degrees in public health and anthropology. She then moved to New York City to obtain her Master of Public Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health with a specialty focus on infectious disease epidemiology. Danika serves as the NEPQR CFPA communication coordinator and state liaison for MORH/AHEC to increase professional training opportunities for the rural nursing workforce in HHS Region 8 which includes the states of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, and Utah. Danika is passionate about health promotion, community outreach, and health access in rural Montana and beyond.

Cristina grew up in Bethesda, Maryland in a multicultural household of French and Brazilian parents. She completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Marymount University in Virginia before relocating to Montana. She worked in health education and college wellness at Montana State University, during which time she completed her MPH at the University of Montana in Missoula. She is currently undertaking her PhD in public health at UM, where she is researching the relationship between animal welfare and zoonotic disease. At AHEC, Cristina oversees the AHEC Scholars Program. She is deeply passionate about increasing cultural competency and quality care in public health and is excited to continue to grow the Scholars program throughout Montana. In her free time, Cristina enjoys traveling and learning languages, bouldering outside, reading a good book, and hanging out with her husband and their two senior pets.

Laura is a born and raised Montanan, Bobcat grad, and fan of all things Blue and Gold. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art in 2015 from MSU and has spent her career at her alma mater furthering the land-grant mission in a variety of roles. As the Outreach and Community and Engagement Manager she develops and implements strategic outreach initiatives that connect students, community members, and professionals to MORH/AHEC’s initiatives and programs. Laura coordinates public communications, manages statewide convenings, and cultivates statewide partnerships and is lucky to support all of MORH/AHEC’s programs.

Laura spends her free time taking in live music, cheering on the Cats, and herding her actual cats away from her houseplant collection. She loves arts and crafts, an iced coffee, and a sunny patio, and is passionate about cultivating connections within her community.

Ethan was born in Madison, WI and was raised in Sheridan, WY. He went on to attend the University of Wyoming, graduating in May of 2024 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. In his family, Ethan is now a fifth generation graduate of the University of Wyoming. Ethan is an AmeriCorps member through MORH/AHEC, a part of the inaugural Community Health Corps of Montana cohort. In his role, Ethan will be supporting MORH/AHEC's education and training initiatives, while also contributing to the continuous improvement of the CHCM program. His service focuses on critical rural health pillars, including mental health and substance use, chronic disease prevention and management, and the social determinants of health. In his free time, Ethan loves both watching and playing sports, specifically basketball and soccer (football), being outdoors, listening to music, mainly hip/hop and rap, and most importantly, spending time with family and friends.

Kaitlyn grew up in Nashua, Montana before moving to Bozeman to attend Montana State University. She is currently a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and plans to continue her education in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program after graduation. Kaitlyn works as a Qualitative Data Intern with MORH/AHEC, where she helps organize and analyze community health data to support statewide health needs assessments. She is also involved in campus leadership through Pi Beta Phi, serving as Vice President of Community Relations for her chapter. Outside of work and school, you can find her skiing, baking, or adventuring with friends and family.