A team that has your back

MFPE's staff are located in our Helena headquarters and in our four field offices across Montana. Our team guides and supports local MFPE elected union leaders and members to bargain better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We connect local unions to one another by sharing best practices, spreading the news of our wins, and banding together in the face of tough fights.

Staff, our president and statewide governance, local leaders, and members everywhere work hand in hand to grow our collective voice in our workplaces and protect our union freedoms. With experience and backgrounds as diverse as MFPE's membership, staff is here to help get the job done. This team has your back. Connect with us below.

Erik Burke, Executive Director

Quint Nyman, Deputy Executive Director

Donna Graveley, Management Assistant

Sam Harrington, Project Staff Organizer

Anna Kratz, Membership Specialist

Kim Popham, Public Policy & Research Director

Sam Telling, Communications Director

Becky Thomas, Administrative Assistant

Hunter Losing, Political Director

Daryn Nisbet, Membership Specialist and Administrative Assistant

Cathy Novak, Chief Financial Officer

Connor Scoltock, Project Staff Organizer

Morgan Smith, Organizing Director

Susan Wilkins, Membership and Information Systems Specialist

Jami Wood, Administrative Assistant

Our field consultants directly assist MFPE’s hundreds of local affiliates. Their expert advice and hands-on assistance are just a phone call or e-mail away. MFPE field consultants help locals with issues related to bargaining, salary schedules, mediation, fact-finding, grievance arbitrations, local organizing, and contract enforcement.

Our field consultants offer training to local affiliates on dozens of different topics, including:

membership recruitment and retention
organizing a bargaining team
writing proposals and counterproposals
identifying a bargaining strategy
contract enforcement
grievance processing
organizing a local mill levy or electoral campaign

Consultant: Shelli Lavinder-Schwalk

Shelli Lavinder-Schwalk is excited to work with members; focused on you, so you can focus on your job. Email: [email protected]

Local affiliates: NC1

Belt Federation of Teachers
Browning Fed of Classified Employees
Browning Federation of Teachers

Cascade Unit of the MEA
Centerville Education Association
Chester-Joplin-Inverness Education Association
Choteau Education Association
Conrad Education Association
Cut Bank Education Association

Deputy Cascade County Attorneys Association - Local #7723
East Glacier Education Association

Federation of Heart Butte Classified Employees
Fort Benton Classified Employee Association
Fort Benton Education Association

Great Falls Association of Education Office Personnal
Great Falls Education Association
Great Falls Child Development Federation
Great Falls Technology Association

Heart Butte Education Association
MT School for the Deaf & Blind Federation - #4027

Shelby Education Association
Shelby School District Bus Drivers
Shelby School District Custodians
Sun River Valley Teachers Association
Sunburst Teachers Organization
Valier Federation of Teachers

Consultant: Christine Sundly

[email protected]

Local affiliates: NC2

Big Flat (Turner) Education Association
Big Sandy Teachers Association
Box Elder Classified Employees Association
Box Elder Education Association
Chinook Unit of the MFPE
Denton Education Association
Dodson Education Association
Harlem Classified Employees Association
Harlem Education Association
Harlowton Education Association
Havre Education Association
Havre Paraprofessionals Education Association
Hobson Teachers Association
Judith Gap Education Association
Lewistown Education Association
Little Rocky Mountain Classified Employee Association (Hays)
Little Rocky Montana Education Association (Hays)

Malta Education Association
Malta Classified Employees Association
Moore Education Unit
Rocky Boy Classified Employees Association
Rocky Boy Education Association

Stanford Education Association
Ulm Education Association

Vaughn Education Association

Vaughn Paras

White Sulphur Springs Education Association

Consultant: Maggie Copeland

East Field Consultant
Maggie was hired in 1989 by MEA and she's dedicated the last 30+ years to working with union members and leaders in Eastern Montana. [email protected]

Local affiliates: East

Baker Education Association
Brockton Education Association
Circle Teachers Association
Culbertson Education Association
Ekalaka Teachers Association
Fairview Education Association
Frazer Education Association
Frontier Education Association

Glasgow Education Association
Glendive Education Association
Glendive Federation of Teachers
Jordan Education Association
Lambert Education Association
Medicine Lake Education Association
Nashua Unit of the MFPE

Opheim Teachers Organization
Plentywood Teacher's Association
Plevna Teacher's Association
Poplar Educational Support Staff Organization
Poplar Education Association

Poplar Support Personnel
Savage Education Association
Scobey Education Association
Sidney Education Association
Terry Teachers Association
Wibaux Education Association
Wolf Point Educational Support Staff Association
Wolf Point Education Association

Consultant: Alex Bulmahn

Email: [email protected]

Local affiliates: NW1

Arlee Federation of Teachers
Eureka Public Schools Classified Employees Association

Evergreen Classified Association

Evergreen Education Association
Flathead City/County Health Employees - Local #7794
Fortine Teachers Association

Frenchtown Classified Employees Association

Frenchtown Education Association
Hot Springs Education Association
Libby Education Association
Libby Classified Association
Lower Flathead (Charlo) Education Association
Noxon Unit of MEA
Plains Classified Employee Association
Plains Teachers Organization
Polson Classified Employees Association
Polson Education Association
Ronan-Pablo Education Association

Seely Lake Organization of Teachers

St. Regis Education Association
Superior Classified Staff
Superior Education Association
Thompson Falls Classified Employees Association
Thompson Falls Education Association
Tobacco Valley Unified Education Association
Trout Creek Teachers Association
Troy Education Association

Consultant: Tom Burgess

[email protected]

Local affiliates: NW2

Bigfork Area Education Association

Bigfork Unified Classified Employees

Cayuse Prairie Teachers Association
Columbia Falls Classified Education Association
Columbia Falls Teacher Union
Creston Education Association

Dayton Education Association
Deer Park Education Association
DeSmet Education Association
Fair-Mont-Egan Teachers Association
Flathead Valley Community College Classified Employee Union - Local #4446
Flathead Valley Community College Education Association - Local #7566
Flathead Valley Community College Adjunct Faculty - Local #4728

Florence-Carlton Classified Personnel Association

Florence-Carlton Education Association

Greater Missoula Federation of Early Childhood Educators & Related Personnel

Hamilton Classified Employee Union

Hamilton Unified Teachers

Helena Flats Education Association
Kila Education Association

Marion Education Organization

Smith Valley Teachers Association
Somers Classified Employees Association
Somers Education Association
West Glacier Education Association
West Valley Teachers Association
Whitefish Classified Employees Association

Whitefish Education Association

Consultant: Melanie Charlson

Email: [email protected]

Local affiliates: NW3

Alberton Education Association
Bitteroot Co-op Employee Bargaining Unit
Bonner Education Association

Corvallis Faculty Group
Corvallis Classified Education Association
Darby Federation of Support Staff
Darby Federation of Teachers
Hellgate Elementary Education Association

Kalispell Education Association

Kalispell Federation of Classified Personnel

Maintenance Engineers Association
Lolo Classified Association
Lolo School Education Association
Missoula Education Association
Merged Missoula Classified Employees Organization
Missoula Area Special Education Co-op
Potomac Association of Classified Employees

Potomac Education Association

Target Range Education Association

Target Range School Dist 23 Classified Employees

The Clinton Education Association

Victor Federation of Teachers

Consultant: Jeff Greenfield

Jeff is based out of MFPE’s Billings office, working as a field consultant with members in Southeastern Montana.

[email protected]

Local affiliates: SC1

Belfry Education Association

Billings Classified Employees Association
Billings School District Custodians and Maintenance

Blue Creek Education Association
Canyon Creek Education Association
Columbus Classified Employee Association
Columbus Education Association
Elder Grove Education Association

Gardner Teachers Group

Huntley Project School District Classified Staff
Huntley Project Education Association
Independent Education Association
Joliet Education Association
Laurel Unified Education Association

Laurel Classified – Laurel Unified Education Association

Livingston Education Association

Livingston Classified Association
Lockwood Montana Education Association
Lockwood Paraprofessionals Association
Park City Affiliated Staff
Pioneer Education Association
Red Lodge Education Association
Shepherd Education Association
Special Services Education Association
Sweet Grass County High School Education Association
Yellowstone Education Association
Yellowstone Paras – Yellowstone Education Association

Consultant: Rachel Schillreff

[email protected]

Local affiliates: SC2

Ashland Education Association
Big Horn (Hardin) Education Association
Billings Education Association
Bridger Education Association
Broadus Education Association
Broadview Education Association

Colstrip City Employees - Local #7776
Colstrip Classified Association
Colstrip Faculty Association
Forsyth Education Association
Fromberg Education Association
Hardin Classified Employees Association
Lame Deer Education Association
Lodge Grass Classified Employees Association
Lodge Grass Teacher Association
Pryor Classified Employees Association
Pryor Education Association
Rosebud Teachers Association
Roundup Education Association
Roundup School Employee Association
Treasure County Education Association (Hysham)
Wyola Classified Employees Association
Wyola Education Association

Consultant: Tammy Harris

Tammy works as a field consultant out of the MFPE Southwest field office in Helena.

Email: [email protected]
[email protected]

Local affiliates: SW2

Anaconda Teachers Union

Associated Faculty of Montana State University
Butte Secretaries & Clerical
Butte Teachers Union

Clancy Education Association

Federation of Classified University Staff - FOCUS - Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena College, MSU Billings, MT Tech, U of M, UM Western

Graduate Employee Organization of MSU
Helena Teachers Union
Missoula College Faculty Association of UM
Montana Tech Faculty Association
MSU-Billings Faculty Association
MSU-Northern Federation of Teachers
Montana Two Year College Faculty Association - Highland College, City College, Great Falls
Ramsay Federation of Teachers
University Faculty Association

University of Montana Grads
University of Montana -Western Faculty Association

Consultant: Larry Nielsen

Larry serves Southwest Montana members as an MFPE field consultant in the Helena office.
[email protected]

Local affiliates: SW3

Boulder Association of Classified Employees
Boulder Association of Teachers
Deer Lodge (Elementary) Education Association

Dept. of Labor & Industry Employees - Local #7781
Drummond Teachers Organization

Harrison Education Association
Helena Education & Para's Association

Helena School Secretaries

Lincoln Education Association

Montana City Classified Association
Montana City Education Association
Montana Federation of Historical Society Workers - Local #4367

Montana Federation of Probation and Parole - Local #4464

Montana Master Agreement

Montana Law Enforcement Academy

Powell County High School Teachers Association

Prickly Pear Specialists Association

Townsend Classified Association

Townsend Education Association

United Teachers Association of Philipsburg
Whitehall Federation of Teachers

Consultant: Jeff Cowee

Email: [email protected]

Local affiliates: SW5

Association of Belgrade Classified

Beaverhead Classified Employees Association

Beaverhead Education Association

Beaverhead Federation of Teachers
Belgrade Education Association

Belgrade School District Custodians

Bozeman Education Association

Bozeman School District Classified Employees

City of Dillon Employees - Local #7774

Policy and Risk Management Employees Federation #5455
Dillon City Police Officers - Local #7785

Dillon Elementary Custodians

Gallatin County Rural EA - Anderson
Gallatin County Rural EA - Monforton
Gallatin County Rural EA - Big Sky
Gallatin County Rural EA - Gallatin Gateway

Lima Teachers Association

Madison Valley Unit (Ennis) of the MEA

Manhattan Education Association

Montana Youth Challenge Academy Employees Union - Local #7722
Sheridan Federation of Teachers

Shields Valley Teachers Organization (Clyde Park)

Three Forks Teachers Organization
Twin Bridges Federation of Teachers

West Yellowstone Education Association

Willow Creek Federation of Teachers

Supporting your local union and building a statewide movement: MFPE's staff is here to help!

Headquarters Staff: Supporting our movement

Field Consultants: Here to help you and your local succeed

MFPE’s field consultants provide frontline assistance and training for MFPE members, leaders, and local affiliates across Montana.

Who is My Field Consultant?

NC 1 Service Area:

NC 2 Service Area:

East Service Area:

NC Field Office Administrative Assistant

NW 1 Service Area:

NW 2 Service Area:

NW 3 Service Area:

NW Field Office Administrative Assistant

NW 4 Service Area:

Field Office Administrative Assistant

SC 1 Service Area:

SC 2 Service Area:

SC 3 Service Area

SC Field Office Administrative Assistant

SW 1 Service Area:

SW 2 Service Area:

SW 3 Service Area

SW 4 Service Area

SW 5 Service Area

SW Field Office Administrative Assistant

Abbreviations

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