Our mission is to provide leadership for Montana’s nonprofit sector and partner with charitable nonprofits to promote a sustainable, networked, and influential sector.
We Value
Belonging & Equity
Excellence & Accessibility
Leadership & Using Influence for the Common Good
We Are
Mission Inspired
Member Informed
Forward Focused
Resourcing the Here and Now
Our Best Assets
MNA believes strongly that our team is what makes our organization strong, and we’re so very proud of these people that dedicate their work to supporting Montana’s nonprofit sector.
Kate Arpin
Communication & Platforms Manager
Lorianne Burhop
Public Policy Director
Michael Hale
Accounting & Grants Manager
Adam Jespersen
Executive Director
Tylyn Newcomb
Community Engagement Director
Shelby Rogala
Associate Director
Amy Shike
Training Manager
Julie Tate
Operations Coordinator
2023-2024 MNA Board of Directors
MNA is proud to be guided by a diverse board of directors that represents many corners of the Montana nonprofit sector, from health care and education to community foundations, child services, and more.
Alison Paul
Executive Director, Montana Legal Services • Helena
Jim Bennett
Gift & Estate Planning Director, Montana Community Foundation • Havre
Suzanne Severin, CPA
Retired CPA • Clancy
Virginia Kashdan
Chief Operating Officer, NCAT • Butte
Burke Kufeld
Director of Finance, Rocky Mountain Health Network • Billings
Jesse Mahugh
Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Montana • Helena
Jono McKinney
President & CEO, Montana Conservation Corps • Bozeman
Nancy Schlepp
VP Communications, Meagher County Community Foundation • Ringling
Jaime Shanks
Foundation & Marketing Director, Glendive Medical Center Foundation •
Hilary Shaw
Executive Director, Abbie Shelter • Kalispell
Ron Slinger
President, Miles Community College • Miles City
Todd Wilson
Executive Director, Helena Indian Alliance • Helena
In 2001, the Montana Nonprofit Association was launched by a group of Montana nonprofit leaders to generate resources for their organizations and other nonprofits across the state.
In the spring of 2001, the Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI) convened a small group of Montana nonprofit leaders in Bozeman to discuss how to generate more resources, goods, and services for their organizations and other nonprofits across the state. All involved were committed to a vision of nonprofits working together to strengthen their sector and benefit organizations of all sizes and missions. Out of these discussions and many town hall meetings across the state, MNA developed and officially launched in the fall of 2001.
Today, MNA is vibrant, strong, and growing and is staffed by a full complement of professionals. Representing the richness and diversity of Montana’s charitable sector, MNA members address an array of missions in education, health and human services, arts and culture, religious and spiritual development, environmental protection, animal welfare, economic and workforce development, and more. MNA members come from all four corners of the state and range in size from large organizations to small, unstaffed nonprofits.
Founding Principles—as originally developed by the MNA Board of Directors
- We believe that a strong nonprofit sector is vital to our communities and, if lost, the health and well-being of our communities would be significantly lessened.
- We believe that MNA and nonprofits are more effective working collaboratively with other sectors including business and government. We can accomplish more collectively than we can independently.
- We believe that nonprofits have the right of self-determination within a framework of accountability and we work to facilitate and preserve that right.
- We practice and model principles and practices for nonprofit excellence and believe that adherence to such principles and practices lead an organization to a higher level of accomplishment, accountability, and sustainability.
- We believe that an organization’s health and vitality are directly and positively influenced by the participation and engagement of its members in its activities.
- We believe that people who are affected by decisions and actions have a right and a responsibility to be part of them. We seek member input and are responsive to members.
- We use resources to make things happen that we want to have happen. We do what we say and we invest where we need to invest to build a strong nonprofit community.
- We bring hope, perseverance and tenacity to our work. We believe that we can make a difference.
Equity at MNA
As the state association for nonprofits across Montana, MNA is committed to embedding practices that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into our work. Nonprofits recognize that societal systems can lead to gaps in services and unequal access to resources. We exist as a sector to fill those gaps and respond to the needs created by lack of resources and infrastructure. We will never achieve our missions without considering the historic context of the issues we seek to resolve.
Learning
We engage in diverse experiences, expertise, and wisdom. We practice honest reflection.
Growth
We use our learning to inform observable changes in our own behaviors, systems, and policies. We practice humility, offer amends, and adapt when we cause harm.
Community
We prioritize authentic relationship-building as a way of doing our work.
Agency
We trust the experience of others and work with those most impacted.
Accountability
We are accountable to our members and communities of color, rural communities, tribal communities, and others who are historically underrepresented.
