Board

Kristin Page-Nei serves the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network as their Montana Government Relations Director, where she develops and manages strategic campaigns to promote cancer related legislation and public policy. She previously worked with MAS staff to present a forum in which legislative candidates spoke to health care questions, many of which impacted older adults. She has also collaborated with AARP Montana and the Area Agencies on Aging on several legislative policies that provide access to care for prevention, early detection and chronic disease management for all Montanans. Because MAS staff cannot lobby using state or federal funds, Kristin feels it is important to have board members “who are willing to do the direct advocacy with our elected officials about the importance of public funding for MAS. She adds, "Having aging parents has rekindled my interest in what resources are available to our seniors as well as how are we utilizing our elders wisdom and talents.” Kristin has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Montana and has served on a variety of community and school-related committees and coalitions.

Gayle Hudgins has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with MAS over at least 30 years. As a Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Montana, she has collaborated with MAS on many initiatives that benefitted both the organization and UM students, including working with staff to place students for internships in the agency and providing students to assist with Medicare Part D clients. Gayle is currently Director of the Montana Geriatric Education Center, and with other UM colleagues, helped establish a Minor in Gerontology at UM. She has specialized in geriatric pharmacy for over 35 years in teaching and research. Gayle holds degrees in Pharmacy from the University of Washington, Seattle, and Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. Previous board service includes the areas of pharmacy, gerontology and community organizations, and she looks forward to giving back to MAS as a board member.

Debbie L Lawton is a Certified Public Accountant with 19 years of experience in public accounting. She was raised in Stevensville, Montana and left Montana to attend college at Brigham Young University – Hawaii to receive her Bachelor of Science Degree.

She chose to return to Montana and make it her home allowing her to be closer to her parents. This gave her the opportunity to help them as they aged. Through this experience she gained an understanding of the importance of the work done at Missoula Aging Services and is the reason she is on the board.

Tom is a Financial Advisor for Pintler Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. He began his financial services career as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch in 1995 after 10 years as the Director of Finance for a large regional health care organization and 5 years as a CPA in public accounting. He has served on the boards and volunteered for many community organizations such as American Red Cross, Watson Children’s Shelter, Providence Montana Health Foundation, Missoula United Way, and the Missoula Downtown Lions Club.

Tom and his wife Leslie have been married for 30 years and have 3 wonderful children and one lovable shelter dog Lana. Family is very important to Tom and Leslie and they enjoy their time being actively involved in their children's varied interests. Tom enjoys the Montana outdoors and is an active mountain biker, hiker, tennis player, skier, and fly-fisherman.

Roberta J. Smith is the President and founder of McGeeSmith, Inc., a human resource training and consulting firm. She previously held the position of Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Missoula Federal Credit Union (MFCU). For over 35 years, Roberta’s work focused on education, training, consulting, and the human resource profession. As a member of several professional human resource organizations, she received numerous awards for her work in the field. Along with serving on the boards of local, regional and national human resource organizations, as well as the Board of Directors for MFCU prior to working there, Roberta was happy to return to the MAS board, where she previously served from 2004 – 2011.

Roberta holds multiple certifications from around the country on specific human resource training programs related to her profession. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montana and also did her graduate work at the same institution.

Missy has been an occupational therapist since 2014 after graduating from Idaho State University with a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy (OT) and earning her registration through the National Board for Certification in OT. In 2015, she gained licensure to practice OT in Montana.

Recently, Missy founded Therapeutic Rehab Solutions to provide an alternative mode of therapy services in our community so therapeutic interventions can be practiced in the client’s most natural environment, their place of residence. She provides a unique perspective on how diseases or conditions may impact individuals while engaging in everyday tasks and how that may further impact their interactions and connections with their communities.

Missy's passion for partnering with individuals in order to help them live life to the fullest makes her a wonderful addition to the MAS Governing Board of Directors. 

Jolynn McDermott grew up in the Missoula area and is a Real Estate Agent. She has two children, parents and siblings in the area. She graduated from the University of Montana with a B.A. in Political Science and an emphasis in Public Administration. In the last 20 years, she worked in Health Care Administration. Working in senior health care, she developed many strong and lasting relationships. Jolynn has worked with family members and loved ones seeking alternative housing for parents in retirement years.

James McKay, MD, is the Regional Chief Physician Executive for the Western Montana Region of Providence Health & Services, including St. Patrick Hospital. A radiologist by training and a smokejumper in Missoula in his pre-medical life, he appreciates the valued and important position that Missoula Aging Services holds in the community and the way it has benefited many families, including his own.

Kim serves as both the Director of Strategic Focus and Inclusiveness and Diversity for Kutak Rock LLP. Prior to that, Kim served as a Director of ALPS Foundation Services for seven years. In that role, she consulted with attorney groups nationwide on strategic and business planning, with a focus on designing individualized planning processes to match the needs of each client. 
 
For 10 years, Kim served as a trainer, Board member and Chairperson for the National Coalition Building Institute-Missoula, a statewide and regional nonprofit dedicated to reducing institutional prejudice and discrimination. She worked for four years with the Missoula City/County Office of Planning and Grants as a crime victim advocate, grant writer and court system advocate. In those roles, Kim provided diversity, anti-bullying, prejudice reduction training and conflict resolution facilitation for numerous institutions. 
 

Cynthia is the Director of Marketing and Business Development for Palco, Inc. a Financial Management Services (FMS) company. FMS companies help older Americans and those with disabilities of any age remain safe at home and in their community. Cynthia offers strategic communications and marketing initiatives that strengthen brand reputation, honor the corporate vision, and drive mission objectives.

Cynthia says, “I have had the pleasure of implementing business and governmental initiatives for private business leaders in the Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports sector, specializing in FMS for those who self-direct their services. I am as fascinated by the complexity of the funding sources required to aid some of our most vulnerable populations as I am humbled by the needs of those we serve. I remain committed to helping provide the best services possible across my Montana home.”

Stuart earned a Ph.D. in Behavioral Ecology from the State University of New York. He has an extensive background in the nonprofit sector having served as CEO of two large 501(c)3 organizations, including Audubon of Florida followed by the Chicago Zoological Society from 2003-2021, where he now serves as President Emeritus. Over the course of his career, as both an executive and board member, he has led transformative conservation efforts internationally in Latin and South America and in the United States. He brings to the board decades of experience with fund development, strategic planning, risk management and community partnering. Over the last 22 years, Stuart has also cared for four family members, including two with dementia and two with COPD. He considers this one of the most rewarding things he has done. Stuart resides in Seeley Lake.

Kristen is pleased to serve as the Missoula City Council Liaison on the Missoula Aging Services Governing Board of Directors. 

She uses her wealth of experience as a data policy analyst to help guide her decisions. Kristen also played a key role in getting the mobile crisis teams operational in Missoula. This was the result of conversations with key stakeholders, strategic planning, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and the outcome is a mapping project that lives at the intersection of mental health and different points along the criminal justice spectrum.

Kristen is also concerned about affordable housing and is interested in working to find long-term solutions for low-income earners and the missing middle while working within the constraints placed upon local jurisdictions by the most recent legislative session. 

Juanita Vero is a fourth-generation partner of the E Bar L Ranch in Greenough. In addition to running her family business, she has served on numerous community conservation-focused boards and committees, including chair of Montana Conservation Voters, Missoula County Open Lands Committee, Big Blackfoot Chapter Trout Unlimited, Swan Valley Connections and Sunset School Board.

Juanita has a bachelor’s degree in English from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She enjoys horses, snowboarding, and backcountry wandering after game with her husband and his llamas. She used to play lacrosse, rugby and ultimate frisbee but is now relegated to spending more time on her yoga mat.

In November 2020, Juanita won the election for a six-year term as Missoula County Commissioner.