The Missoula Education Foundation is governed by a board of directors whose members are elected to serve two-year terms. We invite you to learn more about the current board members.
At this time, the board includes:
Rosemary Harrison, board president. Rosemary is a third-generation Missoulian who has been involved in public education in various capacities for more than 20 years. Rosemary served on the Board of Trustees of the Missoula County Public Schools for nine years. She works as a realtor for Prudential Montana Real Estate. She and her two children all are graduates of the Missoula County Public Schools.
Dirk Williams, vice president. Dirk spent his formative years in the public school system of Hobson, Montana, where, he says, a couple of educators kept themselves busy pointing him back in the right direction. Now an attorney with 20 years of public education behind him, he and his wife Kristine are the proud parents of three sons, all products of the Missoula County Public Schools.
Micki Frederikson , treasurer, is a former teacher of mathematics and precalculus courses who taught in junior high and high schools in Florida and Wisconsin. Both of her daughters attended the Missoula County Public Schools and graduated from Big Sky High School. Following her years in the classroom, Micki works as a certified public accountant with the local accounting firm of Campbell & Associates, PC.
Marilyn Ryan, secretary, is a retired MCPS teacher, and a retired MEA-MFT field consultant. She currently serves on the Executive Council for AFL-CIO, WorkSafeMT Executive Committee, and Missoula Foundation.
Kelly Milodragovich, a Missoula native, is a graduate of Sentinel High School and the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana, where she earned degrees in English and political science. The daughter of an English teacher, Kelly has always had a passion for education and began tutoring when she was 15. Since the beginning of 2007, Kelly has worked for Washington Corporations with the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, a large corporate/family foundation in Missoula. Kelly also serves on the board of the World Affairs Council in Missoula. .
Lucia Solorzano Work - Before moving to Missoula in 1990, Lucia Solorzano Work served as education editor of U.S. News & World Report magazine; she continues as the author of Barron's Best Buys in College Edition, which appeared in its tenth edition in 2008. Lucia volunteers in Missoula's public schools as a tutor with the McKinney Homeless Program and as a writing coach at Hellgate High School. She is the mother of two children who received their K-12 education in the Missoula County Public Schools.
Michael Pace works for Corporate Technology Group managing IT projects for businesses and school districts across the state. He's seen first hand how challenging funding can be for educators and looks forward to working with MEF to support local teachers.
Chris Jones is a medical device sales consultant for Synthes USA the world’s foremost manufacturer and marketer of orthopedic trauma implants. Chris is the father of 5 and husband to Susan.
Jay Getz is a Missoula native and realtor with Prudential MT. Jay has two sons who attended Missoula schools. He has seen first hand what committed teachers can do with limited resources and wants to help MEF in their efforts to provide additional funding for teachers who want to improve the educational opportunities available to Missoula students.
Dr. Jim Clark As a retired long-time school administrator, Jim knows how important it is to support the efforts of classroom teachers. Your support of the Missoula Education Foundation (MEF) will allow not only lend support for those efforts but also the broader goals of the school district that cannot be funded currently. Jim is privileged to be a member of the MEF Board that is dedicated to this mission.
Carolyn Overman and her husband are the owners of Western Montana Lighting headquartered in Missoula. Since buying the business in 1983, they have developed a strong tradition of quality and service. It isn't unusual for them to be the lighting supplier for homes in Parades of Homes in 4-5 Montana communities each year. Carolyn is well known as a business leader who believes strongly in giving back to her community. She was the first woman inducted in the Montana Housing Hall of Fame; the first woman named Associate of the Year by the Montana Building Industry Association; and the first female president of the Missoula Building Industry Association.
Dr. Alex P. Apostle, ex-officio member, is the Superintendent of Missoula County Public Schools. He was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Alex served as a teacher and coach in the Tacoma Public Schools and as a High School Principal in many school districts throughout the state of Washington. He concluded his 30 year career in Washington as an Assistant Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools. He received his Ph.D in educational administration from the University of Idaho.
The MEF also extends its thanks to founding board members Barbara Denowh, Adam Duerk, Art Hightower, and Tosha Iverson without whose help the foundation would not have completed its successful first two years.