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Our Staff
Family Promise is helmed by people who represent the best in their respective fields and truly live our mission. Our executive team, in collaboration with our board of directors, is charged with overseeing the implementation of our five-year strategic plan. This guiding vision is founded on providing the best possible programming to children and families experiencing housing insecurity, both in the short and long-term.
Administrative Team
Christel is a Bozeman, Montana native and graduate of Montana State University. Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Management, Christel received her Masters of Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Walden University. After a decade of experience in the nonprofit industry, Christel went on to receive her CFRE, which is an internationally recognized fundraising certification.
She has served as Program Coordinator for HRDC Head Start, Early Learning Director for the Gallatin Valley YMCA, Development Director for Central Asia Institute, and Executive Director of Befrienders. In these roles, her time and energy were focused on strategic, sustainable growth.
Christel and her husband were married in 2008 and are the parents of two wonderful boys. In her spare time, she enjoys mentoring individuals who are just starting their nonprofit careers, serving on local nonprofit boards, enjoying the outdoors, and spending her weekends cheering on her two sons on the competitive pool deck.
Christel Chvilicek, CFRE
Executive Director
cchvilicek@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-510-1589
Michelle has lived in the Gallatin Valley since 2001. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Michelle has a diverse business background which included working in a group home setting that served adults, followed by dipping her toes into the fields of advertising, communications, and human resources for businesses in the corporate sector; and then worked as a Paraprofessional in the Belgrade School district. During her time with Family Promise, she earned her aPHR (Associate of Professional Human Resources) certification. She’s also volunteered at non-profits around the Valley. Michelle enjoys going to group fitness classes, cooking, reading, hiking, camping, and spending time with her family.
Michelle Thorn
HR & Operations Director
mthorn@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-624-2606
Coming Soon!
Jeff Koser
Facilities & Maintenance Manager
jkoser@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-209-9650
Britta was born and raised in Montana, and she grew up volunteering at Family Promise when she would visit family members in Billings, Montana. She remembers the sense of community she felt when they her and her family got together to help those in need, and it was a formative part of her childhood. Britta graduated from Montana State in 2017 with a degree in Human Development and Family Science. She loves to write, play piano, explore nature, go to festivals, and spend time with my friends in her free time.
"I am thrilled to work with a wonderful group of people within the Bozeman community and put my education to use for an amazing cause!"
Britta Whitmer
Executive Administrative Assistant
bwhitmer@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-602-2753
Development Team
Robin is a Bozeman native and graduate of Montana State University. Robin has a passion for making an impact in our community through engagement, relationship building, and effective communications strategies. Prior to joining Family Promise, Robin worked as HRDC's Outreach and Events Coordinator for 7 years. Her responsibilities included marketing and fundraising for 7 service areas. Robin is an avid volunteer with Reach, the Help Center INC, and the Orchid Club. In her spare time, Robin enjoys reading, spending time with her family and two pups, and being outdoors and near water.
Robin Mayer
Development Director
rmayer@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-312-9805
Jaclyn moved to Bozeman in 2023 after being raised in small town Louisiana and Houston, TX.
She earned her B.S. in Human Development & Family Studies and became a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the University of Houston.
Her love for nonprofits and volunteering started long before college, as she has been involved in her community ever since elementary school. Jaclyn has always had a passion for children and has loved every minute spent volunteering with organizations such as Best Buddies and the Houston Food Bank and in her professional childcare experience! Jaclyn knows the importance of small-town community and is grateful to grow her passions in advocating for families with Family Promise.
Since moving to The Valley, she has discovered her deep love for the outdoors and learning how to stay warm. In her free time, you can find her trying a new restaurant, snuggling her cat, or near an alpine lake!
Jaclyn LeBlanc
Development & Volunteer Coordinator
jleblanc@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-604-0410
Jess moved to Bozeman in 2016 from Helena, MT, to attend Montana State University where she received a B.S. in Community Health and a Minor in Human Development. One of her main passions lies in helping people and watching them succeed. Jess has been with Family Promise since our Tschache headquarters opened its doors in 2021. During her time with us, she’s had a role as a Rising Stars teacher, front desk admin, and development team member. She enjoys skiing, traveling, eating good food, and spending time with FPGV’s canine mascot, Benny, and with friends and family. When not in the office, you can catch Jess at Black Orchid, where she teaches heated indoor cycling classes!
Jessica Briceno
Events & Communications Manager
jbriceno@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-312-9803
Autumn was born and raised in Glasgow, MT. After graduation she decided to pursue her collegiate hockey career at Colorado State University, but ultimately Montana called her home. In 2017 she moved to Bozeman and has been here ever since. She graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Go Cats!! Autumn has always had a passion for helping others which propelled her into the social services world. She’s worked for Haven, Victim Services of Gallatin County, and now Family Promise. She has made a home in the Gallatin Valley with her husband Kyler, son Kohen, and their two dachshund pups Beasley and Gidget. Outside of work she enjoys watching football, playing hockey, and exploring all the good restaurants the Valley has to offer.
Autumn Barney
Community Engagement Coordinator
abarney@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-420-7094
Elliott began volunteering 20 years ago at multiple Family Promise affiliates around the country. Her career in nonprofits began after witnessing the impact she made in a child’s life while she was an AmeriCorps mentor in Columbia, SC. She previously worked for Family Promise affiliates in Beaufort County and Austin, Texas. Amidst COVID shutting down America, Elliott and her wife moved across the country with their cat and dog to Bozeman, Montana. She began volunteering with Family Promise of Gallatin Valley a few months after moving here. After she had been volunteering with us for a few months, we hired her as a Program Assistant to help us keep up with the growth and expansion we have seen this past year. Her favorite pastimes are relaxing in a river, equity activism, laughing, photography, and rock hounding.
Elliott Brown
Senior Grant Manager
ebrown@familypromisegv.org
Programs Team
Carrie is native to Montana and has a deep love for this valley. Carrie graduated from Montana State University with a degree in Criminal Justice and has spent the last 25 years working in the nonprofit sector in Bozeman.
Carrie is passionate about understanding the dynamics of homelessness in our communities and working to improve the lives of the kids and families that call the Gallatin Valley home. Carrie lives in Three Forks with her husband and an excessive amount of animals.
Carrie Gilbertson
Director of Family Services
cgilbertson@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-312-9802
Marcus grew up in Bozeman and will always consider it his home. Through working closely in town with other individuals that have similar values, he has found his passion for helping Bozeman's most vulnerable populations navigate housing insecurity. As a person with lived experience, he is continuously evolving and adapting to enhance how our team supports families engaging with Family Promise programming. In addition to his love of the work that we do, he also enjoys reading, engaging with the community around homelessness, and spending time with his beautiful partner Sabrina and their two cats.
Marcus Cioffi
Family Services Manager
mcioffi@familypromisegv.org
Desirea has over a decade of dedicated experience in Gallatin Valley. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and Community Health from Montana State University, as well as a Master’s in Social Work from Arizona State University. Desirea’s expertise lies in mental health and social work, having served in various roles including behavioral health consultant, play therapist, crisis stabilization worker, and case manager for survivors of trauma.
Desirea is committed to supporting vulnerable populations, working alongside them to build on their strengths and achieve success in their lives. She is currently working towards becoming a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), furthering her ability to provide high-quality support to those in need.
Desirea is a proud Montanan who enjoys a rich family life with her husband and their beautiful baby boy. They share their home with two dogs, a cat, two turtles, and a collection of fish. In her free time, Desirea enjoys spending family time outdoors such as camping, hiking, fishing, and gardening.
Desirea Rees
Family Services Manager
drees@familypromisegv.org
Zaira's passion is to be of service to people whether it's as a yoga teacher, doula, and now as a Family Services Manager. She believes in providing compassionate, non-judgmental support and guidance to families in need. Zaira grew up in Boulder, Colorado and moved to Bozeman in 2022. She is looking forward to making a positive difference in the lives of families in the area. She is eager to learn and grow personally and professionally as she joins the Family Promise team.
Zaira Estrada
Family Services Manager
zestrada@familypromisegv.org
Marissa is originally from New York City and Long Island, New York. She moved to Bozeman to attend Montana State University back in 2015. There, Marissa earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Human Development, as well as continued on to complete graduate level course work in the field of Behavior Studies. She loves to research and learn new skills that will assist the families who come to Family Promise.
Marissa has always been in the mindset that helping people in our community helps the community thrive as a whole. She loves to research and learn new skills that will assist the families who come to Family Promise. In her free time, she loves exploring new places, creating art, and spending time with her rescue Frenchie, Frankie Bean.
Marissa Dunn
Family Advocate & Prevention Specialist
mdunn@familypromisegv.org
Originally from Illinois, Fiona grew up loving Bozeman and always wanted to live here. After graduating from Colorado College in 2020, where she studied Anthropology and Race, Ethnicity, & Migration studies, she worked for various nonprofits in Chicago. In 2021, she fulfilled her dream of moving to Bozeman. Fiona has always had a passion for people and service, which led her to join Family Promise in April 2024. At Family Promise, she is dedicated to helping families, bringing her lifelong volunteer experience and passion to the role.
When not running around managing the chaos and excitement of this role, Fiona enjoys skiing, swimming, hiking, and seeing live music. She is thankful to live in Bozeman and serve the wonderful people here.
Fiona Whalen
Housing Programs Coordinator
fwhalen@familypromisegv.org
Rising Stars Early Learning Center Team
Catherine has been a part of Family Promise’s Early Learning Center since its opening in January of 2022. First, as a lead teacher for the young 1’s room, and recently transitioned to the assistant director of the evening program. Since 2018, Catherine has professionally been a part of the early childhood field working in multiple facilities. She absolutely loves working with kids and their families to help accomplish their developmental and educational goals. As a teacher, she also wants to create a safe environment for kids to have the ability to set them up for success. Our kids are our future, and they need to continue to have the right education and right resources for success.
Catherine Purcell
Early Learning Center Co-Director
cpurcell@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-404-7366​
Brittany has been a part of Family Promise’s Early Learning Center since its opening in January of 2022. First, as a lead teacher for the infant room, and recently transitioned to be a part of the leadership team. Since 2015, Brittany has professionally been a part of the early childhood field working in multiple facilities. She loves building a relationship with each child and their family. One of her favorite things here at Rising Stars is being able to watch each child as they grow!
Brittany grew up in a small Montana town, where she learned her love for being outdoors. She has two fun and rambunctious boys who like to keep her busy! Brittany enjoys being in the sunshine, spending quality time with my family, and eating at local restaurants!
Brittany Helm
Early Learning Center Coordinator
bhelm@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-312-9801
Coming Soon!
Kate Reedy
Early Learning Center Coordinator
kreedy@familypromisegv.org
Direct Line: 406-312-9804
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