Leadership

Ryan first became involved with the Montana Learning Center in 2013 as a member of the summer camp staff. Eventually he joined the board of directors. Ryan has been Montana Learning Center’s executive director since the fall of 2016. Ryan worked as a science teacher in Clancy, Montana until 2019 went he went full time with the Center. Teaching science has been his profession for the past seven years.

Getting students and teachers excited about science is something Ryan enjoys. He feels lucky to have had several mentors throughout his career and now wants to share the knowledge and expertise he has with others. According to Ryan, “it is vitally important to inspire and mentor the next generation to become critical thinkers and learn about the natural world around them.”

Ryan has served on the advisory board of the Montana Space Grant Consortium, as well as the education committee of the International Society for Optics & Photonics in Engineering.

While attending Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, Ryan worked for NASA for four years. For two summers, he worked at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center on the James Webb Space Telescope mission, the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. In addition to collaborating with the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and Bill Nye the “Science Guy”, he supported the James Webb Space Telescope mission in the fields of education, public outreach and public affairs.

Before attending MSU, Ryan studied at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo. While there he worked for New Mexico Skies Observatories in Mayhill, NM as a telescope technician, teaching astronomers how to acquire and manipulate astronomical data. He also provided technical support on telescope projects for NASA, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Caltech and PBS.

While growing up in Leesport, PA, Ryan enjoyed astronomy. He was first exposed to it as a Boy Scout and has been “hooked ever since.” He designed and built a telescope while in middle school and in high school he played a key part in putting the first fully remote controlled telescope on the Internet for students and teachers to use.

Ryan has lived in Helena, MT for since 2016. He is married to Melissa Stiles, a physical therapist. They have one dog, a black lab named Tucker, who is the baby of the family.

Walt thinks it’s important that teachers and students have high quality experiences at the Montana Learning Center. As an author for science journals, a seventh and eighth-grade science teacher, and an adjunct professor in Montana State University’s Masters of Science Program, he knows firsthand what excellence in education means. He applies this to the classes he teaches at the Montana Learning Center.

For thirty-five years Walt and his wife Bridget have lived in Manhattan, Montana. They have two children and five grandchildren. He grew up in Pennsylvania and always enjoyed science. Through work with the Boy Scouts of America, he became interested in nature too.

Dennis believes advances in science and technology are essential to the future of the U.S. economy, environment, and way of life and that these areas will be important for decades to come. He serves on the Montana Learning Center board because he knows “it is critical to develop the science, technology and mathematics workforce of the future that can continue to drive innovations that will make our world a better place.”

Dennis manages a portfolio of research programs that include energy efficiency, renewable energy production, advanced manufacturing, and transportation at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PPNL). PPNL’s research supports the missions of the U.S. Department of Energy. Dennis has spent his 32-year professional career at the laboratory and has held a number of management positions. He launched PNNL’s biofuels and renewable chemicals research program which resulted in a number of commercial products and national awards.

In addition to volunteering for the MLC board of directors, Dennis has served as an officer for his local chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and on several university advisory boards.

While growing up in Belgrade, Montana, Dennis developed an interest in science and math. In elementary school he always looked forward to the annual science fair. He also enjoyed hiking and hunting in the Bridger and Spanish Peak mountain ranges. These experiences gave him a strong appreciation for nature and the environment. Hoping to pursue a career focused on developing technology that would address challenges to the environment, he majored in engineering at Montana State University. Dennis also has a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Washington State University.

Dennis has lived in Richland, Washington, since 1986. He is a widower and has two step-grandchildren who live in California.

Stephanie is a science writer and a mom to two enthusiastic MLC campers. She believes that childhood is the optimal time to encourage a fascination with the wonders of the natural world.

“Children are naturally curious, and asking questions is basically what’s at the heart of science. One of the things I love about the MLC is that it fosters that curiosity in a non-threatening, engaging environment where learning – not grades or a test – is the goal. They’re just having fun while playing with some pretty high-level concepts.”

Stephanie grew up in Oregon and Virginia, and attended the University of Missouri before moving to Billings in 2001 to work as a television reporter. While she loved the daily variety and new experiences that journalism offers, she returned to school to focus on communicating complex scientific topics.

She earned her master’s degree in technical communication at the University of Washington, and worked for the renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and later the UNM Cancer Center in Albuquerque before landing a dream job at Sandia National Laboratories, dubbed by Wired magazine as “The Playground of Big Science.” When the opportunity arose, they jumped at the chance to return to her husband’s hometown of Billings.

In addition to her work as a writer for the MLC, Stephanie is honored to write for Stanford University Medical Center, raising funds for vital medical research, and local magazine, Simply Local Billings, highlighting incredible people and projects from her community. She enjoys volunteering with her children’s schools, church, and their family’s ski team.

She lives with her husband and children, along with a too-smart border collie and a lovable black lab, and finds joy in family adventures, books and podcasts, hiking, skiing, golfing, the Oregon Coast, cheering for Mizzou, her telescope, and travel to interesting places.

As the Sales and Marketing Manager at the Helena Tourism Alliance, Brandon emphasizes the importance of offering visitors, and particularly children, with opportunities to learn while visiting the Treasure State. The Montana Learning Center is ideally positioned to fulfill that need. “The Montana Learning Center is a vital asset to our community that enriches student experiences in STEM Tourism,” he said.

Brandon’s love of the outdoors runs deep. Before moving to Helena in 2018, he traveled with K2 Sports in global brand marketing. He worked to launch new product lines, built interactive events, and developed extensive brand strategies in U.S. Markets.

Brandon was raised in a military family and had the chance to travel the country, and was heavily influenced by a variety of communities while growing up. While living in the Saugerties, New York, Brandon was immersed in a wealth of arts and music, and knows the value of sharing those experiences with others

He and his wife, Laura, are proud to be raising their two young boys in Helena, where they can be outdoors, and enjoy stargazing, the mountains, and frequent travel.

Jon recently retired from his position as Chief of the Public Water Supply Bureau at the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). From an early age, Jon was interested in the sciences and translated that into a career in environmental protection and public health. Despite his retirement, he remains registered with the State of Montana as a Sanitarian.

 According to Jon, “serving on the Board of MLC provides me with the opportunity to be a part of an organization that promotes and feeds the curiosity of children and adults about the sciences. Additionally, as an amateur astronomer, I believe the astronomical resources available at MLC provide a tremendous opportunity to encourage interest in the wonders of the universe. Being on the Board allows me to do what I can to assure those resources continue to be available to Montana’s students and teachers.”  

Jon is a member and officer in the Helena Astronomical Society and has served on the boards of state and national nonprofit organizations such as the Montana Environmental Health Association and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.

He grew up in Southcentral Ohio and always has had in interest in astronomy. He also enjoys fishing, baseball, football, nature walks, gardening and bee keeping and hopes that retirement will allow more time to pursue those interests. He and his wife Kathie have lived in Helena, Montana for 32 years. They currently share their home with their two cats and one dog.