Our Team

Stephanie Morton, MSW
Executive Director

Stephanie was born and raised in St. Ignatius, Montana. She completed her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at the University of Oregon and earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Montana in 2018. She has worked for several nonprofits supporting children and families and specializes in system connections and improvements. Stephanie began her work with HMHB in 2017, as a practicum student and was hired as the Program Manager in 2018.  She served in this role until 2023 when she was promoted to the Director of Program and Impact. Stephanie completed the Maternal Mental Health Policy Fellowship in 2021 with the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. In July of 2023, Stephanie accepted the position of Executive Director.  When not at work you will likely find her at home in Three Forks, enjoying and caring for her animals and home.

Email Stephanie
stephanie@hmhb-mt.org

Communications and Outreach

Lauren Johnson
Director of Communications and Outreach

Lauren has lived and worked in the Dillon, Montana community for nearly twenty years. She has held various professional roles, from working with the local Hospital Foundation to serving as Director of Field Operations at Great Harvest Franchising, where she spent thirteen years. Lauren’s education in Public Service and Administration and career revolves around community, connection, and communication, and she brings these guiding principles and experiences to HMHB-Montana. She resides with her family on their ranch near Dillon and often spends free time exploring and fishing in the Pioneer mountains.

Email Lauren
lauren@hmhb-mt.org

Ashley Martin
Outreach Coordinator

Ashley was born and raised in Helena, MT. She attended Eastern Washington University, where she earned her degree in Recreation Management and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Elementary Education. Ashley previously worked in travel/tourism and higher education. She is most excited to be back home working to support mamas and babies around our beautiful state.

Email Ashley
ashley@hmhb-mt.org

Gwyneth Hyndman
Storytelling & Engagement Coordinator

Gwyneth grew up in Santa Barbara County, California and graduated from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand – her father’s homeland – with a degree in social anthropology and English Literature in 2001. After spending the next decade bouncing between adventure tourism and journalism in both hemispheres, Gwyneth settled in as a staff reporter in Invercargill, New Zealand, where she covered regional and national health for the Southland Times and Fairfax Media. She later completed an MA in creative writing through the University of Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand, with a focus on scriptwriting, before returning permanently to the United States. In 2014 she arrived in Philipsburg, Montana to be the editor of the local newspaper and has never left.

When she’s not adventuring with her two daughters and husband on the weekends, Gwyneth works out of her office on the first floor of Montana’s oldest operating theater, where she coordinates and collects the unique parenting and caregiving journeys, challenges and insights shared by families and providers across the state through the HMHB LIFTS podcast and print magazine.

Email Gwyneth
gwyneth@hmhb-mt.org

Programs

Hollin Buck, MS
Director of Programs and Impact

Hollin was born and raised in Missoula, Montana before leaving to earn a BA in Psychology at Linfield College. She then moved to New York, earning an MS in Behavioral Neuroscience-Psychology. She returned to Montana to work at a nonprofit supporting pregnant and parenting young mothers before working in early intervention services for 12 years. She joined HMHB in 2024. Hollin is excited to continue to work to support mothers and caregivers in their parenting journey during the most impactful years of children’s lives.

When not at work, you’ll find her spending time with her two children, husband, and chocolate Labrador and enjoying the Montana outdoors all together.

Email Hollin
hollin@hmhb-mt.org

Dawn Gunderson, CLC
Program and Communications Coordinator

Dawn has a degree in Computer Applications Management. She has served as the coordinator of a behavioral health coalition for community education, prevention and resiliency. Her background also includes providing WIC services including nutrition and safety education, lactation support and referrals for moms and children up to age 5. She is excited to be working with partners invested in the overall health and wellness of Montana families.

Email Dawn
dawn@hmhb-mt.org

Policy and Operations

Mary Collins, MSW
Policy Director

Mary grew up on a farm in Northern California and has called Montana home since 2011. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and Master of Social Work from the University of Montana. Mary has extensive experience in direct service, providing counseling, advocacy, and supportive services to children, adolescents, and adults. Her passion for systems-level change led her to serve in several leadership roles at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), where she focused on strengthening the state’s behavioral health system. Building on that work, Mary later joined the Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development, where she dedicated her efforts to improving Montana’s early childhood systems. Driven by a desire to serve others—and informed by her own experience as the mother of a preemie—Mary is deeply motivated to create a more just, supportive world for Montana’s babies and families.

Email Mary
mary@hmhb-mt.org

Jessica Schaak, JD
Operations Manager

Jessica was born and raised on the Crow Reservation. She received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration/Accounting from the University of Montana and her law degree from Marquette University. Following a decade of work in the professional sports arena, Jess returned to her home state of Montana with a goal of utilizing her education and skills to make her small corner of the world a better place. She worked for her local government doing grant and program management for many years before joining HMHB in 2026 to serve as Operations Manager. Jess believes we all have a collective responsibility for taking care of our communities, so she prioritizes volunteering and serves on her local school and hospital boards. In her spare time, she likes to read, bake, travel and attend sporting events, where she is her little brother’s biggest (and sometimes loudest) fan.

Email Jessica
jessica@hmhb-mt.org

Native American Initiatives

Amy Stiffarm, PhD, MPH
Director of Native American Initiatives

Amy Stiffarm is a member of the Aaniiih (White Clay) Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian Community. She also is a descendant of the Chippewa Cree and Blackfeet Tribes of Montana. Amy earned a PhD in Indigenous Health at the University of North Dakota in 2023. She specializes in Maternal Mental Health issues in American Indian communities. She received her Masters of Public Health from the University of Montana. She is so excited and grateful to work with HMHB in supporting mothers, pregnant people, and babies across Montana.

Email Amy
amy@hmhb-mt.org

Diona Buck
Native American Initiatives Program Manager

Diona is Nakoda from the Fort Belknap Tribe of Montana and a descendant of the Aaniiih Tribe (White Clay). Diona graduated from MSU-Northern in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health through the University of Montana’s online program. Diona is passionate about improving health outcomes in Indigenous communities, particularly in the area of perinatal health. She is grateful to be a part of HMHB and to support partners and families across Montana.

Email Diona
diona@hmhb-mt.org

Valene TalksDifferent
Native American Initiatives Program Coordinator

Valene TalksDifferent is Aaniiih (Whiteclay) and Nakoda (Assiniboine) from the Fort Belknap Reservation and has been living in Missoula, MT going on 9 years.  She has obtained a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Native American Studies from the University of Montana. Her passion is to assist in reducing disparities for Indigenous communities to improve the quality of life for the future generations to come. She is excited to work for HMHB to support mothers and babies across Montana.  Her hobbies include spending time with her daughter, crafting, dancing fancy shawl, traveling, and taking walks/hikes.

Email Valene
valene@hmhb-mt.org