MTCC Steering Committee

The MTCC Steering Committee is the governing body of the Montana Cancer Coalition. This group is made up of driven, energetic, and passionate individuals committed to leading the coalition towards the achievement of the priority objectives outlined in the Montana Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan.

2024 MTCC ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD:

Senior Co-Chair: Meadow Nilles – Cariloop

As a medical social worker, Meadow Nilles has spent 12 years working with cancer survivors in long term care, hospice and oncology units around the state of Montana.   She has worked with cancer survivors of all ages and in all stages of their illness.  At the beginning of 2019, Meadow changed focus and is now the Health, Wellness and Disabilities manager for Aware Early Head Start, working with infants and toddlers to promote an early start to lifelong health.

Meadow has been an active member of the Montana Cancer Coalition since 2015 and has served as the co-chair of the pediatric cancer implementation team since 2016. One of the biggest privileges of her career has been sitting with cancer survivors through all stages of their cancer, and she is thrilled to work with MTCC to improve life for cancer patients across the state of Montana. 

When not working, you will find Meadow road tripping with her husband and 3 kids, baking/decorating cakes and other sweets, or hiding in the Beartooth Mountains.

Vice Chair: Laura Gottschalk – Montana Primary Care Association

Immediate Past Co-Chair: Courtney Buys – Montana Primary Care Association

Courtney is the Health Outcomes Improvement Manager for the Montana Primary Care Association. She provides training, technical assistance, and coaching on quality improvement measures to increase preventable disease screening and management in Montana’s CHCs, primarily through the Quality Data Initiative. Prior to her current role, Courtney spent a year serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Montana Primary Care Association working on the Cover Montana project; increasing awareness, understanding, and utilization of Montana’s affordable health insurance options for low-income Montanans. In her free time, she can be found hiking, doing yoga (badly), or spoiling her two dogs Maxi and Bobo.

MTCC State Liaison: Justin Sell – Montana Cancer Control Programs

IMPLEMENTATION TEAM LEADERSHIP

Prevention 

  • Co-Chair: Bobbie Will – Susan Komen
  • Co-Chair: Diane Ascheman – ACS-CAN

Early Detection

  • Co-Chair: Melissa Baker – Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department
  • Co-Chair: 

Access to Care for All

Quality of Life and Survivorship

  • Co-Chair: Becky Franks – Cancer Support Community
  • Co-Chair: Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Harris

Pediatric Cancer

  • Co-Chair: Meadow Niles – Cariloop
  • Co-Chair: Diane Ascheman – ACS-CAN

 

MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES:

General Membership Representative:

Survivor Representative:

American Indian/MAIWHC Representative(s):

  • Alona Jarmin – MAIWHC President/Stratis Health
  • Katelin Conway – MAIWHC Vice-President/Montana Healthcare Foundation
  • Cherith Smith – MAIWHC Secretary/All Nations Health Center
  • Lanette Perkins – MAIWHC Secretary

American Cancer Society Representative:

  • Kaylee Vandjelovic – ACS Health Systems Manager-Hospitals

Disability Consumer Representative:

  • Stacey Johnston-Gleason: Special Olympics Montana

Policy and Advocacy Representative:

Indian Health Service Representative: