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.

2021 MTCC ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD:

Senior 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.

Junior 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.

Immediate Past Co-Chair: Emily Coyle – Montana Association of Healthcare Purchasers

Emily brings exceptional knowledge on cancer care initiatives within the state of Montana as well as a fresh perspective on ways the MTCC can further increase it’s impact on issues surrounding the cancer care spectrum.

Communications Specialist: Nancy Lee

After retiring from a successful career that included Executive Director of Komen Montana, Director of Marketing and Communication for Carroll College and Director Marketing for Montana Power, Nancy enjoys using her communication and strategic planning skills to promote MTCC.  As a member of the MTCC Administration team, she is responsible for the newsletter and assists where needed.

MTCC State Liaison: Justin Sell – Montana Cancer Control Programs

Provider Advisory Group Liaison: Dr. Jeffrey Rentz – Billings Clinic

IMPLEMENTATION TEAM LEADERSHIP

Prevention 

  • Co-Chair: Cherith Smith – All Nations Health Center
  • Co-Chair: Currently Recruiting

Early Detection

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

Access to Care for All

  • Co-Chair: Pam Sasser – St. Peter’s Health
  • Co-Chair: Emily Burth – Mountain Pacific Quality Health

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: Currently Recruiting

 

MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES:

General Membership Representative:

  • CURRENTLY RECRUITING

Survivor Representative:

  • CURRENTLY RECRUITING

American Indian/MAIWHC Representative(s):

  • Alona Jarmin – MAIWHC President/Stratis Health
  • Katelin Conway – MAIWHC Vice-President/Mountain Pacific Quality Health
  • Cherith Smith – MAIWHC Secretary/All Nations Health Center
  • Lanette Perkins – MAIWCH Secretary

American Cancer Society Representative:

  • Kaylee Vandjelovic – ACS Health Systems Manager-Hospitals

Disability Consumer Representative:

  • Stacey Johnston: Special Olympics Montana

Policy and Advocacy Representative:

  • Lois Fitzgerald – American Cancer Society – Cancer Action Network

Indian Health Service Representative:

  • CURRENTLY RECRUITING