Board of Directors

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Sindie Kennedy

President

Sindie Kennedy is a Grants Administrator for Missoula County. She administers HUD grants that support housing and community development programs. She moved to Missoula with her husband and son in 2004. She has been involved with her son’s schools over the years as a classroom volunteer, PTA board member and currently as the Secretary for the Sentinel Booster Club. She also teaches online Indian Education for All classes. Her interests include backpacking with her family in the beautiful wilderness areas of Montana, hiking around Missoula, making and selling jewelry, Zumba and reading, especially historical fiction and Native American literature. She is passionate about giving back and promoting social justice, gender equality and anti-racism. She is especially honored to serve on the WORD board and to work with the amazing board and staff members who are committed to fulfilling WORD’s vision and mission. 

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Leah Fitch

Secretary

Leah Fitch is the Substance Abuse Prevention Outreach Coordinator at the Missoula City-County Health Department. In this role, she helps to lead collaborative, proactive community efforts to prevent underage substance use and promote resiliency in young people.  Originally from Ohio, she moved to Missoula in 2006 with the AmeriCorps VISTA program and fell in love with the town and its people. She has her Masters Degree in Intercultural Youth and Family Development from the University of Montana. Leah is an advocate for, not only girls and women, but anyone who has experienced inequality, discrimination, stigma, or trauma. She has several years of experience working in sexual assault and domestic violence prevention and advocacy, working both at YWCA Missoula and the Student Advocacy Resource Center (SARC) at the University of Montana, as well as serving on the Make Your Move Missoula Council.  In addition, she served for two years in the US Peace Corps in Namibia working on HIV prevention and girl empowerment initiatives.

 

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Ann Seltzer

Treasurer

Ann Seltzer is a CPA for Blackfoot Telephone Group and has been with the company for over seven years.  Prior to this position, she was Finance Director for the Missoula Family YMCA and was a Partner Y Professional by using her skills to consult with YMCA’s all over the country to implement best financial practices.  A Montana native, she moved to Missoula in 1998 for college and obtained a Masters of Accountancy degree.  She fell in love with Missoula and was lucky to begin her professional career in Missoula after graduation.  Her interests include hiking, art shows, cooking and watching her two boys play sports.  Previously she volunteered at the Western Humane Society with her boys.  She is passionate about giving back to the community and is honored to be a part of WORD.

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Suzin Kratina

Ex-Officio Executive Director

Suzin, has experience bringing together professionals and community members to collaborate on issues important to women, youth, and families. She comes to WORD from Montana GEAR UP as the Senior Project Director, and from the YWCA Missoula where she was the director of a supervised visitation center for families who had experienced domestic violence. Previous experience includes working as the coordinator for the KMA, bringing together agencies who worked with youth with serious emotional disturbance; providing statewide technical assistance for afterschool programs with the Montana Afterschool Network; working with Families First to provide parent education and as the coordinator of the Seasons Bereavement Program for youth who had lost a loved one. Suzin also spent 3 terms with AmeriCorps in Miles City and Missoula, starting a community computer lab in Miles City, and working as a Family Resource Specialist with WORD in Missoula Public Schools. Finally, as an AmeriCorps VISTA, she supported literacy opportunities and training for families, and education for professionals. While living in Miles City Suzin started a health food store and has a lifelong interest in herbs and natural healing. Suzin has a BS in Film & TV from MSU Bozeman, and earned her MEd in Curriculum and Instruction from UM. Suzin and her husband Mike have two daughters.