Jill Davies
Jill Davies is farmer and pure food activist living in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. She speaks and writes on current trends in the production of foods with a focus on organic agriculture and seed saving. In 2003 she initiated and was the first coordinator of the Montana Organic Association. She is currently the director of a non-profit called Sustainable Living Systems that is focused on building a local food system in the Bitterroot Valley and teaches about ecodesign homes.
Jesse Dodson
Jesse Dodson is a real estate lawyer and developer. Prior to moving to Missoula in 2015, Jesse practiced law for an international law firm in Chicago, where he contributed to complicated development projects including redevelopment of the World Trade Center, the Chicago bids for the Obama presidential library and the 2016 Summer Olympics, the Art Institute of Chicago expansion, the historic rehabilitation and renovation of Wrigley Field, and redevelopment of the former U.S. Steel South Works brownfield site, among many others.
Jesse opened his solo practice shortly after moving to Missoula, and now represents clients primarily in the world of real estate and property law. Jesse has provided pro bono legal services to CLTs for over 15 years. Jesse has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Law, teaching the Land Use & Environment course. As a developer, Jesse has developed several market-rate, multi-family housing projects in Missoula and other locations. Jesse is also currently Chairman of the Board of the Missoula Urban Transportation District (Mountain Line).
Brian Guyer
VICE PRESIDENT
Brian Guyer has worked for over twelve years in the realm of affordable housing and land trusts, in both Montana and Utah. He is the acting director of the Big Sky Community Housing Trust (BSCHT), a fledgling non-profit established in Big Sky, Montana to address the communities growing need for workforce and affordable housing. Creating and maintaining a land trust in Big Sky is a top priority for the organization with the land trust being utilized to create and preserve the affordability of new units in perpetuity. Prior to moving to Bozeman, Brian worked for Mountainlands Community Housing Trust (MCHT) in Park City, Utah for ten years – one of the largest land trust non-profits in the West with a portfolio of over 200 affordable units with a variety of affordability preservation measures. Brian was responsible for the stewardship of all land trust and deed restricted homes in the organization’s portfolio. He was recently selected to the 2017 cohort of Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) Michael Rubinger Fellows to do a year-long case study on the effectiveness of tiny homes in land trusts to address the issue of affordable housing in Bozeman and Big Sky, Montana. He is a dedicated affordable housing advocate with experience in housing policy and advocacy techniques.
Jo Ann Eder
Jo Ann Eder is the President of the O.P. and W.E. Edwards Foundation, located in Red Lodge. In that role, Jo Ann has learned the importance of the nonprofit sector to the life of a community. She is proud to serve as the board chair of the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, a board member of the Montana Community Foundation, and is the former co-chair of the Montana Children’s Trust Fund Board. She is a former board member and present volunteer for the Baretooth Cupboards – Carbon County’s Community Food Bank and Philanthropy Northwest, a regional association of foundations. She is also a member of Leadership Montana and Trust Montana among other organizations. She has a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Yale University and a M.S. in Cross Cultural Education from the University of New Mexico. She is very active in the philanthropic community with a special emphasis on giving in Indian Country.
Philip Maechling
Historic Preservation Officer, Missoula OPG, 2001-2013. Historic and cultural resource documentation, evaluation, planning and education, City of Missoula and Missoula County. Advisor on historic and cultural resources for land use and development projects, Section 106, NHPA compliance. Completed Missoula Then & Now (Arcadia Publishing, 2010) with Stan Cohen. From 1991 – 2001, Philip was supervising planner for Current Planning, and Long Range Planning. His responsibilities included the 1998 Urban Comprehensive Plan update for Missoula, and the Southside Riverfront, Miller Creek and Rattlesnake Valley plans. He completed a number of resource conservation and protection standards, including the historic preservation ordinance, and cell tower and riparian area regulations. He has a B.A. in Art History from Yale, and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Fulbright Scholar in Brazil. In 2007 and 2010 he was appointed by Governor Schweitzer to the Montana Heritage Commission (MHC). 2013, reappointed to the MHC by Governor Bullock.
Danielle Maiden
SECRETARY
Danielle is the Cooperative Housing Specialist for the Resident Owned Communities program of Neighborworks Montana. She works to help mobile home communities gain cooperative ownership of their land and maintain their communities.
Danielle is a 4th generation Montanan who loves all things Montana. She holds a BS in Political Science and Nonprofit Administration from the University of Montana and a MA in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. Most of her professional career has been spent working in various human service agencies.
Jane Nolan
Jane retired from Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana (CAPNM) in June 2015 after being employed there for 15 years. During her time at CAPNM Jane worked actively with housing issues in a four-county service area (Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders Counties). Her work approached housing as part of a ladder, from homelessness to homeownership with everything in-between. Along with Marney McCleary, Jane was involved in the early development of the Northwest Montana Community land Trust. In CAPNM’s annual surveys, finding safe, sanitary and affordable housing was one of the greatest needs reported in all four counties. Jane has a passion for housing issues. She serves on the board of the Lake County Community Housing Organization (LCCHO). LCCHO is in the process of developing 24 additional units of affordable housing in Ronan, MT. Currently it manages 120 affordable units in Charlo, Pablo, Polson, Ronan and St Ignatius, MT. Jane graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in economics. After further study at the University of Montana, she passed the CPA exam and has been a CPA for over 30 years.
Bob Oaks
BOARD PRESIDENT
Bob Oaks is the Executive Director of the North Missoula Community Development Corporation, which has been operating Montana’s longest-running community land trust for over 15 years. As the NMCDC Director, Bob led the feasibility study about a statewide Montana CLT, and worked to establish Trust Montana as a non-profit.
Sheila Rice
TREASURER
Sheila Rice has been the Executive Director of NeighborWorks Great Falls and NeighborWorks Montana, and has served as the interim Chief Operating Officer for Neighborworks America. In 2007, she completed the NeighborWorks America Achieving Excellence Program at Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Sheila has served on several national committees, including the Board of Directors of the National NeighborWorks Association and the Fannie Mae National Advisory Committee. She is currently a member of the Montana Board of Housing. Prior to joining NWGF and MHN, she was a senior officer of ENERGY WEST, a natural gas utility and energy marketing firm located in Great Falls. Sheila is a graduate of Great Falls Central High School, holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Montana and an MBA from the University of Montana. She served in the Montana House of Representatives in 1991 and 1993 legislative sessions and was a member of the Montana Redistricting Commission in 2000.
Nicole Whyte
Nicole is the Building and Development Programs Manager for Missoula County Public Works Department. Originally from Helena, she has lived mostly in Missoula for the last 13 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration, both from University of Montana. Nicole has been fortunate enough to work in community and building development for nonprofits and local government since shortly after receiving my her bachelors degree. She spends her free time fly fishing, snowboarding, running, and peak bagging. It’s her love of Montana that prompted her to reach out to Trust Montana, and before that, to work in development in general. Montana is an amazing place to live and because of that, it’s growing faster than we can meet its housing needs. Through Trust Montana and her chosen career path she hopes to continuously aid in making Montana affordable.
You can read Trust Montana’s By-Laws here.
