Interim Executive Director - Rebecca Bogden-Richards - Great Falls, MT
Rebecca Bogden-Richards
Rebecca has seven years of experience working with the former Montana parent training and information center and the Family to Family Information Center, where she worked with numerous families and gave them information to navigate Montana’s systems. She also designed and implemented several successful trainings with OCR and OPI reaching hundreds of families. Rebecca also has served on the Governor appointed FSSAC (Part C) advisory council and several local boards to help guide decision making for families. Rebecca also has previous work experience with state and federal agencies. She is also the mother of a child with Cystic Fibrosis who has a 504 plan to accommodate her educational needs.
Interim Parent Training and Information Center Outreach Family Liaison - Sandy Taylor - Helena, MT
Sandy Taylor
Sandy has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a K-12, a reading Endorsement from Eastern Montana College and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from MSU-Billings. Sandy was a teacher and school counselor for 15+ years in Montana, Idaho, and Colorado. Sandy worked for Montana’s Parent Training and Information Center for 4 years and again for 8 years as a Parent Advisor. Sandy is currently an Independent Contractor for the Montana PTI Center, is employed at Montana’s Southeast Independent Learning Center, LIFTT, and is serving on the State Rehabilitation Council. Sandy also mentors Teens and adults who struggle with mental health and addictions.
Sandy is the youngest and 10th child in her family. She has 5 sisters and 4 brothers and currently has 34 nieces and nephews including the greats ranging in age from 1 year to 48 years old! Sandy is blessed to have her mother alive and living in the same town at age 88! They enjoy chatting often and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She is very close with her family and her extended family and loves to spend time with them. Sandy also loves spending time with her friends. In her free time, Sandy enjoys the outdoor activities Montana has to offer such as kayaking, hiking, camping, and floating rivers to name a few. Sandy is a life-long learner and participates in professional development weekly. Sandy lives in Billings MT with her cat, Buffy. She likes to do home projects such as decorating, organizing, and gardening.
Interim Parent Training and Information Center Outreach Family Liaison - Tom Lynaugh - Billings, MT
Tom Lynaugh
Tom has ten years of experience working with the former Montana parent training center (PLUK), where he assisted hundreds of parents throughout the State of Montana to navigate through the special education programs. He provided them with the knowledge to become advocates for their children and to become fully participating members of the IEP team. Tom is a parent of an adult with developmental disabilities and a retired attorney. He was a former Crow tribal attorney and loves working with families on reservations.