Staff

• Barbara Stiffarm

  Barbara Stiffarm

  Barbara Stiffarm joined Opportunity Link as Development Director in August 2006. Barb has an extensive background in providing community and economic development services. Previously, Barbara served as a senior staff writer for RJS & Associates, Inc. (RJS), an American Indian-Owned Consulting Firm located on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation in Montana. Barb’s major responsibilities included researching, identifying, and securing sources of funding for public schools, tribal governments, tribal colleges, Indian Housing Authorities, economic enterprises, and private businesses. In addition, she conducted external evaluations, feasibility studies, needs assessments, and market studies. Direct client services included management training, strategic planning, preparing development plans, and providing project management services. She was previously employed by the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council as the Tribal Planner/Community Development Block Grant Coordinator. In her position, she served as the research and development manager for established and non-established Tribal services. The position required the continual collection and analysis of data relating to local manpower, social, economic, and environmental factors to conduct the planning, obtain the funding, and implement tribal projects to support the community development needs of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Projects included housing rehabilitation, building construction, sanitary facility construction, public services, and numerous economic development ventures.
  
  Barb is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe and has resided in Harlem, Montana since 1982. She is married with three children.
  
  To contact Barb, call the main office at 265-3699 or by email at bstiffarm@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Thomas Tucker

  Thomas Tucker

  Thomas Tucker joined Opportunity Link in December 2008. Tom has a Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Studies with a Global Mission minor and has worked with various non-profit organizations, including World Vision. He and his wife, Becky, have lived in the Havre area for nearly 3 ½ years. Becky is a Medical Doctor that was trained in the US Navy and has worked on two of Montana’s Indian Reservation. Tom also has an extensive background in construction in both the US and in Europe. Both Tom and Becky were recently involved in restoration work on an 850 year old church in Germany.
  
  E-mail Tom at ttucker@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Carla Johnson

  Carla Johnson

  Carla Johnson recently joined Opportunity Link Inc. as the Administrative Assistant in May of 2009.
  
  Carla is a Montana native, having spent most of her life growing up in the Hi-line in the towns of Hingham, Big Sandy, and Havre. During a three-year residency in Bozeman, she graduated from Bozeman Senior High School, attended Montana State University-Bozeman for one year, then transferring to Montana State University-Northern for another quarter, majoring in business education and minoring in physical education. She was employed by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe for 25 years with her career ending there in 1998.
  
  Carla is the mother of four daughters, all of whom participated in local sports. Carla kept busy following and watching all of her daughters' sports activities for many years. She is involved in local organizations, volunteering as a lector at St. Jude's Parish, the treasurer for the Hill County Democratic Party, and also as a member of the Center for Mental
  Health Foundation Board.
  
  E-mail Carla at cjohnson@opportunitylinkmt.org.
  

• Jim Lyons

  Jim Lyons

  Jim Lyons recently joined the Opportunity Link team as the Director of the Northcentral Montana Transit System in June 2009. The NCMT System is a public transportation system, operated by Opportunity Link, which serves the counties of Hill and Blaine. Opportunity Link was designated as the lead agency for the NCMT system in a partnership between local government, social service, academic and other area agencies.
  
  Jim comes to us with 30+ years of transportation experience with emphasis in the area of scheduling, industrial engineering and operations. He has worked with both Class 1 and Regional rail carriers and public transportation providers. He is passionate about providing quality transportation and customer service that meets the demands of the riding public.
  
  Jim is the father of five daughters. He coaches girls' fast pitch softball, enjoys all sports and anything that allows him to be in the Montana outdoors.
  
  For more information on the North Central Montana Transit System, please visit www.ncmtransit.org or call 877-332-3699.
  
  E-mail Jim at jlyons@ncmtransit.org or transit@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Rana Weber

  Rana Weber

  Rana Weber started with the North Central Montana Transit and Opportunity Link on November 2, 2009. Rana was a bus driver for Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas for five years and moved to Havre in August 2005. Rana was a regular driver, paraprofessional, substitute teacher and district enrollment clerk for Havre Public Schools.
  
  Rana is a Retired Master Sergeant with the AirForce/Air National Guard with 21 years of experience in Airfield Management and Flight Management. She has two children, Rachel and Luke. Rana is happy to come on board as the new transit assistant and relief driver for the North Central Montana Transit.
  
  E-mail Rana at rweber@ncmtransit.org or call (406) 265-3699.
  

• Cristina Day Soriano

  Cristina Day Soriano

  Cristina Day Soriano joined Opportunity Link in November 2007. Day worked as a Programme Assistant in CITYNET, an international organization based in Japan that addresses urban development issues in the Asia Pacific region through technical cooperation programs. Some of her projects at CITYNET included poverty reduction and waste management programs for Asian cities and a regional training center for urban managers in Kuala Lumpur.
  
  Day has an MA in Policy Management from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, an MS in Environmental Science and a BS in Statistics from the University of the Philippines. She is originally from the Philippines and has lived in Tsukuba and Yokohama in Japan and in Raleigh, North Carolina. She moved to Havre with her daughters, Hana and Anya, and her husband, Jon Soriano of MSU Northern's Bio-Energy Innovation and Testing Center, in July 2007.
  
  E-mail Day at dsoriano@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Starlaen Perkins

  Starlaen Perkins

  Starlaen Perkins joined Opportunity Link Inc., as the Community Development Assistant in November 2007. She graduated from MSU-Northern in Havre, with a BA in Community Service and a minor in Communications, in May 2007.
  
  Star is mother of seven children, a native of Montana growing up as a born and bred country girl, working and raising her children on the family ranch/farm in Broadus, MT. She is actively involved in advocating for families with special needs children. She is taking time off from her studies, but is interested in pursuing a Masters Degree in Community Development. This will continue to help her reach out to her community and develop a better repertoire with the people.
  
  E-mail Star at sperkins@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Rebecca Farr

  Rebecca Farr

  Rebecca Farr recently joined Opportunity Link as the Program Officer in July 2009. She brings with her over 17 years of corporate management experience in the fields of accounting, finance & investments, and human resources. In addition, Rebecca has served as an adjunct professor for over 9 years where she taught all level Business, Psychology, Sociology, Marriage & Family Counseling, Humanities, Economics, Political Science and History. Finally, Rebecca follows in her mother Virginia’s footsteps and has been successfully active in numerous community and philanthropic organizations where her heart has always taken the lead.
  
  Rebecca, a Kansas City native, earned her Master of Science in Management and her Master of Liberal Arts in Science & Culture, Social Science, and Philosophy from Baker University and a BS in History and Sociology from University of Nebraska. She also earned an AA in Education and an AS in History from Northwest College-WY.
  
  An avid outdoorswoman, Rebecca enjoys fishing, camping, trailriding, hunting, and travel.
  
  E-mail Rebecca at rfarr@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Sue Crow

  Sue Crow

  Sue Crowe is Opportunity Link's AmeriCorps*VISTA member under the Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) program. Sue is Opportunity Link's Energy Coordinator for one year starting in August 2009.
  
  Sue will be working to increase collaboration and partnerships to provide for the delivery of workforce training opportunities in northcentral Montana. Previously, Sue was an MTCC Campus Corps team leader with MSU Northern for two years. She was involved in many projects during her stay at MSUN, including helping the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line and the HILTRA therapeutic riding program.
  
  Sue received her B.A. in Equine Business in North Carolina in 2004 and went to England to earn her M.Sc. in Equine Science in 2007.
  
  E-mail Sue at americorps@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Mayme Healy
  Mayme Healy is the newest staff member to join Opportunity Link. Mayme is the new Montana Energy Corps AmeriCorps Member through a partnership with the National Center for Appropriate Technology Center. She will be working to create more energy efficient public facilities through the use of green technology, utilizing green resources, and offering free training to volunteers who want to learn about creating a cleaner, healthier environment.
  
  She has past experience in working with non-profits in an administrative role and has recently completed and intense, week-long energy training at the National Center for Appropriate Technology in Butte.
  
  Mayme is an enrolled member of the White Clay Nation of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. She is the mother of five beautiful daughters and is the proud grandmother of nine grandchildren.
  
  For more information on the Montana Energy Corps Project, please visit www.EnergyCorps.org.
  
  Email Mayme at energycorps@opportunitylinkmt.org.
  

• Colyn St. Pierre
  Colyn St. Pierre will be working as an Office Assistant for Opportunity Link until mid-February 2009 through the Chippewa Cree TANF-ARRA program. As Office Assistant, Colyn will be providing both administrative and program support to various Opportunity Link projects including transportation.
  
  Colyn moved back to Montana from Utah in July 2009. She worked for Utah Detective Agency in an Office Management position for 4 years. She also completed an internship at the Department of Workforce Services in Ogden, Utah.
  
  Colyn attended Salt Lake Community College where she obtained a Pre-Apprenticeship and Certifications in Trades in 2002. She is also pursuing finishing up her college education. She would like to study Law or Business Management.
  
  Contact Colyn at 265-3699 or 1-877-332-3699 toll free.