Meet our Board of Directors, a group of visionary leaders guiding the Bitterroot Early Learning Network. Their diverse expertise and deep commitment shape our path toward excellence in early childhood education and community development.
Join our board and help shape the future of early childhood education! Make a lasting impact in our community while collaborating with passionate leaders. Your voice matters—let’s build a brighter future together!
Erin Hurst
President
Erin Hurst has worked in healthcare for seventeen years in many roles. She currently works as a Nurse Practitioner at Bitterroot Health. Erin is excited to bring her experiences to help the non-profit grow. She is very passionate about creating healthy and sustainable habits in early childhood, especially limiting screen time and outdoor play. In her own family, she is working on promoting living life in nature with a goal of hiking all of the national parks before her daughter graduates high school.
Mara Lynn Luther
Secretary
Mara grew up spending her summers in the Bitterroot and those years spent running wild through the woods with her cousins shaped her in innumerable ways. She has been selling books at Chapter One Book Store for the last 20 years and in that time connecting readers to books remains her favorite part of the job. She knits, hikes, takes on home diy projects and can even be seen performing with the Hamilton Players on occasion. As a former foster parent and a parent to two biological kids, Mara is passionate about children’s rights and supporting caregivers. She feels strongly that we all have a responsibility to all of the children in our community. As BELN’s secretary, Mara can put her passion for early childhood into practice. She lives in Hamilton with her family.
Chelsea Yoder
Treasurer
Chelsea currently serves as the Treasurer for the Bitterroot Early Learning Network. She resides in Stevensville, Montana with her husband and their three children. In her role as Treasurer, Chelsea is honored to support the work of the BELN Board by helping ensure the organization’s financial stability and sustainability. She is deeply proud of BELN’s mission and is fully committed to advancing its efforts on behalf of local children and families. Chelsea finds great fulfillment in contributing to an organization that is making a meaningful impact in the community and looks forward to witnessing its continued growth and success.
Brooke Hathaway Angst
Board Member
With a background in education, counseling and child advocacy, Brooke Hathaway Angst is involved in several nonprofits in the Bitterroot Valley, as both as a volunteer and as staff. Brooke moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 2020 from Texas and provides trauma-informed advocacy and professional development in the education and child welfare sectors, with a focus on promoting positive childhood experiences. She believes that early childhood education is the most important investment a community can make towards a successful future for all, and she serves on the BELN board to help spread the message of HOPE.
Mallory Ijames
Board Member
Mallory has dedicated a considerable part of her life to working with children and currently serves as the Program and Site Coordinator at BEAR in Hamilton, MT. She is genuinely passionate about inspiring youth to build stronger connections with their community as well as the outdoors. She is a board member because she understands the crucial role programs like BELN play in fostering this relationship within the community.
Syble Solomon
Board Member
Syble has dedicated over 30 years to early childhood education, directing programs for infants and toddlers with special needs, training staff, consulting on inclusive practices, and influencing state policy. She was a national speaker on child development and one of the first assessors trained by NAEYC to evaluate program quality. Syble currently partners with SAFE to raise awareness about financial abuse in domestic violence and coordinates the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ravalli County, which has delivered over 125,000 books to local children. She also supports Soroptimists International of Hamilton initiatives, serves on the Human Resource Council board, and volunteers regularly at SAFE. She is passionate about giving all children the best possible start and is inspired by BELN’s commitment to quality early childhood care, family education, and community collaboration.
Dr. Roch Turner
Board Member
Dr. Roch Turner, originally from Montana, is the Founding Director of the Rocky Mountain Behavior Institute. Raised in Hamilton, Turner left for the Navy immediately following high school graduation. While in the Navy, Turner served as a shipboard intelligence analyst aboard the USS Carl Vinson and as a signals intelligence analyst for NATO. Following military service, Dr. Turner earned an undergraduate degree in History, Masters of Public Administration, Masters of Special Education, EdD in Educational Leadership, and PhD in International Education. Turner has served as a university professor, college administrator, and middle school classroom teacher. His current role includes conducting and translating student behavior interventions for classroom teachers and providing special education and related services for rural schools in the Rocky Mountains region.
