Montana Mentors, Cont’d Amanda Fortini Writer, “New Yorker”
Ranches – Words – Curiosity Amanda Fortini is a writer living in Los Angeles. She has written for The New Yorker, The New Republic, New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and Slate, among other publications. Her essays have been published in several anthologies including Best American Political Writing 2008, The Best of Slate: A 10th Anniversary Anthology, and An Uncertain Inheritance: Writers on Caring for Family. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard University.
Mike Halligan
Executive Director, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation
Perseverance – Ethics – Outdoors Mike Halligan was born and raised in Montana. A Vietnam combat veteran, he has a Bachelors of Arts, A Masters in Public Administration and a law degree from the University of Montana. He worked 22 years in the Montana Senate. Currently, he serves as Director of Government and Public Relations and Executive Director of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation at the Washington Companies.
Susan Harper-Whalen
Associate Dean, School of Education, UM
Possibility – Family – Montana A shared passion for both teaching and learning has guided Susan’s professional journeys as an elementary education teacher, student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education investigating effective teacher change processes, clinical specialist in a university-based preschool program, professional grant writer with research focused on the inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood settings, and currently as the Associate Dean of the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences
Martin Horejsi
Educational Technology Associate Professor, School of Education, UM
Technology – Wilderness – Metorites If you combine a restless science teacher who loves the outdoors with a writer and photographer who collects meteorites and holds an unabashed fondness for the cutting edge, and dreams of flying through space while racing his mountain bike as he designs curriculum for NASA missions, you get a Professor of Instructional Technology at the University of Montana. And that’s me.
Stephen Kalm
Dean, College of Visual & Performing Arts, UM
Opera – Literature – Artistic Stephen Kalm has sung with many of America’s leading regional opera companies such as the Houston Grand Opera. Dr. Kalm has a B.M. in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, an M.A. in performance and literature from Queens College and a D.M.A from City University of New York. He is currently Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at The University of Montana.
Marc Mariani
NFL Wide Receiver for Tennessee Titans, UM Alum
Titans – Football – Go wide In 2006 Mariani played in all 14 games for Montana. He set a school record with 2,265 all-purpose yards, which is the fifth most in Big Sky Conference history. Mariani finished his college career as one of the most successful receivers in the college’s history with records in career receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and career all-purpose yards. Mariani was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 7th round of the 2010 NFL Draft and later signed a 4-year deal with the team.
Missoula, Montana
June 23-26, 2011