Our Board of Directors

MontPIRG is student powered and student led. All of MontPIRG’s board members are elected annually by student MontPIRG members at the University of Montana and Montana State University.

Please hover over the images to learn more about our dedicated Board Members.

Hey, hi, howdy! This is Liam Stoddard, writing to you from the distant (or maybe not so distant) past! This is my second year at UMT and the beginning of my treacherous journey through college away from home. I'm studying psychology and will be part of a graduate program next year. My origin story begins in Kalispell, then winds through about half of the major cities in Montana before ending up in Missoula. Aside from all of my dinosaur-related hobbies, I love to read, write, and draw while listening to music with my cat in my lap. I'm so happy to be working with Montana Public Interest Research Group, as a majority of my life is dedicated to helping others out. I love looking back on our accomplishments and towards our future endeavors, both in the legislature and for environmental sustainability. I'm ecstatic to have this opportunity to develop positive community change and aid our future civic leaders!

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Hi! My name is Maddie French. I'm a second year graduate student in the Political Science department. My academic interests lie in the subfields of American Government and Political Theory, and especially how feminism interacts with and is reflected by political structures. This will be my third year of involvement with MontPIRG. I've worn many hats for the organization: intern, board chair, summer intern, renter's advocate, tie-dye master... I'm very pleased to continue my tenure as a board member in a time when nonpartisan political education can have a positive, lasting impact on the state of Montanan's lives for generations to come. I'm also especially proud to continue fighting to educate renters about their legal rights and responsibilities in a housing market that has left thousands feeling lost. In my free time, I can be found having horror movie marathons with my best friend, trying new recipes, and cleaning fish tanks.

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Hi! My name is Hannah Adkins and I’m a first-year grad student in the EVST program at UM. I’m from a small town in West Virginia and came to Montana to further my research in freshwater contamination and restoration. I joined MontPIRG to advocate for environmental issues and because of the positive impact I have seen it have on this community. I am excited to get to work alongside other interns and board members and become a better activist.

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Hey y’all! My name is Ben Williams, and I am currently a senior at the University of Montana studying History. Last year I was an intern for MontPIRG and through that experience learned that I could have a tangible impact on things that matter to me such as environmental issues, student-renter rights, and voting rights. I feel that at this point in our history many young members of our community feel disheartened by our political systems and bureaucracy. Through MontPIRG I learned that real change occurs on a small scale and ripples outwards. You CAN make a difference in your community, and MontPIRG is a great resource for learning how to do that. In my free time I love watching movies, reading, and finding random projects to work on. Lately, I’ve been really obsessed with fermenting and pickling.

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Hello! I’m Sawyer, an English Lit student pursuing minors in non-profit administration and environmental justice. Previously, I have spent time as a MontPIRG intern, working on advertising our mission and helping make voices heard. I am excited to be serving on the board this academic year and hope to help MontPIRG develop and grow. My goal this year is to encourage voter education and promote tenant rights as well as environmental rights. When I’m not out registering voters., I enjoy photography, filmmaking, and going on long walks around Missoula.

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Hey!! My name is Anna Thomas and I am an Environmental Studies major/Wildlife Biology minor at University of Montana! I'm originally from Anchorage, Alaska where I began my love of nordic skiing, hiking, camping, and pretty much everything outdoorsy. I'm super excited to be part of MontPIRG and help tackle local issues that are impacting the community and environment!

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Hi! I'm Jack Toillion, former intern and current Vice Chair of the student board. I am a Political Science student on the Pre-Law path. I joined MontPIRG to help strengthen my organizational skills, and learn of the happenings' in Missoula! MontPIRG convinced me of the power in a large, organized, motivated student population. Never would I have thought that the work of a handful of young students could create reverberations in local government, environmental policy, and the accountability of landlords. I am from Spokane, and have had so much fun exploring the rock slabs, ski hills, and disc golf courses around Missoula.

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Hi everyone! My name is Taylor McPherson and I am in my first year studying Environmental Science and Sustainability with a minor in Economics at the University of Montana. I love being outdoors and being active in the community and am super excited to be a part of MontPRIG and learn how to be a better activist!