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Our Staff
Meet the people working to end homelessness in your community!
Christel is a Bozeman native and graduate of Montana State University. Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management, Christel received her Masters of Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Walden University. After a decade of experience in the nonprofit industry, Christel went on to receive her CFRE, which is an internationally recognized fundraising certification. She has served as Program Coordinator for HRDC Head Start, Early Learning Director for the Gallatin Valley YMCA, Development Director for Central Asia Institute, and Executive Director of Befrienders. Christel and her husband were married in 2008, and are the parents of two wonderful boys aged 11 and 12. In her spare time, she enjoys mentoring individuals who are just starting their nonprofit careers, serving on local nonprofit boards, enjoying the outdoors, and spending her weekends cheering on her two sons on the pool deck.
Christel Chvilicek, CFRE
Executive Director
Holly was born in San Diego, CA and moved to Washington state then B.C. as a young child. Holly and her husband met while serving in the military and have been married 20 years.
During their 15 years in Northern California Holly worked as a home daycare provider, an inclusion teacher for Head start, started a preschool program within her daughter’s school district and an elementary school counselor. She earned her BA in Organizational Leadership and her MA and PPS Credential in Educational Counseling. Holly is her daughter's biggest fan, cheering her on at every high school rodeo and barrel race. Of course, all these adventures include their 2 pups. They are so excited to explore Montana and create the next chapter in their lives.
Holly Smedley
Early Learning Center Director
Robin is a Bozeman native and graduate of Montana State University. Robin has a passion for making an impact in our community through engagement, relationship building, and effective communications strategies. Prior to joining Family Promise, Robin worked as HRDC's Outreach and Events Coordinator for 7 years. Her responsibilities included marketing and fundraising for 7 service areas. Robin is an avid volunteer with Reach, the Help Center INC, and the Orchid Club. In her spare time, Robin enjoys reading, spending time with her family and two pups, and being outdoors and near water.
Robin Mayer
Development Director
Elliott began volunteering 20 years ago at multiple Family Promise affiliates around the country. Her career in nonprofits began after witnessing the impact she made in a child’s life while she was an AmeriCorps mentor in Columbia, SC. She previously worked for Family Promise affiliates in Beaufort County and Austin, Texas. Amidst COVID shutting down America, Elliott and her wife moved across the country with their cat and dog to Bozeman, Montana. She began volunteering with Family Promise of Gallatin Valley a few months after moving here. After she had been volunteering with us for a few months, we hired her as a Program Assistant to help us keep up with the growth and expansion we have seen this past year. Her favorite pastimes are relaxing in a river, equity activism, laughing, photography, and rock hounding.
Elliott Brown
Operations and Programs Director
I have always had a love for young children going all the way back to my childhood where I would make my younger siblings be students in my very imaginary classroom. I attended John Brown University in Siloam Springs, AR where I earned a degree in Family and Human Services. I have built and led children programming, taught in preschool environments, and helped care for infants and toddlers in weekday programs. I am excited to be a part of Rising Stars and am looking forward to serving many families in the valley. My husband Doug and I have three young children. We love calling Bozeman home and enjoy spending time outside together, cheering for kids at endless youth sport events, and drinking coffee and tea all day long to help stay warm in the long winters.
Danae Castle
Early Learning Center Assistant Director
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