Marilynn Miller
President/CEO
mmiller@msubillings.edu

Marilynn Miller is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montana State University Billings Foundation and sits on the eight-member MSU Billings Chancellor’s Cabinet, the university’s top administrative team. She has 25 years’ experience as a successful fund development professional for educational and cultural institutions.  She has been at the helm of the MSU Billings Foundation since 2000. Prior to beginning her career in fund development, Miller taught business communications at Eastern Montana College, the predecessor of MSU Billings, and was a broadcast journalist.

Miller is active in the community of Billings and the state of Montana.  She currently serves on the boards of Family Services Inc., Centennial Youth Foundation, and Billings Rotary Foundation.  Her past involvement includes serving on the boards of Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch and the Yellowstone Art Museum, among others.  She is an alumna of Leadership Montana. 

Miller earned her undergraduate degree in English at Northern Montana College, the predecessor of MSU Northern, and completed a number of post-graduate courses at MSU Bozeman and MSU Billings.  She is an alumna of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders.

Kathie Riggs
Campaign Director
kriggs@msubillings.edu

Kathie Riggs joined the Montana State University Billings Foundation in November 2000 as campaign director for the $30 million People, Pride & Promise Campaign. In 2008, she received certification from Crescendo Interactive as a Certified Gift Planning Associate. Previous development experience includes fundraising for a women’s religious organization in Fargo, North Dakota, and serving as the development director for the Alberta Bair Theater from 1996-2000. She is a member of Downtown Billings Rotary, past president of the Montana Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and a recipient of the chapter’s Outstanding Fundraising Professional award,  board member for the Billings Studio Theater and a member of Zonta International. Born and raised in Great Falls, she is a University of Montana graduate and has lived in Billings since 1975.

Jon Egeland
Chief Financial Officer
jegeland@msubillings.edu

Jon Egeland, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), joined the MSU Billings Foundation team in September 1991. As CFO, he reports directly to the President/CEO and works with the Foundation’s treasurer and across the organization to lead and manage all financial aspects of the foundation, including budgetary functions, financial reporting, investment performance analysis and the related oversight of foundation investment managers. Egeland is also experienced in planned giving and works with foundation donors with their gift/estate planning. As CFO, Egeland serves as staff liaison for the Fiscal Affairs and Real Estate Committees. A native of Northeastern Montana, Egeland is a 1989 graduate of MSU Billings with a BS in accounting. Prior to joining the Foundation, Egeland served three seasons as a CPA with local public accounting firms.

Jill Krueger
Development Officer
jkrueger@msubillings.edu

Jill Krueger, Development Officer, has been with the Montana State University Billings Foundation since October of 2002. Her primary responsibility is working with the deans of the academic colleges of MSUB to plan, coordinate, manage, and carry out a successful major gift program. Krueger received her BA in political science and psychology from Gonzaga University and her Master’s in public administration from the University of Montana. Before coming to the MSU Billings Foundation, Krueger was the Community Development Grants Coordinator at the City of Billings and Development Coordinator at Partners In Home Care-Hospice in Missoula, Montana.

Jeanne Moller
Development Officer
jmoller@msubillings.edu

Jeanne Moller, Development Officer, has been with the Montana State University Billings Foundation since November 1994. Her primary responsibility is directing the annual MSU Billings Foundation Wine and Food Festival. She graduated from MSU Billings (then Eastern Montana College) with a BS in business administration/marketing in 1984. Prior to coming to the MSU Billings Foundation, Moller worked for 10 years at the Billings Chamber of Commerce as the Director of Business Development/Director of Leadership Billings.

Lani Gershmel Martin
Development Associate
lmartin@msubillings.edu

Lani Gershmel, Development Associate, joined the MSUB Foundation in August 2012. Lani serves as the primary communications representative for the Foundation, assists in the execution of the Opportunity Campaign for MSU Billings Scholarships, and plans and implements the Alumni Phonathon. She earned an AAS degree from Dawson Community College in Agri-Business in 1988 and a BS in Psychology from Walden University in 2011.

Susan Rhodes
Scholarship Administrator
srhodes@msubillings.edu

Susan Rhodes, Scholarship Administrator, has been with the Montana State University Billings Foundation since September, 1982. She administers the scholarship program for MSU Billings which encompasses soliciting renewal of annual scholarship awards, coordinating the annual selection of scholarship recipients with the various on-campus and off-campus selection committees, coordinating the distribution of the scholarship awards each semester with the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office, and notifying the scholarship recipients of their award. Susan maintains contact with the scholarship benefactors on a regular basis regarding the scholarship recipients and the status of their scholarship fund. She also organizes the annual Chancellor’s Scholarship Reception and processes donor’s gifts/ pledges that are restricted to scholarships. Susan received an AA degree in business from MSU Billings (then Eastern Montana College) in 1973.

Phyllis Kerr
Research & Records Coordinator
pkerr@msubillings.edu

Phyllis Kerr, Research and Records Coordinator, has been with the Foundation in a variety of capacities since 1979. She is responsible for donor research, maintaining the Foundation’s extensive alumni, friends and donors database, producing data reports to support all fundraising activities of the Foundation, as well as gift entry and writing articles. She has a BA in English from the University of Western Ontario and a paralegal certificate from MSU Billings.

Jill Hirschi
Director of Donor Relations & Annual Giving
jhirschi@msubillings.edu

Jill Hirschi, Director of Donor Relations & Annual Giving, joined the MSUB Foundation in February 2003. Hirschi coordinates the Annual Fund Drive that raises dollars to support the immediate needs of the University. With the invaluable assistance of nearly 100 volunteers each year, she plans and implements the Community Drive, Direct Mail Campaign, and Phonathon. She is a 1992 graduate of Jamestown College in Jamestown, ND with a BA in elementary education.

Shannon Behounek
Executive Assistant & Board Liaison
shannon.behounek@msubillings.edu

Shannon Behounek, Executive Assistant & Board Liaison, rejoined the MSU Billings Foundation in July 2012. She provides administrative support for the President & CEO, as well as the CFO. She serves as the liaison between the Foundation and the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. She earned a BA in mathematics with an emphasis in operations research in 1991 from the University of Montana. Behounek is active in the community and in her church.

Judy Hughes
Administrative Assistant
jhughes@msubillings.edu

Judy Hughes, receptionist and administrative assistant, has been with the MSU Billings Foundation since January, 2001. Prior to joining the foundation, she was the accounts receivable manager for Food Services of America. Hughes, an MSU Bozeman graduate, majored in elementary education and psychology.