Staff

• Barbara Stiffarm

  Barbara Stiffarm

  Barbara Stiffarm joined Opportunity Link as Development Director in August 2006. Barb has an extensive background in providing community and economic development services. Previously, Barbara served as a senior staff writer for RJS & Associates, Inc. (RJS), an American Indian-Owned Consulting Firm located on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation in Montana. Barb’s major responsibilities included researching, identifying, and securing sources of funding for public schools, tribal governments, tribal colleges, Indian Housing Authorities, economic enterprises, and private businesses. In addition, she conducted external evaluations, feasibility studies, needs assessments, and market studies. Direct client services included management training, strategic planning, preparing development plans, and providing project management services.
  
  Barb was previously employed by the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council as the Tribal Planner/Community Development Block Grant Coordinator. In her position, she served as the research and development manager for established and non-established Tribal services. The position required the continual collection and analysis of data relating to local manpower, social, economic, and environmental factors to conduct the planning, obtain the funding, and implement tribal projects to support the community development needs of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Projects included housing rehabilitation, building construction, sanitary facility construction, public services, and numerous economic development ventures.
  
  Barb is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe and has resided in Harlem, Montana since 1982. She is married with three children.
  
  To contact Barb, call the main office at 265-3699 or by email at bstiffarm@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Day Soriano

  Day Soriano

  Cristina Day Soriano joined Opportunity Link in November 2007. Day worked as a Programme Assistant in CITYNET, an international organization based in Japan that addresses urban development issues in the Asia Pacific region through technical cooperation programs. Some of her projects at CITYNET included poverty reduction and waste management programs for Asian cities and a regional training center for urban managers in Kuala Lumpur.
  
  Day has an MA in Policy Management from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, an MS in Environmental Science and a BS in Statistics from the University of the Philippines. She is originally from the Philippines and has lived in Tsukuba and Yokohama in Japan and in Raleigh, North Carolina. She moved to Havre with her daughters, Hana and Anya, and her husband, Jon Soriano of MSU Northern's Bio-Energy Innovation and Testing Center, in July 2007.
  
  E-mail Day at dsoriano@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Starlaen Perkins

  Starlaen Perkins

  Starlaen Perkins joined Opportunity Link Inc. as the Community Development Assistant in November 2007. She graduated from MSU-Northern in Havre, with a BA in Community Service and a minor in Communications, in May 2007.
  
  Star is a mother of seven children, a native of Montana growing up as a born and bred country girl, working and raising her children on the family ranch/farm in Broadus, MT. She is actively involved in advocating for families with special needs children. She is taking time off from her studies, but is interested in pursuing a Masters Degree in Community Development. This will continue to help her reach out to her community and develop a better repertoire with the people.
  
  E-mail Star at sperkins@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Rebecca Farr

  Rebecca Farr

  Rebecca Farr recently joined Opportunity Link as the Program Officer in July 2009. She brings with her over 17 years of corporate management experience in the fields of accounting, finance & investments, and human resources. In addition, Rebecca has served as an adjunct professor for over 9 years where she taught all level Business, Psychology, Sociology, Marriage & Family Counseling, Humanities, Economics, Political Science and History. Finally, Rebecca follows in her mother Virginia’s footsteps and has been successfully active in numerous community and philanthropic organizations where her heart has always taken the lead.
  
  Rebecca, a Kansas City native, earned her Master of Science in Management and her Master of Liberal Arts in Science & Culture, Social Science, and Philosophy from Baker University and a BS in History and Sociology from University of Nebraska. She also earned an AA in Education and an AS in History from Northwest College-WY.
  
  An avid outdoorswoman, Rebecca enjoys fishing, camping, trailriding, hunting, and travel.
  
  E-mail Rebecca at rfarr@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Thomas Tucker

  Thomas Tucker

  Thomas Tucker joined Opportunity Link in December 2008. Tom has a Bachelors of Arts in Biblical Studies with a Global Mission minor and has worked with various non-profit organizations, including World Vision. He and his wife, Becky, have lived in the Havre area for nearly 4 ½ years. Becky is a Medical Doctor that was trained in the US Navy and has worked on two of Montana’s Indian Reservation. Tom also has an extensive background in construction in both the US and in Europe. Both Tom and Becky were recently involved in restoration work on an 850 year old church in Germany.
  
  E-mail Tom at ttucker@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Carla Johnson

  Carla Johnson

  Carla Johnson joined Opportunity Link as the Administrative Assistant in May 2009.
  
  Carla is a Montana native, having spent most of her life growing up in the Hi-line in the towns of Hingham, Big Sandy and Havre. She graduated from Bozeman Senior High School, attended Montana State University-Bozeman for a year then transferred to Montana State University-Northern for another quarter majoring in business education and minoring in physical education. She was employed by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe for 25 years which ended in 1998.
  
  Carla is the mother of four daughters, all of whom participated in local sports. Carla kept busy following and watching all of her daughters' sports activities for many years. She is involved in local organizations, volunteering as a lector at St. Jude's Parish, the treasurer for the Hill County Democratic Party, and also as a member of the Center for Mental Health Foundation Board.
  
  E-mail Carla at cjohnson@opportunitylinkmt.org.
  

• Jamie Henderson

  Jamie Henderson

  Jamie Henderson recently joined Opportunity Link in April 2010 as the Office Assistant.
  
  Jamie is a Montana native, having lived most of her life in Havre. She recently has had a variety of jobs from Cindy’s Daycare, Subway, Temporary teacher assistant with HRDC and even a Personal Care Giver. She graduated from Havre High School and currently has her CPR and First Aid Certifications. She has two children - Jeremy who just turned 2 and Nathaniel almost 4, are the loves of her life. They keep her quite busy and occupies most of her time.
  
  Jamie loves the outdoors and has since she was little. She enjoys taking her sons to the lake and the Bear Paws, so they can enjoy swimming, fishing, camping and just playing/exploring in the mountains. She also enjoys socializing with her friends in her spare time.
  
  E-mail Jamie at jhenderson@opportunitylinkmt.org

• Jim Lyons

  Jim Lyons

  Jim Lyons joined the Opportunity Link team as the Director of the Northcentral Montana Transit System in June 2009. The NCMT System is a public transportation system, operated by Opportunity Link, which serves the counties of Hill and Blaine. Opportunity Link was designated as the lead agency for the NCMT system in a partnership between local government, social service, academic and other area agencies. In December 2009, Jim became Director of Transportation when he took on the management of the Havre-Hill County Airport under the NCMT umbrella.
  
  Jim comes to us with over thirty years of transportation experience with emphasis in the area of scheduling, industrial engineering and operations. He has worked with both Class 1 and Regional rail carriers and public transportation providers. He is passionate about providing quality transportation and customer service that meets the demands of the riding public.
  
  Jim is the father of five daughters. He coaches girls' fast pitch softball, enjoys all sports and anything that allows him to be in the Montana outdoors.
  
  For more information on the North Central Montana Transit System, please visit www.ncmtransit.org or call 877-332-3699.
  
  E-mail Jim at jlyons@ncmtransit.org or transit@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Rana Weber

  Rana Weber

  Rana Weber started with the North Central Montana Transit and Opportunity Link in November 2009. She takes on the dual role of transit operator/assistant and FAA ompliance officer for the Havre-Hill County Airport that NCMT now manages. Rana was a bus driver for Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas for five years and moved to Havre in August 2005. Rana was a regular driver, paraprofessional, substitute teacher and district enrollment clerk for Havre Public Schools.
  
  Rana is a Retired Master Sergeant with the AirForce/Air National Guard with 21 years of experience in Airfield Management and Flight Management. She has two children, Rachel and Luke. Rana is happy to come on board the Opportunity Link/North Central Montana Transit family.
  
  E-mail Rana at rweber@ncmtransit.org or call (406) 265-3699.
  

• Russell Chalifoux

  Russell Chalifoux

  Russell Chalifoux is one of two new Montana Energy Corps members working with Opportunity Link. For the next five months, Russell will be researching and providing information on alternative energy and energy efficient technologies to help increase cost-savings and raise awareness in the community and in households. Through community involvement, Russel is hoping to make us understand why green is better.
  
  Prior to working with Opportunity Link, Russell worked on various construction jobs; most recently was the north central waterline, which stretched from the Tiber dam, to the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. Russell earned his Certificate in Welding at Montana State University - Northern in 2009. He plans to continue his education and to major in Civil Engineering this fall.
  
  E-mail Russell at energycorps@opportunitylinkmt.org.

• Colyn St. Pierre

  Colyn St. Pierre

  Colyn St. Pierre is one of two new Opportunity Link Montana Energy Corps members. During her five-month term as an Energy Corps AmeriCorps volunteer, she will be responsible for organizing several community-wide workshops on energy efficiency and green building to further education and awareness of new cost-efficient technologies in the region.
  
  Prior to being an Energy Corps, Colyn worked for four months as an Office Assistant at Opportunity Link where she provided support to various projects. She moved back to Montana from Utah in July 2009 where she obtained a Pre-Apprenticeship in Construction and Trades as well as certifications in OSHA, CPR, First-Aid, Asbestos Abatement, through the Brownsfield Minority Program at Salt Lake Community College located in Taylorsville, Utah. Colyn plans to finish her college education and study Business Management after her term as Energy Corps.
  
  E-mail Colyn at energycorps@opportunitylinkmt.org.