AIMA Council Members and Bios

Ariel Donohue is the Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Montana State University. In this role, Ariel works to promote an institutional culture that values and supports inclusion and guides MSU’s progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. She has worked at MSU since 2009, first with the Office of Student Engagement before being named director and program manager of the Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons in 2013. Ariel has a master’s degree in higher education from MSU and bachelor’s degrees in women’s and gender studies and elementary education, both from The College of New Jersey.

In July 1986, my professional career began with the Adult Education Program at Stone Child College in Rocky Boy. I taught part-time at the college, serving as a business and history instructor. After four years with the college, I accepted a teaching position with Rocky Boy High School in 1990.

I am completing my 28th year with the Rocky Boy Schools and am finishing my 12th year as the district’s Superintendent of Schools. Prior to this appointment, I spent 14 years as the Jr-Sr High School Principal. Before entering the educational administration field, I was the high school business/computer teacher and worked in that capacity for two years. From 1986 to 1992, I served as a football coach for both the jr. high and high school at Rocky Boy, coached track for 2 years, and was the athletic director for one year.

In 1996, I earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

I have been actively involved in high school athletics for several years. I served as the boys and girls 9C District Basketball Tournament Manager for fourteen years and have also managed five Northern C Divisional Basketball Tournaments over the past 28 years. I served as the President of the District 9C Athletic Association for a period of eight years, District 1B President for two years, and Northern B Division President for two years.

I currently serve as a board member for the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education, Stone Child College Board of Regents, National Association for Federal Impacted Schools [NAFIS], and am currently serving as the President of the National Indian Impact Schools Association [NIISA].

I am an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.

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Cory L. Sangrey-Billy the President of Stone Child College works to provide quality higher education programs to the Rocky Boy’s Community while incorporating the Chippewa Cree Language, Culture and History.  Cory is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.  She has been an employee of Stone Child College since November of 2001.  Cory has experience in working as a Program Coordinator, six years and as the Dean of Academics, twelve years and has been the President for the past 4 years.  Her main goal while leading Stone Child College is to make a positive difference in her community.  Cory holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Montana State University – Northern, a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from the University of Great Falls and has completed work towards her Ph.D in Management from Walden University.  Cory is fortunate enough to be able to work in her own community and to help shape the educational opportunities that are offered at Stone Child College while ensuring that they are quality programs that prepare students to succeed.  Cory has experience in partnering and working with local, state and federal agencies with cooperative and grant funded projects.  Cory also helps in partnering with other Tribal College and Universities’ to bring opportunities to the students of Stone Child College.   Cory is happily married to Cameron Billy and together they have two children, Payson and Presleigh Billy.  

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Emily Williamson is currently the Director of the Financial Aid Office at the University of Montana (UM).  Her first foray into the financial aid realm was in 2006 as a work-study student,  from that point forward she was hooked and held various positions within the UM and MSU Billings financial aid offices.

As a first generation, low-income student who relied on financial aid assistance to complete her degree, Emily understands the important role that financial aid plays in providing access to higher education. It is this personal experience and witnessing how financial aid supports individual student successes that fuel her passion to continue working in higher education. 

Emily earned her Bachelor’s degree in History from UM in 2013. She has served in various state and regional financial aid association and board capacities. In her free time, she can be found bargain hunting, walking along the local rivers and enjoying her garden with her two dogs.

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James Broscheit serves as director of Financial Aid at Montana State UniversityBozeman. James has come to Montana from Colorado in 2017. James began his work in financial aid in 1986 at a proprietary school for auto and diesel technicians. Finding an affinity for the work, he pursued the challenge of work in the four year public sector where he has worked primarily since 1992.  

James has worked at several universities over this time and has come to an appreciation that each campus has an identity and in that identity, there is a place for every student to find a home. Helping students and families navigate the path to affordability and value is rewarding. Part of our mission in the aid office is to support that student and family to a successful investment in degree attainment.

Financial aid work engages a balance of working with people along with an element of business as we work with federal and state regulation. The mix is challenging but finding that sweet spot where it blends together is rewarding. Colleagues working in this group have become very special in the mission and work that we share. While it is different on each of our campus’s, networking across the state, the region and nationally is both work and personally fulfilling.

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John DeBoer is Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Theatre at the University of Montana. He holds a BA from Indiana University and MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. During his fifteen years at UM, he has served as Interim Dean of the College of the Arts and Media, Director of the School of Theatre and 

Dance and chaired the General Education Committee, ASCRC, and Faculty Senate. He has directed, coached, and performed in numerous productions at UM including The Cherry Orchard; Fiddler on the Roof; Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches; A Chorus Line; As You Like It; and Spring Awakening. Prior to coming to UM, he worked professionally as an actor and vocal coach. 

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I have worked in higher education for 30 years and have never regretted my decision to pursue education as my life’s calling. I have served in admissions and student affairs in various roles closely tied to recruiting and retaining traditional as well as adult students with a passion for helping underrepresented students succeed in achieving their academic goals. I have been in a Cabinet level position for over 15 years and enjoy the opportunity to help achieve the mission of institutions. Originally from MI, I joined the MSU Billings team in June of 2019 as the Vice Chancellor for Student Access and Success. I thoroughly enjoy being a Montanan!

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Dr. Margarett Campbell is the Director of Indian Education and Tribal Liaison for theLittle River Institute and MSU-Northern. Dr. Campbell is responsible for delivering and facilitating professional development for campus faculty and staff, specifically in the areas of cultural responsiveness and Montana’s Indian Education for All Act, as part of the Little River Institute (NASNTI grant).  Dr. Campbell also serves as the tribal liaison for MSU-Northern, facilitating relationships and collaborations with our nearby tribal communities and tribally controlled community colleges. Dr. Campbell also serves as special advisor to the Chancellor, a role that will benefit MSU-Northern as a whole given her education, extensive experience in higher education, and familiarity with the MSUN campus.

She is a graduate of Montana State University-Northern where she received three degrees, an A.S. Business Administration, B.S. Business Education and M.Ed. in Vocational Education. Dr. Campbell went on to receive a Doctorate in Education from the University of Montana in May 2003. Additionally, she was recognized with the UM Leadership Excellence Award in 2009 and most recently received the Founder’s Excellence Award from MSU-N in May 2017.

During her tenure with Fort Peck Community College (1996-2010) she served as an Accreditation Evaluator for Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, visiting colleges in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. While serving as the President of Fort Belknap College (now Aaniiih Nakoda College), she chaired and headed the self-study process that led to candidacy status and later, full accreditation for the college.

Her experience also includes three terms in the Montana House of Representatives where she served as American Indian Caucus co-chair, House Minority Whip and House Majority Leader. She was the second woman in the history of Montana to hold that position and the first American Indian. She also served as the Vice Chairperson of the Montana Democratic Party.

During her time as an educator in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education as well as during her service in the Montana House of Representatives, Dr. Campbell was a champion for the implementation of Montana’s Indian Education for All (IEFA) Act. She co-sponsored the IEFA bill in the 2005 legislature.

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Mike Jetty is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation and a Turtle Mountain Chippewa descendant. Mike is currently working at the Montana Office of Public Instruction as an Indian Education Specialist. He has been working with Indian Education issues for the past 27 years and has teaching experience at both the K-12 and University level. He has a B.S. in History Education, a Master’s in School Administration and an Education Specialist Degree. In 2008, Mike was honored to be chosen as the Indian Educator of the Year by the Montana Indian Education Association. Since 2004 he has provided over 200 Indian Education workshops for over 4000 educators.

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Shawn Hendrickson is currently the Principal at St. Ignatius MS and HS in St. Ignatius, MT.  He has served as an administrator for the past 15 years, 9 years as principal and 6 years as an assistant principal.  Shawn is a National Distinguished Principal and the 2020 Montana Secondary Principal of the Year.  He was born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation and is a proud To represent the Confederstrd Salish and Kootenai Tribes.  He is married to Megan and has three children Parker, Everett, and Conley.  Shawn enjoys spending time with his family and spending time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, skiing, rafting, boating, playing golf and waterskiing.  

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Sunny Day Real Bird serves as the Director of American Indian Outreach at Montana State University Billings. Sunny is an enrolled member of the Apsaalooke Crow Nation and a Gros Ventre descendant.

She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Montana State University Bozeman, a master’s in education curriculum and teaching secondary education in mathematics from the University of Oregon in Eugene, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a mathematics minor from Montana State University Billings.

Before her position at MSU Billings, she worked as Middle School Math Teacher at Ronan Middle School and also served as the Director of Indian Education for the Ronan School District. Sunny has strong background in data-driven education and consulting to make policy and funding recommendations to improve Native students retention and performance. During her years in the K-12 system, she’s been selected as “Educator of the Year” by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai’s Education Committee and was recently selected as the 2022 University of Oregon Sapsik’ʷałá Outstanding Community Service Award.

Sunny enjoys spending time with her son and daughter and traveling to visit family. 

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Dr. Walter C. Fleming is a professor in and department head of Native American Studies at Montana State University, Bozeman. He has taught American Indian history and culture courses at the university for nearly 40 years.

Professor Fleming is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Native American History and History and Foundation of American Indian Education and co-editor of Visions of an Enduring People, and numerous book chapters and articles. 

Fleming is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas.  He was born on the Crow Indian Reservation (Montana) and raised on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, also in Montana. 

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