Chris Lorash
Chair of the Board of Directors
Board member since 2021; term ends in 2027.
“I am excited with the direction of the RLACF and have enjoyed my association with them. I hope that my contributions have been meaningful in furthering its mission and mandate. I look forward to serving in my capacity as a board member for another term with energy and enthusiasm as the Foundation moves forward.”
In his efforts to remain community-focused, Chris is a member of the Laurel School Board. It’s a position that has helped him have a meaningful impact on the Laurel Community and demonstrates his commitment to education and those who help shape young minds. He is also very involved in his church organization and works with the youth and those who lead the youth in his church. These positions have helped him develop a professional understanding of the needs in our communities. As a banker, he finds great joy in facilitating programs and lending solutions to first-time buyers and folks in the community who have a focus on those in need. Chris has had the opportunity to fund projects in the Red Lodge area through his work as a lender, and he looks forward to that opportunity in the future.
Merv Coleman
Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors
Board member since 2003; term ends in 2028.
“We’ve gone from a Fun Run committee to a full-fledged organization that’s fully engaged in the community in the short time of about 20 years. Great organizations don’t just happen. It takes time, vision, leadership, and willing people to serve. We have all of that energy and then some, with Tracy and Jo Ann, board members, staff, and a host of volunteers. I am especially proud of the Fun Run but also that we are involved with youth, poverty, veterans, affordable housing, the Roosevelt Center project, swimming pool, and other aspects of community, interacting with many nonprofits. I always tell people that when I go to a board meeting, I have to take a seat belt along to stay in my chair because there are so many good things happening.”
Merv decided to be a full-time photographer more than 45 years ago working as a range conservationist for the Bureau of Land Management. Lucky for us, he chose Red Lodge for his home and gallery. Among his many professional honors was the 2001 London Museum of Natural History / BBC award for wildlife portrait photography. Merv was named 1986 Red Lodge Citizen of the Year, was a founding member of both the Beartooth Front Community Forum and RLACF, and is a Lions Club Melvin Jones Fellow. In addition to his effort and leadership, he has often donated his photography expertise to bolster community projects. Merv and his wife, Lynette, have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Affiliations
Local: Red Lodge Lions Club, Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce, United Church of Christ.
Professional: Montana Professional Photographers Association, former aviator with U.S. Marine Corps.
Mark Schubert
Co-Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Board member since 2003; term ends in 2026.
“Being an RLACF board member gives me an opportunity to serve our nonprofit sector in what I call a broad manner. We strive to help each group succeed and build its impact.”
In addition to running his accounting firm, Mark can be counted on to lend his expertise and enthusiasm throughout the community. He was instrumental to launching the Fun Run for Charities and was a founding board member of RLACF as well as the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary (then Beartooth Nature Center) and the Red Lodge Public School Foundation. Mark helped build the original Nature Center site and local baseball / softball parks, and he raised funds to complete the new high school gym. He also raises funds for and participates in awarding local scholarships. Mark has three children and two grandchildren, and he loves the outdoors.
Affiliations
Nonprofit: Beartooth Elks Lodge, Red Lodge Community Church, Red Lodge Area Chamber of Commerce, Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, Red Lodge Public School Foundation, Beartooth Little League Board. Professional: Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
William (Bill) Foisy
Secretary of the Board of Directors
Board member from 2012-2020 and since 2025; term ends in 2028.
“RLACF continues to be a reliable and resourceful organization that identifies and addresses community issues and needs in cooperation with multiple countywide nonprofits and local governments. I am honored to be considered to participate again as a board director and am confident I can make meaningful contributions.”
Bill’s willingness to rejoin our board is a demonstration of his overall commitment to the Red Lodge community and his passion for volunteer service. During his previous time on the RLACF board, he made significant contributions on multiple committees including the Finance Committee, Governance Committee (Chair), and the Roosevelt Center Steering Committee. He continues to serve on the Transit and Housing subcommittees. He enjoys helping during the Fun Run and between 2011-2023 served in a variety of roles including on the steering committee, as race director, setting up the finish line, and as drink/food coordinator representing the Beartooth Recreational Trails Association. Bill’s background in community and regional planning continues to be an asset in our community.
Affiliations
Beartooth Recreational Trails Association 2011-2023 with last five years as treasurer; Red Lodge Lions Club 2011-2024 to include president and treasurer; Red Lodge City Council 2012-2016 to include chair of public works committee; Red Lodge Parks and Recreation Board 2012-2016 as council representative; Recycle Electronic Waste Into New Devices (annual event coordinator) 2012-2020; Red Lodge Climb for Cancer Steering Committee 2014-2017 to include responsibility for memorial flags; Beartooth Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. 2014-2021 including secretary and chairman. Red Lodge Citizen of the Year 2015. Current technical advisor to the Red Lodge Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Red Lodge regarding Montana Mainstreet Program and wayfinding/gateway signage
Jo Ann Eder
First Past President of the Board of Directors
Board member since 2007; term ends in 2028.
“RLACF is involved with so many projects that make our community such a vital, resilient place. We want to invest in people who are building interconnections for the long term.”
When asked to list special projects during her lifetime, Jo Ann, a retired astronomer, answers modestly “mapping the universe.” After earning her Ph.D. in astronomy from Yale University, Jo Ann was a career research scientist at the world-renowned Arecibo Radio Observatory in Puerto Rico. She also has a master’s degree in cross-cultural education from the University of New Mexico. In addition to serving as a past RLACF board chair, she is Treasurer of the O. P. and W. E. Edwards Foundation. Edwards is a family foundation, which grants to organizations serving youth at risk primarily in Montana and Indian Country. Jo Ann was the Red Lodge Citizen of the Year in 2011. She was married to the late Bert P. Eder, Sr.
Affiliations
Current board service with the Montana Community Foundation, Trust Montana; past board service with Philanthropy Northwest, Baretooth Cupboards, Montana Children’s Trust Fund, Yellowstone Public Radio; member of Leadership Montana
Kathleen Delahanty
Board member since 2011; term ends 2027.
“Being a member of the RLACF Board is an honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity it gives me to serve our community. It amazes me that what began as a local Fun Run for nonprofits has grown into a big, beautiful, innovative organization that enriches and supports the people and the place of Red Lodge and the surrounding area.”
I moved to Red Lodge over 35 years ago for a summer job and have worked and played here ever since. And why not? It’s such a fun and dynamic place! Over the years, I have worked with for-profit businesses and entrepreneurs in office management, human resources, and administration. In addition, I have done volunteer work for many committees and boards in Red Lodge and hope to continue to do so.
Affiliations
Red Lodge – Roberts Ambulance District Board
Janet Peterson
Board member since 2019; term ends 2028.
“RLACF is a leader in our community and sets a commendable example for local organizations. I greatly admire the passion, energy, and commitment of RLACF Board and staff and appreciate that RLACF includes a diverse group of individuals at the Board table. Our community is very fortunate to have this group support our nonprofit and, sometimes, for-profit efforts.”
Janet Peterson worked for many years in for-profit businesses, focusing on management and accounting. She enjoys brainstorming ideas, seeing the bigger picture, and connecting with people with similar interests.
The wild and beautiful mountain environment near Red Lodge continues to inspire. She believes in the power of nature to restore an individual’s spirit. Grateful for the amazing community in which she lives, Janet completes her lifestyle with fulfilling volunteer work.
Affiliations
Carbon County Resource Council, Kids’ Corner
Stephanie Baldwin
Board member since 2020; term ends in 2026.
“The Red Lodge Area Community Foundation is essential to building a thriving community. I am thankful for the opportunity to help support Red Lodge’s important initiatives and be a part of the Foundation’s impactful vision.”
Stephanie Baldwin is a Carbon County native and is the Director of Human Resources, Quality, and Compliance at Beartooth Billings Clinic. Her primary responsibilities include employment practices, policy and procedure, legal compliance, and quality improvement. She sits on a wide array of committees such as Compliance, Risk/Safety, Policy, and Infection Prevention. Stephanie is also responsible for other initiatives at Beartooth Billings Clinic, such as leadership development, customer services, and employee education.
Her experience at Beartooth Billings Clinic, combined with past experience managing a small, family-owned local business, brings a uniquely-positioned perspective on the wants and needs of our community.
Affiliations
Society for Human Resource Management, American Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration.
Jackie Ogg
Board member since 2021; term ending in 2027.
Like many part-time residents, we come to Red Lodge to “unplug,” but we also realize that creating and sustaining such a vibrant community doesn’t happen by itself. I’m honored to join the RLACF and support their work to ensure the Red Lodge community spirit stays as strong and valued as its mountains, ski slopes, rivers, and fishing holes.
Jackie is a social worker by training and spent a decade working at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in DC. During that time she developed an understanding of – and appreciation for – some of the opportunities and challenges community foundations face. She welcomes the chance to be part of the RLACF’s exciting work.
Affiliations
Professional: University of Maryland School of Social Work, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Southern Maryland Continuum of Care
Nonprofit: Board of Trustees CaringMatters, Former Board Chair for the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts
Connie Baehr
Board member since 2024; term ends in 2027.
“I’ve been impressed with the impact that the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation has on our community since I first moved back to Montana. Serving on the Board of Directors and in other capacities is a way for me to become more involved with our community and is an exciting prospect for me.”
Connie received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. She worked in public accounting as a Certified Public Accountant in Florida and Montana doing audit and tax preparation and was Chief Financial Officer for a company in Anchorage, Alaska, for 15 years. Since moving back to Montana in 2021, she and her husband, Ted, built a house here in Red Lodge and have enjoyed becoming more involved in our community.
Affiliations
Red Lodge Area Community Foundation Finance and Governance Committees, DSVS Help Line Volunteer and Mentor, Soroptimist International of Cascadia On-line Club, Soroptimist International of the Americas
Richard Nolan
Board member since 2024; term ends in 2027.
Richard (Dick) Nolan spent 24 years with the U.S. Navy as a logistics officer followed by two decades working for a management consulting firm helping federal organizations improve. He and his wife, Gretchen, moved in 2003 from Northern Virginia to Red Lodge in search of much bigger mountains and far less traffic. For the next seven years, Dick commuted back east helping the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Department of Agriculture in Maryland deal with the threat of bioterrorism. After retiring in 2010, Dick joined the board of Beartooth Electric Coop during a period of severe financial stress. When he left in 2022, BEC was healthy and thriving. In the same period, Dick started the monthly Forum for Provocative Issues. Since its first meeting in 2012 when 10 attended, the forum has grown dramatically. Seventy routinely attend, and some forums have attracted well over 100. Recently, Dick joined the board of the Red Lodge Senior and Community Center.
Rod Fordahl
Board member since 2025; term ends in 2028.
“The importance of serving your community cannot be overstated.”
Rod Fordahl earned a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in construction management from Mankato University in Minnesota. He put the degree to good use throughout his 31-year career, owning and operating Fry Construction in Sheridan, WY, which did a lot of commercial work, building hospitals, college buildings, schools, and some custom housing. His knowledge will be an asset to RLACF, particularly for workforce housing projects. While he lived in Sheridan, Wyoming, he was a member of the Rotary for many years and helped with Christmas in April for about a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Current Affiliations
Red Lodge Parks and Recreation Board since 2023
Past Affiliations
Rotary Club of Sheridan, Wyoming
Marc Geraci
Board member since 2025; term ends in 2028.
“We very much enjoy being a part of this little town. Red Lodge is full of people with an incredible sense of community. RLACF serves these people and the organizations they support. It is a privilege to be part of that service and grow it.”
Marc became an important part of RLACF in 2024 when he became an initial member of the newly launched Investment Committee. His experience as the treasurer of a small public company that grew into a multibillion-dollar company, small business owner and operator for many years, and licensed CPA in Illinois are valuable assets to our financial team. His education includes post-graduate study in Taxation at DePaul University. Marc’s wife, Sally, grew up in Billings, and they have been visiting Red Lodge almost every summer for the past forty years. When they purchased their home in Red Lodge in 2012, they began spending summers and part of the winter here as well. They support a variety of local organizations including Beartooth Clinic, Carbon County Resource Council, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Foundation and the pool. Marc and Sally enjoy working with RLACF’s workforce housing initiative and are willing to do what it takes to advance the program. He is a Master BBQ Judge, having judged over 80 contests in the United States and Europe.
Current Affiliations
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Past Affiliations
Board Member of Chi Delta Tau Alumni Association at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas; Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Member of the Illinois CPA Society; Registered Broker-Dealer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and California Securities Commission
Max Maynard
Board member since 2025; term ends in 2028.
“I have been lucky enough to witness and be a beneficiary of the great work the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation takes part in. Their efforts with the Roosevelt Center, CART, the Fun Run, and affordable housing are just a few examples of how they’ve positively affected our community. I look forward to working with the amazing people who have given so much to this town!”
Max Maynard brings his youth, connection to the working class, and experience as a well-traveled military kid to our board to diversify its membership and add perspective to how we approach issues in our area. After attending multiple high schools, as a military kid might do, he graduated from Patch American High School in Stuttgart, Germany. He came to Red Lodge in 2016 when Red Lodge Mountain was the only ski area to offer both him and a friend a job. He now works as a teacher aide and cook at Mountain Bluebells Preschool and Nursery Center. After Max ran for city council in 2024 and lost by a narrow margin, he was approached by RLACF board member Steve Hanson (2017-2025) at a Home Brewed Harmony rehearsal about serving on the board of the community foundation. Max is a huge advocate of expanding active transportation and walkability in Red Lodge, a few concepts he came to love and appreciate during his travels to Europe.
Affiliations
Maxwell and the Headchange – Local band, Bassist; Homebrewed Harmony – Barbershop Group, Tenor; Red Lodge Disc Golf, Member
Jese Stetson
Board member since 2025; term ends in 2028.
““My exposure to the RLACF was through a fundraiser that I drove for the Ag community in Carbon County during the historic flooding. I couldn’t have accomplished what we as a community were able to without the phenomenal help of the RLACF.”
Living in Fromberg and ranching from Red Lodge to Silesia, rancher and custom knife-maker Jese Stetson has a unique opportunity to see and address needs in corners of the community that might otherwise be overlooked. RLACF and Jese made their acquaintance after the historic flooding in 2022 when he fundraised for the Ag community of Carbon County (One Valley Relief Fund) and the money he raised flowed through RLACF as one of their field of interest funds. Jese graduated from Earlham College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He is passionate about building a strong future for our community by creating safe places for families to flourish and grow. Educational opportunities, play areas for children, and community gardens are just a few ways for this to be done. He is especially passionate about getting young people excited about agriculture, sustainability practices, as well as the trades.
Affiliations
District 4 Director for the Montana Farm Bureau Federation State Board since 2024; Carbon/Stillwater County Farm Bureau Vice President since 2023
Kirstin Sweet
Board member since 2025; term ends in 2028.
“I feel that Red Lodge Area Community Foundation is doing a great job supporting their community and county, and I would like to be a part of those efforts going forward.”
Kirstin Sweet is the city clerk in Bridger and is passionate about her community. She’s lived in Bridger over twenty years, the longest she’s lived in a place in her life, and loves the town. It is home for her and always will be. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and is an EMT with the Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance in Bridger, volunteering with them since 2009. Her three children are the center of her world and the reason she volunteers in her community. She wants to make the world a better place for them and show them that volunteering is the best way to have an impact on the community around us.
Affiliations
Bridger School Board trustee since 2023; Bridger Schools Facilities/Planning Committee (2015-2022)