Champions for Montana's Children and Families Recognized at Annual Awards Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 20 2026

Contact:
Jon Ebelt, Communications Director,
DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757
jebelt@mt.gov

Champions for Montana's Children and Families Recognized at Annual Awards Ceremony

Foster parents, youth, and child protection workers among those honored

Photo caption: Caleb and Shemiah Clark of Helena were among six recipients honored with the Jana Elliott Memorial Resource Parent of the Year award on April 16, 2026. Also pictured is Child and Family Services Division Administrator Nikki Grossberg.

MISSOULA, MT – Foster parents, child protection workers, youth, and non-profit organizations were honored on Thursday, April 16, during an awards ceremony in Missoula at the Hilton Garden Inn as part of the annual Montana Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect (PCAN) Conference sponsored by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

“These individuals and organizations exemplify what it means to put Montana's children and families first,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “I am continually inspired by the compassion and commitment of our child welfare workforce and partners — and seeing the strength of the young people in our care reminds us every day why this work matters. I thank each of them for their service.”

The 2026 PCAN Conference theme, “United by Purpose,” brought together colleagues and partners from across the state with a shared mission of collaboration.

During the awards ceremony, DPHHS and Montana Children’s Trust Fund (MCTF) representatives recognized individuals and organizations from Belgrade, Billings, Butte, Frenchtown, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, Pryor, and Sidney.

The list of awards includes the Jana Elliott Memorial Resource Parents of the Year. This award goes to foster/adoptive parents who are committed to excellence in working with birth parents and children in foster care and/or children who have been adopted.

The award is named after the late Jana Elliott, who served the Wolf Point community in many ways, both as a licensed foster parent and as a 6th-grade teacher. In 2016, the Wolf Point community suffered a huge loss when Elliott tragically lost her life in a car accident while helping someone in need.

The 2026 recipients of this award are Andrew and Jenny Sneigoski of Billings, Anna Snyder of Belgrade, Melissa and Gabe Zeiler of Sidney, Nichole Cowell and Jackson Rose of Frenchtown, Shemiah and Caleb Clark of Helena, and Heywood Big Day III of Pryor.

The following awards were also presented:

• The Youth Achievement of the Year award goes to foster or adoptive youths who exhibit a drive to be successful and make positive changes in their lives. The recipient is Amilya Damon.
• The Engaging Families in Positive Change award goes to individuals who carry out their work in a family-centered approach. The recipients are Christa McKay of Great Falls, Jackie Smith of Helena, and Toni Staniforth of Billings.
• The Resiliency Award goes to individuals who display qualities that foster a supportive and positive work environment and embody a healthy work/life balance. The recipients are Jillian Kramer of Helena and Kyra Walsh of Kalispell.
• The Creative SolutionsAward goes to individuals who utilize creative problem-solving and resource allocation to better serve children and families. The recipients are Eric Summers of Billings, Julie Carter of Helena, Mackenzie Bauer of Kalispell, and the Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth (QIC-EY) Project Team of Lived Experience: Ash Rutledge, Gabrielle Wheeler, Latoya Laverdure, Shanell LaVallie, Jaxx Ryan, Nikayla Hopper, and Renie Noblett.
• The Progressive Leadership Award goes to individuals who impact positive change for Montana children and families as role models and who demonstrate a clear understanding of the agency’s role. The recipients are Jennifer Daniels of Billings and Kelsey Patton of Kalispell.
• The Practice Model Champion Award goes to individuals who demonstrate excellence in implementing the agency safety model by understanding and executing the guiding principles as the roots that assure permanency and well-being for children. The recipients are Meagan Jacobson of Kalispell, Amy Charbonneau of Billings, and James Ceciliani of Kalispell.
• The Parent of the Year Award goes to a parent who became involved with the child welfare system and exhibited strength, determination, and self-awareness in making positive changes for themselves and their children to overcome the conditions that prompted CFSD involvement. The recipients are Doug and Marie Bartram of Butte, Kasawndra Viktora of Missoula, and Kylee Schwab and Alex Getz of Billings.
• The Pinwheels for Prevention Award goes to a parent or community member in recognition of their exemplary commitment to the families in their community. The recipients are Senator Mike and Yukiko Yakawich of Billings.
• The Strengthening Families Award is awarded to an organization or individual who has dedicated their career to strengthening Montana families and keeping children safe from abuse and neglect. The recipient is the Billings Clinic Empath Program of Billings.
• The Nonprofit Organization of the Year is given in recognition of a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Montana families and the prevention of child maltreatment by providing effective and innovative programming for families in the community, adopting trauma-responsive practices, engaging caregivers in decisions that affect their families and community, or developing partnerships and collaborations to build awareness and community capacity. The recipient is the Bitterroot Early Learning Network of Hamilton.