About CGCM

Karen retired in 2014 after serving as Executive Director of Area II Agency on Aging serving eleven counties in central Montana for 35 years. The programs provided by Area II Agency on Aging are the following: Area II Guardianship Program, Representative Payee Program through Social Security, Home and Community Based Services, Self-Directed Personal Care Program, Veterans Direct Home and Community Based Services, State General Fund and Federal programs contracted for senior citizen programs throughout the eleven-county planning and service area.

She was a founding member of CGCM and has served on the Board since its inception in 2008 and has served as the Chairperson and Secretary. She is a founding member and serves as a board member of Montana Generational Justice. She has also served as Chairperson of Montana AAA Legal Services, which coordinates legal services to the elderly with the Montana Legal Services Developer, since 2010.

Since retiring in 2014, she moved to Billings and serves in the following capacities: as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Billings Senior Citizens, Inc. at the Billings Community and Senior Citizens Center; on the Board of Directors of Big Sky Senior Services in Billings, which is a home care agency; on the Advisory Board of St. Vincent Healthcare Foster Grandparent Program; and as Secretary of the Wellington Place Homeowners Association in Billings where she owns a home.

Susan has worked with the Area IX Agency on Aging for over 30 years. Her jobs include Local Ombudsman, State Health Insurance Program counselor, Information and Assistance Technician, Reverse Annuity Mortgage counselor, and Program Manager for in-home services. She worked with Adult Protective Services, Summit Independent Living, Northwest Human Resources, et. al., on advanced directive issues, creating a legal documents brochure outlining what power of attorney is, living Will, etc. to educate the community on the different legal resources.  Out of this endeavor, the group started the Western Montana Chapter for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, which started in Kalispell and then expanded into Missoula. This program was for elders who were being exploited, could no longer handle their finances or were spending money but not paying their bills. Susan also serves as a board member for Montana Generational Justice.

Doug has worked in aging services and advocacy for over 35 years. He served as the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman for over 13 years, developing the foundation for a statewide program. For the next 14 years, he coordinated data collection and reporting for Aging Services statewide. In addition, he wrote grants and coordinated the initial development of the statewide Aging and Disability Services program, the Alzheimer’s disease services grant, the Senior Farmers’ Market program, the statewide Respite program, and the Veterans Self-Direct program. Upon retirement, he has worked for 8 years in the Montana Generational Justice onsite documents clinic program. Doug also serves as a board member for Montana Generational Justice.

Mark’s experience stems from thirty-five years in development and management of businesses located in Georgia, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Maryland ranging from $7mm to $35mm in sales.

He was responsible for starting and managing a pressure-sensitive label company for Taylor Corporation in Mankato, Minnesota, and managed new product development, and sales and marketing for Tensar Corporation, a geotechnical plastics products company located in Atlanta. He has experience with turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, and consolidation of resources in the direct business-to- business paper products.

After moving back to Montana, Mark ran the Montana Uninsured Employer’s Fund, a self-funded program that provided resources to injured employees working for uninsured employers.

Mark served as Board Chairman for Montana Generational Justice, a 501c3 Corporation, and has been a board member for six years.

Craig has been in private practice in Helena since 2003. After graduating from the University of Montana School of Law in 2001, he spent two years clerking for the Montana Supreme Court. After his clerkship, Craig began work at Smith Law Firm. His practice primarily consists of real estate law, estate planning, probates, guardianships, and general business law. In 2014, he became managing partner of Smith Law Firm. During his time in practice, Craig has been a member of the BETTR Law Section of the Montana State Bar, served on the State Bar’s Elderly Assistance Committee, and is currently on the Board of Trustees of the State Bar.

Craig has worked with Conservator Guardian Corporation of Montana over the years. He has represented the organization in conservatorship cases and related matters. He has also participated in several legal document clinics with Montana Generational Justice over the years. Outside of the practice of law, Craig served as a representative for the City of Helena on the City-County Consolidated Planning Board for six years, chairing the board in 2019.

Craig currently serves on both CGCM and MGJ Boards of Directors.