About Roots
Going from preconception to parenthood is a time of significant transition for everyone. All parents need great care and attention during this transformational time.
OUR SIGNATURE SUPPORT GROUPS
The Roots vision and mission
At Roots, we are dedicated to supporting new and expecting families in Gallatin and Park Counties because we believe no one is meant to parent without community.
During every step of the way, our unique organization is here to help you navigate your journey from preconception to parenthood. We know when parents have access to support, connection, and education during this transformative time, they will feel confident to create a strong foundation for life.
In all of our programming, we are striving to build resilience and adaptability by connecting parents to their experience and to their community, all while normalizing the range of human emotion and the realities of this stage in life.
Our vision has always been to foster a culture with a strong sense of compassion, non-judgement, and understanding for the human experience, creating space for connection, significance, and belonging for all parents.
The Roots story
The idea for Roots was born on a backyard playdate in 2015 when two moms realized without each other they might not be the moms they knew they could be. Dreams of lasting friendships, beautiful spaces, regular support groups, resources, laughter, professional workshops, and more all were swirling in this big vision. When they started digging a little deeper, all signs kept pointing them to the three main branches that now define Roots Family Collaborative:
Groups are free but please register on days you plan to attend.
Please don’t come if you or your baby are feeling sick or have been sick.
Support
Connect
Grow
Get involved with Roots!
We have many ways you can volunteer for our organization, from a one-time short-term activity to an on-going supportive role. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at Roots Family Collaborative, please contact us and let us know you are interested.
If you want to make a difference for moms and families in our community and feel you can add something new or diverse to our board, please apply. We can't wait to hear from you and start serving out community together, shoulder to shoulder.
Meet the Roots Family Collaborative staff
Suzanne Bendick
Co-Executive Director
Suzanne loves everything about babies and birth but is especially dedicated to helping families navigate the postpartum period and giving them the support they deserve during this amazing transition. After trying to manage her own overwhelming entry into new parenthood, Suzanne started a business called Fresh Air as a practical way to help new mothers. Suzanne knows that support during the postpartum period is critical for the overall health of a new family, so with her formal training as a Postpartum Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor, she has been able to quietly nurture, encourage and assist as families settle into their new normal after birth. Suzanne is also a Volunteer Coordinator with Postpartum Support International, where she welcomes parents at any stage to reach out for help. Besides her love of all things postpartum, Suzanne holds a B.A. in Anthropology, is a Certified Montessori Teacher and has two children of her own. If she’s not listening to a new mother’s story, you can find her breathing in some fresh air in the mountains around town.
Kerry Williams
Co-Executive Director
Kerry is one of three founding mothers of Roots, and seeing it grow from an idea to the organization it is today is her proudest professional achievement. Her background in non-profit work and start-up business has helped Roots develop and grow, and the struggle she experienced with her own entry into parenthood connects her to everyone who walks through the door. In 2015, Kerry gave a TEDx Talk called “Parenting: How I’m Not Getting It Right and Why You Shouldn’t Either” in which she shared grappling with her change of identity in becoming a mother. Kerry graduated with a master’s degree in Family Sciences from MSU and feels drawn to supporting families by improving the systems that serve them. She and her husband have lived in Bozeman since 1996, and she has worked with Roots as a volunteer, board member, and now staff throughout her two kids’ lives. She is a downhill skier, avid reader, amateur baker, and unstoppable dancer, as well as a devoted pet parent.
Julie Zickovich
Program Assistant
Having her son, Ivan, was nothing that Julie expected or anticipated. Her life was completely different and initially she grieved the loss of her life before him without knowing where to turn for support. Julie ultimately found Roots Family Collaborative through our program Mindful Mamas and then again through Moms Like Me. Julie says, "these programs were, and still are, a lifeline to reinventing myself as a mom and a person. The people I have met through Roots have brought me so much peace, confidence, camaraderie, joy, tears. I am so incredibly grateful to this growing community."
Julie is thrilled to have the opportunity to be a larger part of Roots and help spread its mission to the needs of the community. She grew up in Bozeman and has been married for almost 20 years and her son is seven. Julie likes the seasons but dislikes the transition, loves her chickens, and finds joy in finding new trails no matter how small or large.
Mackenzie Johnson
Community Engagement Coordinator
Throughout her own motherhood journey - from two losses to two daughters - Mackenzie has turned to Roots to find the support, resources, and community needed to navigate this transformational time in life. Her journey began in Big Sky where her family lived for 11 years before migrating to Bozeman in 2022.
Professionally, Mackenzie is an innovative organizer skilled in creating experiences, programs, and community engagement. She's had the opportunity to work on a variety of programs and projects over the years for both nonprofit and private entities.
As a former program director, Mackenzie loves trying new activities and most recently has found joy in being on the other side of programming - as a participant with her family. When she carves out some solo time, you can find her on the trail or meeting a friend for coffee.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Liza Brumbach is the mom of three lovely kiddos (two middle schoolers, 1 pre-schooler). She has a long history of passion for work with youth and families. With a degree in Elementary and Special Education she was an educator early in her career but has since unexpectedly wandered into business. After running the Flying Pig Adventure Co. with her late husband she migrated into owning and operating vacation rental cabins, a hostel, and the North Yellowstone Lodge outside of Gardiner. She has always found great joy in giving back to her communities with volunteer work as well as living an active outdoor lifestyle with her husband and kids. The outdoor world is a playground mecca! She is honored to work alongside Roots after having benefited personally from Roots Loss Support Group, Moms Like Me, and Fresh Air Mamas! She believes whole-heartedly in supporting young families as they navigate the journey of parenthood.
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Kayte Kaminski, Ed.D is the proud mama of two sweet little humans and found Roots and Blossom Mom after her first came into the world on summer solstice in 2022. Kayte works at Montana State University as the Senior Assistant Dean in the College of Education, Health and Human Development and the Director of the Mental Health Support Certificate program. She loves her job as a mom and partner and also loves her job in academia, and works hard to find balance every day. In down time, she loves to travel and has been to over 40 countries as a Peace Corps Volunteer, a Semester at Sea assistant dean, a tourist, and a general lover of culture and new experiences. She and her husband even took their son to Switzerland when he was 5 months old (best passport picture ever)! Kayte is so excited to be on the board at Roots working with awesome people and working to provide accessible awesome programming to families in the Gallatin Valley and beyond.
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Amanda Kilty, MS, LCPC, NCC is a licensed professional counselor and has a private practice, Kilty Counseling LLC, serving people in life transitions including those in the perinatal period and/or in the depths of grief and loss. With the experience and connections made through navigating fertility and parenting struggles, Amanda knows how empowering, validating and strengthening it is to simply connect with fellow parents and has a passion to help spread the wealth of help Roots Family Collaborative provided for her. She has helped facilitate support circles and has been a welcoming place to land for many at Roots’ events over the years. Amanda enjoys time at home taking in the views, smells and sounds of mountains, wild birds, wild animals, wildflowers, ever changing skies and/or out digging in her garden as a way to ground, center and reset so she may show up fully for her family.
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Lexi Frank Newhall, MA, LMFT, LCPC is the proud owner of Anam Cara Bozeman which is a group therapy practice providing mental health services to our local community. Lexi has been working as a therapist in private practice for the last fifteen years. She specializes in empowering women to manage change, heal from perinatal, mental health disorders, overcome developmental trauma and she recently started seeing couples. Her style of counseling is an integration of mindfulness, body awareness, guided imagery, empathic listening and psychodynamics. Lexi has been on the board of Roots Family Collaborative for almost six years. She shares the insights gained in her therapy work with Roots as a means to help us better support families. Lexi loves living in the mountains with her husband, two energetic little boys and sweet chocolate lab, Charlie.
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Flora McCormick, LCPC is a professional counselor and parenting coach who is passionate about supporting families. She is an experienced parent educator who teaches parenting workshops in the community and has served as an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant to many local preschools.
Flora is the owner of Sustainable Parenting and a monthly columnist for Montana Parent Magazine. Flora served on the board of the Help Center for 6 years, and on the board of Bozeman Business and Professional Women for 3 years. Flora enjoys camping, traveling to be with friends and family, and being a parent to Eva and Caleb, along with her husband, Gabriel.
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Bio coming soon
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Sean Hill is a proud father of three beautiful children (2 boys and one girl all in elementary school) and has been a stay at home parent for past seven years. During that time, he started posting his daily life on social media. His posts touch on everything from cooking, cleaning, and folding clothes to mens health and self care and the stigma that dads aren’t full class parents. His main goals are to inspire dads to be the best dad and husband that they can be. He also volunteers as much as he can at his kids school and coaches his sons soccer team. He has worn many hats throughout his life, and has a strong background in construction and a degree in Interior Design. In his spare team he loves to go snowboarding, skate skiing and disc golfing. Most nights you can catch him playing his guitar and he has high hopes of someday having a family band. He joined the Roots board in hopes to connect and help new parents and families in his community.
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Bio coming soon.
