About Us
Roots is proud to have a diverse, driven, and compassionate staff and board overseeing its operations.
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.
Mackenzie Johnson
Program & Partnerships Director
Throughout her own motherhood journey—from two losses to welcoming two spirited daughters—Mackenzie has leaned on Roots for the support, resources, and community needed to navigate this transformational time.
With over 15 years of experience in program and project management, Mackenzie is a versatile and innovative professional known for designing and scaling operations, optimizing systems, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. She has worked with both nonprofit and private entities, creating programs and experiences that strengthen communities, build partnerships, and address systemic challenges at the intersection of public health, recreation, and social innovation.
Today, Mackenzie finds joy in being on the other side of programming—participating with her family and exploring new activities. When carving out solo time, she’s most often on a trail or enjoying coffee and conversation with a friend.
Laurynn Olson
Operations Assistant
Laurynn’s journey to Roots began after experiencing the challenges of a traumatic birth, nursing struggles, and the shifting identity that comes with becoming a mother to her now 8-year-old daughter. The support she received during that transformative time left a lasting impact — and she's now grateful to give back as part of the Roots team.
Laurynn studied Family Science and Child Services at Montana State University and spent over a decade there managing communications and events for the Office of Student Engagement, including large-scale community initiatives like Catapalooza and Can the Griz.
In addition to her work at Roots, she helps run her family’s business, Dead On Taxidermy, where she handles marketing, website development, and operations.
When she’s not working, Laurynn enjoys time with her family, reading, and planning her next adventure.
Meet the 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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Christina Brown is a leadership coach and proud mama of two active, curious boys. After moving to Bozeman with a 3-month-old and no local community, she discovered Roots through its Resource Guide – a guide that became foundational in helping her build connection, support, belonging, and meaning in a new season of life. Christina brings over 15 years of experience co-founding startups, leading teams through early growth, and guiding individuals through meaningful professional and personal transformation. Through her coaching practice, she primarily supports women and parents in leading across all areas of their lives, integrating inner growth with external leadership. She is deeply passionate about helping people access the support systems that allow themselves and their families to flourish, and is excited to extend this work more directly into her local community through Roots. In her free time, you’ll find her dancing, building with her boys, reading, or flipping through architectural magazines.
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Sarah Webb, LCSW, is owner of Illuminate Counseling, a group practice located in Bozeman that started on the foundation of supporting women and mothers. We have expanded our care to populations including children, families, teens, and men, but remain committed to being a part of the foundation of expert mental health care in our community. Sarah was lucky enough to be present for the emergence of Roots when Suzanne Bendick called for grant support for her brilliant idea of a community guide of expert services for moms and families. Being a part of the evergreen growth of Roots has been a rare pleasure for Sarah to witness. With two boys of her own, Sarah has been through her own experience of new motherhood, both the devastating and divine. On the other side of early childhood, Sarah has new energy to provide to this next phase of Roots digging even deeper so that services and support can flourish. Living in this wild Montana place, Sarah definitely takes advantage of all the outdoors have to offer to keep her heart open and her body moving.
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Christine, MSW, SWLC, is currently a clinician with The Praxis Group. She has a special interest in perinatal mental health, supporting individuals and families through infertility, high-risk pregnancies, birth trauma, NICU experiences, and infant loss. She is especially passionate about the spaces where support often falls short, helping people and families navigate the transitions with grace and understanding. Her path into social work has been anything but linear, shaped by a deep curiosity about people, community, and what it truly means to show up during life’s most difficult moments. Roots Family Collaborative has long been a trusted resource in her work with families, and joining the board is both meaningful and aligned with her commitment to expanding access to thoughtful, community-based support. Before fully entering social work, Christine owned a coffee shop that became a natural gathering place for connection and conversation, an early reflection of her dedication to building community. Her professional background also includes work with children with disabilities, youth and family services, and children facing terminal illness, experiences that continue to shape her perspective, humility, and advocacy. Outside of her professional life, Christine is a mother and wife who enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and continuing to find balance between caring for others and caring for her own family.
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Aaron Jensen is a dedicated husband and father to a spirited 3-year-old boy named Phoenix, who often imagines himself as a T-Rex. With over 13 years of experience in insurance and financial services, Aaron enjoys helping medical and business professionals plan for their future and protect what matters most. He currently works for Copic Insurance Company in Denver, CO, which specializes in creating better medicine and better lives in communities across more than 15 states. Aaron holds a bachelor's degree in business management from DeVry University and a Master of Automotive and Occupational Studies degree from Lincoln College of Technology. Outside of his professional life, Aaron embraces the Montana lifestyle, enjoying activities such as hiking, biking, golfing, snowboarding, and anything else that allows him to be outdoors in the beautiful Montana air. Originally from Bozeman, Aaron moved to Denver in 2016, where he met his lovely wife and fellow board member, Kameisha Love. After returning to Bozeman in 2021 with his wife and new baby, Aaron reconnected with his hometown and discovered Roots through their 2024 "Dancing with the Last Best Stars" fundraiser event. Inspired by the impact and support Roots provides to families, Aaron felt compelled to contribute more to this amazing organization. Knowing how challenging being a busy parent, spouse, and professional is, Aaron hopes to learn, share, and connect with other families in the community through his involvement with Roots.
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Jennifer Dunn is happy to have landed in Montana where she is able to enjoy the outdoors through many activities with her family. She is an associate principal at Hennebery Eddy Architects and welcomed a daughter in 2023. A graduate of Montana State University's School of Architecture, she has found passion in projects that involve and give back to the greater community. Jennifer has been practicing for over 15 years. As a team leader she strives to preserve the original project vision from start to finish through complex problem-solving and creative, critical thinking.
She was introduced to Roots while pregnant through Moms Like Me and found a supportive community in postpartum at Blossom Moms. Jennifer is excited to be a part of a community expanding support to families in Montana.
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Jennifer Vollmer, PA-C, practices at Bozeman Health Women's Specialists Clinic as part of the Gynecology Oncology team. She is a native Arizonan who earned her Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Northern Arizona University and practiced in urology/urogynecology prior to transplanting to Bozeman with her husband in 2016. She provided orthopedic care in Bozeman for 7 years prior to transitioning to her current position at Bozeman health, caring for gynecology oncology patients. Jen's passion for caring for her community includes her volunteer position as a pregnancy and infant loss support facilitator with Roots Family Collaborative. In her free time, you'll find her playing in her garden and exploring the great outdoors with her family.
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Jen is a business owner, problem-solver, and proud mom of two daughters. She's spent her career building businesses, systems, and support structures. Her work often lives at the intersection of people, spreadsheets, impact, and community.
One of those businesses is Parent Team, a company she co-founded to help families navigate divorce outside of court and in a way that keeps kids at the center.
Jen found Roots the way most mamas do: out of necessity. After her first daughter was born, she found herself deep in the fog of Baby Blues, overwhelmed and searching for solid ground. Roots became that ground, helping her feel less alone in one of the hardest seasons of her life.
That experience never left her.
Joining the Roots board is her way of making sure more moms and more families find what she found when she needed it most.
When she's not working, you'll find Jen with her husband Brock and their two daughters, cheering them on as they learn and grow.
OUR SIGNATURE WEEKLY & MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUPS
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Rebecca luckily found her way to the Roots after the birth of her second son in June of 2022. The birth of her first son in June of 2020 coincided with the peak of the Covid pandemic, and she quickly (or maybe not quickly enough) realized that white-knuckling your way through early parenthood is downright no fun at all. Roots, by no stretch of imagination, changed the entire trajectory of her life and her relationship with motherhood.
Although originally hailing from Kansas City, Rebecca has always felt most at home in Montana, moving west at 19 to work on the Yellowstone River. After spending her early 20s river guiding in Oregon and following the sun in Argentina and Chile, she and her husband put down roots in Emigrant in 2011.
Since then, her husband Taylor and her have owned and operated The Wildflour Bakery and Follow Yer Nose BBQ in Paradise Valley where their passion for food and community has blossomed.
When she’s not baking cinnamon rolls, Rebecca loves skiing, hiking, rafting and exploring new places with her family and practicing her Spanish or noodling on her mandolin.
