Montana 4-H Foundation Board of Directors Update
Montana 4-H Foundation Announces New Board Officers and Directors, Honors Retiring Board Directors
The Montana 4-H Foundation has unanimously elected new board officers and new directors to join its board.
The 2026-2027 board officers are as follows:
Cathy Ratzburg, President, hails from the Sweetgrass Hills in Toole County. A 4-H alumna, she has served on the Montana 4-H Foundation board since 2021. She and her family have held the Bobcat Angus Bull and Replacement Female Sale for 22 years. Previously, she led fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society and directed marketing, public relations, and fundraising initiatives for Toole County Hospital (now Logan Health – Shelby) and the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit. While her three children were in 4-H, she served on the Toole County 4-H Council and as a West Butte 4-H Club leader. Fluent in Spanish, Ratzburg earned a bachelor’s degree in business management with minor in Spanish from Montana State University. She served on the MSU Alumni Engagement Advisory Board and was honored with the MSU Alumni Achievement Award during the President’s Homecoming Award Ceremony in 2023. She and her family also hosted the MSU President’s Bus Tour at the Bobcat Angus barn in 2024.
Jennifer Saunders, Vice President, from Grass Range, is a 4-H alumna and second-generation Montanan who has served on the Montana 4-H Foundation board since 2024. She worked as the Fergus County 4-H program assistant for 25 years before being elected Fergus County Commissioner in 2022. Saunders was head of the Lewistown 250 Committee, in which she helped secure a grant from the Montana 250th Commission and organized Lewistown’s “Montana – Liberty’s Frontier” celebration for America’s 250th birthday. She also serves on the boards of the Lewistown Downtown Association and Central Montana Hospital. Saunders is organizing the “Charlie Russell Harvest Train” that will run from Kingston Junction outside of Lewistown to Denton. Through this interactive experience, 234 passengers will better understand and appreciate the day-to-day life and work of farm and ranch families.
Amanda Williams, MS, Secretary, has served on the Montana 4-H Foundation board since 2024. Originally from Miles City, her family ranches south of Ekalaka, where she works as the Carter County Extension Agent. Continuing her family's legacy as a third-generation Montana State University Extension professional, she has served as an Extension agent since 2021. Williams previously worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Fort Keogh in Miles City and taught classes online at Miles Community College. She graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a minor in natural resources and rangeland management in 2018, where she was active in Collegiate Cattlewomen. In 2020, she earned a master’s degree in range management from MSU. Williams is both a 4-H and FFA alumna.
Sean Bengochea, CPA, Treasurer, co-owns Teton Tax Advisors, PLLC. Raised on a farm and ranch near Nashua, he now lives in Dutton. In 2018, he earned degrees in accounting and finance from Montana State University, where he was active in the Alpha Gamma Rho – Alpha Delta Chapter. He has held a CPA license since 2021 and has served as a Montana 4-H Foundation board director since 2024.
New board directors are as follows:
Heather Malcolm is a third-generation 4-H alumna from Park County and Vice President at Bank of the Rockies in Livingston, where she has worked for more than 22 years. During her 4-H career, she served as the Montana Beef Ambassador, a Teen Leader, camp counselor, and participated in beef, cooking, and photography projects. She was active in Collegiate 4-H while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics at Montana State University. She served with the American Bankers Association, where she was chair of the Agriculture & Rural Bankers Committee—the second female to hold this role in 125 years and the first female from Montana. She also chaired the ABA commercial lending school advisory board. Malcolm is involved with the Park County 4-H Council, Montana Stockgrowers Association, Park County Ag Fair Alumni, Park Local Development Corporation, and Montana Ag Bankers Committee. She currently serves as a 4-H leader in Park County and has served as a past president of the Park County 4-H Council, 4-H Beef Superintendent, 4-H Large Animal Round Robin Superintendent, and 4-H Camp and Teen Leader Co-Organizational Leader.
Kellie Kahtani, MS is the Montana State University Extension Agent for Butte-Silver Bow Counties. She is involved with the Community Action Team for Suicide Prevention, the Butte Senior Living Committee, the Butte Cares Coalition, and the Communities that Care Program. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Washington State University and a master’s degree in education from MSU Northern. Both a 4-H and FFA alumna, Kahtani served as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor for 15 years in both Washington and Montana before transitioning to her career with MSU Extension.
Jay Rigler, MA grew up on a cattle ranch in Park County and now lives in Boise, Idaho. During his 4-H career, he was selected as a State 4-H Ambassador Officer and represented Montana at National 4-H Congress. He was also active in market beef, swine, and sheep projects, in addition to serving as a camp counselor. Jay holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Illinois and certifications in Private Company Governance and Business Metrics. He founded Practically Independent Advisory Services, where he is a management consultant and strategic advisor. He is also the author of 12 Steps to Eliminate Debt and Build Wealth, where he focuses on behavioral finance and the power of automated systems. During his 20+ year career, he has led analytics for S&P 500 companies at a top-tier advertising agency and held roles in the credit card industry and personal financial advising.
Lesley Huber works as a Relationship Manager, AVP with AgWest Farm Credit in Bozeman. Originally from Melstone, she developed a strong agricultural foundation through her involvement in 4-H, where her projects were market lambs and steers. Through 4-H, she learned the value of hard work and dedication, the importance of taking care of something other than yourself, and leadership skills that have helped in every aspect of life. Huber earned her Bachelor of Science in agricultural business from Montana State University and is active in her community. She has worked in lending since earning her degree and has a variety of experience, including consumer, mortgage, commercial, and ag lending. Her role prior to AgWest was as the VP of Lending at a credit union. She serves as treasurer of her homeowners’ association board and volunteers as a foster caregiver for several animal rescue organizations.
Newly appointed youth board directors are as follows:
Ayla Mundinger-Adsay from Helena is the State 4-H Ambassador Officer Foundation Trustee. She is a senior at Helena High School, where she is active in National Honor Society and plays the bassoon. She is starting her seventh year in 4-H and was a Lewis & Clark County 4-H Ambassador, during which time she served as a camp counselor. She was also selected to serve on the National 4-H Congress Design Team, a national leadership group consisting of only eight youth members from across the U.S. Mundinger-Adsay is also active with St. John’s Lutheran Church and plays tennis.
Brooklyn Kuhr from Billings is the 4-H Youth Representative. A 4-H member for nine years, she serves as a Yellowstone County 4-H Ambassador and president of her 4-H club. Kuhr won a State 4-H Award for her quilting project, in which she hand-stitched and donated custom quilts to patients undergoing cancer treatments. She will represent Montana at National 4-H Congress in November. Kuhr is a Certified Nursing Assistant and works at Yellowstone River Nursing and Rehabilitation in Billings. She has also worked for Yellowstone County 4-H at MontanaFair, Your Pie Pizza, and Billings Clinic. She is a senior at Billings Senior High School.
Raylie Fleishman from Clarkston, Wa. serves as the Collegiate 4-H Club Representative (ex-officio). She is a second-year student at Montana State University, where she is studying pre-vet med. There, she is active with the Sigma Alpha Gamma Beta chapter and Collegiate 4-H. Her involvement in 4-H and FFA helped shape her interest in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.
Retiring board directors are as follows:
Roni Baker, Billings, Montana State University Extension, Yellowstone County
Chadaya Coffee, Miles City, Stockman Bank
Carter Jasper, St. Regis, University of Montana
Carrie Sue Lerum, Galata, Rocky Ridge Angus and RMW Accounting
Stella Truzzolino, Missoula, 4-H Youth Representative
Gage Horn, Superior, State 4-H Ambassador Officer Foundation Trustee
Also serving on the board of directors are as follows:
Marsha Goetting, PhD, CFP®, Bozeman, Montana State University Extension
Teri Antilley, PhD, Bozeman, State 4-H Program Leader
Cody Stone, PhD, Bozeman, Director of Montana State University Extension (ex-officio)
Kathy Cheney, Livingston, Montana 4-H State Council Representative (ex-officio)
Written by:
Montana 4-H Foundation
