Shannon Boswell

 Shannon Boswell

406-444-7915
Career Technical and
Adult Education Director

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Carl D. Perkins Grant
  2. State CTE Funding
  3. Oversee Career, Technical and Adult Education Programs and Projects

Ms. Boswell spent the first 13 years of her career teaching high school Agriculture in rural West Virginia. While there she grew the program from 30 students to 90 students, added a 20x 80 Greenhouse lab, and a 30x60 animal processing facility for her students to gain real-world skills. She worked closely with local businesses to provide career readiness skills for all students. Upon leaving the classroom in 2017, she moved west to accept the role of Agricultural Education Specialist with the Montana OPI. She is currently serving as the Career, Technical, and Adult Education Unit Director.

Gayla Randel

 Gayla Randel

406-431-2117
Family and Consumer
Sciences Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Career and Technical Education (CTE) state and federal statute monitoring and compliance.
  2. Family and Consumer Sciences Education program technical assistance and teacher support.
  3. Workforce development K-12 strategic guidance for the people-centered careers including Education and Teaching, Hospitality, Food, and Tourism, Human and Early Child Services, and Apparel, Textiles , and Interior Design Services.

Gayla Randel, CFCS has 20 years classroom experiences at the middle, secondary and post-secondary levels across various content areas of Family and Consumer Sciences Education and teacher preparation. She was previously the FCS Education Consultant at the Kansas State Department of Education where her work focused on creating strong partnerships at the local, state and national levels for the Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Education and Training and Visual Arts—Fashion, Apparel, and Interior Design career clusters. This work also supported FCS Education through life literacy instruction and prevention education to address youth wellness, leadership and personal growth. She holds two degrees from Kansas State University—Vocational Home Economics Education and Adult, Continuing and Occupational Education and is certified by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Eric Tilleman

 Eric Tilleman

406-438-6636
Agricultural Education Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Provide Assistance to schools with Perkins, State, and Advancing Agricultural Education Funding
  2. Assist Schools in maintaining or building quality Agriculture programs by providing guidance with curriculum, pathways and teacher supports
  3. Assist Teachers by maintaining the Montana Agricultural Network, provide professional development workshops, and communicating on a regular basis with each of the teachers in the state

Eric is the current Agriculture Education Specialist at OPI. He has taught agriculture at Cascade High School, in Cascade, Montana for 16 years where his classes were Ag I, Ag II, Building Construction, Welding, Independent Agriculture, and junior high ag. He has had the opportunity to serve as an officer in the Montana Association of Agriculture Educators (2010-15) as well as the Region I secretary of the NAAE (2016-19) and the Regional Vice President (2019-22). Eric and his wife, Roberta, have been active members in their communities serving as committee members of their local rodeos, and educational scholarship programs as well as officers in their local fire department.

Tammie Ellington

Tammie Ellington

406-593-8919
Health Science & Public Safety Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Work closely with Montana health science teachers to achieve established outcomes for health professions career pathway programs.
  2. Monitor Carl D. Perkins funding and provide school/district support during the Carl D. Perkins E-grant application period.
  3. Design professional development courses/workshops for health science teachers.

Tammie serves as the Health Science and Public Safety Specialist, where she supports statewide Career Technical Education (CTE) efforts in health science and emergency preparedness pathways. In this role, she partners with educators, schools, and community stakeholders to strengthen CTE programs, align curriculum with industry standards, and help prepare Montana students for post-secondary success and workforce entry in health and public safety fields. Tammie holds a Bachelor of Science from Southern Oregon University and both a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Utah State University. Her scholarly work centers on identifying protective factors for Native American youth in achieving high school graduation, pursuing post-secondary education, and accessing culturally informed educational opportunities. She began her teaching career more than 10 years ago, instructing subjects including psychology, Native American studies, and K-12 general education courses. Throughout her career, she has remained deeply committed to advancing student achievement and supporting educators through meaningful curriculum development, culturally responsive teaching, and strength-based practices. Tammie is passionate about empowering both students and teachers to reach their full potential and is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality career pathways across Montana. 

Kaitlin Trutzel

 Kaitlin Trutzel

406-438-0523
Industrial Technology
Education Specialist

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Career and Technical Education (CTE) state and federal statute monitoring and compliance.
  2. Assist Schools in maintaining or building quality Industrial Technology Education programs by providing guidance with curriculum, pathways and teacher supports.
  3. Assist Teachers by maintaining the Montana Industrial Technology Education Network, provide professional development workshops, and communicating on a regular basis with each of the teachers in the state.

Ms. Trutzel is the current Industrial Technology Education Specialist. She is a graduate of Montana State University with Teaching endorsements in Technology Education and Agricultural Education. She comes to OPI after teaching Agricultural Education in Kalispell Montana for the last 5 years. During her time with Kalispell Public Schools she had the opportunity to teach many different subjects including Wood Working, Drafting, Ag 2, Ag 1, Ag 4, Ag Economics, Natural Resources & Dual Credit Welding with Flathead Valley Community College. She has experience working closely with Montana SkillsUSA and Montana FFA. She is passionate about offering students opportunities to engage in Career and Technical Student Organizations in order to help make the high school experience more engaging.

Ethan Igo Headshot

Ethan Igo

406-590-8086
Business Education Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Career and Technical Education (CTE) state and federal statute monitoring and compliance.
  2. Assist Schools in maintaining or building quality Business Education programs by providing guidance with curriculum, pathways and teacher supports.
  3. Assist Teachers by providing professional development workshops, encouraging professional organization participation, and communicating on a regular basis with each of the teachers in the state.

Ethan is OPI’s current Business Education Specialist. He attended Montana State University for his B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Education. His thesis focused on examining reasons why college graduates and beginning teachers choose to enter, leave, and stay in the teaching profession. He transitioned into teaching in Wibaux, MT where he taught a variety of both agriculture and business courses. Ethan worked with Miles Community College and Dawson Community College to offer dual credit opportunities in animal science, plant science, and communications/speaking. He has served as an officer in multiple professional organizations and was recognized as the 2023 MACTE Teacher of the Year. Ethan is passionate about helping both students and teachers in CTE realize their full potential in the classroom and beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult Education and High School Equivalency

 

Katie Madsen

 Katie Madsen

406-465-1341
Adult Education Director/
High School Equivalency Administrator

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Develop best practices and guidance to support local adult community education (ACE) and high school equivalency (HSE) programs.
  2. Oversee compliance of statewide high school equivalency (HSE) policy, test centers, and test administrators.
  3. Provide leadership and technical assistance to local high schools participating in the HiSET Options Program.

Ms. Katie Madsen joined the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) in January 2017 as the Adult Education Director/High School Equivalency Administrator. She came to the OPI from the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), where she served in the Academic and Student Affairs Division. Katie has previously worked as a classroom teacher, administrator for Sylvan Learning Center, and corporate trainer for a large financial institution. In her current role, she develops best practices and guidance to support local adult community education and high school equivalency programs. Ms. Madsen holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Montana and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Carroll College. Her educational background and vast professional experience drive her passion to provide adult learners with opportunities to become college or career-ready and engage in lifelong learning.

Emily Fuller

 Emily Fuller

406-594-3750
Adult Education Program Specialist
 

Work-Related Duties:

  1. Adult Education Program Specialist - provide technical assistance and resources to local adult community education (ACE) programs.
  2. HiSET Coordinator - monitor for standardized test administration compliance, manage high school equivalency data, and provide technical assistance to the public and training to HiSET Examiners.
  3. HiSET Options Coordinator - monitor for compliance and provide technical assistance and training to HiSET Options Coordinators.

Emily Fuller is the Adult Education Program Specialist and High School Equivalency Coordinator in the Career, Technical, and Adult Education Unit at the Office of Public Instruction (OPI). Emily assists the Adult Education Director/High School Equivalency Administrator in developing best practices and training for local programs. Her position also monitors compliance with Federal, State, and Vendor policies. Emily joined the OPI in 2016 and moved into her current position in 2018. Before her position at the OPI, Emily was the general manager at a busy restaurant, where she developed strong customer service skills. In 2014, Emily earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology (MSU Bozeman) and also holds an Associate Degree in Mental Health Direct Care (UM Helena). These areas of study have provided her with insight into human behavior, as well as a solid understanding of statistics.