Meet the Indian Education for All Team

Zach Hawkins
Director of Indian Education for All
Zach Hawkins has been Director of Indian Education for All at the Montana Office of Public Instruction since December of 2018. Prior to joining the OPI, he worked in Federal college access programs for 12 years, most notably as the director of the Montana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program for 5 years. At the beginning of his career, he taught middle and high school social studies in Hays Lodgepole and Heart Butte.

His professional accomplishments include receiving the Helena Education Foundation’s Distinguished Educator Award in 2008 and co-leading the National Council for Community Educational Partnerships’ College and Career Readiness Evaluation Project in 2017-2018.

Zach and his wife have two boys ages 8 and 11. In his free time, he coaches and attends baseball games, skis, and explores Montana with his family.

406.444.0708
zachariah.hawkins@mt.gov
Joan Franke
Administrative Assistant
Joan Franke has worked in OPI ‘s Indian Education office as an administrative assistant for over 20 years. Her rich experiences include supporting the development of curriculum and materials, coordinating professional development events, and distribution of materials. She provides invaluable support for Indian Student Achievement efforts as well as the implementation of Indian Education For All. She actively participates in Irish cultural activities and celebrations and is an avid reader.

406.444.3694
jfranke@mt.gov
Jennifer Stadum
Indian Education Specialist
Jennifer Stadum is an Indian Education Specialist at the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Over the past seven years Jennifer has worked with every tribe in Montana on culturally relevant materials and tribally specific resources for implementation across all disciplines in K-12 public education. She is currently working on a framework to guide educators through best practices for teaching using the MT Science Content Standards with relevant IEFA implementation.

Prior to joining the OPI, Jennifer published her Master of Science in Science Education thesis on her landscape level research on long-billed curlews and sandhill cranes at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Being able to combine her love of science with Indian Education makes her job very exciting. Outside of work Jennifer loves Montana’s seasons, gardening, hiking, and her two cats.

406.444.0725
jstadum@mt.gov
Stephen Morsette
Indian Education Specialist
Stephen Morsette is an Indian Education Specialist at the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Stephen has been in his current role for the past four years and in that time, has offered professional development across the state, worked with IEFA grants, wrote and edited curriculum, and was lead in creating the Making Montana Proud poster series. Prior to OPI, Stephen taught at Box Elder Public Schools for nine years. There he served as an elementary reading/math specialist for five years, before teaching sixth grade his remaining time there.

Stephen and his wife have one son, age three, and two cats. In his free time, he loves hanging out with the family, watching Griz football, hiking, and traveling.

406.444.0754
smorsette@mt.gov
Mike Jetty
Indian Education Specialist
Mike Jetty is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Nation and a Turtle Mountain Chippewa descendant. Mike is currently working at the Montana Office of Public Instruction as an Indian Education Specialist. He has been working with Indian Education issues for the past 28 years and has teaching experience at both the K-12 and University level. He has a B.S. in History Education, a Master’s in School Administration and an Education Specialist Degree. In 2008, Mike was honored to be chosen as the Indian Educator of the Year by the Montana Indian Education Association. Since 2004 he has provided over 200 Indian Education workshops for over 4000 educators. In addition, he has made connections with Indian educators from across the U.S. and has been invited to give keynotes for several states including: CA, ID, MI, ND, NM, NV, OK, SD, and WY. Mike resides in Helena with his wife Laura and daughters Rosie and Sapphire.

406.444.0720
mjetty@mt.gov