AIMA Council Members and Bios

Ariel Donohue is the Senior Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Montana State University. In this role, Ariel works to promote an institutional culture that values and supports inclusion and guides MSU’s progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. She has worked at MSU since 2009, first with the Office of Student Engagement before being named director and program manager of the Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons in 2013. Ariel has a master’s degree in higher education from MSU and bachelor’s degrees in women’s and gender studies and elementary education, both from The College of New Jersey.

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Bryan Brophy-Baermann is an experienced academic leader with an extensive career in higher education, spanning several institutions and roles. He currently serves as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Flathead Valley Community College, where he has been leading efforts to promote student success and innovation since May 2023. His previous roles include Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at Bay State College and Dean positions at both the Community College of Rhode Island and Quinsigamond Community College.

Dr. Brophy-Baermann holds a PhD from the University of Iowa and has dedicated his career to academic leadership, curriculum development, and fostering educational success across diverse student populations. His experience includes overseeing academic programs, managing budgets, leading strategic initiatives, and working collaboratively with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders. He has a deep commitment to fostering environments that promote innovation and inclusivity in higher education.

Prior to his leadership roles, he taught and researched in the areas of comparative politics and international relations for over twenty years. His research interests include terrorism, U.S. foreign policy, and environmental politics and policy, and he has taught a wide range of political science courses.

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Dr. Brooke Beaverheart Gondara, State Director of Indian Education at the Montana Office of Public Instruction, is a citizen of the Tsitsistas/Suhtaio Nation of southeastern Montana and an Oglala Dakota descendent. Dr. Beaverheart Gondara left a 25+ year career in higher education administration, primarily in community and tribal colleges in the roles of dean, associate dean, and president in the states of Montana, Oregon, Alaska, and New Mexico for her K-12 role with the OPI. She leads the Tribal Student Achievement and Relations and Indian Education For All units.

Dr. Beaverheart Gondara has a GED from the State of Montana, a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Native American Studies and a Master’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Education in Curriculum and Instruction, both from Montana State University-Billings, an earned doctorate in education with an emphasis on Community College Leadership from Oregon State University and a post-doctoral certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Presidential Leadership. Her dissertation and research focused on Northern Cheyenne women’s experiences with traditional and non-traditional education and learning systems.

She currently resides on the traditional lands of the Apsáalooke Nation in Huntley with her husband. She is the mother of three adult daughters and the ke’eehe (grandmother) of five amazing grandchildren. Brooke is a crazy dog lady who is passionately involved in the Rez dog rescue and working with her own pack of rescue Catahoula leopard hounds and pit bulls. She enjoys precious time with family, traveling, cooking, ethnobotany and traditional foods, berry picking, indigenous research and data, and is an avid trivia player who rarely misses Jeopardy or local trivia events.

Charla Merja is an experienced higher education professional and community leader. She currently serves as Director of Student CARE at Great Falls College MSU, where Charla helps students overcome barriers to success and connects them with vital resources. With advanced degrees in Adult and Higher Education and a background in business and psychology, she has also held roles in academic success, project management, and administration. Charla is active in local organizations and is recognized for strong organizational, mentoring, and project management skills.

Cory L. Sangrey-Billy, the President of Stone Child College, works to provide quality higher education programs to the Rocky Boy’s Community while incorporating the Chippewa Cree Language, Culture and History.  Cory is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe.  She has been an employee of Stone Child College since November of 2001.  Cory has experience in working as a Program Coordinator, six years and as the Dean of Academics, twelve years and has been the President for the past 4 years.  Her main goal while leading Stone Child College is to make a positive difference in her community.  Cory holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Montana State University – Northern, a Master’s Degree in Information Systems from the University of Great Falls and has completed work towards her Ph.D in Management from Walden University.  Cory is fortunate enough to be able to work in her own community and to help shape the educational opportunities that are offered at Stone Child College while ensuring that they are quality programs that prepare students to succeed.  Cory has experience in partnering and working with local, state and federal agencies with cooperative and grant funded projects.  Cory also helps in partnering with other Tribal College and Universities’ to bring opportunities to the students of Stone Child College.   Cory is happily married to Cameron Billy and together they have two children, Payson and Presleigh Billy.  

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James Broscheit serves as director of Financial Aid at Montana State UniversityBozeman. James has come to Montana from Colorado in 2017. James began his work in financial aid in 1986 at a proprietary school for auto and diesel technicians. Finding an affinity for the work, he pursued the challenge of work in the four year public sector where he has worked primarily since 1992.  

James has worked at several universities over this time and has come to an appreciation that each campus has an identity and in that identity, there is a place for every student to find a home. Helping students and families navigate the path to affordability and value is rewarding. Part of our mission in the aid office is to support that student and family to a successful investment in degree attainment.

Financial aid work engages a balance of working with people along with an element of business as we work with federal and state regulation. The mix is challenging but finding that sweet spot where it blends together is rewarding. Colleagues working in this group have become very special in the mission and work that we share. While it is different on each of our campus’s, networking across the state, the region and nationally is both work and personally fulfilling.

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John DeBoer is Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor of Theatre at the University of Montana. He holds a BA from Indiana University and MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. During his fifteen years at UM, he has served as Interim Dean of the College of the Arts and Media, Director of the School of Theatre and Dance and chaired the General Education Committee, ASCRC, and Faculty Senate. He has directed, coached, and performed in numerous productions at UM including The Cherry Orchard; Fiddler on the Roof; Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches; A Chorus Line; As You Like It; and Spring Awakening. Prior to coming to UM, he worked professionally as an actor and vocal coach. 

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I have worked in higher education for 30 years and have never regretted my decision to pursue education as my life’s calling. I have served in admissions and student affairs in various roles closely tied to recruiting and retaining traditional as well as adult students with a passion for helping underrepresented students succeed in achieving their academic goals. I have been in a Cabinet level position for over 15 years and enjoy the opportunity to help achieve the mission of institutions. Originally from MI, I joined the MSU Billings team in June of 2019 as the Vice Chancellor for Student Access and Success. I thoroughly enjoy being a Montanan!

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Sarah Dellwo has dedicated 21 years to advancing the open access mission of two-year higher education in Montana. She has served in a variety of student service roles at Helena College and has been a member of the college's cabinet for the past five years. She enjoys being able to focus on initiatives that enhance student success and empower students to achieve their academic and career goals. She holds a master's degree Public Administration from the University of Montana and a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Montana State University. Her professional journey is guided by a deep belief in the transformative power of education, and the vital role two-year colleges play in strengthening communities.  

Shawn Hendrickson is currently the Principal at St. Ignatius MS and HS in St. Ignatius, MT where he has served for the past 11 years.  Shawn has been an administrator for the past 21 years, 15 years as principal and 6 years as an assistant principal.  He received his undergraduate degree from Montana State University '01, in Secondary Education Social Studies Broadfield, his Master's in Educational Leadership from Western Washington University in '05, and obtained an Ed. Specialist Degree from Montana State University in 2018.

Shawn is an NASSP National Distinguished Principal and the 2020 Montana Secondary Principal of the Year.  He was born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation and is proud to represent the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.  He is married to his wife Megan and has three children Parker, Everett, and Conley.  Shawn enjoys spending time with his family and spending time in the outdoors hunting, fishing, skiing, rafting, boating, playing golf and waterskiing.  

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Sheynoa Mata’afa serves as the TRIO Student Support Services First Generation & Peer Advisor Program Coordinator at the University of Montana Western, where she is also a proud alumna. Originally from Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i, she is a third-generation graduate of Kahuku High and Intermediate School. She later returned to teach 8th grade English there for six years, an experience that became the foundation of her career in education.

After moving back to Montana with her husband and five children, Sheynoa found new purpose in higher education. Since joining UM Western, she has found great fulfillment in mentoring students, helping them navigate their academic journeys, and building community on campus.

Sheynoa was invited to join the American Indian and Minority Achievement (AIMA) committee shortly after being hired, an opportunity that deepened her passion for learning about students’ stories and supporting their success. Now as a member of the AIMA Council, she is excited to continue advocating for students, celebrating their heritages and experience, and creating spaces where all students feel valued and seen.

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Sunny Day Real Bird serves as the Director of American Indian Outreach at Montana State University Billings. Sunny is an enrolled member of the Apsaalooke Crow Nation and a Gros Ventre descendant.

She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Montana State University Bozeman, a master’s in education curriculum and teaching secondary education in mathematics from the University of Oregon in Eugene, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a mathematics minor from Montana State University Billings.

Before her position at MSU Billings, she worked as Middle School Math Teacher at Ronan Middle School and also served as the Director of Indian Education for the Ronan School District. Sunny has strong background in data-driven education and consulting to make policy and funding recommendations to improve Native students retention and performance. During her years in the K-12 system, she’s been selected as “Educator of the Year” by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai’s Education Committee and was recently selected as the 2022 University of Oregon Sapsik’ʷałá Outstanding Community Service Award.

Sunny enjoys spending time with her son and daughter and traveling to visit family. 

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