About the Missoula Downtown Association (MDA)

The Missoula Downtown Association (MDA) is a not-for-profit membership based organization dedicated to promoting, supporting and enhancing the vitality of downtown Missoula. Created in 1975, the MDA has grown to over 400 business and individual members. Managed by a volunteer board of directors and paid staff, the Missoula Downtown Association works to attract people Downtown through events such as Out to Lunch, Downtown Tonight and the River City Roots Festival; creates visual improvements such as flower baskets and banners; provides a voice for Downtown; builds a sense of community and acts as a clearinghouse and referral service among other things.

MDA Staff

Linda McCarthy


Executive Director
Linda McCarthy is in her 12th year as the Executive Director of the MDA. She also serves on the Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors.

Prior to her appointment with the MDA, McCarthy was a Sports Information Director for UM Grizzly Athletics from 1989-99. She served as media director for a number of events and staffed several USA Track & Field National Championships, including the 1996 Olympic Trials in Atlanta.

McCarthy is a double graduate of The University of Montana, receiving her B.A. in Communication Studies in 1991 and her M.A. in Public Administration in 1999.

Originally from Dupuyer, Mont., Linda is married to Tom Gallagher. They have one daughter, Madelyn and a son, Samuel.

Melanie Brock


Acting Executive Director
Melanie joined the MDA last December and will serve the organization until September of 2013. She comes to the MDA with extensive experience in advocacy, event planning, strategic communications and fundraising. She worked on the successful campaigns of Governor Steve Bullock, Mayor John Engen, and Senator Max Baucus.

Colin Hickey


Marketing and Events Director
Colin is co-owner of HB Enterprises with Molly Bradford; they own Missoulaevents.net and Missoula Indoor Ads. He worked at New West.net from 2006-2009 and has been producing events at the Badlander and the Palace since 2007. He has also worked in the kitchens at Marianne’s at the Wilma, the Dinosaur Café, the Iron Horse, the Old Post Pub, and the Holiday Inn-Downtown at the Park. Colin has produced about 1,500 events Downtown Missoula over the last 10 years. Colin and his wife, Lexie, have a daughter named Sloane and a son named Roman.

Jenny Mueller


Program Director
As Program Director, Jenny is primarily responsible for membership recruitment and retention, event planning and production, and communications outreach. A graduate of Billings Central High School, Mueller earned a B.S. in Hospitality Management from Northern Arizona University and received an M.A. in Linguistics from UM in 2011.

Jenny, a Billings native, moved to Missoula in 2009 to pursue her master’s degree and fell in love with the community that she now has the opportunity to promote and support on a daily basis. Her prior work experience includes national retail, food and beverage, the Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, Montana State University facilities management and Adventure Life. Jenny lives with her boyfriend, Brock Belgarde, and their two dogs, Ruby and Luna.

Robert Giblin


Finance Director
Robert is originally from Boston, MA and moved to Missoula a little over 10 years ago. He has a BA in Accountancy and Finance from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH and is currently working on an MBA degree at UM. He has been the bookkeeper for his brother’s company, JPR Roofing, for about 10 years and previously worked at McLaughlin, Piven & Vogel Securities and the Doubletree Hotel. He has also served as a dog musher and high school calculus teacher. Robert spends his leisure time outdoors and enjoys reading and Boston sports teams.

Julie Walsh


Administrative Coordinator
Julie began her post as the MDA’s administrative assistant after graduating from the University of Montana in May 2012. She is the MDA’s frontline manager, receiving all incoming visits, phone calls and emails. She is primarily responsible for leasing Caras Park, managing the Downtown Boulevard Banner program, the Downtown Gift Card program and the downtown facilities staff among other things. Walsh earned a B.A. in Psychology and is originally from Billings. She is on the Zootown Arts Community Center board of directors, and likes to spend her spare time outdoors.

MDA Board

Todd Frank - President

Todd Frank has owned The Trail Head in Downtown Missoula for 13 years, having managed it for 5 years before buying it. Todd is in his third year as a MDA Board Member and has been active with the Retail Committee throughout his years in Downtown. He chaired the Advocacy committee before taking over as the board president this year. He is most concerned with the long-term health of our community as resources become more scarce. He is a strong advocate of public access to rivers and public lands in general, and is concerned about the over commercialization of publicly owned resources.

Originally from Billings, MT, Todd received his BA in Geology from the University of Montana and served Chair of the Board for the West Central Montana Avalanche Foundation for 5 years. He also is serving his second term on the FWP Citizens Advisory committee for Region 2. Todd has been married to Mary Winninghoff for 25 years and they have 2 kids, Ian and Megan. In his spare time he likes to ski, fly fish, float rivers and watch his kids play soccer.

Brent Campbell - Vice President of Advocacy


Brent is in his sixth year as an MDA Board Member and is the President/CEO of WGM Group, Inc. He has been involved with the MDA for 8 years and helped establish the River City Roots Festival as Missoula’s signature arts and culture event. Brent also serves on the board of the Missoula Economic Partnership, Montana Ambassadors and the Governors Economic Development Advisory Council. He is most concerned with Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Downtown Revitalization.

Brent is originally from Helena, MT and is a 1986 graduate of Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. In his free time Brent enjoys running, hiking, floating, fishing, skiing and recreating Montana style.

Heidi Starrett - Vice President of Marketing and Events

Heidi and her husband, Terry, own Computer Central in Downtown Missoula. She has been a board member since 2011 and has been an MDA member since 2006 and currently serving as chair on the Out Lunch Committee and the Parade of Lights Committee, after serving as an active member for several years on both committees. Heidi also serves on the Business Development Committee.

In the past she has also been an active member of the MDA as a volunteer for Garden City Brew Fest, Winter Brew Fest and MDA Member BBQ. Heidi recognizes the importance of "keeping it local" by attracting locally owned businesses to Downtown, ensuring it stays a diverse and vibrant gathering place for local residents and visitors alike.

Originally from Massachusetts, Heidi and her husband relocated to Missoula in 2004 and opened Computer Central in January of 2005. When not involved in MDA committees & events Heidi dedicates her time and energies to fundraising for the Milltown Garden Patch – a charitable/educational non-profit she co-founded in the spring of 2009. In her free time, she enjoys biking, hiking and boating.

Matt Ellis - Vice President of Master Plan

Matt is the Executive Vice-President for the Missoula Osprey Professional Baseball team and is serving as Vice President of the Master Plan Committee. He has been a partner of the Osprey in Missoula since the team relocated to Missoula in 1999. He also became an owner of the Uptown Diner in 2006. Matt is most concerned with preserving Downtown as a destination. He is active on the Advocacy committee and the Downtown Master Plan committee. In addition, Matt is involved with Rotary and the Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau. Matt was behind the vision of the MSO Hub, along with his father, a visitors' facility promoting events and the Missoula Osprey, as well as serving as a incubator for tourism promotion organizations.

Originally from California, Matt earned his Marketing Degree from Arizona State University. He is married to Shelly, and they have one son Michael. In Matt's spare time he enjoys ice hockey, bowling, spending time with his family and traveling.

Racquel Williams - Vice President of Membership

Racquel is the owner of R2 Destinctive Brand Management and is currently serving as Vice President of Membership. She is in her sixth year of board service and is active on the membership and Annual Barbecue committees. Racquel is also involved with the Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In her spare time, Racquel enjoys getting outside and spending time with her two beautiful daughters.

Rick Eneas - Treasurer

Rick Eneas has been an accountant with Galusha, Higgins and Galusha since 2008.

A native of Polson, Mont., Eneas earned an accounting degree from The University of Montana and an MBA from Gonzaga University. He previously worked as an auditor for the State of Montana. A graduate of Leadership Missoula and a volunteer with United Way, Rick is married to Lynn, who worked at Litigation Abstract in Downtown Missoula.

John Horner - Past President

John is in his fifth year as an MDA board member and is the Vice-President and Commercial Banker at First Interstate Bank. John is on the Advocacy Committee and is also involved with Leadership Missoula as a facilitator and the City Council Subcommittee for Economic Development. He is most concerned with Downtown growth and how to manage it properly.

Originally from Missoula, John is a graduate of Loyola High School and Carroll College. He and his wife Judy with a son, Austin and daughter Rachel. In his spare time John enjoys spending time with family, reading and golfing.

Larry Brehm

Larry is a self-employed architect who, as a member of the Caras Park Improvements Committee, designed a new automatic fabric wall system for the pavilion. A native Californian, Larry graduated from UC Berkeley and owned his own full-service architectural firm in Berkeley from 1974 to 2003. He moved to Missoula having been an annual Montana tourist since 1973 when his wife's twin sister and her family moved to Polson.

Larry is married to Laura, who is the former President/CEO of the University of Montana and currently consults with universities and colleges around the western United States. They have two grown children and one grandson. Larry, a Missoula Sunrise Rotarian, is also a member of the Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium Board and is Chairman of the City Club Missoula Board.

Anders Brooker

Lynda Brown

Dan Cederberg

The longest-standing member of the MDA Board of Directors, Dan Cederberg is an attorney for Cederberg Law Offices, PC. A Missoula resident for more than 30 years, he has maintained his business downtown for close to 30 years and has been a member of the MDA for 23 years. He has been instrumental in the renovation of the Caras Park Pavilion, spearheading the fundraising, managing and marketing of the facility. Cederberg believes the pavilion, downtown retail and parking are some of the most important aspects of Downtown Missoula.

Originally from Havre, MT, Cederberg has a BA in political science and history and a J.D. in Law from The University of Montana. Dan is married to Forey, a teacher at Lolo Middle School, and they have four children: Brad, Jenna, Breland, and Dac. Cederberg enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and he is involved with several youth sports groups in which his children participate. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity in college and continues to play an active role with that organization.

Wade Herbert

Kim Klages-Johns

Kim Klages-Johns is currently the retail manager at the MSO Hub is the former owner of J. Elaine’s Boutique in downtown Missoula, a retail mainstay for over 15 years. Kim has been an active board member for the Missoula Downtown Association and a MDA member since 1998. She is passionate about downtown and feels maintaining and growing a vibrant city center is critical for Missoula’s future.

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA Kim graduated from Texas A&M with a BA in Marketing. Kim has been an active participant in the Bitterroot Ski Resort Task Force, Missoula Panhandling Working Group and the Greater Missoula Master Plan Steering Committee.

Kim has been married to Rick Johns for 12 years. They collectively have 5 children and enjoy the busy-ness they provide. Kim loves spending time at the kid’s school and taking advantage Montana’s beauty.

Diane Lanning

Diane has been actively engaged in the MDA for eleven years, and is currently serving as Past President. Diane has proved to be a valuable asset for a variety of downtown businesses, having worked at the Bon Marche and the Missoula Independent. She is now employed by both St. Patrick Hospital and J. Elaine's Boutique. Diane has been instrumental in the marketing committee and planning the Garden City River Rod Run, MDA Barbeque, MDA Annual Dinner and Parade of Lights as well as volunteering her time to help with River City Roots Festival and Downtown flower baskets. She has been deeply involved in fundraising for the Campaign for Caras Park and the development of the Downtown Foundation, a 501(c)3 focused on grant writing and fundraising for downtown projects. Diane is also involved Relay for Life.

A native of Helena, Diane enjoys spending time with her family, skiing, snowboarding and visiting her property near Townsend.

Scott MacIntyre

Julie McFarland

Julie is an a pharmaceutical sales representative for Forrest Pharmaceuticals and a downtown advocate. Julie has been involved with the MDA for nearly nine years. Julie is in her fifth year as a board member, serves on the River City Roots Festival, Garden City River Rod Run, Marketing and Membership committees. She is also involved with Sunrise Rotary and is most concerned with keeping Downtown as the heart of Missoula, family, environment and a strong, healthy economy.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Julie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Northern Kentucky University with a minor in French and International Politics. Julie is married to Sean and has a three year old daughter, Cameron. She also has six brothers and 3 sisters. In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with family, hiking, jeeping and participating in MCT productions.

Aimee McQuilkin

Aimee serves as Vice President of The Hip Strip Society and on the Leadership Committee for the Montana Small Business Alliance. She is concerned with promoting a sustainable, healthy, and vibrant community. Aimee is also affiliated with the Lowell Elementary School PTA, New Leadership Council, Le Kickball Missoula, Hellgate High School’s Community Mentor Program and the Main Street Alliance.

Originally from Portland, Aimee likes to watch birds, bake bread, fly down mountains on bikes and skis, camp in the woods, read voraciously, garden-eat-read about food, play kickball, and comb garage sales and junk stores for treasures.

Brooke Redpath

Originally from Anaconda, Mont., Brooke Redpath earned a degree in business marketing from The University of Montana and has worked in sales at the Missoulian for the last six years. Primarily serving the downtown community, she was recently promoted to Advertising Director. Redpath has been extremely involved with a variety of community organizations and projects including River City Roots Festival, Team Up Montana, Special Olympics, Graduation Matters, St. Patrick Hospital and the Missoula Art Museum. A Missoula resident for 11 years, Brooke is married to Van Redpath, a native of Great Falls, Mont., who works for Sleep City. In her free time, she engages in golf, yoga, snowboarding and hiking.

Mario Schulzke


Mario is UM's assistant vice president for marketing, overseeing marketing, branding, social media and website development for the University of Montana. He came to UM in January 2013.

Mario spent 10 years managing digital strategy teams at ad agencies WDCW and R2C Group, where he led digital campaigns for clients such as Chase, Vonage, P&G, Alaska Airlines and Philips. He is also the founder of IdeaMensch, a community of entrepreneurs who share stories of bringing their ideas to life. Mario has interviewed over 1,500 entrepreneurs, from the very famous to ones just getting started.

Mario is a first generation immigrant from Germany who came to America as an exchange student at the age of 16, landing on a cattle ranch in Hamilton, MT. He is an Ironman triathlete and a 2002 UM business graduate.

Harry Watkins

Harry is the Owner/General manager of Zip Beverage and has served as Treasurer since 2010. Harry has been active with the MDA for more than ten years and is most concerned with keeping Downtown Missoula financially vibrant. Although born in Havre, Harry was raised in Missoula and Spokane, WA. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Washington State University. Harry is also a member of the Montana Beer and Wine Wholesaler Association.

Harry is married to Kari, has 2 children and enjoys skiing and hanging out at the lake.

Kent Watson

Kent is a professional landscape architect and the Principal of Kent Watson & Associates Landscape Architecture and has served as a MDA board member since 2006. As a designer, he is an advocate for continuing the improvements to Missoula’s Downtown as a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly destination.

Kent is on the board of the Bike Walk Alliance Missoula (BWAM). He is also active with the Sustainable Business Council, Save America's Visual Environment, and the American Society of Landscape Architects. He earned his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from N.C. State University and his Master of Landscape Architecture from UC Berkeley.

A native of Livingston, MT, Kent and his wife Margaret have one daughter, Abby. In his spare time he enjoys skiing, fly fishing, hiking and photography.

Ellen Buchanan - Ex Officio, Missoula Redevelopment Agency

Ellen Buchanan is the director of the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and an ex-officio member of the MDA board. Ellen came to Missoula nine years ago from Johnson City, TN and has been active with the MDA since her arrival. Ellen is most concerned with sustainability, maintaining Downtown vitality, and promoting residential development Downtown. She is the chair of the River City Roots Festival and also chairs the Garden City and Winter Brewfest committees.

Ellen earned her Bachelor degree in Architecture. In addition to her MDA commitments, Ellen serves on the Board of Directors for the Downtown BID of Missoula, and is a member of the Downtown Master Plan Implementation Committee.

She has one son, Jason; a daughter, Keenan; and one granddaughter, Tess. In her free time, Ellen enjoys listening to live music, hiking and camping.

Michael Tree - Ex Officio, Missoula Urban Transportation District

Michael Tree is the General Manager for the Missoula Urban Transportation District, operators of the popular Mountain Line bus service, and an ex-officio member of the MDA Board. His is in his second year with the MDA Board of Directors and is serving on the Downtown Implementation Committee. Michael has an interest in land-use, circulation and transportation options, and parking in the downtown.

Michael is from Porterville, California and earned his BA in Business from Brigham Young University and his MS in Transportation Policy at San Jose State University. He has served as General Manager for two transportation agencies, and most recently as City Manager on the west coast prior to coming to Missoula in 2010. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and is the Stake President for the Missoula Montana Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Anne Guest - Ex Officio, Missoula Parking Commission

Anne is the Director of the Missoula Parking Commission and has been in this position for 20 years. Since 1993, she has served as an ex-officio member of the Missoula Downtown Association Board of Directors. She currently is a member of the Board of Directors for Destination Missoula and the Pacific Intermountain Parking & Transportation Association.

She is also a member of the St. Patrick Hospital & Health Sciences Center Board of Directors and is on the Board for the St. Patrick Hospital Foundation. She is a charter member of the Missoula Sunrise Rotary Club. She served on the Board for the Missoula Symphony Association, was President for two years and remains very involved in their fundraising and marketing activities.

Anne is a native of Missoula, received a BA degree from the University of Washington and has one daughter, Elise, who is a Principal of an elementary school in Portland, Oregon. Anne enjoys a wide variety of outdoor sports, cultural events, travelling and being close to her family and friends.