MDA Staff
Linda McCarthy
Linda McCarthy is in her eighth year as the Executive Director of the MDA. She serves on several boards, including the Convention and Visitors Bureau Council and the Mountain West Track Club Board.
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.
Julie Weaver
Julie Weaver is the Assistant Director for the MDA and has been on staff since September 2004. A graduate (2000) of the UM Business Administration program, Julie was a sales manager at Mountain CAD and a marketing representative at ALPS (Attorney Liability Protection Society) prior to coming on board at the MDA.
A native of Rochester, MN, Julie has been a Missoula resident for eight years. Julie and her husband Jeff enjoy summers on their boat, Grizzly football and basketball and spending time with their two fabulous dogs, Murray and Maggie.
Deidre Haggerty
Deidre Haggerty joined us in June 2006 and serves as the Program Director for the MDA. She is a December 2005 graduate of the University of Montana with a double major in Communication Studies and Spanish. Deidre brings great experience to the MDA having previously worked at the Convention and Visitors Bureau in her hometown, Rapid City, SD and the UM Office of Civic Engagement.
Susie Kirkham
Susie Kirkham joined the MDA in October 2007 and provides office and event support. She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., with a major in English Writing and minors in Business and History. Susie grew up in Billings, Mont., and moved to Missoula in the fall of 2006 with her fiancé and two wonderful dogs, Chief and Katie – a chocolate lab and a pound puppy adopted Billings. She enjoys all of the outdoor activities Missoula offers and escaping for weekends in Cooke City as often as she can.
Jennifer Williamson
Jennifer joined us in April 2007 as the MDA Bookkeeper. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English in Tacoma, WA (1993), Jennifer began her accounting career as an accounting technician at the College of Technology - Missoula. She worked throughout the University of Montana network for the next eight years in both accounting and training. Jennifer also works as the financial officer for the Brain Injury Association of Montana.In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband Norman and two children, 6-year-old Paige and 3-year-old Max.
