Board of Directors

Paul Tuss
Chair

Paul joined the MAT board in 2017 after years as an avid audience member watching the rest of his family spend time on stage. Paul is the Executive Director of Bear Paw Development Corporation and serves on the Montana University System Board of Regents.

Arleen Rice
Vice Chair

Arlene, a Havre native, joined the board in 2017. She has operated Hi-Line Chemical – a crop consultation business – for the past thirty years. She is married to Ed (manager at Frontline Ag Solutions). Her passions are the environment, family, horses, dogs, antiques and junking, and improving her mind and world each and every day.

Lindsey Kellam
CFO

Lindsey has served on the MAT Board  since 2007. Employed by Scharfe, Kato & Co., Lindsey’s CPA skills are invaluable! Though she originally joined the Board on a temporary basis, she now realizes we aren’t ever letting her go.

Ty Hedalen

Ty joined the MAT Board in December 2014. He has appeared in five main stage MAT productions and also performed in two Reader’s Theatre events. Professionally, Ty is the Director of Native American Development Corporation’s CDFI Fund in Billings. In his free time, he plays racquetball for Team Gearbox based in San Diego, enjoys reading about early NASA space flight programs, and travels great distances for the right concerts. Ty has his BS Finance and MBA from the University of Montana and an MA in Sustainable Energy from Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Carol Reifschneider

Carol, a tenured Professor in Environmental Health Technology, received her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Science at the University of Kansas in 1993 and began her career at Montana State University Northern in 1995, earning full Professorship in 2013. In addition to her teaching excellence, Dr. Reifschneider served as Chair of the College of Education, Arts & Sciences and Nursing from 2005-2010, Co-Chair from 2021-2022, and Interim Dean of the College of Education, Arts & Sciences and Nursing from 2011-2012 and 2014-2018.

 

Staff

Jay Pyette

Executive Director

Jay is the founder of MAT and currently serves as the company’s Executive Artistic Director.  He has directed, designed and/or acted in several hundred productions over the past thirty years.  Jay achieved his M.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Oregon in 1992. Jay currently serves on the Montana Arts Council and is a board member for The Montana Playwrights Network.

Grant Olson

Artistic Director

Dr. Grant Olson started with MAT in 1996 performing in several Shakespeare scenes. Grant was the first vice-president of the MAT board, and helped establish MAT as a nonprofit organization. He received his Masters degree in Text and Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art/King’s College London and his PhD in Drama from Kingston University London in 2015.

Andi Daniel

Marketing and Development Director

Andi has been involved with MAT since 2002 and has been the Marketing Director since 2010. She started acting at 8 years old with Missoula Children’s Theatre, continued to act and assistant direct in high school, and took several undergraduate theatre courses. She has participated in over 25 MAT productions as an actor, director, and techie.

Angela Pratt

Youth Activities Director
Costume Manager

Angela brings years of experience to the MAT stage. She has directed and acted in several shows a year since 2006. Trained heavily in the musical arts, she strives to bring that training to the stage. She has worked with youth in both music and theatre for over 25 years and is the director of Havre High School’s theatre department.

Casey Pratt

Production Manager

Casey has been involved with MAT since 2006. He brings extensive experience in sound and lighting techniques as well as set construction and design. Casey has directed and acted in several MAT shows and provided technical direction for many more.

Tylyn Turner

House Manager
Youth Activities Assistant

Tylyn has been involved with MAT since 2000. She was in the first ever summer youth show that year, and countless others after that. She studied Drama at Kingston University London, The Actors Theatre Los Angeles, receiving her BA in Liberal Studies/Community Service from MSUN. She is a dedicated homeschool mom, passionate about child development and access to the arts. She is delighted to join this team and share her experience and love of storytelling with students in Havre and surrounding areas.