Three Schools in Ravalli County will hold school board trustee elections, and ballots were sent out on April 17. Election day is May 5. Hamilton, Florence-Carlton and Victor each have three candidates, and all positions are three-year terms.
Hamilton School District candidates are Weston Harmon, Eli Johnson and Marisa Neyenhuis. Victor School District candidates are Steven Fryer, Kendra Hill and Collin Riley. Florence-Carlton School District candidates are Lacy Janes, Bobbie Ketelhut and Virginia Mahn.
The Bitterroot Star reached out to the school election contacts to speak with their respective candidates. Candidates were asked to submit a brief biography to introduce themselves to readers. Any candidate that is not featured did not respond to the inquiry.
Victor
Collin Riley
I am a local business owner and community leader, serving as the owner of Alta Services Inc. and as a Captain with the Victor Volunteer Fire Department. I have been in the fire service since 2010 and a local business owner since 2022, leading crews, training members and responding to emergencies.
As a father, I understand the importance of safe, supportive schools and a strong education system. I am committed to bringing practical leadership, accountability and a focus on students, staff and families to the school board.
Kendra Hill
My name is Kendra Hill, and I have been a part of the Bitterroot Valley for most of my life. I graduated from Darby High School and attended Montana State University for a few years before life brought me back to the valley to be closer to family and raise my child.
I have lived in the Victor community for the past 16 years, and my child has attended Victor School since kindergarten. My family also started a food truck with a focus on providing affordable, family-friendly meals, which reflects my commitment to supporting local families.
Over the past few years, I have volunteered at Victor School and have seen firsthand the impact a strong, supportive school has on students and the community. I decided to run for the school board because I want to continue giving back and be more involved in helping the school succeed.
My main focus is doing what is best for students and teachers and making decisions that benefit them the most. When it comes to budgeting and policies, I believe in researching all options carefully and making thoughtful, responsible decisions to meet the needs of the school.
I sincerely hope to earn your support and your vote.
Hamilton
Weston Harmon
I am running for the Hamilton School District Board because I care deeply about our schools, our students and the future of our community.
My wife, Shenille, and I have lived in Hamilton since 2007, where we are raising our four children. Through our family’s experience in the district, I have seen firsthand the opportunities Hamilton schools provide, from academics and athletics to programs like Science Olympiad, Speech and Debate and hands-on learning experiences that help students grow. Those opportunities have made a lasting impact on my children, and I want to help ensure they remain available for every student.
Professionally, I work as a commercial kitchen contractor, managing large food service construction projects for business and industry clients. My work requires planning, accountability, communication and responsible budgeting; skills that I believe are valuable in serving on the school board.
Service has always been an important part of my life. I come from a family with a strong tradition of community involvement, and as an Eagle Scout I learned the importance of leadership, integrity and giving back. While I have not previously served on the school board, I believe my experience as a parent, business professional and community member gives me a practical perspective and a strong commitment to serving our district well.
I am running because I want to support the students, families, teachers and staff who make Hamilton schools strong. I believe every decision made by the board should put students first, support educators and reflect responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. I also believe trust is built through transparency, listening and consistent follow-through.
My goal is to help build on the strengths of our district, keep our schools moving forward and ensure Hamilton continues to be a place where students have the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.
Marisa Neyenhuis
I grew up in Hamilton and went through all the schools in the district, including Washington and Westview. My class was the first to graduate from the “new” high school and I greatly benefited from the education I received in the Hamilton school system. As the mother of a 7th grader, I have been impressed with the teachers my son has had since moving back to Hamilton in 2020 and the responsiveness of the teachers and administration when we have run into any issues. I have a BA in Psychology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon and am a Co-Owner of Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton.
Though I have not served on the school board before, I do have experience serving on multiple other boards. I served on the Hamilton Planning Board from March 2021 to January 2026. I am currently in my fifth year on the Friends of the Hamilton Schools Foundation (FHSF) board, my fourth year on the Downtown Hamilton Business Improvement District (DHBID) board and my second year on the Hamilton Community Cinema board. Something that concerns me about our current school board is that the teachers in our district are 77% female, but our school board is currently 85% male and will be 100% male if I am not elected. Boards are made stronger through diversity and it’s important to have a broad spectrum of the community represented.
As a local business owner, I know that strong schools support their communities and strong communities support their schools. As a member of the school board, I hope to continue strengthening the relationship between our district and the greater Hamilton community. Having not had experience on serving on the school board before, I’m ready to listen and learn and I look forward to helping make the tough decisions that keep our schools running smoothly.
Eli Johnson
I am a local dentist in Hamilton. I’ve lived here for about 20 years. I enjoy the outdoors and am an avid fly-fisherman, bow hunter, downhill skier and love all the outdoors activities this valley and state provide. I have three daughters. They have all been in the Hamilton School system. My oldest graduated in 2021, my middle daughter graduated 2023 and my youngest is a Senior at Hamilton High. My wife and I have loved the overall experience of raising our children here and have loved the teachers that have helped guide and shape their lives. I am running for school board in an effort to keep those small town relationships, traditional values and wholesome family-centered influence in our public education.
As a Dentist with 20 years of experience in running a private practice, working with the public on a daily basis and working with 12 or more employees, I have spent a lot of time and effort listening to problems and concerns, then thoughtfully trying to resolve those concerns. I feel like my education and training in the healthcare field and direct public contact give me a unique perspective on current issues facing our district. I have been a soccer coach, basketball coach, softball coach, scout leader, youth leader for my church, volunteer lecturer for the high school, have done complimentary dental screenings for both elementary and middle schools, hosted over 30 students from the high school intern program and also worked with the job corps intern program.
The current issues in our district revolve around budget management, special education and public concerns and views on district spending. We are doing our best to give the greatest education experience to our students as well as the greatest work opportunities to our faculty. I want to focus on the quality of our education as well as the safety of the school’s activities. As before I still feel the family is the core structure and needs to be represented and respected. I feel that family influence and teaching in areas or morals, ethics and values are the fundamental basis of development. Over the last three years I believe I have learned a lot on how the school board functions and have become a much bigger asset as a trustee.
Florence-Carlton
Virginia Mahn
Hello, my name is Virginia “Ginny” Mahn. I am a graduate of Florence-Carlton High School and have lived in the Florence community for over 20 years. I have a Bachelors degree in Nursing and Masters in Business Administration (MBA). The Florence district helped shape who I am today, and I am grateful to now be raising my own children here, who attend Florence-Carlton School. I have worked as a nurse in direct patient care and, for the last decade, in administrative and leadership roles. As a nurse manager, I’ve successfully managed various sized departments, up to 100 staff, ranging multiple job roles. I have significant business management experience to include both private sector and government budgeting and accountability. Through my professional experience, I have developed a strong belief in making evidence-based, data-driven decisions. I also believe deeply in listening to the people doing the work every day. In our schools, that means valuing and learning from our teachers, staff and students as the subject matter experts they are. I believe our school should support high academic standards, safe and welcoming environments and open communication with families and staff. If you are interested in learning more about my positions on current school issues, explore my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/share/1EB2T66Wfi/?mibextid=wwXIfr. I appreciate and thank you for the opportunity to serve and represent our community.
Bobbie Ketelhut
I have served on the Florence-Carlton School Board for six years (two terms). I have taken great pride in this volunteer position to support our community, families and the incredible staff of the school. The school is the hub of Florence, and being K-12 has presented a vast array of solutions to need formulated. As a long time business owner and insurance professional, I always have the liability of the school (and your tax dollars) in mind. I am a mother, spouse of a teacher and taxpayer myself, which provides insights to view situations from many lenses and make decisions that benefit the majority. I served through COVID-19, the large construction project and the transition to a four-day school week. I have always stood by a parent’s right to choose what is best for their child and to be informed about what their child is experiencing. I am proudly running for a third term to serve Florence another three years.
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