Run Wild Missoula Board of Directors

Chad Taylor, President

He / Him / His

January 2020 - December 2025

Chad started running in response to peer pressure. He was singled out by Tony Banovich as the only non-runner in the room during a Missoula Marathon race committee meeting in 2016 and decided that needed to change. He loves the social aspect of running and the inclusive and community-focused mission of Run Wild Missoula.  Chad owns a small business, Taylor Timber, working as a structural engineer designing the framework of buildings.  He spends the rest of his time on the short end of negotiations with his two kids, making new  friends at the  Wednesday Wild Miles group run, and playing bingo at The Thomas Meagher Bar.

Leah Handelman, Vice President

She / Her / Hers

January 2020 - December 2025

Leah’s background was light on running prior to moving back to Montana from Boston. After acquiring a tenacious beagle, running over mountains and through forests was the only way to keep up with his one-track nose. Since then, Leah has found a love of running beyond chasing her hound, and expanded her trail running quiver to add everything from backcountry adventures to 100-mile races. She still enjoys training and racing on the roads and can’t resist a big city marathon, yet none come close to her favorite Missoula Marathon. Originally from Whitefish, Leah attended Boston College before graduating from the University of Montana School of Law. When not training for her next ultra, she is a litigation attorney focusing on insurance coverage, medical malpractice, and construction law with the Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson law firm. As her mileage increases, so does her appreciation for all that goes into our trails’ accessibility, the smooth operation of our races, and the joy running brings to her and the Missoula community.

Candace Reinholdt, Treasurer

She / Her / Hers

January 2022 - December 2027

Candace  Reinholdt was born in Missoula and grew up riding horses and backpacking in the Rattlesnake recreation corridor. In 2012, she decided to take her first ever running class through Run Wild Missoula. Finishing her first 5k was a challenge. But, feeling accomplished, she decided she might like to do a half marathon. In 2014 she completed her first half marathon. This challenge was so rewarding, she decided she might like to do a full marathon. In 2019 she finished the Missoula Marathon and is now considering buying a horse. In all seriousness she is deeply grateful to the Run Wild community for providing the support, training, and the opportunity for her to accomplish something she once felt would be impossible.   When she’s not out running, she enjoys getting out to see her musician husband perform live music in Missoula’s venues.   She also works full time as a Loan Officer for First Security Bank.

Erin Clark, Secretary

She / Her / Hers

January 2020 - December 2025

Erin is never near the front of the pack, but always happy when her feet are moving under her, especially if the ground beneath is a trail new to her. Although Erin ran road half marathons frequently a few decades ago, she now prefers long trail runs in wild places with friends. She’s proud to have been one of the first 10 women to complete a RATBOB and a frequent volunteer at Run Wild Missoula and Runner’s Edge events. Erin is the senior field director for Wild Montana and dedicates her professional time to building advocates for our state’s public lands. She moved to Missoula in 2011 and it was on a run with RWM’s trail running class in the North Hills that she truly began to fall in love with this place and its incredible running community.

Justin Grigg, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2020 - December 2025

Justin grew up in Portland, Oregon, and got his start in running in high school track and cross country. He first moved to Missoula for college at the University of Montana in 1992, traded running for hiking and backpacking, and moved away for work for a few years before returning in 1999. After a hiking injury required time on a treadmill as part of the recovery process, he remembered the enjoyment running brought and soon began participating in local 5Ks and 10Ks. He ran his first marathon, the Missoula Marathon, in 2009 and has since progressed to ultramarathons. Though he prefers trails over roads, he can often be found at Run Wild Missoula’s Last Wednesday Beer Run and occasionally at Tuesday Track. He serves as race director for City to Sky 50K and is a regular volunteer at races around Missoula. After spending nearly 20 years as a journalist in the Northern Rockies, Justin now works in public relations.

Russell LaFontaine, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2022 - December 2027

Russell grew up in Billings, MT where he did his undergraduate work.   Russell went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the University Of Montana School Of Law.   Russell is currently employed as an Assistant State Public Defender at the Missoula Office Of the Public Defender.   Russell also works part time for Grizzly Athletics.   For several years, Russell would just run for cardiovascular exercise.   It wasn’t until the 2011 Missoula Marathon that Russell began registering for races and running competitively.   When Russell is not running, he is usually reading, watching the New England Patriots play football games, sleeping, or working around his 5 bedroom home.   Russell likes to boast that he once looked a Bengal tiger directly in the eyes from less than a foot away and lived to tell about it.

Andy Nelson, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2022 - December 2027

Andy discovered the joy of running in junior high when he joined the cross country team in his hometown of Culbertson, MT. In high school, his team took the Class C State Championship in Missoula and then ran to the “M” for a victory lap. This was an experience that made him fall in love with Missoula in general, where he would later move to after high school to attend college at UM. Over the past decade of living in Missoula, Andy has grown to love running more and more, having participated in the Missoula Marathon, Half Marathon  and numerous Run Wild Missoula races over the years. Andy is the Executive Director of the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center in Missoula.

Dana Bandy, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2022 - December 2027

Dana grew up in Southern California but spent most of his adult life in Ashland, Oregon, where he was a competitive cyclist, coach, and race director for 20 years before he discovered ultramarathon running.   He loved the simplicity and freedom of leaving his house for a run without the complexity of maintaining a fleet of high end bicycles.   Dana moved to Missoula in 2009 and quickly became an active member of the Missoula running community. When he’s not managing his cluster of web servers you’ll find him at most Run Wild Missoula events helping at the finish area with his sidekick canine Ike.

Becky Dettmann, Board Member

She / Her / Hers

January 2024 - December 2029

Becky Dettmann is originally from the great dairy land of Wisconsin. While Becky had never been camping (not even car camping), she decided it was a great idea to go on a volunteer all ladies trail building trip in Montana. The group hiked 7 miles into the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness with a weeks’ worth of clothes and tent in their packs.  It was then she fell in love with Montana and moved out in 2015. It was a year later when she discovered the Run Wild Missoula community and her life has never been the same.  She has met many friends and developed a love for everything running. Becky ran the Missoula Half Marathon in 2016 and then went on to run three more that same year. Her goal is to one day run a marathon and even a crazy 50-mile trail race. Becky is currently a practicing CPA and have been doing taxes for individuals, business, trusts and nonprofits.  In her off time, Becky loves to read and hang out and hike with her dogs – Trevor and Milo, who you can see in the local Missoula book Far-Fetched – a dog’s guide to Missoula, Montana. 

Rodney First Strike, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2024 - December 2029

Oki, Tansi, Amba Wasté. My name is Rod First Strike. I’m from The Blackfeet Reservation, in Browning, MT. I’m Umskapi Pikanii (Southern Blackfoot), my societies are the Greenwood Burner, and the Slickfoot Society, my Nihiiyo (Plains Cree) is from Maskwacis Alberta & My Nakoda (Ft. Peck Assiniboine) Clan is Hudésana (Red Bottom)

Rod spent his adolescent years in Spokane, WA, Great Falls, Browning, and Pigeon Lake Alberta Canada. His teenage years consisted of riding BMX and Wrestling in San Jose California, 408 livin’. In his senior year of high school, he returned home to Browning, reconnecting with family and practicing cultural ways of life. Rod has spent a majority of the last 16 years, raising his two girls, and teaching them the world is a playground. Currently, Rod is a Cultural Teacher working with 855 kids a week in grades K-4. This consists of learning languages of the 16 tribes in and around Montana, sharing creation stories, and descriptive meanings, much like the knowledge keepers he is a descendant of. After avoiding running for many years, he jumped into a local 5K and soon began to love running. He found a thrill of feeding the inner hunter, retracing the footsteps of his ancestors and clarifying his mental health. Rod helped coach his middle school Cross Country team, and was tasked with Recruiting Indigenous runners to participate in the Missoula Marathon, which he completed in 2023! When not teaching or running, Rod travels to Powwows, Dancing as a Prairie Chicken Dancer, sharing the gift of dance with the people. 

Hillary Ogg, Board Member

She / Her / Hers

January 2024 - December 2029

Hillary tried for many years to become a runner…and it finally stuck in 2003.  Running has kept her moving ever since, usually in the middle of the pack. In 2007, she decided to join Run Wild Missoula in order to meet more runners and learn more about the running community in Missoula.  Joining Run Wild led to many friendships, races, volunteer opportunities, a job and now serving on the Board.  
Over the years Hillary has tackled every race distance from 1 mile to marathon, on both roads and trails. When Hillary is not running, she spends her time with her husband and three boys, helping people through the crazy experience of buying or selling a house, skiing, hiking, volunteering and enjoying the amazing community she gets to call home.  

Miles Shuck, Board Member

He / Him / His

January 2024 - December 2029

Miles’ journey to becoming a runner has been a bit haphazard. He ran his first race, The Colfax Half Marathon, in 2013, because his friends asked him–which he forgot about– and then ran only twice before completing the race. Many lessons were learned that day. Since then, Miles has become far better at planning and prepping for races, completing his second-long race– The Missoula Half Marathon– this past summer. It was an affirming experience to be able to run in the non- binary category. Miles is passionate about supporting Run Wild Missoula in its mission to help Montanans of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities to connect to nature and community through movement. Miles works as a UX researcher.