Our Approach
We believe that to successfully improve health and safety, we have to transform the way we think about the issues we face, the data we collect, and the people we serve. To do so effectively, we have to create the conditions for ourselves as leaders, co-workers, and community members. This starts by identifying a positive, hopeful spirit for our work, using the best available science to accurately assess our communities’ strengths and needs, creating a responsive, sustainable plan for action, and setting our sights on returns that honor our hopes for our communities and our goals for our own individual development.
our core principles
The Core Principles of the Science of the Positive are: Be Positive, Be Present, Be Perceptive, Be Purposeful, Be Perfected, Be Proactive, Be Passionate, and Be Paradoxical. These Core Principles are foundational to the Science of the Positive Framework and are used regularly in our work with our clients.
Here’s a look at our own organizational Core Principles of the Science of the Positive. We use these to shape our experiences, train our minds, guide our actions, and direct our reflections.
The Montana Institute’s Core Principles
We choose to Be Positive, focused on growing the good.
We choose to Be Present, maintaining curiosity and connection.
We choose to Be Perceptive, honoring both hope and concern.
We choose to Be Purposeful, leaning into Spirit, Science, Action, and Return.
We choose to Be Perfected, practicing inclusivity and humility.
We choose to Be Proactive, seeking effectiveness.
We choose to Be Passionate, leading with heart and humor.
And finally, We choose to Embrace the Paradoxical, growing The Positive to reduce the negative.
Meet our Team
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Jeff Linkenbach
FOUNDING DIRECTOR & RESEARCH SCIENTIST
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Carla Ritz
MANAGING DIRECTOR
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Valerie Roche
DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION & DEVELOPMENT
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Sara Thompson
DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & COMMUNICATIONS
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Becky Franks
SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR
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Jenae Meske
OPERATIONS MANAGER
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Jason Anderson
SENIOR TRAINER
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Stephanie Patton
LEADERSHIP TRAINER
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Ben Tanzer
LEADERSHIP TRAINER
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Heather Schjenken
SENIOR YOUTH TRAINER
Our Services
From 90-minute introductory trainings to five-year in-depth research projects, The Montana Institute’s expert team can help you envision and enact custom solutions that transform community health. We take a spirit-first approach to everything we do, centering your goals, organizational culture, and the positive that already exists in the communities in which you work. Get in touch to find out how we can support your work.