About Our
Board of Directors & Staff

SARAH BLECHTA | Chair | Elected 2022 Second Term
(current term 2022-2026)

Sarah moved to Big Sky as an elementary school child in 1991 and spent her childhood calling Big Sky home. After earning her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota in 2007 she returned to Big Sky to begin her career and her family. Sarah worked in the hospitality and property management industry with Big Sky Resort and is now the Director of Property Owners Associations for Yellowstone Club. Sarah and her family enjoy spending time at the lake, biking to town center activities, and hitting the slopes. She looks forward to helping continue to shape Big Sky as a sustainable community for all who make it home and the visitors who seek it out.

Ciara Wolfe | Vice Chair | Elected 2020 Second Term
(current term 2020-2024)

Ciara is an Oregon native, Bobcat Alumna and now with over a decade and a half of Montana roots she holds a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University, Bachelor’s Degree in Earth Science from Montana State University, an Organizational Leadership Certification, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive. Wolfe’s extensive and diverse non-profit leadership roles include 15 years in the sector with multiple organizations including Big Sky Community Organization.

Ciara along with her husband, two children, and two dogs reside in Big Sky Montana where they appreciate the incredible assets of the Big Sky community including the trails, mountains, rivers and people on a daily basis! If you run into Ciara in town, on the trail please stop to introduce yourself and share your dreams and ideas for the Big Sky community.

STEVE JOHNSON | Secretary & Treasurer | Elected 2022 Second Term
(current term 2022-2026)

Steve and his family started visiting Big Sky in the early 1990’s, and enjoyed a vacation property here for several years. He retired full time to Big Sky in 2001, following a career with Accenture. After settling in and building a home, he became actively engaged in the community, serving as a volunteer with Big Sky Fire, Big Sky Search and Rescue, and the Big Sky Volunteer Ski Patrol. He was also very active with BSCO as a trails volunteer and board member. Steve has stepped back somewhat from these roles, but remains involved as a member of the Gallatin Canyon/Big Sky Zoning Advisory Committee, and a trustee of the Big Sky Trails, Recreation and Parks District. Over the past four years he has been involved with collaborative efforts focused on the future of Custer Gallatin National Forest lands, and the Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area. He is an avid fly fisherman, and has volunteered with Warriors and Quiet Waters in Bozeman for many years as a fly tying instructor. Steve and his wife Jeanne have four children and six grandchildren, all living in the west.

KEVIN GERMAIN | Director | Elected 2020 Second Term
(current term 2020-2024)

Kevin has worked in planning and development in Big Sky for more than 12 years, the majority of the time for Moonlight Basin, and most recently for Lone Mountain Land Company. His family became full-time Big Sky residents in 2014 when they moved from Ennis, MT. He has three children that are students in the Big Sky School District. Kevin is an avid outdoorsman who loves skiing, hunting, fly fishing, trail running and mountain biking.

Grace Young | Director | Elected 2020 First Term
(current term 2020-2024)

Originally from Virginia, Grace moved to Big Sky with her husband in 2002. Throughout her tenure in Big Sky, Grace has worn many hats; she has worked in childcare, in the retail and service industries, as a licensed real estate assistant and an office manager/bookkeeper. Recently Grace transitioned to a full-time role helping to run Mt. Everest Snow Removal, a business her husband started in 2017. Grace has always sought out community engagement and is a supporter of several local nonprofits including Morningstar Learning Center, Ophir School and BSCO. She was a founding board member of Women In Action (now Wellness In Action) and served 9 years on the board. As a Big Sky resident for over 20 years, Grace has developed a keen sense of the community, the nonprofit organizations and the people who are fortunate enough to call Big Sky home. This serves as a solid foundation for decision making on the Resort Tax Board. She looks forward to serving this community more in the future.

Former Board of Advisors Appointed by the County Commissions in 1992:

• Michael Richards
• Carol Collins
• Richard Wambsgans
• Becky Pape
• Taylor Middleton
• Dave Traylor
• Lindy Adelmann
• Bob Biggerstaff

Daniel Bierschwale, Executive Director

daniel@resorttax.org

With over a decade of partnership experience, Daniel has fostered public, private, and nonprofit collaborations in communities throughout Greater Yellowstone. He decided to make Big Sky country home during a season working in Yellowstone National Park and moved to Montana in 2007 after earning his M.A. in Organizational Management from Concordia. Daniel has a proven track record of stewarding community impact that ranges from grassroots efforts to nationally recognized projects. At the heart of these efforts he hopes to leave a lasting impact in preserving the heritage of Montana and it’s communities. If he isn’t fishing one of Montana’s famed blue ribbon streams you can find him in the mountains with friends and family or on the porch pickin’ bluegrass.

Kristin Drain, Finance & Compliance Manager

kristin@resorttax.org

Kristin is a native of Woodinville, Washington. After working in the San Juan Islands for nearly a decade, she moved to Big Sky in 2010.  Following seven years in the banking industry, Kristin accepted the first full time position for the District in November 2017. She is passionate about giving back, volunteering her time for the Alzheimer’s Association and Alliance of Therapy Dogs, alongside her dog Birdie. In her free time Kristin enjoys traveling with her husband Tim, playing golf, and spending time with her dogs Birdie & Trixie. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve the Board of Directors and the community as a whole.

Jenny Muscat, Deputy Director

jenny@resorttax.org

Jenny is a Big Sky native and is passionate about the community she grew up in. After completing a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montana in 2013 she moved back to Big Sky to be closer to her family. Her career in Big Sky started in the hospitality industry, and then in 2019, Jenny joined the BSRAD team. Her favorite part of being on the team is learning more about all the great work partners are doing to make Big Sky a better place. In her free time, she enjoys exploring and adventuring in the surrounding areas, hiking the local trails, fishing on a nearby lake, or bird hunting in the fall with her dogs Huck and Frankie.

Tammy Estensen, Communications and Community Engagement Manager

tammy@resorttax.org

With roots in the Midwest, Tammy moved to Montana in 2007 with her husband JC and sons Christian and Gunnar. Although she is the worst alpine skier in the Estensen family, she is still passionate about Big Sky and the many things the area has to offer. She has been involved with various local organizations throughout the years.

Tammy spent the majority of her career working at Minneapolis advertising agencies on national accounts in the hospitality, airlines and packaged goods industries. After years in media and account management, she transitioned into communications for nonprofit organizations. She and her dog, Tripp, are the newest members to the Resort Tax team.

Sara Huger-Carroll, Office Manager

sara@resorttax.org

A Big Sky resident for over 10 years, Sara moved to Big Sky Montana after spending 3 summers in Yellowstone National Park. She’s excited to be a part of the Resort Tax team and become more engaged in the community. Sara spends her free time hiking, camping, and adventuring with her husband Mack and their dogs Chevy & Scout.