Meet your 2018 Board Candidates
President
Alyssa Sorenson
Alyssa works her dream job in the capitol building as a performance auditor for the legislature. A Wyoming native, she graduated from the University of Wyoming with degrees in Anthropology and International Studies, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. In the past, she has worked for the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office, for a consumer advocacy group, and as a recruitment and career services intern with the University of Georgia. She enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, dog walks, reading novels, and volunteering in her free time. She is happy to be involved on the HYP board in order to help other transplants (or replants) find a place in the Helena community, and have some fun along the way.
Vice President
AshLy Tubbs
AshLy Tubbs is a 4th generation Montanan from Billings. She spent her summers as a child in the lakes of Helena and has always considered Helena home. She graduated from the University of Montana in 2013 with a degree in Social Work with minors in Gerontology and Psychology. She has spent the last few years working in public service with diverse populations of people including children, seniors, and those affected by abuse, addiction, and disabilities. AshLy currently works in the Governor’s Office as the Director of Constituent Services. She passionate about social justice and protecting our most vulnerable people and resources.
In 2017, AshLy served on the HYP Board as the Events Co-Chair. In the coming year AshLy would like to be more involved with the Board and is in the running to become Vice President. As a member on HYP board she hopes to expand her perspective, gain valuable experience, and share her skills with Helena Young Professionals. In her personal time, she enjoys sipping tea and reading books with her two young children.
Secretary
Andrew Chanania
I grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Alfred University, where I earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts. I pursued my art career and traveled after graduation. In 2011 I took a job with Montana Department of Commerce managing federal block grants that help communities meet the needs of under-served Montanans. Last fall I restarted my pottery business and started a consulting firm called AC Solutions, LLC. My firm is dedicated to helping Montana's communities serve their low- and moderate-income residents through affordable housing development, infrastructure improvements, and community facility construction.
My interest in a second term as HYP's Secretary is rooted in a desire to actively participate in my community and find new ways to bring people together. Helena is filled with inspiring people who do amazing things and I want to continue develop platforms where we can share our experiences and skills and help each other realize our aspirations. Past events like the 2017 Pal-entines, HYP Voices, and nonprofit networking happy hours promote civic and community engagement while fostering professional development and networking opportunities for members.
Public Relations
Chiranjeevi Allada
I was born and raised in India. My dad was in the Indian Army, so I had the opportunity of travelling, staying and experiencing different cultures, languages, food, people, and religions. I graduated from the Army Institute of Technology in Pune, India in 2007. I moved to Whitefish, MT in April 2013 from India to marry the love of my life. I moved to Helena in November 2013. I work for the State of Montana as a computer application engineer. I am responsible for running payroll for State employees and retirees and maintaining HR information for the State of MT. I love living in MT, and especially enjoy its wonderful natural beauty and excellent outdoor recreation. When I came to MT, I flew for the first time, I fished, hunted, went backpacking, camping, rock climbing, and experienced snow for the first time. I became a US citizen in May 2017, and voted for the first time in Nov 2017. Helena is my home now; my son was born here in Nov 2016 and I want to be part of Helena as much I can. I have done volunteering work for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Rocky Mountain Hospice and Catholic Social Services.
I want to run for the public relations position. One of the challenges that I faced after I moved to Helena was not being able to easily meet and connect with other young professionals, as Montana is less diverse compared to other States. The professionals that I have met who came from outside of the state, especially from India, faced similar challenges. I am confident that my experience of living and working in different countries and interacting with people from different cultures/countries will help in building the young professionals’ network and help HYP in getting more involved in the business community. I am excited to meet and help young professionals who come from outside of the state to build a strong, vibrant and diverse network of professionals. I have always worked on building relationships since childhood, as it was an integral part of army life, college days, and while working both in the public and private sectors. I am optimistic that my ability to adapt and learn will help build deeper relationship between HYP and the business community which is crucial for young professionals to pursue their entrepreneur dreams and ideas. In modern times, social networking and communication is essential for success in business and work. I have been in the software industry for more than a decade and I understand the necessity of social networking and communication as it is part of my daily work.
Membership Outreach
Kelsey Wandke
Kelsey is a native of Helena and graduated from Capital High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Montana and has a Project Management Professional certification with extensive experience in project management, logistics and leadership. She recently returned to Helena after 10 years of service in the United States Army with her most recent duty assignment as a logistics officer at Fort Bragg, N.C. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and child, and either skiing in the winter or kayaking in the summer.
Events
Sara Feilzer
Sara is a Missoula, Montana native who moved to Helena in the summer of 2016 to follow her passion for teaching students of all ages about science. She is the Community Education and Outreach Director for ExplorationWorks, the hands-on Science Center located on the upside of downtown. Sara graduated from the University of Montana in 2015 with a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry and then served a year term of service with the Montana Campus Compact at spectrUM Discovery Area in Missoula as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Animal Wonders and loves spending her free time hiking and exploring the Helena area with her pup Macklin.
Tawnie Gardipee
Originally from Shelby, MT, Tawnie Gardipee moved to Helena recently. Graduating from The University Of Montana with her Bachelors in Communication Studies. She now is working as a contractor for the Montana National Guard Family Programs. Tawnie likes to hike, play volleyball, meet new people, and enjoys going to new events.
Jaime Larese
Jaime is an Idaho native who after years of wanderlust landed in Helena in 2012 as a dietitian for the SOM CareHere clinic but since 2016 has worked at St. Peter's as the Manager of Wellness and Community Outreach. She received her undergraduate from University of Montana in Journalism and a graduate degree from University of Maine in Food Science and Human Nutrition, with an emphasis in dietetics. While her passion is nutrition, Jaime seeks to bring Wellness to the community in all different forms by forming partnerships with other community agencies to propel initiatives forward. In her professional position, she works to form bridges between health systems and community agencies. In her free time, Jaime enjoys all outdoor activities, as well as book club, wine drinking, card-playing, and also volunteer ski patrols at Great Divide.