Creating Jobs for Our Sustainable Future: From Ideas to Action 

Northcentral Montana communities have demonstrated the potential to create jobs in the emerging sectors of alternative energy production, resource-efficient infrastructure improvements, and "green" design and construction.

Over the past five years, we have seen the emergence of coordinated public transit, biodiesel production, wind power development, LEED-certified construction, and energy efficient housing retrofits.

Many of these projects were funded with grants or through public-private partnerships, opportunities that we will continue to explore. However, we believe that Northcentral Montana is ready to develop more sustainable capital development and entrepreneurship for the emerging renewable energy industries.

You are invited to join key planners and decision-makers in a hands-on community forum to be sponsored by Northwest Area Foundation, with facilitation from nationally-recognized economic development agency Green For All. Our goal is to identify relevant, realistic strategies and action steps for economic growth in the sustainability sector.

Green For All, with the help of Write Choice Network, will focus on Northcentral Montana's rural context, and will encourage local stakeholders to identify practical projects and businesses that are feasible for this region.

Green For All and the Write Choice Network are prepared to share resources that have helped projects in other regions across the nation to succesfully create and sustain jobs in development sectors such as:

• Energy efficiency improvements for residences and businesses
• Regional energy production (wind, solar, biofuels)
• Sustainable water infrastructure improvements and flood prevention
• Regional food availability
• Waste management
• Public transit development

Speaker Biographies: 

Julie Roberts, Director of State and Local Initiatives, Green For All

Julie is the Director of State and Local Initiatives for Green For All. In overseeing the State and Local Initiatives team, she helps local city leverage resources in business, policy, communications, education and movement building, to create model economies that will inspire the nation. Julie holds a BUS from the University of New Mexico, where she was a Regents Scholar. She also earned a Masters with Distinction in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent at Canterbury, where she was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. 

Monica Niess, Managing Partner, The Write Choice Network

Monica Niess, founder of The Write Choice Network, brings extensive experience in federal proposal development and grants management services to Tribes, health centers, educational institutions, foundations, and non-profit organizations. Ms. Niess has secured approximately $230 million in the last five years for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Urban Indian Health Organization programs. Ms. Niess brings valuable experience building strategic relationships for designing sustainable funding models. In her role, Ms. Niess was responsible for conducting strategic planning with County Health Councils across New Mexico along with over 72 programs statewide.  

Selim Sandoval, Managing Partner, The Write Choice Network

Selim is a social entrepreneur, educator, and community builder who recognizes the power of cooperation and team action. He has served the Southern California area for 20 years, by  dedicating himself to improving community cohesion positive programs that generate jobs and civic pride. Selim founded “Growing Green Energy” – a renewable energy solar installation and green workforce development company, partnered in Ojai Solar Electric (a NABCEP Certified solar installation company), serves as Campaign Manager for Green the Rez Campaign, which provides technical assistance to Native American tribes in the areas of sustainable community, economic development, and is the creator of the very successful Green Jobs program with Venice Youth Build.