Staff Members

Staff Members

Back to About CARD

Nathanael K.

IT Technician

Nathanael graduated from Eastern Washington University with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2012. He is an IT Technician at CARD and started working with us in January of 2023, but that is not where his skills stop. Nathanael loves working in any area he can to help CARD, including research, writing, and problem solving. He is happy and excited to be able to serve his community with CARD and participate in helping progress research in Asbestos Related Disease. Born and raised in Montana, he grew up in the Troy and Libby area since he was seven. He has a passion for technology and writing. He has many other hobbies including astronomy, photography, and learning just about anything he can get his hands on, to name a few. Nathanael is a proud dog owner and loves spending time with his loyal dog Winnie. He is proud to work with his community and support the research and service CARD provides for our community.

Megan S.

Bookkeeper

Megan was born in Montana and raised in Libby. After graduating from Flathead Valley Community College – Libby branch, she moved to Missoula, MT for a few years and returned home to Libby in 2011. She joined CARD in 2023 as a Bookkeeper and enjoys learning and being part of the CARD Clinic team in her hometown.

Curtis B.

Marketing and Outreach Associate

Curtis is a transplant from Oregon where he spent the first 50 years of his life learning all he could before coming to Montana in fulfillment of a dream he had since 1985 when he first experienced Montana’s wonderful splendor. He joins the CARD staff as of April 2023 in their efforts to help the community he has chosen to live in along with his family who also live here. He brings a variety of skills to the job he has at CARD and looks forward to being able to help others as he can. He is an animal and nature lover as well as an outdoorsman who loves to fish, hike and photograph the beauty he sees in his exploration of his new home in Montana.

Tracy McNew

Executive Director

Tracy became Executive Director of the Center for Asbestos Related Disease after the nonprofit’s founder, Dr. Brad Black, retired from the executive role in 2021. Tracy started working at the clinic after moving to Libby, Montana with her family in 2009. She began in a nursing role and soon moved into management. Her prior experience included both nursing and nonprofit management. Her education includes training as a licensed practical nurse, a bachelor’s degree in biology, and a master’s degree in public administration. In addition, she is actively pursuing CARD’s research goals as a Ph.D. student in epidemiology and public health at the University of Montana. In her role, she manages the overall operations of CARD and ensures that patient care is always CARD’s top priority. She oversees service and program delivery, human resources, organizational compliance, record keeping, financial practices, and performs other administrative duties aligning CARD’s day-to-day operations with its mission and vision.

Dr. Lee Morrissette

Medical Director

Dr. Lee sees established ARD patients as well as new screening patients. She made the move to Libby, Montana in 2019 from Cincinnati, Ohio to join CARD. She was raised in West Virginia and spent 21 years in the military as a flight surgeon and aerospace medicine/ preventative medicine specialist. During those years, Dr. Lee spent much of her time deployed with aviation squadrons to South American, the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. She retired from the Air Force in 2009 as a Colonel, and has since done work throughout the country as well as in New Zealand. She loves to travel and has visited 113 countries and territories. She also enjoys writing stories, cooking, hiking, photography, and spending time with Ollie, her Jack Russel Terrier.

Miles Miller

Certified Physicians Assistant

Miles graduated from St. Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, with a bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant Services, and minor in Surgery and Emergency Medicine. His undergraduate studies were completed at University of Pennsylvania and University of Texas at Austin. Miles has been a resident of Lincoln county since 1992. He has dedicated much of his career to rural primary care in NW Montana. He worked many years with Dr. Black at the original Prompt Care Clinic, right here in Libby, later establishing himself as one of the primary care providers in Eureka, Montana. He joins the CARD clinic after recently serving overseas , as the senior medical provider at the US Embassy in Iraq.

Annamarie Wagner

Front Desk and Long Distance Coordinator

Annamarie was born and raised in the Libby, Montana area. She has worked a number of jobs here and brings a strong medical background to CARD from her last position working as a pharmacy tech. She loves the Libby community and enjoys working with the people who come into our clinic. Annamarie lives with her husband and their two spoiled dogs. She loves to sew, making a wide variety of things from bags to quilts, and she also loves to bake.

Ashley Minor

Respiratory Therapist

Ashley is a Registered Respiratory Therapist at CARD and has been a valued member of the staff since June of 2004. She was born and raised in Libby, Montana and is a graduate of the University of Montana in Missoula. At CARD, Ashley is dedicated to quality care for patients, where she administers pulmonary functioning tests (breathing tests) to the quality that they may be used for diagnosis and research purposes. Ashley is extremely thrilled to be working in her community and is enthusiastic about educating patients on disease management. She is proud to be working at CARD with such an amazing team that shares her same goals.

Vernon Johnson

Respiratory Therapist

Vernon is a Registered Respiratory Therapist at the CARD Clinic. He was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV which is where he also attended PIMA Medical Institute for his respiratory therapist education in 2009. Vern is looking forward to being a part of the team of professionals at CARD where he will assist in administering your pulmonary function test. Vern moved to the Libby area with his family in 2020and is looking forward to learning more about this community that was his wife’s childhood home. Vern enjoys sports, fishing, and has a lifelong love for the Green Bay Packers.

Kerensa Hanley

Clinical Research Associate

Kerensa joined CARD in May of 2011 as a Research Associate/Data Entry Technician. She is responsible for a wide variety of tasks related to healthcare delivery and research projects including: planning and assisting with data collection, consenting patients, extrapolating and verifying information, organizing and entering the data. Kerensa brings compassion and caring, along with a wealth of knowledge and experience to the CARD team.

Serena Pape

Nursing Assistant

Serena graduated from Libby High School in 2007 and joined CARD in 2019. She brought with her several years of management experience as well as experience being a junior emergency medical technician. She started in medical records, but soon took on a more clinic role working directly with patients. She enjoys all aspects of the healthcare environment especially helping her patients. Serena lives with her husband and children and enjoys spending as much quality time with them as possible. Here hobbies include reading, sewing, and crafting.

Rachael Shelmerdine

Patient Accounts Representative

Rachael was happy to join the CARD team in early 2022 taking the position of Patient Accounts Representative. After a twenty-year adventure, she has returned back to the home that she loves in the beautiful Kootenai Valley. During her journey, she attended the University of Montana and graduated with a Medical Reception Certificate. She also traveled throughout Montana and raised three wonderful children. She now enjoys spending time with her four beautiful grandchildren and likes anything and everything that has to do with the outdoors. Rachael is excited to be back in the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains and on the banks of the Kootenai River. In her downtime, she likes to cook, quilt, bike ride, and enjoy floating on the river.

Rhonda LaBelle

Imaging Coordinator

Rhonda started at the CARD Clinic in October of 2013, but has been doing medical transcription for the CARD Clinic doctors’ since 2009 off site. Since Rhonda has worked at the CARD Clinic, she does medical transcription, works as a database entry technician, and medical records assistant. Rhonda feels very privileged to be serving her community as part of the CARD team.

Mark Smith

Data Entry Specialist

Mark, a Registered Respiratory Therapist, has been at CARD since May of 2009 and in Libby since winter of 2006. Before joining CARD, mark gained extensive experience in assisting individuals utilizing home oxygen therapy. He administers pulmonary function tests (breathing tests) and performs many duties related to respiratory medications and oximetry. Mark enjoys the opportunity to work with patients from all walks of life and is committed to providing quality care in his community.

Jody Jones

Data Entry / Maintenance

Jody was born and raised in the Libby area and brings years of work experience from various industries to his position. He works part time and ensures that the CARD Clinic and our grounds are both clean and well-maintained. He enjoys volunteering in the community, cooking, woodworking, and an array of outdoor activities. He also enjoys spending time with has two sons and six grand kids.

Chris Ekstedt

Database Coordinator

Chris joined CARD in June of 2009, as a Data Entry Technician. She is responsible for the organization, entry, accuracy and overall quality assurance of CARD’s database. The database is used not only in delivering screening and healthcare services to patients; it also supports CARD’S research efforts. She conducts exposure interviews and consents patients who are interested in participating in research activities. Chris has an AAS degree in Office Technology and a background in accounting, banking, and library support. As a Libby native, Chris has experienced the effects of asbestos both personally and within the community motivating her to be an integral part of the CARD team in pursuing new treatments to manage asbestos related diseases.

Marcella K.

Research Associate

Marcella is new to the Libby area and joined CARD Clinic in July 2022. As Research Associate her main focus is on assisting the patients with the completion and recording of their paperwork whether it be in person or over the phone. Marcella brings with her 20+ years of experience in the clerical field as well as customer service. In her spare time, she enjoys crafting, DIYs, yard work, walking/hiking but most of all spending time with her son.

Ashley White

Receptionist

Ashley was born and raised in Libby, MT and has lived here her whole life, excluding a little less than a year where she lived in the south for her husband's work. She quickly figured out that there really is no place like home in the mountains. She loves to fish, camp, and hike during the summer but in the winter she would prefer to hide in the house and teach herself new hobbies to pass the time. Ashley was thrilled to start the position at the CARD clinic in 2022 because she loves to learn and was excited to do her part to help the community.