Big Sky Youth Empowerment names Danica Jamison as new Executive Director
June 1, 2022
Danica Jamison, BYEP’s new Executive Director
BOZEMAN, MT — Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) is thrilled to announce that Danica Jamison has been hired as the organization’s new Executive Director. Jamison has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and will begin her new position on July 11, 2022.
Jamison joins BYEP from Greater Gallatin United Way (GGUW) in Bozeman where she served as the President and CEO for the last eight years. GGUW has supported and addressed human service needs in the community since 1978 through four impact areas: behavioral health and mental well-being, ensuring basic needs are met, child and youth success, and senior stability. As President and CEO, Jamison provided leadership and vision and expanded key community programs such as kidsLINK Afterschool, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and The Resilience Project. Her responsibilities included overseeing operations, fundraising, programming, board relations and business development, as well as managing an annual budget of $1.5 - $2.1 million. GGUW serves Gallatin, Park, Madison and Meagher Counties.
Throughout her career, Jamison has motivated people and organizations toward common goals with a focus on youth empowerment. She is pleased to transition to an organization in which she can focus more wholly on teenagers: “I am passionate about creating opportunities for teens to manifest their highest potential through empowered lives. I am excited to inspire and support a positive, deep, life-changing impact in the lives of teens and those who mentor them. I am absolutely thrilled to serve an organization that gives teens the opportunity to get outdoors and experience adventures as they know, love, and grow themselves within a compassionate and empowering community.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to serve an organization that gives teens the opportunity to get outdoors and experience adventures as they know, love, and grow themselves within a compassionate and empowering community.”
Prior to joining GGUW, Jamison was a MSU Gallatin County 4-H Extension Agent serving over 800 youth in traditional 4-H programs and a grant-funded 4-H mentoring partnership program. She supported 192 volunteers, worked collaboratively with several committees, staff members, and boards, organized events, and managed youth and volunteer participation.
Jamison holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia, and a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Food System from Montana State University in Bozeman. She began her professional path at the Staunton Augusta Art Center in Virginia, and from there built an extensive career in which she successfully built teams to solve community needs, engaged donors and stakeholders, and became diversely skilled in strategic planning, program assessment and implementation and creating budgets.
“The BYEP Board was committed to finding a dedicated, inspiring, and experienced leader for our organization, and in Danica Jamison we have found just that,” shares John DiCola, BYEP’s Board President, who has been serving as BYEP’s Interim Executive Director. “Jamison’s 25 years of experience in business and executive leadership with a diversity of entities ranging from nonprofit organizations, private businesses, and public agencies make her an outstanding choice to lead BYEP into our next chapter. We’re looking forward to working with her, and for her to lead us in this next phase of growth as we continue to build BYEP and its impact on Gallatin Valley’s vulnerable teens.”
Jamison was selected after an extensive, multi-stage national search that evaluated many highly qualified candidates. She lives in Bozeman with her husband, 10-year-old son, and dog. She enjoys hiking, river trips, camping, cross-country skiing, meditation, reading, art, and music-making.
Jamison says: “I see the potential in each teen – no matter how disconnected they feel from others or themselves. I whole-heartedly embrace the mission, core values, and the life-changing work of Big Sky Youth Empowerment. I am immensely delighted to again place my skills at the service of teens, and the staff and volunteer mentors who support teens.”
Big Sky Youth Empowerment (BYEP) is a youth mentorship program with a mission to provide opportunities for vulnerable teenagers in Gallatin Valley to experience success, and become contributing members of our community through group mentorship and experiential adventures. BYEP was founded in 2001 by Pete MacFadyen and has served more than 1000 teens over the last 21 years.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Marie-Luise Klotz, our Marketing and Communications Manager, at marie@byep.org. Thank you!