Laura White
Foundation Board Chair
Laura is the Board Chair for the Immanuel Foundation and is a Certified Wealth Strategist who joined the WhitePeak team to manage retirement plans in Montana and the Western United States. She brings a background from New York Life and MassMutual to helping each of her clients build a well-structured financial plan.
Currently, Laura focuses on educating employees about the benefits available to them in their employer-sponsored retirement plans. Her passion of listening to people and guiding them on the benefits of retirement savings is evident in her interactions with clients.
Laura grew up in Alaska, graduated from Juneau Douglas High School and represented Alaska in the Miss America Pageant. She has a BA in Communications from Alaska Pacific University and also holds a Broadcast Meteorological Certification from Mississippi State University. Before transitioning to wealth management, Laura worked as a television meteorologist for 15 years. She and her husband Bob have one daughter.
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Kirsten Cain Smith
Foundation Board Vice Chair
Kirsten Cain Smith is a fifth-generation Montanan from Helena who has lived in Kalispell for the last fourteen years. She has a degree in English from the University of Montana. Prior to moving to the Flat head Valley, Kirsten and her family lived in Colorado but chose to return to Montana so the kids could experience the happiness of growing up in a small town.
Following graduation from UM, Kirsten worked for Representative Pat Williams of Montana in his Washington, D.C. office. In the private sector she has worked mainly in the field of commercial real estate both in property management and leasing. In San Francisco, she worked for a developer on projects in northern and southern California and in Colorado she worked for a developer in Boulder, based on the Pearl Street Mall. After having three kids in fourteen months, Kirsten left the workforce to raise them.
Kirsten has been very involved in the education system in Kalispell both in the classroom and as a long -time member of the Edgerton Elementary School PTO board. She also served as the 2020 board chair of the Crosstown Craze senior party, which became a virtual event due to COVID 19.
Boating, skiing and snowshoeing are some of the great Montana activities Kirsten enjoys. She and her husband, Mike, have three college-aged children.
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Stan Pine
Foundation Board Treasurer
Stan Pine is a retired CPA and entrepreneur and an active community volunteer. Though he was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas, Stan has lived in the Flathead Valley since 1976.
Before moving to Montana, Stan worked as a CPA in Colorado, first for a major international firm in Denver where he got his start and then in his own practice in Breckenridge. In Kalispell Stan found his passion for the restaurant business. In 1978 he opened the Kalispell Sizzler and added Sizzlers in Missoula and Billings until he sold his Sizzler properties in 2000. During this time he also built stores in Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene under a different franchise. In 1998 he acquired the Qdoba Mexican Grill franchise and built stores in Spokane, Coeur d’ Alene, Moscow, ID and Kalispell.
Since moving to Kalispell in 1976 Stan has been an active community and nonprofit leader. He sat on the board of Hope Pregnancy Ministries from 2008 to 2022 and the board of Kalispell Regional Medical Center (now Logan Health) from 1988 to 1998. For several years he sat on the board of Distant Shores Media, an organization dedicated to establishing Christian radio stations in developing countries. Stan has sat on several other boards over the years. In 2013 he sold all of his restaurants to become a full-time care giver to his wife, Janie of over 50 years who had developed dementia. She lived in the Lodge at Buffalo Hill Terrace for three years before passing. Stan is an active member of Canvas Church and has two children and six grandchildren. Stan has recently remarried. He and Debbie continue to live in Kalispell.
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Kelly Rieke
Foundation Board Secretary
Kelly Rieke is the Vice President and Controller for Glacier Bank in Kalispell, Montana, where she provides financial analysis for the company and guidance for the accounting department. She started her career in accounting with Price Waterhouse in San Diego, California, which taught her the importance of understanding the big picture and looking beyond the numbers to interpret financial data.
As a financial auditor, Kelly gained a wide range of accounting experience, including financial audits of charitable organizations, financial services, defense contracting, technology companies, and sports-industry clients. She has lived in Montana since 1996 and enjoys spending time on the lake in the summer with her family. Kelly is an active member of the community and is involved in local schools, youth sports organizations, and Special Olympics in addition to being on the Board of Directors of Samaritan House. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the University of San Diego, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.
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Debbie Snyder
Foundation Board Member
Debbie Snyder was born and raised in the Flathead Valley and is a longtime member of the local business community. Her connection with Immanuel goes back many years.
Debbie Snyder was born and raised in the Flathead Valley and is a longtime member of the local business community. She started working at Flowers by Hansen in 1994. In 2001, she purchased the business, which she owned and ran until she sold it and retired in 2017. She has served on the board of the Montana Florist Association and Teleflora Big Sky Unit and has held the position of president for both. She was awarded a scholarship to the Teleflora Business Smarts week-long seminar in Oklahoma City. Debbie has been honored by the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and was selected Business Woman of the Year in 2005. She has served on the board of the Kalispell Business Improvement District and the Kalispell Downtown Association. Currently, Debbie is on the board of the Trust Committee at her church, and this is only the latest position she’s held over many years of service to her faith community. Immanuel has always been a part of Debbie’s family. Her family have been longtime members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and have supported the “Lutheran Home” since it's inception. Her grandparents participated in the “1 of 1,000” giving campaign and later, her mother played the piano for the residents. Having had family members at the Lutheran Home, The Retreat, and Buffalo Hill Terrace, Debbie has seen first hand the importance of this community and it's value in the Flathead Valley. She was married to her husband Dan for 36 years before he passed away in 2014.
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Tami Kreitinger
Foundation Board Member
A Montana native, Tami Kreitinger has lived in the Flathead Valley for 18 years. She is a former healthcare administrator and an active community leader and volunteer.
Prior to moving to Kalispell, Tami worked at at large health care organization in Minneapolis, MN, in marketing/research and process improvement leadership roles and finally as the manager of a health insurance preferred provider network.
Since moving back to Montana, Tami has served on several volunteer boards and committees including: Missoula Festival of Trees committee, 2000 (inaugural year); development team for Ronald McDonald House, 2001; Flathead County CASA volunteer, 2004-present; Glacier High School Booster Club Board, 2012-2020 (served as President two years); ALERT Banquet committee 2016-2017; and Kalispell Regional Medical Center volunteer, 2018-2020.
Tami has an undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota and a Master in Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She and her husband live in Lakeside and have two daughters.
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Peter Fusaro
Foundation Board Member
Peter Fusaro, a life-long Montanan, is the Assistant Superintendent for Kalispell School District #5 and the former Director of Trades and Industrial Arts at Flathead Valley Community College.
As the Assistant Superintendent of Schools, he oversees the operation of the school district and supports the superintendent, by working with directors, coordinators, principals, and building staff to build vision, set priorities, and develop long and short-range plans for the day-to-day operation of the school district. He is directly responsible for curriculum, assessment, and instruction for grades 9-12, the district curriculum budget, federal grants, mentoring and induction, adult and traffic education and activity programs.
Prior to his role as Assistant Superintendent, Peter spent 5 years as the Director of Trades and Industrial Arts at Flathead Valley Community where he collaborated with faculty, staff, and students in the development, oversight, and delivery of instruction and related activities in Career and Technical Education areas. Peter has spent 32 years in public education as a technology education teacher, coach, and administrator. From 1997-2017, he was an assistant principal and principal at Flathead High School. Peter grew up in Augusta, MT and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in education at Montana State University. Peter and his wife, Mary, have two children and one grandchild.
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Connie Hitchock
Foundation Board Member
Connie has a background in human resource management and operations management with key leadership roles at Oscar Mayer, Bridgestone/Firestone, and Jack Daniels Distillery. She has taught at Chattanooga State Community College and most recently at Flathead Valley Community College.
Through the years, Connie has worked with high school business organizations as a competition judge, mentored youth/students, led a children’s choir at church, served on the board of a local women’s shelter, volunteered at the library, and served her community in numerous other ways.
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Calvin Pippen
Foundation Board Member
Calvin is the Facilities Director at Flathead Valley Community College.
He has years of expertise in event set-up and logistics and prides himself on knowing what details need to be considered in any given situation. Calvin is willing to jump in and help out anywhere there is a need and is excited to help this board excel.
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Mary Wilkinson
Foundation Board Member
Mary lives in Whitefish and is an Instructor at Santa Barbara City College. She has a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management and a master’s degree in Public Health, Health Education
Mary’s hobbies include gardening, walking, travelling, and reading. She loves to be active and enjoys tennis as well as cross country and downhill skiing.
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Jason Cronk
President and CEO, Immanuel Living
Jason Cronk came to Immanuel Living in May 2013 as Chief Executive Officer. A fourth generation Montanan, he has served as a senior executive of retirement communities for over 25 years.
Jason has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration/Organizational Communications and a Hospital Administration Certificate from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s Certification in Health Care Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a licensed nursing home administrator in Montana.
In addition to being CEO of Immanuel Living, Jason serves on the boards of the Montana Hospital Association, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International - Kalispell Daybreak Rotary, and the United Way of Northwest Montana. He is married with two children.
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Teryn Waldenberg
Immanuel Living CFO
Teryn Waldenberg is the CFO Immanuel Living. Before coming to Immanuel, she held the position Senior Financial Analyst at Kalispell Regional Healthcare, where she managed the budgeting process.
Teryn has experience with many aspects of accounting, including cost accounting and financial reporting as well as payroll and accounts payable. Prior to working at KRH, Teryn worked in the investment and banking industry at Merrill Lynch. She received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with dual emphases in Financial Management and Management from the University of Montana and her Master of Business Administration in Accounting and Healthcare from the University of Mary. Teryn currently serves as president of the board for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She and her husband Matt have two young daughters.
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