Board of Directors

Ben is a husband to Kim, father to Isaiah, Dominic, Lincoln, coach of many sports, and jack of all trades. He joined Lone Mountain Land Company in 2015 with 12 years’ experience in the construction industry and a Master’s of Architecture from Iowa State University. As Director of Property Management, he oversees all of LMLC’s residential and commercial properties from Big Sky to Four Corners. Since moving to Big Sky, Ben has been actively involved in building community through service on multiple non-profit boards and committees.

Wes Hoecker owns and operates Two Pines Properties in Big Sky with his wife, Alex. Wes is an outdoor enthusiast with a commitment to facilitating community partnerships.

Emily moved to Big Sky in 2014 to take advantage of the incredible outdoor opportunities the area offers. She lives in Big Sky with her husband, Bradley, and their two children, Wesley, who attends Ophir Elementary, and Eleanor, who is a student at Morningstar. Emily serves as the Operations Manager for The Big Sky Chapel and also works as a bookkeeper and administrative assistant for All Saints in Big Sky. She is dedicated to supporting families in the community and sees Morningstar Learning Center as a vital resource for local families.

Marie Goode has lived in Big Sky full time since the fall of 2002 and together with her husband Mark raised their three children here. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and has nearly 15 years of experience in the business side of education. She previously worked as the district clerk at the Big Sky School District for 9 years then for almost 5 years as the business/office manager of Big Sky Discovery Academy. Marie was also a charter member of a local Early Childhood Enrichment Fund Board which was responsible for raising funds and awarding scholarships for early childhood programs. Her passion for education and children led her to serve on the Morningstar Learning Center Board of Directors. She wholeheartedly believes in and supports Morningstar’s mission and vision for the Big Sky community.

Stephanie Kissell grew up in Washington State and moved to Big Sky with her husband in December 2005. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education with an Elementary Education endorsement and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Literacy Specialization. She taught elementary grades at Ophir School for eight years before taking time off to raise her children.  In 2016 she became the Executive Director of Morningstar, however, she desired to serve MLC in a different capacity after the birth of her son.  Becoming a member of the board seemed a logical way to merge her passion for education with service.  She hopes that her background as an educator and as former director of MLC will be an asset to this board and to the children and families of Big Sky.

Maria is originally from Wisconsin but her love for Yellowstone National Park took her to West Yellowstone in 2016 where she worked as a Summer nurse for Community Health Partners. She then took a position in the emergency department at Big Sky Medical Center (BSMC). She has been a part of the Bozeman Health system ever since and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Nursing at BSMC. Maria lives in Big Sky with her husband Todd, and their six-month-old son, Owen. As a parent of an MLC student, she is excited to serve on the MLC board to help support and strengthen MLC’s mission and vision for the Big Sky community.

Alec LaBelle was born and raised in Woodstock, IL 60 miles northwest of Chicago. He graduated college in 2019 with a Civil Engineering degree and minor in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. With nine years of experience in the construction industry he is overseeing commercial construction projects as a Project Manager for Jackson Contractor Group. When Alec has free time you can find him in the Big Sky community taking part in his favorite hobbies which include but aren’t limited to backcountry snowmobiling, fishing, and attempting to become a scratch golfer.