Our Team
Beth Ayers-Executive Director
Beth was born and raised in Billings, MT. She moved to Park City, MT in 2024 with her husband Rex, son Trent, dog Tillie, and cat CeCe. She also has a daughter Cassidy who lives in Washington state. She enjoys walking her dog at the river, eating family dinner and playing board games with her mom, Rex, and Trent every Sunday, watching Blue Bloods, drinking a hot cup of coffee, going to the gym, traveling, attending church, and being with friends.
Raising a child with behavioral health challenges has humbled Beth, strengthened her faith, and taught her to love more deeply. It has given her a greater acceptance and understanding of others, especially those different from herself. The road has not been easy, but the fight has been worth it. It has ignited a passion for behavioral health advocacy and Family Peer Support.
Beth has been working in the field of Family Peer Support since 2017 and contributed to the creation of Certified Family Peer Support in Montana with the passing of HB 76 in 2025. She is excited to lead Family Peers for Hope as they work to strengthen the Family Peer Support workforce, support and empower families, build networks and communities, and advocate for change.
Erin Hoch- Board Vice President
Erin is a mom to an 11yo son with Infantile Pompe disease, ADHD, Anxiety, Executive Functioning Delay. She also has a whole lot of love for living life in the moment. She is neurodivergent and her family is learning new things all the time about adjusting their lives to fit what they need. She also struggle with POTS daily.
She is a wife to the sweetest man who took it all in and never backed out when things got crazy medically. They’ve almost lost their son numerous times, were told he wouldn't make it until age 1 and here they are, still crushing it!
She loves the outdoors, fishing, hunting, adventuring in whatever adapted way they can find to make it possible for their son. She also has a large book addiction, loves to craft, homeschools her son, and loves learning new things. It's been a dream to be part of the changes in Montana to make it fit special needs/ medically complex families needs more and she can't wait to see what the future has in store for us.
Amy Shaffer- Board Member
Amy Shaffer has been a fierce advocate for her now 25-year-old son who has Autism and ADHD. She has learned to now advocate for herself after she struggled for many years because of underlying mental and physical health. At 56, she was also diagnosed with Autism and ADHD.
She and her son have been active in the Special Olympics community for over 15 years, and are active in their church, finding mentors at just the right time.
She has been a Family Peer Support with St. John's United CARES Wraparound program, since April of 2023, and on the Family Peers for Hope board, since November of 2024.
Amy’s uses her experience in healing from trauma , and health issues to help families going through similar issues.
Amy has acted as an advocate and voice by providing public comment during the successful passing of Montana House Bill 76. She hopes her work through Family Peers for Hope can help others find their Joy and Passion
Kayla Myers-Community Outreach Coordinator
Kayla was raised in Northern Nevada, though her heart is closely tied to Montana, where she spent summers and Christmas holidays with family after her parents moved to pursue their teaching degrees. She was able to create lasting memories and a strong sense of connection to her roots with every visit to Montana. She is a devoted mom of two boys, a proud bonus to a little girl, and in a long-standing relationship with Mitch. She brings powerful lived experience as a parent of a child with developmental disabilities, while also navigating her own late-in-life diagnosis and ongoing mental health recovery.
Her journey has been filled with uncertainty, fear, and moments of feeling overwhelmed and alone. She knows what it’s like to watch your child struggle without knowing where to turn and how isolating that can be. These experiences have shaped her into a compassionate, empathetic advocate who offers emotional support to families facing similar challenges.
Through research, persistence, and a deep commitment to her son Bryce’s growth, Kayla has learned to be an empowered, informed parent and now helps others do the same. Becoming a Family Peer Supporter has been transformative, allowing her to find healing through connection and advocacy.
Kayla played a vital role in the certification of Family Peer Support in Montana, served on the Family Peer Support Task Force, and continues to serve as an active member of the BHAC Youth and Family Sub-Committee.
Open-minded, passionate, and grounded, Kayla is committed to making a difference, one family at a time. She’s grateful to use both Bryce’s journey and her own healing to inspire hope and resilience in others.
Kara Green-Board Secretary
Kara Green grew up in North Idaho and has moved around a bit, living in nine different states. She moved back to the area about two years ago. She had missed it very much and wanted to show her daughter all the beauty she experienced as a kid. She has a daughter with special healthcare needs and has been working hard for the last six years to try and figure out how she can best advocate for her. Their journey together has been challenging and profound for Kara. She had no idea her love for her daughter would lead her down a path of research, education, and friendships that would last forever. Her connections with other parents during this time have been amazing. Her daughter and she live with two spectacular Persian cats, they give them lousy haircuts every few months, and love them unconditionally. Advocating for her daughter and other families has been such a great experience.
Theresa Ragsdale- Board Member
Joining the Family Peers for Hope Board is personal for Theresa. As an adoptive parent, she experienced firsthand the gaps in training and resources for families navigating complex needs. She knows how critical strong support systems are because she has lived it, and she is committed to ensuring families don’t feel alone in their journey and have the tools, connections, and hope they need to succeed.
With over a decade of experience in client services, advocacy, and resource navigation, she has guided families through complex situations, fostering informed decisions and building trust through authentic communication. Her background includes leading high-performing teams, facilitating community partnerships, and applying data-driven strategies to create meaningful outcomes.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Business Administration and multiple certifications in resource navigation and program compliance.She looks forward to collaborating with families and partners to strengthen support systems and create lasting impact.
Lynea Gerbasi Wallace- Board President
Lynea is a wife and a mom of two. She grew up in Montana, graduating from Billings West High and going to Montana State University Bozeman and then graduating from Montana State University Billings with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. She has taught in Billings School District as a Special Education Teacher. She is now the Program Manager of The Montana Developmental Assessment Clinic in Billings where she works alongside a team of professionals to help evaluate kids within Montana.
She has two children with neurodevelopmental disabilities including autism and ADHD as well as sensory processing disorder, anxiety, speech and language impairment and apraxia. Because of these higher support needs she has grown her love for supporting families by walking alongside them in this journey. Her goal is to continue building relationships within her community so that everyone on a child’s support team has one main goal; to provide the best wrap-around care for the child and their family.
Karen Graf- Board Treasurer
Karen Graf has had the esteemed opportunity to impact the lives of countless children and adolescents through her dedicated 35+ school nurse career and now alongside school nurses throughout the nation. As the Director of Nursing Education at the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), she plays a pivotal role in enhancing nursing practices within the educational sector. This reach has included providing tools, resources, and educational offerings to practicing school nurses. Currently, she is the Project Director of another five-year CDC cooperative agreement focused on advancing health equity in K-12 education by preventing chronic disease and promoting healthy behaviors. She is the wife of one man for 37+years, 2 adult children (one with special needs and the other with different needs), and one son-in-law. She finds joy in sharing her love for Montana and takes pride in calling it her home!