Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Pick-up your badges, register for the conference, register for a tour, or get a question about the conference answered.

Western Star Ballroom

This session will discuss common barriers to ADU development and practical strategies to overcome them. Attendees will walk away understanding how to craft impactful ADU policy that encourages development and fits the unique needs of their community.

Presenter: Megan Harbaugh

Megan is a proud graduate of the University of Montana and has nearly a decade of experience bringing people together and helping communities achieve their goals. As a planner with Community Planning Strategies, she provides a range of community development services to small towns across the West. She is passionate about authentic community engagement, local problem-solving, and empowering communities to take charge of their future.

Presenter: TJ Dlubac, AICP

TJ brings fresh perspectives and out-of-the-box-thinking to communities looking for practical strategies to tackle big problems. His experience as a former public-sector planner and executive has given him the tools to navigate complex projects, and an understanding of how communities are shaped by policy and land use decisions. He is passionate about helping communities envision their long-term goals and offering commonsense strategies to achieve them.

1 CM

Empire Builder Ballroom

From planning to action, this session explores how Butte-Silver Bow, MT is tackling housing challenges. Learn how a 2024 Housing Plan—developed with SCJ Alliance—led to real progress, including hiring a Housing Coordinator. Speakers will share insights on engagement, strategy, and implementation, offering a model for turning thoughtful planning into measurable community change.

Presenter: Aren Murcar, AICP

Aren is a Planner and Project Manager at SCJ Alliance’s Spokane, WA office. He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a bachelor’s in economics in 2013 and later returned for the Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program, graduating in 2019. Aren’s background in economics complements his career in planning and helps him understand the balance between visioning and feasibility- an important piece of making planning projects become reality.

Presenter: Lauren Schubring, AICP

Lauren is a planner based in SCJ Alliance’s Spokane office, where she leads community engagement efforts on a range of planning projects. She played a key role in the Butte-Silver Bow Housing Plan, helping design and implement inclusive public engagement strategies. With a background in nonprofits and supporting people with disabilities, Lauren brings a deep commitment to equity and accessibility that informs all aspects of her work.

Presenter: Julia Crain

Julia Crain is the Planning Director for Butte-Silver Bow, where she leads a wide range of efforts to strengthen community livability, support responsible growth, and guide strategic planning initiatives. Born and raised in Butte, Julia holds a bachelor’s degree in public affairs from Seattle University and a master’s in urban and regional planning from Portland State University. Her work blends technical expertise with a deep-rooted commitment to community, from land use planning and housing st

1 CM

Oriental Room

Assessing potential groundwater impacts during subdivision review requires adequate data for informed decision-making and general knowledge of groundwater systems. This presentation will provide an overview of how groundwater systems function, highlight available groundwater resources and provide perspective on the challenges of reviewing for potential groundwater impacts during subdivision review.

Presenter: Rob Livesay, MS

Planning Director and Floodplain Administrator for Ravalli County with an undergraduate degree in international field geosciences and masters degree is watershed hydrology.

1 CM

Meet at Registration Table

A walking tour of Mount Helena City Park focused on highlighting the parks unique relationship with Montana’s Capital City.

Presenter: Brad Langsather

Brad Langsather has worked for the City of Helena as their Open Lands and Watershed Project Manager since 2008. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Biology from Fort Lewis College, Durango Co. in 1988 and embarked on a career as a professional forester that has spanned over 35 years. Prior to his tenure with the City of Helena, Brad managed forestry programs for the U.S.F.S., Louisiana Pacific Corporation, Smurfit Stone Container Corporation, and Sun Mountain Lumber, Inc.

2.25 CM

Western Star Ballroom

This two-part session begins with a review of UM BBER’s economic outlook, highlighting current trends in employment, industry performance, and demographics in Montana and its sub-regions. The second part evaluates Montana housing demand using the concepts of missing households and structural vacancy rates. We estimate local housing demand-emerging from household formation decisions and changing housing costs— to evaluate long-term shortages and surpluses at the county level across Montana.

Presenter: Jeffrey Michael, PhD

Jeffrey Michael is the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana. Dr. Michael has decades of experience in regional economic forecasting, public policy analysis, and environmental economics, including work on the economic impacts of the Endangered Species Act, climate change, and regulation on land use, infrastructure, property values and employment growth. Dr. Michael has a Ph.D. from NC State, M.S. from Univ. of Maine, and a B.A. from Hamilton Coll.

Presenter: Derek Sheehan, MA

Derek Sheehan is an Economist with BBER at the University of Montana. He specializes in Montana’s labor, industry, and housing markets, with a current focus on small-area housing demand and supply estimation using administrative, survey, and geospatial data. His analysis of state low-income housing program received the Polzin Prize for best paper from the Association of Business and Economic Research. He has an MA in Econ from the University of Montana and a BA in Econ from Virginia Tech.

1 CM

Empire Builder Ballroom

Advocacy is about more than just facts and outcomes, it’s about connection. And storytelling is one of the most powerful advocacy tools planners can use. Stories can open minds, bridge divides, and make the impact of planning feel real to people who may not really know what planning is.

This interactive workshop will help you move beyond process and through data to uncover the human impact that shapes decisions. Explore how to uncover and create stories that resonate with elected officials and decision makers. We’ll break down the essential elements of compelling storytelling, practice tailoring messages, and discover how stories can be integrated into advocacy to increase recall and action.

Presenter: Liz Lang

An advocate for effective creativity, Liz Lang serves as Marketing and Communications Director at American Planning Association, leading marketing communication strategy, customer insight exploration, and content solutions. At APA, Liz is responsible for leading strategic, brand-building efforts for all of APA and its professional institute, AICP. 

Liz has also led state-level training on issue campaign development as well as advocacy communications for influence and persuasion. Tenacious and focused, with an eye for what lies just beneath the surface, Liz is a firm believer that the small things can be big, and one size does not fit all. Liz’s work has been honored with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Addy awards, Telly, Excel, and Communicator awards, and a Most Watched YouTube designation. Using a unique blend of insight, story and culture, Liz translates complexity into narrative—finding opportunity amid challenge. Prior to joining APA, Liz served as Global Chief Marketing Officer for Opportunity International, a nonprofit providing financial services to people living in extreme poverty. There she unified the global brand and forged key partnerships, developing the Opportunity cause marketing partnership program and boosting revenue and reach. Liz has also held leadership positions and developed successful multifaceted campaigns for top brands at major agencies including Havas Worldwide, Young & Rubicam, and boutique firm Translation. 

1 CM

Oriental Room

Join us to discuss planning in Richland County, Montana. After the 2010s oil boom, the county is focusing on steady growth. Learn how a comprehensive, integrated approach—combining planning, engineering, and funding—supports progress. We’ll explore internal and client collaboration, plus strategies for transparency, trust, and inclusive engagement in long range planning and everyday operations. We’ll discuss how this model can guide other communities toward better coordination and outcomes.

Presenter: Rachel Laqua, AICP

Rachel is a professional, certified planner with over a dozen years of high-level planning and project management experience, having served as principal planner for the City of Williston, North Dakota, before beginning a career with Interstate Engineering. She serves as contract Planner for Richland County and Fairview, MT, and her favorite view in Richland County is the sunrise/sunset over fields along the Yellowstone River.

Presenter: Ryan Kopp

Ryan is a lifelong Richland County Resident. He attended Montana Tech in Butte and returned to Richland County to work at Interstate Engineering in Sidney. Ryan has been involved in dozens of projects over the years, helping to improve the quality of life in the community that he and his family live in. He serves on the Sidney Chamber of Commerce and the Fairview School Board. Ryan’s favorite view in Richland County is a growing lentil field with plenty of moisture on his family’s farm.

Presenter: Katie Aitchison

Katie is a communications and engagement professional with 18 years of experience in marketing, event planning, public relations, and community outreach. She brings a strategic approach to public engagement, combining in-person outreach with digital tools to help communities share their stories and shape their futures. She guides meaningful conversations toward measurable results. Katie’s connection to Richland County has grown through stories its residents share and their clear community pride.

1 CM

Empire Builder Ballroom

An overview of APA Ethics cases and outcomes in 2024-2025.

Presenter: Staron Faucher, AICP

1 CM Ethics

Empire Builder Ballroom