About
OUR MISSION
Hi-Line's Help for Abused Spouses is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to eliminating personal and societal violence by providing immediate crisis intervention and continued support for victims of domestic, sexual violence and child abuse. We cooperate with existing agencies and organizations to provide services to families experiencing abuse. HLHAS strives to educate the public about prevention and intervention, which we believe is the key to breaking the cycle of violence.
OUR GOALS
To provide alternatives to victims of domestic and sexual violence and child abuse. Coordinate with other service providers in the service area. Create public awareness that domestic and sexual violence and child abuse exist, that the causes are known and services are available. Continue to educate ourselves internally, both as an organization and individually, to all issues surrounding domestic and sexual violence and child abuse.
Hi-Line's Help for Abused Spouses is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to eliminating personal and societal violence by providing immediate crisis intervention and continued support for victims of domestic, sexual violence and child abuse. We cooperate with existing agencies and organizations to provide services to families experiencing abuse. HLHAS strives to educate the public about prevention and intervention, which we believe is the key to breaking the cycle of violence.
OUR GOALS
To provide alternatives to victims of domestic and sexual violence and child abuse. Coordinate with other service providers in the service area. Create public awareness that domestic and sexual violence and child abuse exist, that the causes are known and services are available. Continue to educate ourselves internally, both as an organization and individually, to all issues surrounding domestic and sexual violence and child abuse.
OUR STAFF
CONNIE HUFFMAN
I am the Executive Director of Hi-Line’s Help for Abused Spouses. I have been working with domestic violence and sexual assault victims for over 34 years. I started out as a volunteer, then became Co-Director. In 1994 I was hired as the Executive Director. Besides those duties I also continue to be a victim advocate, legal advocate and child advocate. Our staff is small, so most of the staff are cross-trained. I have attended the Federal Law Enforcement "Train The Trainer" and am a STAR Trainer [Small Town and Rural]. I have been very active in the state coalition and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. I have been in Who's Who of Professional Business Women and received the Soroptomist Women Helping Women Award and was also the recipient of the 2007 Montana Victim Advocate of the Year Award.
DAWN OLIVO
I worked at HLHAS as a victim advocate for 5 years before resigning my position to pursue other life goals. After a 3 year absence, I returned to HLHAS as the office Technical Assistant and Public Relations Manager. Along with advocacy work, I am the web site designer and responsible for all updates and information, as well as responsible for the quarterly newsletter, brochure design, and many other office tasks. I write and submit articles to local newspapers concerning different issues surrounding violence in our homes and society. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 14 years and we have three beautiful children. I recently returned to Conrad to work full time in the office as a Victim Advocate once again.
AUTUMN MILLER
I am the new Office Manager for HLHAS. I grew up in and live in Conrad, MT, and I am a proud mother of two beautiful children, William and Lillian. I graduated from C. M. Russell High School in Great Falls, MT in ‘02. I then went on to become a C.N.A. and I enjoyed working with Alzheimer’s patients for over 6 years. I also had multiple roles in the insurance industry for 6 years. I am thrilled to be a part of the amazing HLHAS team so that I may have the opportunity to help others and give back those in need.
SHOSHANA MUNSON
I attended Northwest University for 1 year (96-97). I got my start in bookkeeping with Jerri J. Henry, CPA in Kelso, WA and had the pleasure of working with her from September 1998 through April 2005. I have been doing bookkeeping for 20 years now and am thankful for the hands-on experience I gained with Jerri. I married my prince charming, Eric, in August 2001. After serving as the youth pastor at Canby Assembly in Oregon, we moved to Chester, Montana to take the senior pastorate position. During our time in Chester, we started our family. We have two daughters and a son. Aisha was born in 2006 and Ellie was born in 2009, Callan, born in 2013. We have since moved back to Washington State so I telecommute weekly and am in the office a few days a quarter.
SAMANTHA RAINVILLE
I am 26 years old. I am married to Ryan Rainville, and we have two amazing kids, Kirsten is 5 and Jayson is 2. We live in Dutton, but I am originally from Idaho. Along with a full-time job, and family life, I am also a full-time student. Right now, I am finishing my AA degree at Great Falls MSU. I will then transfer to Park University to complete my BA and Masters in Psychology. I am a very compassionate person who loves to try and help those who want my help. I have always been the one person that my friends and family have turned to when they need help and or advice, or just someone to simply listen to them. I have many reasons for why I choose psychology as a career and one of them is the desire to help others. One of my best hobbies is cooking, I love to cook, and many people have told me that I should open a restaurant. I am also very good at writing, I write short stories and poems. I enjoy drawing, though I am only mildly good at it. I love to read, camp, and be with my family. One passion that both my husband and I share is our love for motorcycles and we love to get out and ride. Well, this is me pretty much in a nut shell.
CINDY KOENIG
I have some experience working with persons that have been abused from working in the TANF program as a case manager. Some background on me. I was born in Canada and moved to Conrad just over 14 years ago. My husband and I have a farm that keeps me busy when I am not at my full time job. I have one son, who just turned 22 years old and is in the National Guard part-time. I worked at the Pondera Medical Center for 6 years in the nursing home. I then moved on to working at Quality Life Concepts as Day Program Manager for 3 years. I learned a lot working with the elderly and the disabled. Due to budget cuts in the program I decided to take on a new job as case manager with the TANF program, which I was at for 4.5 years. I liked helping individuals but felt that I often was policing people instead of assisting them out of their barriers because of the policies that I had that enforce. I decided to apply for the position of victim advocate to be able to help individuals more fully without a bunch of policies and procedures tying me up. I have only been in this position for a couple of weeks but have been doing online training and have been learning a lot about victims and domestic abuse.
I am the Executive Director of Hi-Line’s Help for Abused Spouses. I have been working with domestic violence and sexual assault victims for over 34 years. I started out as a volunteer, then became Co-Director. In 1994 I was hired as the Executive Director. Besides those duties I also continue to be a victim advocate, legal advocate and child advocate. Our staff is small, so most of the staff are cross-trained. I have attended the Federal Law Enforcement "Train The Trainer" and am a STAR Trainer [Small Town and Rural]. I have been very active in the state coalition and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. I have been in Who's Who of Professional Business Women and received the Soroptomist Women Helping Women Award and was also the recipient of the 2007 Montana Victim Advocate of the Year Award.
DAWN OLIVO
I worked at HLHAS as a victim advocate for 5 years before resigning my position to pursue other life goals. After a 3 year absence, I returned to HLHAS as the office Technical Assistant and Public Relations Manager. Along with advocacy work, I am the web site designer and responsible for all updates and information, as well as responsible for the quarterly newsletter, brochure design, and many other office tasks. I write and submit articles to local newspapers concerning different issues surrounding violence in our homes and society. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 14 years and we have three beautiful children. I recently returned to Conrad to work full time in the office as a Victim Advocate once again.
AUTUMN MILLER
I am the new Office Manager for HLHAS. I grew up in and live in Conrad, MT, and I am a proud mother of two beautiful children, William and Lillian. I graduated from C. M. Russell High School in Great Falls, MT in ‘02. I then went on to become a C.N.A. and I enjoyed working with Alzheimer’s patients for over 6 years. I also had multiple roles in the insurance industry for 6 years. I am thrilled to be a part of the amazing HLHAS team so that I may have the opportunity to help others and give back those in need.
SHOSHANA MUNSON
I attended Northwest University for 1 year (96-97). I got my start in bookkeeping with Jerri J. Henry, CPA in Kelso, WA and had the pleasure of working with her from September 1998 through April 2005. I have been doing bookkeeping for 20 years now and am thankful for the hands-on experience I gained with Jerri. I married my prince charming, Eric, in August 2001. After serving as the youth pastor at Canby Assembly in Oregon, we moved to Chester, Montana to take the senior pastorate position. During our time in Chester, we started our family. We have two daughters and a son. Aisha was born in 2006 and Ellie was born in 2009, Callan, born in 2013. We have since moved back to Washington State so I telecommute weekly and am in the office a few days a quarter.
SAMANTHA RAINVILLE
I am 26 years old. I am married to Ryan Rainville, and we have two amazing kids, Kirsten is 5 and Jayson is 2. We live in Dutton, but I am originally from Idaho. Along with a full-time job, and family life, I am also a full-time student. Right now, I am finishing my AA degree at Great Falls MSU. I will then transfer to Park University to complete my BA and Masters in Psychology. I am a very compassionate person who loves to try and help those who want my help. I have always been the one person that my friends and family have turned to when they need help and or advice, or just someone to simply listen to them. I have many reasons for why I choose psychology as a career and one of them is the desire to help others. One of my best hobbies is cooking, I love to cook, and many people have told me that I should open a restaurant. I am also very good at writing, I write short stories and poems. I enjoy drawing, though I am only mildly good at it. I love to read, camp, and be with my family. One passion that both my husband and I share is our love for motorcycles and we love to get out and ride. Well, this is me pretty much in a nut shell.
CINDY KOENIG
I have some experience working with persons that have been abused from working in the TANF program as a case manager. Some background on me. I was born in Canada and moved to Conrad just over 14 years ago. My husband and I have a farm that keeps me busy when I am not at my full time job. I have one son, who just turned 22 years old and is in the National Guard part-time. I worked at the Pondera Medical Center for 6 years in the nursing home. I then moved on to working at Quality Life Concepts as Day Program Manager for 3 years. I learned a lot working with the elderly and the disabled. Due to budget cuts in the program I decided to take on a new job as case manager with the TANF program, which I was at for 4.5 years. I liked helping individuals but felt that I often was policing people instead of assisting them out of their barriers because of the policies that I had that enforce. I decided to apply for the position of victim advocate to be able to help individuals more fully without a bunch of policies and procedures tying me up. I have only been in this position for a couple of weeks but have been doing online training and have been learning a lot about victims and domestic abuse.