Relay
MTAP
MTAP Staff
Executive Director
Connie Phelps served as an MTAP Equipment Distribution Specialist before becoming Executive Director. She works with her dedicated staff to brainstorm and implement strategies to educate all Montanans, including those with hearing or speech loss, on how to make and receive Montana Relay calls and apply for assistive telecommunications equipment. In addition to her Executive Director duties, Connie, who received her educational interpreter certification from Front Range College in Colorado, has taught sign language and Deaf culture to the parents and siblings of Deaf children. In 2006, Connie was elected to serve as President of the Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Association (TEDPA), a national association of equipment distribution programs. Originally from Bozeman, Connie and her husband Bill make their home in Helena. They have two sons and nine grandchildren.
Administrative Aide
Susan Sperry graduated from Helena High School and attended the University of Montana and Arizona State University receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees respectively in Music Performance. Susan lost her hearing in June of 2004 which is when she had her initial contact with MTAP. She received her first cochlear implant in December of 2004 and her second in November of 2007. She's thrilled to be part of the MTAP team to provide assistive technologies to Montanans who qualify. Susan spends most of her free time training her three Chesapeake Bay Retriever dogs.
Equipment Specialist
Steve Johnson, a Montana native raised in Westby, travels the state distributing telecommunications equipment to MTAP consumers. Previously, Steve worked for the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind. He received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education and special education endorsement from Montana State University. A true outdoorsman, Steve enjoys camping and hunting. When not out on the road, he spends time at home with his wife and six children enjoying time with them in family games and sports participation. Steve is based out of Great Falls and serves the Eastern part of the state.
Equipment Specialist
Connie Hiett is a Montana native. Born in Butte and raised in Helena where she attended school through her junior year, she moved to Shelby during her senior year. Most recently she worked in Great Falls for the Montana Deaf Services Center and now currently resides in Butte, commuting to Helena until the opportunity to move more permanently presents itself. A single parent to Ryan, 26, and Tearra, 20, Connie became involved in the deaf community because of her daughter Tearra, who was a student at Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB). Tearra currently attends Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Connie says, “I first became aware of MTAP about 17 years ago when we got our first TTY for Tearra. It has been kind of a joke among some of my friends that I would go to work for MTAP when Tearra graduated from high school. That is because I was so impressed with the agency and the work they do. Amazing how our dreams become reality.”
Outreach Coordinator
Leyetta Way is a Montana native raised in Lewistown and graduate of Helena High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. She worked previously for the Montana Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Leyetta is involved as a writer and director of music videos for Music with a Mission, a Helena based music ministry. She has also written and directed several Passion Plays for a Helena congregation. Her husband, Allen, is a Staff Education Specialist for Benefis Hospital in Great Falls and they have four children. Leyetta's goal is to make MTAP as commonly known as possible among Montanans who have contact with the population the program serves.
This page last updated 02/12/08
