We are so proud to support Jefferson Elementary School!

Sara L. Eldridge, Chair

Sara is mom to second-grader, Claire, and sixth-grader, William, who is now attending HMS. She and husband, Blake, relocated to Helena from Klamath Falls, Oregon, in 2018 as a lateral job transfer with the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Mission Area. Sara was born and raised in Texas but has since lived in New Mexico, Colorado, and Oregon, which is where William and Claire were born. Sara was JPC Secretary from 2018 to 2020, and has been Chair since 2022.

Rachel Carroll Rivas, Vice Chair

Rachel is a rural civil and human rights strategist, organizer and researcher. Rachel has worked to support inclusive democracy and organize communities to respond to hate activity for over a decade, training hundreds of community leaders across the West. She has served on the boards of conservation organizations and a non-profit law firm. She also has helped manage six successful political races in Montana. Rachel loves spending time dancing, hiking and playing with her children and her husband, Diego, who works on renewable energy policy. Rachel was raised in Central Montana by parents who were public servants and instilled in her a strong moral compass and the value of community engagement. Rachel’s collegiate studies were at North Dakota State, University of Montana, Illinois State and Utah State University. Rachel is the parent of two Jefferson students and she hopes to help JPC raise funds and involve parents to make Jefferson school a welcoming community where all students thrive.

Laura Sankey Keip

Laura Sankey Keip has been a full time, nonpartisan staff attorney for the Montana Legislature for more than a decade, working primarily in the policy areas of education and state-tribal relations. Laura grew up on the south end of Whidbey Island, WA. She earned her BA in economics and political science at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA and her JD at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, OR. Laura is mom to kindergartener Beckett, as well as younger brothers Ronan and Bode, and she looks forward to being part of the Jefferson community and helping all its students shine for many years to come.