I like to joke that Montana adopted me… I grew up in Lithuania and while studying International Business at the local University, I was offered a scholarship to attend Montana State University. I accepted, came to Montana, met my future husband, and eventually came to Billings. The Billings community proved to be the most gracious of hosts, and I always felt very welcome here. In my quest to find other Lithuanians, local people kept introducing me to others with “accents” that they thought might be of a Lithuanian background. I eagerly reached out to all those “introductions” to realize most were from all different countries except Lithuania. That was the start of the United Nations of Billings - a group of us from various countries now calling Billings home. One might not realize how diverse Billings is, and truthfully, neither did I until Billings' Mayor had an idea for the Mayor’s World Languages dinner. Our latest event had over 460 attendees, speaking over 60 languages. I am pretty passionate about this community and enjoy helping newcomers adapt. I feel like I owe Billings people for all the warmth and inclusivity when I first moved here, and now I try to pay back to help others see the best in our town.
My husband and our two daughters love to travel both locally and internationally. We also love to show off our town when our friends and family visit worldwide. I am a curious person which lead me to be involved in several organizations in town. One is TedxBillings, an event that brings so much value and growth. As a mom of two daughters, I love helping out with the Junior League of Billings, especially in helping organize the Women’s Leadership Conference. A nomination to participate in Dancing with the Big Sky Stars led me to realize one of my biggest passions: dancing. It didn’t take long to recognize that dancing is so much more than it appears. It is a social and physical activity that is also incredibly useful for mental and cognitive health, among many benefits. Since Ballroom and Latin dance occasions were scarce in Billings, I created a dance group that would allow others to have chances to dance. I currently serve as a President of Yellowstone Ballroom Dance club.
Can’t wait to show you our City!
