Birthplace: Pocatello, ID
Age at election: 59
Residency: Missoula
Occupation: Director of Research, Sunburst Sensors
Education: BS, Microbiology, Idaho State University
MA, Genetics, Columbia University
PhD, Chemistry, University of California, Davis
Certificate in Sustainability, MIT.
I work for a small Missoula-owned company where I wear many hats. I work with a team of engineers to design, develop, and manufacture environmental sensors, manage the chemistry lab, train new employees and mentor students, and I work with scientists around the world on ocean research. These experiences have given me strong collaborative, problem-solving, and communication skills that will directly transfer to work in the state legislature.
The most important issues facing Montanans are the cost of housing, access to healthcare, and public land access. I will discuss healthcare and public lands here and the cost of housing in Q3.
To help Montanans access healthcare, we need to:
• Keep Montanans on health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid or Medicare
• Consider innovative ways to keep rural healthcare facilities open, such as providing workforce housing, supporting cost of living increases for staff, and getting health insurance to more rural Montanans
• Consider a single payer system or buy-in to Medicaid
Montana state lands should be safeguarded from proposals to sell them for housing or private development, and should be managed for financial returns.
To improve the cost of living I propose these legislative changes:
• Change the income tax structure back to a progressive tax, with no tax on income less than $20,000 and a 15% tax in the wealthiest 1% of Montanans (those earning more than $650,000 per year)
• Provide free breakfast and lunch in public schools
• Reinstate the Farm to School program
• Extend the Best Beginnings childcare scholarship program to pay parents directly for childcare costs, so that the parents can choose to either use the money to pay for childcare or to stay home with their infant and toddler children
• Provide infrastructure grants to developers to build workforce housing, eliminating the need to use TIF/TED revenue that robs schools and emergency services
Montana elections have multiple checks and balances insuring security, including mail-in ballots only for voters who have requested them, having all paper ballots, and checking signatures on mail-in ballots. Additionally, only American citizens can vote, and other states have found that the non-citizen voters are less than 1 in 1000. Increased security and documentation is therefore not necessary and could do more harm than good by rejecting voter registration of US citizens who cannot find the required documentation.
Most Montanans believe that money is out of control in politics. To eliminate corporate influence the state should support the Transparent Election Initiative and any efforts to eliminate corporate donations to elections.
Other Social Media
https://substack.com/@montanaconnections, @monicatranel.bsky.social
Raised in eastern Montana, born in Sheridan Wyoming. Age 60 on election day. Resident of Missoula County. Attorney with three decades of experience working across Montana on various issues. Growing up in eastern Montana and building a career across the state gives me a unique perspective on both the urban and rural challenges facing HD 92. I've spent my career navigating complex systems on behalf of real people that will make me an effective legislator.
The issues I hear most from HD 92 constituents are affordability, healthcare access, and protection of public lands. Montana families are working harder and falling further behind on housing, childcare, and medical costs. I will protect Medicaid expansion, cut red tape blocking access to benefits, and invest in early childhood education. I will oppose any sale or transfer of public lands. I'll prioritize by impact on everyday Montanans, starting with healthcare and economic security.
Montana families need relief now. I will protect Medicaid expansion and reduce the documentation burdens causing eligible Montanans to lose coverage. I support expanding access to affordable childcare, early education, and farm-to-school nutrition programs. On healthcare costs, I favor price transparency requirements and removing barriers to rural telehealth. Economic security starts with keeping people healthy, kids ready to learn, and working families able to afford life in Montana. I also support helping owners of small businesses afford and provide healthcare for themselves and their employees.
Montana's mail ballot system is secure, accessible, and trusted across party lines. I will defend it. I oppose restrictions that make voting harder for eligible Montanans, including limits on ballot collection that disadvantage minority populations, elderly and rural voters. On campaign finance, I support the Montana Plan and the Transparency Election Initiative. I support full disclosure of dark money and state-level donor transparency requirements. Democracy functions best when participation is broad, barriers are low, and the source of political money is public knowledge.
