Suzanne Bendick - The Stories That Connect Us

Suzanne Bendick - The Stories That Connect Us

Author: Mother Love January 7, 2026 Duration: 24:29
Guest Bio: Suzanne Bendick is the Co-Executive Director, co-founder, and former board member of Roots Family Collaborative, a highly respected and deeply impactful organization she has helped shape over the past nine years. A devoted mother of two, Suzanne is a visionary nonprofit leader known for her thoughtful approach, deep listening, and unwavering commitment to improving community health and wellbeing. Her professional background includes formal training as a Postpartum Doula, Cert...

Based in Montana and hosted by Mother Love, The LIFTS Podcast creates a space where real stories from across the state take center stage. This podcast moves beyond theory, grounding every discussion in the lived experiences of parents, caregivers, health providers, and community advocates. Each conversation is a deep dive into the multifaceted world of raising children, examining how culture, family dynamics, physical fitness, and mental well-being are all interconnected. You’ll hear honest dialogues that tackle the practical challenges and creative solutions involved in supporting young children and their families. The focus is always on amplifying a diverse range of voices to explore how communities can collectively foster healthier, stronger foundations for the next generation. By sharing these personal narratives and bold ideas, the podcast aims to inform, inspire, and connect anyone invested in the future of Montana’s kids. It’s a resource built from genuine community input, reflecting the realities of family life in all its complexity.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The LIFTS Podcast
Podcast Episodes
LIFTS Out Loud: Jake Maher + Callie Triller - Ryan's Journey Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:06
Guest Bios: Episode Details: In this powerful episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman sits down with Callie Trier and Jake Maher to share Ryan’s Journey Home — a story of foster care, recovery, and the power of…
LIFTS Out Loud: Mindy Petranek - Just Showing Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:10
Guest Bio: Mindy Petranek is a fourth-generation rancher in central Montana, where her family has lived and worked the land since 1914. Together with her husband and son, she embraces life “at the end of the road,” findi…
Pamela Ponich - Peer Recovery Doulas in Montana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:28
Episode Description: In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, host Emily Freeman talks with Pam Ponich, Perinatal Program Manager for One Health, about an innovative program changing the face of perinatal support in Montana…
Stephanie Morton, HMHB - New Season, New Name! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:18
Welcome to Season 5 of our podcast (formerly Mother Love, now known as The LIFTS Podcast)! Today we'll chat with HMHB's Executive Director, Stephanie Morton, to discuss the upcoming podcast season, our updated name, and…
Session Voices: Mary Collins - Big Work at the Local Level [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:30
In our final episode of this season's "Session Voices" series, we talk (again) with Mary Collins, of UM's Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development. Mary talks about the many steps left to codify and implem…
Session Voices: Jackie Mohler - Post-Session Engagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:15
In this episode we chat with Jackie Mohler, Executive Director of Family Outreach. Jackie discusses her legislative work on behalf of Montanans living with disabilities, and the ways in which engagement can -- and should…
Session Voices: Dillon Sarb - Storytelling as Community Organizing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:12
In this episode of Session Voices, we speak with Dillon Sarb, a community organizer with Catalyst Montana. Dillon will help us to better understand the role played by community organizers in the political ecosystem, and…