The challenges. The variety. The people.

Those are things that Shelby Wetzel says are the best parts of coming to work every day.

“The variety of things I get to do makes me love my job,” she says.

She’s been with the foundation for more than 20 years, helping the organization grow and expand.

The work is full of exciting challenges, she says. And there’s a daily bonus: “I get to associate with amazingly generous people!”

Shelby says that nobody grows up saying, “I want to be a fundraiser.”  But her education in journalism and marketing prepared her to interact well with people in writing and in person.  Throw in her MBA degree and she has the necessary skills to manage the fundraising and financial operations of the foundation.

As a Powell native, Shelby feels connected to the local area and its people.

“I appreciate the significant role Northwest College fills educationally and economically for the region.”

Shelby says her family is “‘at the heart’ of everything I do – holidays when my three kids are home with my husband and me; Sunday night dinners with extended family; making memories in the mountains of Wyoming or on an exotic beach.  Nothing beats being together.”

After family, Shelby is passionate about education, serving the community and helping people.  Her parents, Dave and Diane Bonner, taught her to invest herself in activities that benefit the community and its future.

“I’m so lucky that my work combines many of the things I value dearly,” she says.

When not cooking up a way to help students, she loves to cook for family and friends.

“I also like to eat, so searching for great restaurants wherever I travel makes for entertainment as well,” she says. “And for now, brewing beer is my latest form of cooking fun!”

Cory Ostermiller knows first hand the difference that donors make in the lives of NWC students, and he’s putting that knowledge to work every day as development manager for the foundation.

He grew up in Powell and had “two of the best years of my life” as a student at Northwest College. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Montana State University Billings, he worked for many years in the marketing and advertising world.

“I have enjoyed working and connecting with business people all over the area,” he says.

Northwest College has been one of those connections. Cory and his wife have been a host family for NWC athletics and he has served on the Trapper Booster Club board. 

He says that when the opportunity came to work for the foundation, “I couldn’t pass it up.” His decision to join the foundation team is reinforced daily.

“Every day is unique and challenging,” he says. “To have the opportunity to work with generous people on a daily basis is rewarding. Everyone is dedicated to improving the lives of NWC students.”

Cory is passionate about his work at the college. But his top priority is spending time with his wife and children.

“My family is everything to me. A perfect weekend might be traveling 250 miles across the state of Wyoming to watch one of my kids play sports or perform in a concert. We have a family cabin that we try to spend time at as much as possible, which is challenging!”

Cory has served as a coach in various sports for many years and says, “It has been extremely rewarding to watch the growth of those kids.”

“I also come from a family of educators and I have seen the difference my wife and parents have made in student’s lives. This is another reason I think the NWC Foundation is a perfect fit for me.”

Little known facts about Cory? He’s addicted to fantasy football and attends as many rock concerts as he can. He has a dream to make a trip to Fenway Park in Boston.

“But knowing my family, we will probably end up in Disneyland…again!”

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For Dillon Jeffs, the best part of coming to work is being able to use his accounting knowledge in support of a cause that he believes in. “I enjoy working with a fun and intelligent group of people at the Foundation, and working just down the hall from my wife is a bonus,” he said.
Dillon was born and raised in Powell, and growing up, Northwest College was a place where there always seemed to be something to do; things like plays, concerts, and other fun events. Now as an adult and a financial professional, he still appreciates the College for aforementioned reasons, but also sees it as an important piece of Powell’s economic infrastructure. “The College provides many jobs and workforce training to the community while also providing a spark of positive energy I feel is very important for Powell’s well-being.”

His wife, Kendle, also works at Northwest College and they have two sons, Lincoln and Henry, who are their whole world. “First and foremost, my family is the most important thing in life to me.” He’s also passionate about continuously improving things and solving problems. Dillon’s other areas of interest are music, sports, and finance.

“Something that people might be surprised to know about me is that I love going to concerts, especially rock and heavy metal concerts. I haven’t been to nearly enough of them, but I am hoping that my sons share a similar interest in music and in the future would like to attend some with me,” he noted.

A Powell native, Jill couldn’t resist the opportunity to work at Northwest College and give back to the community that raised her. Through her work at the Foundation, Jill knows that not only is she helping change students’ lives, she’s ensuring the vibrancy of Powell for years to come.

“As a kid, I attended several volleyball and music camps at Northwest and I remember thinking campus was huge! I also remember feeling like there was a bit of magic in this place – a certain something that made everyone want to be here.”

Now, Jill feels lucky to experience that magic every day.

Jill graduated from Black Hills State University with a bachelor’s in business administration as well as a love for the energy of a college campus. With a background in event planning, non-profit development, and web design, Jill enjoys combining her varied experience with her passion for excellent customer service to provide support to Alumni, donors, and friends of Northwest College.  

Jill and her husband, Fred, recently relocated from the Denver area and are thrilled to be raising their two daughters, Alice and Caroline, in a caring, supportive community: “The most important thing we can provide for our daughters is a place to grow up where they can become confident, kind humans and we know that Powell is the place to do that.”

A self-proclaimed plant lady, Jill also enjoys flower arranging, taking her two spoiled dogs, Winnie and Blue for long walks, and watching her daughters participate in whichever activity is in season.

Diedre Asay considers the best part of coming to work each day the variety and the people.

 “It’s very rewarding to be part of a team that directly impacts students’ lives,” she said.

However, Diedre didn’t initially imagine returning to Powell to live and work. An NWC alumna, she first came to Powell as a student to study photography and later go on to work for a variety of photographers in Idaho and Wyoming.

“My time at NWC was a great experience, and I learned so much more than photography skills while I was here.”

During her time at Northwest, she met her husband and many friends, who they still vacation with more than 20 years later. She went on to earn her bachelor’s in business management from the University of Phoenix.

Growing up in a small farming community in southern Idaho, she was involved in 4-H and learned the value of hard work, education, and service at a young age.

Diedre and her husband Brandon stay extra busy on the weekends, too, as the owners of Vali Twin Cinema in Powell.

“A fun fact about us is that we quit our good paying but stressful jobs in Nevada, sold everything, and bought a movie theater here in town,” she said.

When Diedre’s not working at the College or the theater, she enjoys photography, gardening, and spending time outdoors with her husband and two kids.