About Butte Spirit Homes

Sean Wisner graduated from the University of Montana in 2010 with a dual Bachelor's degree in Finance and International Business. He received an MS from the University of Colorado Denver in Global Energy Management in 2013 and a second MS in Accounting in 2015. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 2017. Most of his professional experience has been in oil and gas and real estate, though he spent much of 2017 working in the finance department of a nonprofit microfinance bank in Guatemala.

Sean also serves on the board of the Jefferson Valley Community Foundation and as a director of the Wisner Family Foundation. His passion for paying forward the gifts he has received, especially recovery from a substance use disorder, draws him to the cause of Butte SPIRIT Center. Sean loves Butte, America and feels blessed to be a part of it.

After attaining a B.S. in Biology from Butler University in 2012, Demetrius moved to Montana where he spent 6 years working in the nonprofit sector, building momentum in locally resilient food systems and promoting healthy eating habits in schools and healthcare institutions. Funding, building, and implementing programs that serve health is what lights his fire.

His personal recovery from addiction was greatly benefitted by a 3 month stay in sober living in 2015. Since Butte SPIRIT Home became operational, Demetrius has been licensed as a Certified Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialist and serves as Executive Director, bringing his experience with nonprofit program management to the organization.

Thomas Joyce grew up in Butte, Montana and graduated from Butte Central High School, Montana Tech, and the Gonzaga School of Law. He worked as an underground miner and mining engineer before becoming an attorney, practicing law in Butte for over 25 years before retiring. Tom has been in recovery since 1984 and has broad experience working with alcoholics and people suffering from addiction. He believes that if a newly recovering person has an opportunity to participate in a transitional living situation, it can mean the difference between a return to addiction and a chance at a sober life.

Fran Doran is a graduate of Butte Central High School and the University of Montana. She has been a small business owner and community activist. After running two different Butte businesses, Fran retired from retail and has been engaged in volunteerism with community-based organizations including Stodden Park and the Motherlode Theatre. Fran joined the Butte SPIRIT Center Board because of her personal interest in seeing people struggling with substance use find recovery.

Eleanor Combs graduated from Montana State University in 2017 with her Doctorate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. She has worked her entire career in healthcare, focusing on mental health for the last 20+ years. She entered private practice in June 2024 as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

Eleanor provides medication assisted substance use treatment and mental health medication management for the Restoration Program at the Butte Rescue Mission, Hope House Ministries, and Butte SPIRIT Homes. She believes that nobody is immune from addiction and mental health issues, and the more education and support available, the more we can all thrive without stigma or judgment.

Peggy Probasco is an Attorney Emeritus in Butte, having retired from active practice in 2018. She received her undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Montana in 1980 and her Juris Doctorate in 1983. After corporate and private practice, she began work as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

She served as President of the State Bar of Montana (2006-2007) and on the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Committee, which helps attorneys struggling with addiction, depression, and mental illness. Peggy's father was an alcoholic who received treatment support from Union Pacific Railroad in the 1970s, and she was married to an alcoholic who is now sober. She celebrates the sobriety of alcoholics and currently serves on boards including Montana Legal Services Association and the Butte Furniture Bank.

Valerie graduated from Montana Tech in 2014 with an ASN degree and is currently licensed as an RN. In an effort to learn more and contribute to the population affected by substance use disorder she is currently enrolled in a graduate program at Walden University to earn a degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, PMHNP.

Valerie has worked in mental health and corrections in Montana for more than 19 years, including as a case manager for the severely disabling mentally ill population and in-home care. As an Executive Director for an assisted living facility one of her duties was budgeting including tracking the P&L statements which gives her a strong foundation in understanding both clinical and business processes in a healthcare/recovery setting. Valerie is excited to bring these skills to the Butte SPIRIT Homes Board of Directors.

Mary Kay Starin, Esq. is a lifelong advocate for children, families, and individuals navigating complex legal and social systems. After earning a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Gonzaga University, she began her career as an elementary and reading teacher, working with young students in Oregon and Montana. Ms. Starin later earned her law degree, cum laude, from the University of Montana School of Law, where she also contributed to the Montana Law Review.

For more than four decades, Ms. Starin has practiced law in Butte, both as a solo practitioner and as a senior partner in local firms, focusing on personal injury, workers’ compensation, Social Security disability, wills and estates. A significant portion of her career has been dedicated to court-appointed work as an Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem for abused and neglected children, as well as serving on the Butte Family Drug Court team. Her deep commitment to justice, advocacy, and the well-being of vulnerable populations draws her to the mission of the Butte SPIRIT Center and its work supporting recovery, stability, and second chances in the community.