Dakota made his way to Whitefish in 2021 after receiving his M.S. in Geomorphology from the University of Oregon, accepting a job offer at a local business. He was fortunate enough to secure an affordable and stable living situation within Whitefish, but quickly realized this was not the norm. Upon seeing many people being forced out due to high prices, he wanted to get involved in pushing for more affordable housing so that “getting lucky” was not the only living option.

Being a local worker himself, Dakota believes that anyone who works and contributes to Whitefish as a community deserves to be able to reside in it, and not simply those with high incomes. Being a renter and not an owner, the tightness and lack of mobility within the housing market directly affect him on a regular basis. Dakota also serves on the Climate Change Action Plan committee for the city of Whitefish and in his free time enjoys practicing mixed martial arts, hiking, fishing, skiing, and reading a book in a local coffee shop.