Kerry O’Connell has lived in Montana for more than 25 years. Her public safety career started in Search and Rescue where she and her border collie search dog partner, Boomer, were certified in tracking and area searches. She moved on to be an emergency manager, grant writer/manager, 911 communication coordinator, and public information officer for local government.

Over nearly 20 years in public safety, Kerry worked as a public information officer or liaison officer for numerous incidents, including wildland fires, floods, plane crashes, significant weather events, and shootings.

She became a manufacturer sales rep in 2018 and represents multiple manufacturers through the Sales Group in Montana, Northern Idaho, and Eastern Washington. She also is affiliated with Rocky Mountain TSG representing manufacturers in multiple states. As with any manufacturer sales rep, she can point customers in the right direction no matter where they are.

In addition to her manufacturer sales rep responsibilities, Kerry is an avid gardener and writes about her gardening successes (and less than successes) as The Negligent Gardener at NegligentGardener.com. She is also ghost writing a memoir with David O. Chung, an Asian American born and raised in Chicago. David’s story depicts his experiences in Vietnam as an Asian in an American uniform, and how they shaped the rest of his life and career. David’s memoirs, “Living with the Face of Enemies,” is scheduled to be published in mid 2023.

Kerry and her husband, John, often partner on representing manufacturers through The Aegis Array, and also partner on Montana Historian Magazine through O’Connell Publishing.