I am deeply honored that Governor Greg Gianforte selected me to lead the Montana Department of Corrections earlier this year. Given my time in law enforcement and my work with the DOC in my capacity as sheriff of Gallatin County, I bring a knowledge base to the department that will help us move forward and advance the governor’s goals from his Roadmap to the Montana Comeback. 

 

The DOC has an incredibly strong foundation bolstered by its almost 1,500 hard-working, dedicated, professional staff.  From our correctional officers, to our registered nurses, to our data architects, to our probation and parole officers, our focus is public safety and providing offenders under our care with the tools necessary for them to succeed in Montana communities and break the cycle of incarceration. We all play a role in that effort.  

 

Now, is there room for improvement?  There is always room for improvement. Can we be more transparent in our activities?  Yes, and we will. Can we work more effectively through the extraction and analysis of data?  You bet, and we’re working hard to accomplish that.  I look forward to working with the DOC team to take the steps necessary to make the department the best it can be for Montana’s citizens and the offenders under our care.  We are up for the challenge!

 

Director Brian M. Gootkin

 

Director

Director Brian M. Gootkin was appointed by Governor Greg Gianforte to serve as the director of the Montana Department of Corrections in 2021. Director Gootkin comes to the department from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office where he most recently served as sheriff. Also throughout his 27-year tenure with that office, Director Gootkin held positions including patrol deputy, detective with the Missouri River Drug Task Force, jail administrator and undersheriff.

 

Deputy Director

Deputy Director Eric Strauss joined the Montana Department of Corrections as deputy director in 2024. Deputy Director Strauss comes to the department following almost nine years of service as administrator for the Employment Standards Division at the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Prior to his tenure with DLI, he held the position of director of Organizational Excellence at St. Peter’s Hospital. Deputy Director Strauss earned his Master of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Montana.