Wendy Gauntner (Gillette) currently serves as a hospice social worker with Campbell County Home Health and Hospice. She graduated with a Masters of Social Work (MSW) from Arizona State University, and a Masters of Science in Adult Education and Bachelor of Arts in Special and Elementary Education from the University of Wyoming. Born and raised in Canada, she moved to Gillette in 1996 where she began teaching. During her tenure for Campbell County School District, Wendy was selected as a teaching fellow in the National Teacher Policy Institute (NTPI). In recent years, Wendy has taught special education at the elementary level, served as the NE regional liaison for the Wyoming Parent Information Center, and provided statewide workshops in trauma informed care and protective factors for families.
Wendy has served as a board member of several state and local non-profit organizations related to early childhood education, suicide prevention, access to healthcare for under and uninsured individuals, those living with housing and food insecurity, and those at the end of life. Wendy has also served as an associate hospital chaplain and is currently a leader of the Abiders; a group of volunteers who sit with the dying, so they are not alone. Wendy has also facilitated community caregiving and bereavement groups.
Wendy’s Catholic faith and passion for supporting the underserved has been a thread that continues to provide opportunities of growth and humility throughout her life. Through hospice social work and community service, Wendy continues to learn and assess the ever-changing landscapes of our communities and work collaboratively and cooperatively with those who have field expertise.
Wendy and her husband of 25 years, David, have a 21-year-old son who joined their family through adoption in 2003. They are active parishioners at St. Matthews in Gillette. (First Term; 2024)