AWARE is proud to have a highly trained and experienced psychiatric team offering assessments, counseling, education, medication management and support – all across the state.
AWARE strives to provide psychiatry to even the most rural Montana residents through telepsychiatry and video conferencing. We have an unmatched network of mental health professionals.
We are happy to introduce you to our providers below.
Kathryn Brogan, MD – Medical Director
Dr. Kathryn Brogan enthusiastically joined the AWARE team in 2023 as medical director. Dr. Brogan is a medical doctor and double board-certified adult and child/adolescent psychiatrist. In her role as medical director, Dr. Brogan leads the team of medical/psychiatric practitioners at AWARE; collaborates with the rest of the leadership team to ensure high-quality, evidence-based patient care; and advocates for mental healthcare access for Montanans. As a practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Brogan allies with patients and families to create and realize comprehensive, person-centered wellness plans.
Dr. Brogan earned her medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine before completing her Psychiatric Residency at Northwestern University, and her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of Utah. Dr. Brogan was elected as Chief Fellow for the latter portion of her training. She has held former positions as a psychiatrist in various settings for patients of all ages and has held leadership roles including head psychiatrist of an adolescent psychiatric unit.
Dr. Brogan is also involved in the Big Sky Chapter of AACAP and the Montana Psychiatric Association. She is the official delegate for both societies on the state and national level, advocating for Montana patients and families. Dr. Brogan is passionate about teaching the upcoming generation of mental health practitioners and engaging with community members on mental health issues.
Katherine Bugni - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - (DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC)
Katy Bugni earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Montana State University and is Board Certified in Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan. She is a graduate of Carroll College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Katy previously worked with families in mental health and pediatrics, utilizing didactic and family-based approaches. Her expertise includes decades serving individuals with disabilities, later settling in maternal health and pediatrics with management of evidence-based programs emphasizing trauma-informed care. As a practitioner she believes that medication is merely a piece of the wellness puzzle, incorporating therapeutic and holistic health into treatment.
As a mother of four, Katy has a passion for family work, fueled by a desire to empower individuals and their families with knowledge to enhance skills and self-efficacy. Her professional interests include advocacy for inclusion, preventative health, improving access to care, and building on individual strengths. At home, when not attending one of her children’s sporting events, Katy enjoys hiking with her husband and dogs, traveling to warm locations, listening to music, and savoring a good cup of coffee.
 Service Areas: Great Falls, Helena, Missoula
Samantha A. Reed- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC)
Samantha Reed was hired by AWARE in July of 2023 serving as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner for the Bozeman and Belgrade area. Her passion for mental health comes from a home visiting background in which she spent six years working as a public health nurse with infants, children, and adults residing in Gallatin County. It was there that she began to understand the importance of trauma-informed care and the deep need for healing. She has worked with persons of all ages, and from a variety of unique backgrounds, and she believes that all persons deserve a safe and caring space to feel heard.
Her educational background began as a certified nursing assistant and caregiver where she grew a passion for community health. From there, she moved on to attend Montana State University receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2017, a Master’s Degree in Nursing with an emphasis in Clinical Nurse Leadership in 2020, and a Doctorate Degree in Nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in 2023.
She has previously worked in roles caring for individuals, which encompassed working in residential settings, educational settings, and long-term care and assisted living settings. In addition to this, she spent many years having the privilege of raising her five children, which was her greatest accomplishment. On her personal time, Samantha loves to spend it with her husband, children, grandchildren, and golden retriever Florence.
Service Areas: Belgrade, Bozeman, Billings
Jill Buck- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN, PMHNP-BC)
Jill Buck joined AWARE December 2022. She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Post Master’s certificate as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in 2022. Jill has been in Montana since 1994 and is originally from a small town in Pennsylvania.
After graduating from nursing school with an Associate’s Degree as an RN from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Jill and her family moved to Montana to start work as a psychiatric nurse at Montana State Hospital. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and Master’s of Science in Nursing Administration at St. Joseph’s College of Maine.
Prior to becoming a Nurse Practitioner Jill worked in the mental health field as a psychiatric nurse and as a director for the State of Montana in various facilities. She enjoys working with patients and families to provide quality mental health care while providing compassion to those in need of specialized psychiatric services.
In her free time, Jill enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, riding her Harley and enjoying Montana’s great outdoors.
Service Areas: Anaconda, Butte
Susan DePasquale – PACT Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MA, MSN, PMHNP-BC)
Susan DePasquale is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner serving youth and adults in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including telepsychiatry. She completed a Masters of Art in Political Science at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, with a focus on Inuit land claims in the Western Arctic, Masters of Science in Nursing at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington, with a focus in neurogastroenterology as an advanced nurse practitioner, and the Post-Masters of Science in Nursing at the Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, with a focus in psychiatry for all age groups.
She has experience working with small and rural healthcare teams in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada, and in various regions of Montana. She has served on health education and research teams at Virginia Mason Medical Center Digestive and Liver Disease Departments in Seattle, and for online continuing education for nurses, mid-level providers, and pharmacists. When treating clients, she combines her experience on mind and gut health, and seeks to educate clients on concepts of prevention and wellness.
When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends in the beautiful natural wonders of Montana and Vancouver Island, a growing flock of domestic lovebirds, and enjoying the Helena downtown and chocolate at The Parrot Confectionary.
 Service Area: Helena PACT Team
To learn more about AWARE’s psychiatric services or to make a referral, call 406.563.8117 where you will be connected with the provider in your area.