Melissa Carper, Founder
Growing up in a musical family, Melissa Carper has spent her life forging a path in music. While continuing her work in the music field, Carper is now turning her energy toward another passion: founding a nonprofit organization, Natural State of Being, dedicated to helping those experiencing homelessness and struggling with mental health issues and addiction.
Carper’s inspiration for this mission is deeply personal, rooted in her firsthand experiences with friends and family affected by these challenges. She has witnessed the frustration of navigating a broken system that lacks adequate resources, housing, and support for those in need. Recognizing the urgency of these issues, Carper has committed herself to creating a solution: providing not just homes but fostering a healing community atmosphere deeply connected to nature.
In her own life, Carper has found profound healing through reconnecting with Mother Earth. She believes that integrating nature-based practices - such as outdoor activities and organic farming - with a strong sense of community will be essential in helping individuals regain purpose, resilience, and a will to live.
In 2026, Carper is finding time to bring this vision to life. She has connected with friends across Arkansas to assemble a passionate board of directors equally committed to this mission.
Our Board Members
Jeremiah Sekavec
Growing up in a small rural Arkansas town, Jeremiah was able to recognize the importance of community and how some people sat just outside this social structure. This small town was a hub for retirement and recreation which led Jeremiah to pursue a degree in Therapeutic Recreation from a local State university hoping to help those aging individuals to enjoy their later years. He hopes to bring his many experiences and understanding of others to an already talent filled team to better the lives of those finding themselves just outside their community.
Hannah is a Virgo extraordinaire, self-proclaimed bossy pants, and retired downtown wrangler and small business whisperer currently splitting her precious time between the Ozarks and Rocky Mountains. She has a deep love for mutual aid, putting her money where her mouth is, and community..no matter where one finds it.
Hannah Withers
Jennifer Dolan
Jennifer Dolan is a strategic planning and enterprise risk management professional based in the Arkansas River Valley. With over 15 years of experience in organizational performance, systems improvement, and objective alignment, she has supported complex, mission-driven programs in strengthening resilience and long-term sustainability.
At Natural State of Being, Jennifer applies her expertise in governance, risk-informed decision-making, and structured planning to help build a thoughtful, sustainable community model grounded in land stewardship, creative expression, and human well-being. She brings a disciplined yet compassionate approach to leadership, ensuring that vision is supported by strong foundations, clear objectives, and practical implementation.
Bonnie Montgomery
As a native Arkansan, Bonnie understands the challenges of the mental health services in her home state on a deep and personal level. She is passionate about improving the lives of the people in her beloved Arkansas and wants to shine a light on these issues. Her experience in decades of navigating mental health services in Arkansas for herself and her family make her uniquely attuned to the mission of this organization. She will serve with passion and dedication for fellow Arkansans.
