Erica Nelson
Co-Founder of REAL Consulting
REAL Consulting
Erica Nelson (she/her) is based in ancestral Ute Territory currently known as Crested Butte, CO. Erica earned a BA in Psychology and Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Sierra Nevada University - Lake Tahoe, where she led and facilitated student outdoor courses and developed curriculum for outdoor programming. Erica is currently a fly fishing guide in the Gunnison Valley and has over 10 years of outdoor guiding and instructing: whitewater, skiing, rock climbing, backpacking, hiking and snowshoeing courses and workshops. She has served as co-chair for the Access and Inclusion Gap Year Association Committee and is the Board Chair for Women’s Wilderness and former Board member for High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA). She is an avid whitewater boater, a NOLS instructor, and ambassador for Brown Folks Fishing (BFF), which cultivates community for people of color in fishing and its industry through a lens of equity, justice, and inclusion. Erica has been featured in The New York Times on her multifaceted background - hospitality management, human resources, marketing, experiential education, corporate leadership and organizational development. In her spare time, Erica hosts the Awkward Angler Podcast, an authentic series talking about social justice, fly fishing, and storytelling with folks in the outdoor industry.
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Co-Founder of REAL Consulting
REAL Consulting
Mirna Valerio
The Mirnavator
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Mirna Valerio is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator, cross-country coach, ultrarunner, obstacle course enthusiast, and author of the recently published memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. Although she began running in high school, she recommitted to the sport after a health scare in 2008. It was then that her love for running and all its attendant benefits were reignited. She soon started her blog Fatgirlrunning, about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner athletes. Mirna's athletic story was featured in the WSJ, Runner’s World, on the NBC Nightly News, CNN, on the CW Network, and in the viral REI-produced documentary short, The Mirnavator. Her writing has been featured in Women’s Running Magazine, Self Magazine Online, Outside Online, and Runner's World Magazine. Most recently, she was chosen as a 2018 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.
https://themirnavator.com
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The Mirnavator
Amanda Nims
Land Protection Specialist
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Amanda Nims joined Colorado Parks and Wildlife in 2017 and is responsible for managing CPW’s two private land conservation programs. Since it was established in 2006, the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program has invested over $180 million to protect almost 300,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat and provide new public access for hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing on 125,000 acres, including over 375 miles of river bank. CPW’s Conservation Easement Stewardship Program oversees the permanent land protection of 300 conservation easements protecting over 475,000 acres across Colorado. Prior to joining CPW, Amanda worked for six years at Colorado Open Lands as their senior project manager, working with diverse partners to complete complex land, water, and public access conservation deals across the state. Before coming to Colorado to protect land and water in the West, her career began in New England, working for The Nature Conservancy of Rhode Island, the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, USDA’s Farm Service Agency, and on her family’s farm in beautiful Western Massachusetts.
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Land Protection Specialist
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Kim Rogers
Real Estate Section Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Kim is an experienced real estate professional and team leader on an EDI journey. Driven by a desire to serve, she focuses on providing creative real estate solutions and positive customer experiences in support of the mission of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). As CPW’s Real Estate Section Manager her goals include preserving diverse habitat in order to ensure healthy sustainable populations and ecosystems, and connecting people to Colorado’s outdoors by broadening the access and variety of recreation opportunities available to Coloradans and visitors. In addition to her primary job functions, Kim has been recognized within CPW for the ability to successfully overcome challenging obstacles, and for her leadership in building and prioritizing a culture of service. Kim is also a licensed attorney and graduate of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville.
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Real Estate Section Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Deborah Price
Board Member
Colorado Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association
Deborah is recently retired from Boulder County Parks & Open Space where she served as Natural History Program Specialist. In this position, she began and coordinated the successful astronomy outreach programs for the county, as well as helped supervise the volunteer naturalist program and helped to create and coordinate natural history programs. She previously worked for the City of Fort Collins as an environmental educator and for the City of Longmont as the volunteer coordinator at Sandstone Ranch. Through all of her jobs, she has been involved in astronomy and protection of the nocturnal environment.
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Board Member
Colorado Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association
Jessica Andersen
Senior Resiliency Planner
City and County of Denver
Jessica Andersen holds a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning and Masters of Public Administration. She is also a Licensed Landscape Architect in Colorado and started her career working as a landscape architect within a private sector Architecture firm. Jessica also worked as a Development Review Planner for the City of Boulder for several years prior to joining Denver Parks and Recreation in 2019 as an Associate Project Manager. Jessica was promoted to Senior Resiliency Planner in 2020. Jessica has a passion for restoring natural open spaces within the urban environment.
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Senior Resiliency Planner
City and County of Denver
Adam Lind
Senior Trails Planner
City and County of Denver
Adam Lind has a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning with a Concentration in Transportation from Virginia Tech. He worked in the DC Metro area as a Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner before moving to Arvada, Colorado to work in the same field. He joined Denver Parks and Recreation as the Senior Trails Planner in 2021 and is passionate about sustainability and active transportation.
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Senior Trails Planner
City and County of Denver
Jonathan Bruno
Chief Executive Officer
Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc
A top--performing CEO credited with millions in awarded grants and program design and delivery. A national leader in wildfire mitigation with strong expertise in environmental policies, forestry management, wildfire and health and safety issues. Highly accomplished in managing multi-million-dollar Federal grants and completing multiple high- -demand projects on a timely basis.
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Chief Executive Officer
Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc
Abby Silver
Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
Boulder County
Abby Silver is a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist with Boulder County’s Community Planning and Permitting department. She has been working with the county’s Wildfire Partners program since its inception in 2014. She has helped well over a thousand homeowners to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities to their land and structures based on current fire science and best practices. Abby has lived through community wildfire and has assisted in post-disaster assessments. She speaks to these experiences with humor and empathy. Abby lives in the foothills west of Boulder with her husband and their ball-obsessed canine companion.
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Wildfire Mitigation Specialist
Boulder County
Dan Zimmerer
Parks and Wildlife Partnership Manager
GOCO
Dan currently serves as the Parks and Wildlife Partnership Manager where he stewards GOCO’s relationship with and investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to pursue shared values in outdoor recreation and conservation. In his previous role, he served as the statewide partnership coordinator for CPW where he coordinated the annual Partners in the Outdoors Conference and the Colorado Outdoor Partnership. Both are key platforms for organizations across the spectrum of the outdoor industry to gather, collaborate, and discuss how to advance and balance outdoor recreation and conservation in Colorado. While in that role he also helped launch the Regional Partnerships Initiative, a statewide effort to ensure that Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife thrive, while also providing for equitable access to quality outdoor recreation experiences. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and has held roles as a park ranger, senior naturalist, outdoor education coordinator, and manager of education outreach and programs. He has served on the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office Advisory Council and the Colorado Open Space Alliance Steering Committee. Dan lives in the mountain foothills west of Denver and enjoys spending time fishing, rock climbing, and hiking in Colorado’s outdoors with friends and family.
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Parks and Wildlife Partnership Manager
GOCO
Carlos E. Fernandez
State Director
The Nature Conservancy
Carlos Fernandez is the State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Carlos joined the Colorado Chapter in January 2015 and leads a staff of 64 employees. Carlos works closely with the Colorado Chapter’s Board of Trustees as well as partner organizations, agencies, elected officials and other key decision-makers to advance conservation in Colorado and around the world. Prior to taking on the role as Colorado State Director, Carlos served as the Conservancy’s Southern Andes Conservation Program Strategies Manager and was based in Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina. He led the Patagonia team in their efforts to safeguard the grasslands through private lands conservation, sustainable sheep ranching initiatives and creating and strengthening public protected areas. Prior to that role, he spent six years based in Arlington, Virginia working as the Conservancy’s Senior Foreign Legal Advisor for South America. Carlos is a native of Argentina and earned his law degree from Argentina’s Mendoza University before completing a graduate law degree at Georgetown University. He worked at international law firms in Buenos Aires and Washington, DC, specializing in corporate and financial transactions before joining the Conservancy. Though Carlos first fell in love with hiking, biking and fly-fishing in Patagonia as a child, he continues to spend his free time enjoying the nature surrounding him wherever he goes. Fly fishing is his favorite pastime whether in the Western Rockies or the Argentine Andes. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Carlos is excited to raise his daughter, Sophia, in Colorado’s outdoors.
About Carlos E. Fernandez
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State Director
The Nature Conservancy
Jody Kennedy
Outdoor Regional Partnership Program Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Jody first experienced the power of partnerships and collaborative resources management developing a conservation strategy for San Juan County, Washington in 2005. Since then, she has been dedicated to bringing conservation, recreation, economic, and management interests together to work toward a future where ecosystems are intact along with opportunities to experience the outdoors. After joining CPW, Jody facilitated the development of the 2019 Colorado Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and supported the conception of the Regional Partnerships Initiative. She is honored to coordinate the Colorado Outdoor Partnership and serve on the Colorado Equity Alliance. Jody grew up in Colorado and then gravitated west, spending time in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington State. She has a Master's degree from the U.W. Daniel J Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. In her free time, Jody enjoys trail running, skiing, and camping with her family.
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Outdoor Regional Partnership Program Manager
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Ashley White
Community Habitats Manager
Butterfly Pavilion
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Community Habitats Manager
Butterfly Pavilion
Jessica Goldstrohm
Director & Founder
The Bees Waggle
About Jessica Goldstrohm
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Director & Founder
The Bees Waggle
Teresa DiTore
Youth Programs Manager
Southwest Conservation Corps – Four Corners
Teresa joined the SCC team in 2016. She grew up in New Jersey, where she was exposed to nature and ecology in elementary school and with family—splashing in the local streams or finding places to sea kayak. Teresa was excited to explore the bigger and vaster landscapes around the country. She moved to Vermont to study environmental science, where her class and play time inspired her to work outside in the conservation field. She has worked with the Student Conservation Association, the Utah Conservation Corps, and in various environmental education and GIS positions. She is excited to be in Durango, helping to empower the next generation in all ways. Outside of work, you can find Teresa enjoying the local trails, reading a good book, or staring in constant awe at the places around her!
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Youth Programs Manager
Southwest Conservation Corps – Four Corners
Aubrey Tamietti
Youth Programs Manager
Southwest Conservation Corps – Los Valles
Aubrey joined the SCC team as a Program Coordinator in 2017. She spent her childhood in Arizona and graduated with a degree in Conservation Biology from Northern Arizona University in 2011. As a kid, she spent a lot of time exploring the outdoors with her family which cultivated a passion for public lands and a desire to work and play outside. Aubrey’s first experience working in the great outdoors was as a summer crew member for CREC in 2008. After that, she spent 2 summers working in the Backcountry Office at Rocky Mountain National Park, a summer on a NOLS AK Sea Kayaking/Backpacking course, and worked as a Youth Crew Leader for MCC. She also spent time as a Fire Fighter for the Forest Service and as an Outdoor Adventure Leader and Enrichment Instructor for Bend Parks and Rec. Aubrey is excited to be back in the conservation corps world, empowering youth be engaged citizens and stewards of public lands.
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Youth Programs Manager
Southwest Conservation Corps – Los Valles
Clara Moulton
Four Corners Director
Southwest Conservation Corps – Four Corners
Clara (she/her/hers) was born and raised in Montana where she first developed her love for wild places, open spaces, and winding trails. After receiving her B.S. in Geography from the University of Montana, she be-bopped around the country working as a Park Ranger in Zion National Park and a cranberry farmer in Wisconsin, among other things. Clara's fondness for National Service developed after serving as a Big Sky Watershed Corpsmember with the Clark Fork Coalition in Missoula, MT. After thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014, she found her way to Colorado where she began working with Southwest Conservation Corps as a Crew Leader, later serving as the Individual Placements Program Manager, and now as the Four Corners Director. When she’s not working on creating stellar programming at SCC, you can find her hiking, biking, running, or skiing through the beautiful landscapes of the southwest with her dog and adventure cat, working on home improvement projects, or cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
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Four Corners Director
Southwest Conservation Corps – Four Corners
Deonne VanderWoude
Human Dimensions Manager
City of Boulder
Deonne VanderWoude is the Human Dimensions Manager for the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department, where she has worked for 18 years to integrate monitoring human systems with data-informed recreation management. Her team’s primary foci: designing and implementing social science and recreation research studies, creating a shared and quantified understanding of recreation systems, and supporting the provision and sustainable management of high-quality recreation experiences. Deonne has degrees in Environmental Anthropology and Environmental Studies and enjoys the application of these fields to real-world situations, including data-centric visitor use management.
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Human Dimensions Manager
City of Boulder
Brian Anacker
Science Officer
City of Boulder
Brian Anacker is an Ecologist with 20 years of experience in academic and applied settings. Areas of expertise include land management, data science, plant and wildlife ecology, geography, climate change, organizational development, project management, and community engagement. His current position is Science Officer (Senior Policy Advisor) with the City of Boulder, Open Space and Mountain Parks Department.
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Science Officer
City of Boulder
Colin Leslie
Human Dimensions Sr. Analyst
City of Boulder
Colin Leslie has been with the Human Dimensions program at Open Space and Mountain Parks for the last six years, working in other social science positions with US Geologic Survey and the National Park Service prior to that. His passion these days is improving the integration of social science data into public lands management by developing data automation and visualization tools to make data more accessible. He holds a BA in Geography from Humboldt State University and an MS in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University.
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Human Dimensions Sr. Analyst
City of Boulder
Anna Reed
Human Dimensions Sr. Analyst
City of Boulder
Anna joined OSMP in 2016 as a Visitor Use Technician administering surveys and installing trail counters. As a Human Dimensions Sr. Analyst, she has more recently shifted her efforts to better understand parking behaviors at trailheads, including managing the department’s first system-wide parking study. Prior to OSMP she received her M.S. degree in Conservation Leadership (Human Dimensions) from Colorado State University, B.A. degrees in Psychology and Anthropology, and has worked in environmental consulting.
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Human Dimensions Sr. Analyst
City of Boulder
Heidi Seidel
Human Dimensions Program Assistant
City of Boulder
Heidi Seidel joined the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department in 2015 as a part of the Education and Outreach team. Her background and degree in Environmental Education, plus her love of the outdoors contributed to her desire to provide others with the opportunity for connection, knowledge and ability to experience the natural world. Curiosity to deeper understand visitor’s attitudes, behaviors, perceptions, and values while visiting our urban-proximate land system led her to join the Human Dimensions team in 2016. She values the opportunity to bridge research to real- world applications. Overall, she is committed to providing social science data to support informed, data driven decision and policy making at OSMP.
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Human Dimensions Program Assistant
City of Boulder
Garrett Smith is an independent researcher who initially completed his dissertation with OSMP's Human Dimensions department while he was completing his PhD at the University of Arizona. He has subsequently worked on a number of other projects as a funded researcher for OSMP. Garrett's research interests include understanding visitor use motivations, experiences, behaviors, and patterns through the integration of innovative spatial and social science methodologies to better inform public land management decisions. He is also interested in understanding how recreation is impacting rural communities throughout the West. Garrett runs his own consulting firm, Pointer Consulting, and holds teaching positions at Western Colorado University and the University of Arizona.
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Researcher
Travis Bernstein
Chief Ranger/Ranger Supervisor
Adams County
Holds a degree in Ecology and Environmental Technology, became a commissioned officer for the City of New York following the terror attacks on 9/11; accrued over seventeen years of experience in the field as an Environmental Police Officer in upstate NY patrolling over 255 miles of the Ashokan Reservoir’s watershed; State Instructor for Environmental Law, LE General Topics, Defensive Tactics, Firearms, and High -Risk Patrol. Worked previously with the Larimer County Dept. of Natural Resources as a land/boat Ranger and currently the Chief Ranger for the Adams County Park Ranger Service patrolling the parks, trails, and open space areas of unincorporated Adams County.
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Chief Ranger/Ranger Supervisor
Adams County
Stefan Reinold
Division Manager Resource Management
Boulder County
As Resource Management Division Manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS), Stefan Reinold leads a division made up of six disciplines/work groups: Education and Outreach, Resource Protection, Wildlife, Forestry, Plant Ecology, and Invasive Weeds. The Resource Management Division uses an interdisciplinary approach to protect and conserve the natural resources on the 66,619 acres owned by BCPOS through advocacy and active management. Before taking this role in early 2022, Stefan lead the Forestry and Fire work group at BCPOS for seven years. This work involved planning, preparation, and implementation of forest management activities such as forest thinning, fuels reduction, forest restoration, and prescribed fire. Prior to joining the County in 2014, Stefan ran his own forestry consulting firm for twelve years and was a research associate at CSU for two years. Stefan has a Master’s degree in Forest Management from Colorado State University and is a Certified Forester through the Society of American Foresters. Stefan is an avid skier, hiker, and mountain biker, and always up for an adventure.
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Division Manager Resource Management
Boulder County
Renée Rondeau
Conservation Biologist
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Renée Rondeau is a Conservation Biologist with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program at Colorado State University. She has 30 years of collecting ecological data in Colorado; sampling all of our ecosystems from Prairie to Alpine and wet to arid sites. Renée has collected deer and elk forage quality data in the Roaring Fork Valley over the last three years. Her on-the-ground knowledge coupled with a conservation planning background and desire to work with stakeholders means that Renée has enjoyed working with the Roaring Fork Biodiversity and Connectivity Team. She is able to put the Roaring Fork Valley into a world perspective as she has collected flora and fauna data from many western U.S. states as well as Venezuela, Mexico, British Virgin Islands, Solomon Islands, Guam, New Guinea, and Palau. Renée strongly believes that private-public partnerships that include social and ecological aspects are critical to conserving Colorado’s biodiversity. Due to the beautiful landscape, abundant wildlife and passionate people of the Roaring Fork Valley, she is excited to share the results of this project.
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Conservation Biologist
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Tom Cardamone
Executive Director
Watershed Biodiversity Initiative
Tom was at the helm of the Aspen Center For Environmental Studies (ACES) with his wife Jody from 1975 - 2013; “building a community of informed, motivated, and capable environmental stewards,”- through science education and hands-on habitat restoration. During his ACES tenure, Tom formed the Pitkin County Wildlife Task Force in 1988, a precursor to the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Program that he helped found in 1990. This program has a policy of science-based preservation and protection of native biodiversity and optimizing habitat health across the greater landscape. Tom founded Watershed Biodiversity Initiative in 2018 to fund and oversee the Roaring Fork Watershed Biodiversity and Connectivity Study. This is a public-private partnership guided by a Science Team of key stakeholders. The Study, conducted by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, has the overarching goal of generating the best available science to inform the protection and restoration of biodiversity on a landscape scale; the nearly million-acre Roaring Fork Watershed. This allows the science to be “owned” by the entire watershed community. Tom understands that collaborative partnerships take effort yet accomplish more and endure far longer than going solo.
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Executive Director
Watershed Biodiversity Initiative
Tony Cady
Region 5 Planning and Environmental Manager
CDOT
Mr. Cady has been designing and implementing Wildlife Vehicle Collision reduction projects throughout Colorado for over 15 years. These projects have been designed to address driver safety issues while maintaining or enhancing habitat connectivity. In addition to being a member of the Wildlife and Transportation Alliance, Mr. Cady helped to incorporate the Wildlife Prioritization into CDOT’s planning process to identify and prioritize areas for Wildlife mitigation and habitat connectivity on Colorado’s West Slope.
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Region 5 Planning and Environmental Manager
CDOT
Michelle Cowardin
Wildlife Movement Coordinator
CPW
In October 2021 Michelle became the first statewide Wildlife Movement Coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). In this role she is leading efforts to maintain and improve wildlife connectivity and movement by working with partners to construct wildlife crossing structures, identify migration and movement corridors, and ultimately enhance long-term habitat viability. She has worked for CPW since 2002 and spent 15 years as the Hot Sulphur Springs wildlife biologist. In that position she was the lead biologist on the State Highway 9 wildlife and safety improvement project, working with the Colorado Department of Transportation on the design and construction of a network of seven crossing structures, including the first wildlife overpasses in Colorado. Over the years, she has participated on the design and monitoring teams on multiple highway projects around the state.
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Wildlife Movement Coordinator
CPW
Jon Holst
Wildlife & Energy Senior Advisor
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Jon Holst is the Wildlife & Energy Senior Advisor for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a non-profit sportsmen’s organization that works to guarantee all Americans quality places to hunt and fish. Jon recently retired from Colorado Parks & Wildlife where he worked on finding solutions to energy and land use issues that impact wildlife. He has also worked on wildlife and habitat connectivity issues for the Colorado Department of Transportation. Jon is an attorney and wildlife biologist. He earned his J.D. from CU Law School and his M.S. in wildlife biology from CSU - where he studied deer and elk migration and road crossings. Jon grew up in Colorado and resides with his family in Durango.
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Wildlife & Energy Senior Advisor
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
Julia Kintsch
Founder
Eco Resolutions
Julia Kintsch, Eco Resolutions, is an expert in wildlife-highway mitigation and the founder of ECO-resolutions, one of North America’s leading consultancies with a specialized focus in landscape connectivity and transportation ecology. Julia works with teams to create collaborative, interdisciplinary and cross-jurisdictional solutions for minimizing and mitigating the impacts of transportation infrastructure on wildlife and ecological systems. She was the lead researcher for the State Highway 9 wildlife crossings mitigation in Grand County and, currently, for the I-25 South Gap wildlife crossings between Castle Rock and Monument. She has been involved in the planning and design of numerous wildlife mitigation projects, including over 20 constructed wildlife crossings in Colorado, and her work informs wildlife mitigation projects across the United States.
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Founder
Eco Resolutions
Travis Stroth
River Scientist/Restoration Engineer
Stillwater Sciences
Travis got his Master’s in Hydraulic Engineering/Stream Restoration/River Mechanics at Colorado State University and has since worked as a River Scientist/Restoration Engineer doing river health assessments and river restoration design/implementation.
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River Scientist/Restoration Engineer
Stillwater Sciences
Johannes Beeby
Senior River Scientist/Designer
Stillwater Sciences
Johannes got his Master’s in Watershed Science at Colorado State University and has since worked as a River Scientist/Designer doing river health assessments and river restoration design/implementation.
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Senior River Scientist/Designer
Stillwater Sciences
Alex Moore
Downtown Senior Park Ranger
City and County of Denver
He has been with Denver for 2 years and works at Civic Center Park, the heart of the City.
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Downtown Senior Park Ranger
City and County of Denver
Jodie Marozas
Park Ranger Supervisor
City and County of Denver
Been with the City for 8 years.
About Jodie Marozas
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Park Ranger Supervisor
City and County of Denver
Corey Beaton
Senior Park Ranger
City and County of Denver
Has been working with Denver 3 years on our Trails District. Runs contractors for EHS and works closely with people experiencing homelessness.
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Senior Park Ranger
City and County of Denver
Alex Binkley
Outreach Ranger
City of Boulder
As an enthusiastic people person and nature lover, I am grateful to be able to utilize my knowledge of the natural world and skills as a certified facilitator to interact with the public as a member of the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Education and Outreach Team. Inspiring a love of nature and welcoming folks of all backgrounds and experiences is my passion.
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Outreach Ranger
City of Boulder
Debbie Cushman
Volunteer Coordinator
City of Boulder
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Volunteer Coordinator
City of Boulder
Deryn Wagner
Senior Project Manager
Growing Up Boulder
Deryn wears many hats – mother, wife, daughter, friend, neighbor, as well as Senior Project Manager for Growing Up Boulder (a nonprofit devoted to elevating young people’s voices in local decision-making) and Senior Program Manager for CDR Associates (a nonprofit facilitation and engagement firm serving public lands, water and transportation sectors). In all cases, she thrives on building connections, uncovering commonalities, and facilitating real dialogue that results in meaningful change. She has delivered presentations, trainings, and articles on participatory planning with youth for audiences around the world and has more than 12 years’ experience building consensus within and among conservation and outdoor recreation agencies. She holds dual Masters' degrees in Planning and Landscape Architecture from the University of Colorado, Denver and a Bachelor's in Literature from the University of Virginia. She’s also deeply indebted to nature - not just for the food, water and air it provides, but for the career she's built protecting it and for the joy she and her family find in every pile of dirt.
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Senior Project Manager
Growing Up Boulder
Mara Mintzer
Executive Director
Growing Up Boulder
Mara Mintzer is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Growing Up Boulder (GUB), Boulder, Colorado, USA’s child- and youth-friendly city initiative. Ms. Mintzer presents and writes internationally on the topic of engaging young people in community planning and child-friendly cities. Her TEDx talk, “How Kids Can Help Design Cities,” has been viewed 2.3 million times and translated into 21 languages. Co-author of the book, Placemaking with Children and Youth: Participatory Practices for Planning Sustainable Communities, Ms. Mintzer has designed and implemented programs for underserved families in New York and California. Ms. Mintzer received her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and her M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.
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Executive Director
Growing Up Boulder
Curry Rosato
Education and Outreach Manager
City of Boulder
Curry Rosato joined the OSMP Education and Outreach team in May 2017 after working in farm to school/school food reform initiatives as Program Director at the Chef Ann Foundation and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) School Food Project. Now serving as OSMP’s Education and Outreach Manager, Curry supervises the education team providing support, vision and strategy for OSMP’s education programming including school and community-based programs reaching diverse audiences. Curry shares responsibility for implementation of the Education and Outreach Strategic Plan, specifically education/interpretive programs, youth and family nature immersion programs, partnerships to advance access community nature connection and program implementation operations. Curry loves hearing and sharing stories from volunteer naturalists, community members, organizations and schools that have benefited from our programs and OSMP educational partnerships. With a career focused on environmental sustainability with schools, Curry has been developing and managing non-profit and government PK-12 sustainability education programs for over two decades. Curry received her undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia and a master’s in Education from the University of Colorado. From her neighborhood to local trails, as a mother, Curry’s love of nature, getting kids outside and facilitating parent and caregiver agency as nature mentors is both a professional and personal passion.
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Education and Outreach Manager
City of Boulder
Mark Davison
Deputy Director of Community Connections and Partnerships
City of Boulder
Mark Davison is the Community Connections & Partnerships Deputy Director at Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. Prior to this, Mark led planning, design, and environmental education efforts for Oregon State Parks and the National Park Service. His career has focused on park planning, land management, environmental conservation and youth engagement. He has worked on numerous projects in Europe and the United States as well as teaching at the university of Oregon, the Parhassian Heritage Park Field School and is Principal Investigator for the Parrhasian Heritage Park, an effort to develop the first National Heritage Park in Greece. He received his Master’s in Environmental Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and attended Manchester University in England for his undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture.
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Deputy Director of Community Connections and Partnerships
City of Boulder
Dana Coelho
Urban & Community Forestry Program Manager
Colorado State Forest Service
Dana Coelho leads the Colorado State Forest Service’s statewide Urban & Community Forestry program, providing financial and technical assistance to communities and non-profit organizations in support of shared tree planting and maintenance, urban forest management planning, professional development, and environmental literacy goals. She served as Alliance Director for Metro DNA from 2018-2020 and worked with the US Forest Service in Colorado and Washington, DC from 2007-2018.
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Urban & Community Forestry Program Manager
Colorado State Forest Service
Gretchen Armijo
Founder and President
Equity Policy Solutions
Gretchen Armijo, AICP, LEED AP, is an urban planner and public health professional specializing in community design to promote health and equity. She founded Equity Policy Solutions in 2021 to help clients in the affordable housing, land use, transportation and climate and environment sectors advance equity in their policies, plans and projects. Gretchen served as the first Built Environment Specialist for the City and County of Denver, advancing equitable community development in City plans, policies, and the budgeting process. She co-created the Denver Neighborhood Equity Index, now used to inform equitable public investment across Denver. She also conducted the first comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for the City of Denver, in the Globeville and Elyria Swansea neighborhoods. Gretchen serves on the Advocacy Advisory Committee for Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, lectures at the University of Colorado-College of Architecture and Planning, and is a board member of Streetsmart, a nonprofit research platform for transportation planning to promote health and equity.
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Founder and President
Equity Policy Solutions
Chris Hawkins
Urban Conservation Program Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Chris leads the Colorado Chapter of The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC)
Cities program where he spends his time focusing on improving regional habitat connectivity and access to nature; creating a more equitable and climate resilient urban forest; and ensuring there is funding and support for helping the region achieve more sustainable outcomes at the intersection of people and nature. Prior to this role, he was a member of TNC’s Chief conservation Office and Global Cities team since May 2014. Before joining TNC, Chris spent six years in New York City Government, including time with the New York City Department of Education Office of Charter Schools, Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, and four years at the Department of Environmental Protection, the city’s drinking water and wastewater utility.
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Urban Conservation Program Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Michael Menefee
Data Distribution and Environmental Review Coordinator
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Michael has been a Research Associate at the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for nearly 20 years where he is currently co-team leader of the Conservation Data Services Team. He has expertise in conservation science, report writing, geographic information systems, spatial analysis, information technology, data distribution, graphic design, desktop publishing, project administration, public outreach, and communications. He also has a strong passion for photography with images in numerous publications and placements in conservation education campaigns.
About Michael Menefee
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Data Distribution and Environmental Review Coordinator
Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Chris Yuan-Farrell
Director of Programs
GOCO
Chris works to preserve, enhance, and restore Colorado’s parks, open spaces, wildlife habitat, rivers, and trails as GOCO's Director of Programs. His nearly two-decade-long involvement in conservation began as an undergraduate ecology major and researcher at Santa Clara University. As a landscape ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, he published several peer-reviewed articles on various conservation topics. He is a former Berkely Conservation Scholar, Doris Duke Conservation Fellow, and Colorado Open Lands Conservation Fellow and received a master’s degree in Environmental Management from Yale University. Outside of the office, Chris is an avid mountain biker always looking for new places to explore on his singlespeed. He also serves on the board of directors of Groundwork Denver, working to improve Denver’s green spaces and promote the health and well-being of Coloradans.
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Director of Programs
GOCO
Jennifer Peterson
Executive Director
Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Jennifer joined the RMFI team as Executive Director in 2014 where she leads a dedicated and passionate staff united around public land stewardship and sustainable outdoor recreation. As a young girl, Jennifer fell in love with the outdoors on numerous weekend backpacking and fishing excursions with her family along the Appalachian Trail. She carried that passion into her educational pursuits where she received both a B.S. and M.S. in Rangeland Ecology & Management from Texas A&M University and the University of Idaho, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Texas A&M University. Jennifer brings nearly 10 years of experience in environmental stewardship, watershed health, public engagement, and environmental education to RMFI. She also sits on the Board of the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance and was recognized by the Mayor of Colorado Springs with a Young Leader Award. Outside of the office, Jennifer enjoys any activity in the outdoors including hiking, backpacking, fly fishing, trail running, skiing, and mountain biking.
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Executive Director
Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Becca Schild
Executive Director
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
As a Colorado native, a love for public lands and outdoor adventures is in Becca’s blood. Over the years, she has woven together her passion for outdoor education, sustainability, and conservation through her work with Fort Lewis College, the National Outdoor Leadership School, and the High Mountain Institute. A graduate of Colorado College, Becca went on to receive her Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University and a PhD in Environmental Studies from CU Boulder. Her dissertation examined the role that volunteer stewardship organizations – such as RFOV – play in land management and environmental citizenship. She is excited to be working in the field of community stewardship and apply her research to real world practice. When not at work, you’ll find Becca out climbing, trail running, or exploring nature with her daughter, Aven.
About Becca Schild
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Executive Director
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
Rachel Brett
Youth and Inclusiveness Director
Wildland Restoration Volunteers
As a kid growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, Rachel found her happiest days and closest friends away from the city, wandering around in the Blue Ridge Mountains at summer camp. Twenty years later, she comes to WRV with a wide range of experiences working with young people in the outdoors. She has an M.S. in Environmental Education from Antioch University New England, and she has led backpacking and sea kayaking expeditions, directed a sustainability service-learning program, run an after-school program, and taught high school science and social studies classes. Rachel is especially passionate about engaging youth who haven’t had the chance to experience the self-confidence and wonder that experiences in nature can engender. When she’s not working, Rachel spends her time backpacking, running, gardening, and playing with her two young children.
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Youth and Inclusiveness Director
Wildland Restoration Volunteers
Drew Sprafke
Open Space Park Supervisor
City of Lakewood
Drew has over 20 years in the parks and natural resources field, mainly with a ranger and public safety focus. The last 16 years have been spent with the City of Lakewood, initially in a ranger supervisor role and then 14 years supervising the open space parks. In addition to his time at Lakewood, he has worked as a ranger for agencies including the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jefferson County Open Space and Colorado State Parks. He has a degree from Colorado State University, has completed two park law enforcement academies, and is an Emergency Medical Technician and wildland firefighter. He is also the Training Committee Chair for the Rocky Mountain Ranger Association.
About Drew Sprafke
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Open Space Park Supervisor
City of Lakewood
Pryce Hadley
Senior Watershed Ranger
City of Longmont
Pryce is currently the Sr. Watershed Ranger for City of Longmont. On a daily basis, Pryce manages a 3,000-acre nature preserve, looks out for visitor safety, enforces park regulations, and operates a raw water delivery system that serves over 100,000 people. Pryce is also the Vice Chair for Rocky Mountain Ranger Association, an organization that seeks to promote the ranger profession, share best practices, and support protection of visitors and natural resources throughout the Rockies.
About Pryce Hadley
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Senior Watershed Ranger
City of Longmont
Alex Hyde-Wright
Principal Planner
Boulder County
Alex has been with Boulder County for 10 years, working on a variety of transportation projects including bike planning and traffic engineering. In his current role, Alex focuses on transit, long range transportation planning and policy, and transportation safety.
About Alex Hyde-Wright
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Principal Planner
Boulder County
Mark Gershamn
Senior Project Manager
City of Boulder
Mark currently works on a variety of special projects for Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks program. Previously he was lucky enough to be a Ranger, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist, Planner with the city, a Conservation Ecologist with the The Nature Conservancy, and directed the Colorado Natural Areas Program. If not wandering around looking at plants, animals and fungi, it is likely he is attending a live music event.
About Mark Gershamn
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Senior Project Manager
City of Boulder
Kristina Duff
Senior Planner
Jefferson County
Kristina currently works on planning park improvements and new parks for Jefferson County Open Space. Previously, she worked as a guide in Alaska, as an industrial forester, and as the manager of a national forest certification program. In her free time, Kristina enjoys showing her two young daughters the joys and scrapes of being outdoors.
About Kristina Duff
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Senior Planner
Jefferson County
Jeff Moline
Senior Planner
Boulder County
Jeff has had the great fortune to work at several open space agencies in Boulder County where the community matches the scenery. A geographer, he learns something new every day from the local open spaces that conserve our intertwined natural world and human community. He is currently involved in several trail projects which will connect municipalities to existing recreational resources and open spaces.
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Senior Planner
Boulder County
Lexi Brewer
Open Space and Trails Technician
City and County of Broomfield
-Colorado Resident since 2019, originally from the Ozarks in Missouri
-Open Space and Trails Technician for City and County of Broomfield
-Previously worked for the Denver City Forester’s Office and Matthaei Botanic Gardens and Nichols Arboretum
-Led the Forestry Neighborhood Initiative in Denver, which included outreach to predominantly Spanish and Vietnamese speaking neighborhoods. She was able to utilize her Spanish speaking and writing skills to reach these residents.
-MS in Environmental Policy and Planning from the University of Michigan
-BA in Political Science and Spanish from Drury University
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Open Space and Trails Technician
City and County of Broomfield
Jack Pritchard
Open Space and Trails Specialist
City and County of Broomfield
Jack Pritchard is the Open Space and Trails Specialist for the City and County of Broomfield. His work focuses on a variety of areas, ranging from wildlife management and ecological restoration to trails projects and community outreach. Jack has worked on trails and conservation at both Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Redwood National Park prior to joining the team in Broomfield. He holds a BS in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University as well as a MS in Conservation Ecology and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan.
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Open Space and Trails Specialist
City and County of Broomfield
Burton Stoner
Ranger Services Supervisor
City of Boulder
Burton Stoner currently serves as Ranger Services Supervisor for Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. OSMP Rangers are responsible for promoting responsible recreation in order to sustain and protect the natural values of the land and engaging in emergency services incidents. ?29 years later, his passion for protecting this place is unwavering while still taking time personally to explore the central mountains of this beautiful state.
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Ranger Services Supervisor
City of Boulder
Jannelle Freeston
Interim Deputy Director for Community Connections and Partnerships
City of Boulder
Jennelle Freeston has worked for the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks in various roles for over 22 years. Much of her work involves leading OSMP and citywide programs to engage community members in volunteerism, service learning and partnership to cultivate meaningful hands-on connection and stewardship. While not at work, she enjoys spending time and hiking with her family, listening to podcasts, gardening and reading in her hammock.
About Jannelle Freeston
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Interim Deputy Director for Community Connections and Partnerships
City of Boulder
Drew Rayburn
Director of Conservation Science and Planning
The Nature Conservancy in Colorado
Drew is the Director of Conservation Science and Planning for The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, in which capacity he leads the Science & Planning Team that supports a wide range of conservation projects and initiatives across the state. During his career, his work has spanned several disciplines including landscape ecology, restoration ecology, conservation biology, and spatial analysis. Drew received his PhD in Ecology from Utah State University in 2011, his MS in Landscape Ecology from Iowa State University in 2006, and his BA in Biology from Austin College in 2001. He is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner (SER), a Certified Senior Ecologist (ESA), and an active member of several professional societies including SER, ESA, and the International Association for Landscape Ecology. His career path has included academic, government, NGO, and private-sector positions – all with a focus on applied conservation. Drew joined TNC in 2020, prior to which he was the Natural Resources Supervisor for Jefferson County Open Space. He enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and hiking with his wife and two young dogs.
About Drew Rayburn
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Director of Conservation Science and Planning
The Nature Conservancy in Colorado
Aubrey Hilte
Ranger
Larimer County
Aubrey Hilte began her ranger career in 2015. She served in the City of Louisville where she established their first ranger program. She currently is a Ranger for LCDNR where she primarily patrols Horsetooth Reservoir. Aubrey has been a member of the LCSO Peer Support Team since 2021.
About Aubrey Hilte
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Ranger
Larimer County
Eric Lovgren
Community Mitigation Manager
Eagle County
Eric interacts with homeowners, developers, fire districts, land management agencies, and numerous citizen and environmental groups. Eric is also responsible for the design, implementation, and oversight of all county-led hazardous fuel reduction and forest health projects. Eric maintains numerous professional certifications including Wildland firefighter. He facilitates the Eagle County Wildfire Collaborative, as well as the REALFire Program, a partnership with the Vail Board of Realtors and Community Wildfire Planning Center. Eric is a member of the USFS Community Mitigation Assistance Team, and serves as chair for Fire Adapted Colorado, working to engage with other wildfire professionals throughout the state, sharing knowledge and best practices aimed at creating fire adapted communities.
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Community Mitigation Manager
Eagle County
Daniel Rubenstein
Project Manager
Jefferson County
Daniel Rubenstein is a Project Manager with Jefferson County Open Space. He studied architecture at the University of Arizona and finished his studies at the Environmental Design program and CU Boulder. He has worked as a landscape contractor moving earth, as well as behind the computer in a landscape architecture office. He believes we can learn from the ages, where passive planning and aligning with our origin ecosystems works best for both people and the planet. Daniel spends his time creating graphic diagrams, maps, and plans to help communicate ideas, philosophies, and concepts that contribute to stewardship of the earth and our communities.
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Project Manager
Jefferson County
Bradon Watkins
Associate Director
Colorado Youth Corps Association
Brandon Watkins has been the Associate Director for the Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) for 5 years. He oversees strategic partnerships, the Careers in Natural Resources Initiative, and strategic vision and planning for the two largest AmeriCorps grants in Colorado. Brandon has spent his entire career around the AmeriCorps world, mostly related to outdoor and environmental stewardship nonprofits. When he’s not at work, Brandon loves spending time with his wife and son, camping, hiking, cycling, and traveling.
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Associate Director
Colorado Youth Corps Association
Maggie Gaddis
Executive Director
Colorado Native Plant Society
Dr. Maggie Gaddis is the first Executive Director of the Colorado Native Plant Society. She was the CoNPS Southeast Chapter Chair (a volunteer!) before assuming this role. Maggie is a member of the Geography and Environmental Studies faculty at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. Her current research involves native plant revegetation and propagation.
About Maggie Gaddis
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Executive Director
Colorado Native Plant Society
Alex Crochet
Horticulturist
City of Colorado Springs
Alex Crochet is the Horticulturist for the City of Colorado Springs and a Colorado Certified Nursery Professional through the CNGA. He is born and raised in Colorado Springs, and his family has deep roots in both Colorado Springs and the San Luis Valley. Horticulture has been a part of his life for many years and He is wildly enthralled with the natural world. From nurseries on the Front Range to regenerative ranches in Durango, to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Alex has gotten to experience all of the wonderful forms of horticulture. Now with the City of Colorado Springs, Alex manages wonderful community volunteer projects ranging from annual flower programs to native plant propagation and revegetation. Alex believes that it is crucial to protect the exquisite wild spaces we now call home.
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Horticulturist
City of Colorado Springs
Kevin Blackwell
Park Ranger
Jefferson County
Before becoming a park ranger Kevin worked with adult and adolescent trauma as a crisis worker, co-responder and therapist. Kevin maintains his clinical license in social work and continues to consult for agencies in Oregon. Kevin is currently employed as a park ranger at Jefferson County open space
About Kevin Blackwell
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Park Ranger
Jefferson County
Shaun Howard
Ranger Lead
Jefferson County
In 1997 Shaun began her journey stewarding public lands. A long career as an counselor, educator, park ranger, volunteer manager and EMS professional has brought her to the COSA conference to share what she has learned over the years. In addition to her routine work duties, Shaun has presented at many state and national conferences and is a current Mental Health First Aid Instructor. In her off-time she enjoys hiking with her dogs, gardening, perusing craft breweries and growing her tiny-home real estate empire.
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Ranger Lead
Jefferson County
Jeff Davlyn
Philanthropy Director
Aspen Valley Land Trust
Jeff is a life-long outdoor enthusiast and conservationist raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who moved to Colorado in 2005. Before joining AVLT, Jeff studied natural resources law and agriculture policy while earning his law degree at the University of Denver. He is passionate about AVLT’s focus on protecting open spaces and dedication to building community. He lives in Carbondale with his wife and three little ones where they love small town living, getting outside, and the constant entertainment that comes along with parenting.
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Philanthropy Director
Aspen Valley Land Trust
Kristen Beard
Project Manager
Denver Parks & Recreation
Kristen Beard is a landscape architect and urban designer with Denver Parks & Recreation. Kristen has overseen the design and construction of a variety of projects including the now complete Sand Creek Regional Greenway – a continuous paved trail through an recreationally vital part of north Denver. Additionally, Kristen has managed improvements at 66-acre Bible Park along the Highline Canal Trail and is in charge of the upcoming large-scale renovation planned for Martinez Park, a marquee project within Denver’s Game Plan for a Healthy City initiative.
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Project Manager
Denver Parks & Recreation
Kerri Liljegren
Associate Principal
Stream Landscape Architecture & Planning
Kerri Liljegren is an associate principal and landscape architect at Stream Landscape Architecture & Planning. Her work focuses on large public park and open space projects, with an emphasis on facilitating an inclusive, meaningful and exciting public engagement process. In addition to park planning, Kerri has experience in campus planning, trail design and writing district-wide landscape guidelines and streetscape plans. Through all projects, she has a passion for implementing fundamental sustainable design principles.
About Kerri Liljegren
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Associate Principal
Stream Landscape Architecture & Planning
Jake Jones
Executive Director
Crested Butte Land Trust
As a resident of Crested Butte since the early 1990s, Jake’s personal and professional journey has been shaped by the Gunnison Valley. Like many Crested Butte residents, Jake’s “year off” from college at CU Boulder became a life and career in the mountains where he eventually earned a BA in biology from Western Colorado University, worked for the Colorado Outward Bound School for a decade, and built a family, career, and home in the community. Jake comes to the Land Trust team after 6 years as Managing Director of Eleven Experience, a global adventure travel company headquartered in Crested Butte. Prior to his work with Eleven, Jake was the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Director for the Town of Crested Butte where he worked closely with the Crested Butte Land Trust as the town’s representative for conservation initiatives. While employed with the Town, Jake also served as the Executive Director for the Crested Butte Avalanche Center and volunteered on several non-profit and government advisory boards including the Crested Butte Nordic Center, the Gunnison County Trails Commission and Junior Achievement.
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Executive Director
Crested Butte Land Trust
Joe O'Brien
Program Manager for Park Partnerships
AllTrails
Joe is leading the charge at AllTrails to partner with and support the land management community by developing innovative technology and programming. Before coming to AllTrails, Joe worked at Colorado Parks and Wildlife where he focused on the continued development of COTREX, as well as assisting in the creation of the updated Planning Trails with Wildlife in Mind, a guide for management agencies looking to balance conservation and recreation priorities on public lands. Earlier in his career Joe worked for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado as a volunteer project manager, was a senior trail crew leader for the Maine Conservation Corps, and spent time in northern California as a wildland firefighter with the Forest Service.
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Program Manager for Park Partnerships
AllTrails
Barbara Spagnulo
Natural Resource Specialist
Town of Castle Rock
About Barbara Spagnulo
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Natural Resource Specialist
Bernadette Kuhn
Senior Environmental Planner/Restoration Project Manager
City of Fort Collins
Bernadette Kuhn is the Restoration Project Manager/Senior Environmental Planner at the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas. For the past 13 years, she has led restoration and vegetation ecology projects in Colorado and Wyoming. She is a contributing author for the Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan and the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for Colorado BLM. She earned a degree in Environmental Policy from University of Kansas and a Master’s degree in Botany from the University of Wyoming.
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Senior Environmental Planner/Restoration Project Manager
City of Fort Collins
Julie Ash
Senior Project Manager
Stillwater Sciences
Julie is a senior project manager, river engineer, and a registered professional engineer in Colorado with almost 30 years of experience in river restoration and engineering to support ecological projects. Julie has a long history of advocating for stream systems and riparian areas. She brings broad experience in multi-benefit approaches that jointly reduce flood and geomorphic risk and improve stream health to increase the resiliency of river systems. Julie's path to Colorado from home state of Michigan was as a
ski bum in Aspen. Her favorite saying is "Not a Colorado Native, but I got here as fast as I could!"
About Julie Ash
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Senior Project Manager
Stillwater Sciences
Katie Kisiel
Operations Specialist
City of Boulder
While her official title is Operations Specialist, Katie is an “Honorary Ranger” and enjoys providing operational, technological, and project support, as well as training coordination for OSMP’s Ranger Services workgroup. Katie is currently the Project Lead for body-worn cameras, which OSMP will implement early next year. When not working at Ranger HQ, Katie is usually above tree line with her adventure dog, Topo.
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Operations Specialist
City of Boulder
Kendell Ryan
Solutions Engineer
Esri
Kendell is currently working as a Solutions Engineer at Esri’s Denver regional office. Most recently, she worked as a Senior GIS Analyst for City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks. In that role she supported multiple workgroups (including Rangers) providing services including creating mobile and desktop applications, analysis, and data management. In her free time, she’s outside enjoying the trails on foot or bike.
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Solutions Engineer
Esri
Brian Litwin
Lead Ranger
City of Boulder
Brian started his career as a bio-tech working for the U.S. Forest Service. He got paid to backpack for nine days at a time while collecting data on Yosemite toads, south of Yosemite National Park, to help determine if they were still an endangered species. Luckily, he had a chance to do it again, but this time with grizzly bears east of Glacier National Park. Most fortunate of all, for the past 16 years Brian has been working as a Ranger/Naturalist for the City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks where he is currently the Lead Ranger. In his free time when he is not Rangering, he takes a break by focusing on backpacking.
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Lead Ranger
City of Boulder
Arian Hampel
Lead Ranger - Naturalist
City of Boulder
Arian Hampel has a master’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Denver University and has been working in the field of natural resource protection for over 20 years. Arian has worked as a park ranger, game warden, and wolf & grizzly bear biologist. He is currently a park ranger with the City of Boulder where he shares his passion for protecting natural resources with young people through the Youth Ranger program which he created in 2016. Arian has spoken at international conferences in Europe about his innovative work with the Youth Ranger program.
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Lead Ranger - Naturalist
City of Boulder
Melinda Markin
Ranger-Naturalist
City of Boulder
Melinda Markin has a master’s degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder where she studied niche modeling of the alpine primrose. She has worked as a park ranger with the City of Boulder for five years and co-leads the Youth Ranger program. Melinda was awarded a Distinguished Service Award in 2022 for her exceptional work supporting youths.
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Ranger-Naturalist
City of Boulder
