MacKenzie, a native Texan, has been living on the Western Slope for over 8 years now and considers the desert to be her true home. She is currently working as the Coordinator of Colorado Mesa University’s Outdoor Program and is passionate about education, stewardship and our public lands. She believes the NCA's and outdoor spaces that surround Grand Junction create the perfect stage to educate youth and adults alike on the importance of caring for and protecting our natural spaces and ourselves. In her free time, you can find Mackenzie with her husband and pups rafting, mountain biking, gardening and playing outside.

Nick was born and raised in Michigan and after college, moved briefly to Durango where he dabbled in cycling before returning to MI where he began trail running. The mountains were not easily forgotten and in 2015 Nick decided to move his family to Durango for a few years before coming to Fruita in 2019. Currently, Nick is a commercial lender with Bank of the San Juans, a member of Kiwanis, and Mesa Monument Striders. He is passionate about our public lands and believes in the importance of caring for these spaces so others, including future generations, have the opportunity to continue exploring them. When Nick is not running the trails around the Mesa, Monument and McInnis Canyons, he enjoys hiking them with his wife and two daughters.

Carol moved to the Fruita area 25 years ago from New Jersey by way of an Iowa upbringing. The public lands were a novel concept when she got here and began riding horses in the BLM land that would become McInnis Canyons, then be designated as an NCA. Fellow outdoor enthusiasts introduced her to the Friends of McInnis Canyons group which evolved into CCA while she was on the board. Carol has been a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch for 35 years and loves helping her clients through the challenges of markets, tax law, and family situations.

Linda is a Western Colorado native, growing up in Grand Junction and Redstone. She’s lived in the Montrose area since 1978. Linda was co-owner and operator of family farms and ranches in the Montrose area for over 20 years. After a successful career in the Montrose and Olathe school district, Linda retired in 2010 as the district’s Communication and Special Project Coordinator. Most recently, Linda retired as the Senior Manager of Outreach and Community Engagement for our state’s nonprofit health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado. Linda is excited to bring her community engagement experience to expand the awareness of CCA’s great work.

As a native Coloradoan, Andrea grew up loving the beauty of our State and the great outdoors. She has spent many days and weeks backpacking, hiking and rafting in Colorado. She has run her own raft down the Grand Canyon six times, and never tires of the beauty. Andrea is an advocate for getting our children outside and learning about responsible use and stewardship of our public lands. The experience of spending time in the outdoors was pivotal to her present appreciation of our public lands. Andrea believes it is essential that children also learn to love and appreciate the wealth of opportunities we have living on the Western Slope.

Kate attended undergraduate and law school in New England before moving to Colorado to obtain an LL.M in Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy from the University of Denver.Kate is passionate about helping people connect with public lands and spends her free time hiking, camping, and exploring with her fiancé and dog.

Elyse Ackerman-Casselberry is a western slope native and a graduate of the University of Colorado and Prescott College where she earned her MA in Ecology and Resource Management. Elyse has extensive experience in local government including public administration and community development. She began her career as an environmental planner focused on issues of water, air, and land conservation. In 2007 she became the Town Administrator for Silverton, CO, which brought her back to the western slope. She is currently the City Manager for Delta, CO and is excited about the opportunity to bring her passion for the public lands she grew up playing in and came home to enjoy, together with the economic future of the community she lives in and works for.

Curtis grew up along the "wild and scenic" Clarion River in northwestern Pennsylvania and found his way to the Gunnison River by way of Western State College. After 10 years of guiding anglers in the Gunnison area, he settled in downstream with his wife Leah, a Montrose-native. Curtis stumbled into the non-profit world in 2013 with an interest in seeing underserved youth having access to the adventures and beautiful landscapes of the area. Since 2015 he has been the executive director of Partners Mentoring of Delta, Montrose and Ouray Counties. He now balances his time between fulfilling the mission of Partners Mentoring, his two young boys and any opportunity offered for hunting, fishing and running rivers.

Hali was born in Grand Junction and grew up in Telluride before moving to Northern Arizona. As a kid, Hali grew up skiing, camping, hiking, and rafting. On a summer break from getting her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Arizona, she spent a summer guiding in Dinosaur National Monument, which solidified her love for both rivers and canyons. Hali has served as the Executive Director of the Counseling and Education Center (CEC) since 2021 and as a counselor at CEC since 2018. With a degree in International Disaster Psychology from the University of Denver she brings more than a decade of nonprofit and clinical mental health experience. Hali is excited about supporting CCA's work to ensure that our beautiful National Conservation Areas are stewarded for her son, and all youth, to continue to enjoy into the future. When she is not working, she enjoys time spent with her family and friends, enjoying the local wine, camping and rafting, and traveling whenever possible.

Nick is a graduate of Prescott College and Cleveland State University. He has spent the last two decades working to support educational initiatives, especially those which make outdoor experiences more accessible. He is currently the Business Development Director at Caprock Academy – a Mesa County charter school. Nick and his family spend most of their free-time hiking, biking, rafting, and fishing in the NCAs. He is excited to share his passion for outdoor education and access with the CCA community.

DeVerna grew up in Cortez, CO exploring the mesas and creeks in the area, before moving to Fort Collins for school. She recently relocated to Montrose and has a long track record of working with environmental organizations to support volunteerism, conservation, and education. DeVerna is an avid hiker and enjoys exploring new trails, as well as taking scenic drives throughout Colorado.