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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A Minnesota native, Mike has lived in Colorado for several decades and recreated extensively throughout the State. He earned a B.S.-Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and an M.S.-Civil Engineering from Colorado State University. Mike has enjoyed a long career addressing the legacy effects of mining in the mountain and desert watersheds of Colorado and other western States, including land restoration and water management and treatment. He is currently winding down his career as a Senior Mining Consultant, working part-time from his Montrose, Colorado home base. He has been a volunteer with CCA for three years serving as a Trail Ambassador for hikes in all three NCAs, assisting with educational programs for school-age children, providing trail restoration services, and supporting special events for the general public. He is committed to using his skills and experience in geology and engineering to raise public awareness and interest in the geologic and hydrologic resources of the NCAs, and supporting efforts at land and water conservation. His interests include alpine and desert hiking, Nordic skiing, frequent regional short trips with his wife Anita in their camper van to explore new areas, ceramic arts, visiting the variety of town and area festivals in western Colorado, and good coffee shops.

Cindy grew up in the south and studied geology at the University of Tennessee before relocating to Denver in 2008. In 2018, she relocated again to the Western Slope, hoping to enjoy more readily accessible recreational opportunities with her family. Cindy spent her career in environmental consulting, lately focused on project management for the investigation and remediation of PFAS. Her interests include hiking, biking, camping, and gardening.