Speakers & Trainers for the 2010 RPD Event

Introducing Dave Feamster, Keynote Speaker

Dave Feamster was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan.  He received a Division I hockey scholarship to Colorado College in 1976 and graduated in 1980 with a degree in Business Administration.  He was named a Division I First team All-American in hockey in 1980, and was drafted with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played for five years. Dave suffered a career-ending back injury and retired from hockey in 1985.  He purchased the Little Caesars Pizza franchise rights for Pueblo, Colorado, and opened the first restaurant in 1986.  He now has four restaurants in Pueblo, as well as stores in Canon City, La Junta, and Lamar.  He has worked diligently to become an active member of his community.  His goal was to improve the quality of life in Pueblo and, through his generosity, dedication and positive outlook, he has been able to support the area through many wonderful organizations.  He was named Man of the Year by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 1993, was chosen Citizen of the Year in 1999 by the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, and Firefighter's Man of the Year in 2004.

Panelists, Speakers and Trainers

Noah Atencio. Noah is the Assistant Vice President of Grants at the Daniels Fund and works with a team of program officers who conduct grant work in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. In addition, Noah works directly with grants related to Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Early Childhood Education in the Denver Metro area as well as all of the Daniels Fund program areas in southeastern Colorado.

Erin Binford. Erin is Program Officer of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation. Erin joined the Temple Buell Foundation in 2000.  Her focus is rural early childhood education.  She has a degree in marketing and worked in the corporate world before coming to the nonprofit sector through VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America).  She played a leadership role in the Common Grant Application and Common Grant Report Form revision efforts, among other projects.

Matt Carpenter. Matt has a varied background in communication and leadership through his military and nonprofit careers. Matt began working at El Pomar Foundation in August 1999 and currently directs the grants office and is the deputy director of El Pomar's Regional Partnerships Program.

The Adolph Coors Foundation. The Adolph Coors Foundation is a family foundation established in 1975.  It has awarded over $160 million in grants to thousands of nonprofits throughout Colorado.  The Foundation has a strong focus on youth development, with an emphasis on character and leadership development. It believes that most youth have the potential to be successful, given the opportunity, knowledge and support.

Teri Erickson. Teri Erickson is the Director of Resource Development at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado, a position she has held since January 2006. Part of her responsibility is to manage OJC’s Grant Resource Office, which is part of the college’s SCORE Center. The Center was created with federal grant dollars to enable collaborations in economic development activities in southeastern Colorado, including increasing the number of grant dollars brought into the rural region. Ms. Erickson is responsible for researching, writing and administering all grants for OJC, working with non-profit organizations in the college’s three-county service area and providing grant writing training for both campus employees and the community. These trainings include everything from writing grants to board development and strategic planning to budgeting. To date, she has written and assisted with successful grant proposals that have brought over $30 million to southeast Colorado. Her background is in journalism and public relations, with a bachelor’s degree in English/Journalism from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado. She served as editor of a local newspaper before contracting as a grant writer for several local non-profit organizations and then working for OJC. She is the first person to hold a full-time grant writer position at the college and, because of that, she has been responsible for developing all aspects of the Grant Resource Office.

Maria Fabula. Maria holds the position of Director of Programs for the Community Resource Center.  She brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit management, fund development, volunteer engagement, collaboration and business development.  Maria has extensive experience delivering training and consulting services to increase nonprofit capacity.  Maria earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at San Diego’s Revelle College and has spent a majority of her career connecting government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private enterprises to improve community. Her experience includes leadership positions with the Nonprofit Support Center, the Junior Statesmen Foundation and the California State Senate.  She is the past president of the Nipomo Area Recreation Association and resides in Castle Rock with her husband and three sons.

Sophie Faust. Sophie is Program Officer for the Caring for Colorado Foundation, where she advises potential grantees on how to create top-notch grant proposals.  In the past, Sophie worked on the grantees’ side as a community developer for the State of Colorado Department of Local Affairs and in third world countries on child health and labor issues.  She holds a BA in Sociology with concentrations in Urban Studies and Leadership, Ethics, and Values.  She is a southeastern Colorado native, originally from Las Animas, Colorado.

Sarah Fischler. Sarah has worked with nonprofit organizations in a variety of roles for more than 10 years. At the Community Resource Center, Sarah has served as Director of Consulting, Director of Organizational Development Services and as Interim Co-Director.  Prior to CRC, Sarah served the Denver Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure where she oversaw the distribution of nearly $10 million in funding. Sarah co-chaired the CGA Revision Drafting Committee and is Board President of the Denver Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. She holds a master’s degree in public administration.

Marty Fleischacker. Marty joined the staff of Corrections Corporation of America in July 2004 and has worked as a Case Manager, Educational Counselor, Instructional Supervisor, Principal, Public Information Officer and Chief Examiner-GED Colorado Private Prisons.  Marty earned undergraduate degrees in Accounting, Business Management and Business Administration, and holds a Master’s Degree from Fort Hays State University in Education/Organizational Leadership.  He is currently pursuing a Doctorate from CSU– Fort Collins specializing in Human Resources/Education with an emphasis in Adult Literacy and Community College Leadership.  Marty was recently awarded CCA’s Employee of the Year Award to represent the 18,000 employees nationally for his commitment to the organization.

Lisa Flores. Lisa is a Senior Program Officer at the Gates Family Foundation reviewing capital grant proposals for small and large projects throughout the state of Colorado.  Lisa served as executive director of the Denver Inner City Parish, a multigenerational community center, where she raised both operating and capital funds.  She received a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management at Regis University and is an alumni trainer for the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training.  Previously, she served as senior staff to Denver’s Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Nancy Harris. Nancy is the Development Director for Southeast Behavioral Health Group.  She is a licensed professional counselor and was a 2003 Colorado Trust Fellow in the Master of Nonprofit Management program at Regis University.  She founded the nonprofit “Colorado Arts of Recovery” in 2007, which is designed to combat the stigma associated with mental illness.  Nancy is a member of the Program Committee for Southeast Rural Philanthropy Days.

Carol Hedges. Carol is a Fiscal Analyst at the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, a project of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy.  She focuses her efforts on the effects of the TABOR amendment and is organizing grassroots efforts to understand and reform the tax and budget system in Colorado.  Carol is the primary author of “Aiming for the Middle, Benchmarks for Colorado’s Future,” and The Bell Policy Center’s “Ten Years of TABOR: A Study of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.”  Carol’s employment history includes time as the policy director for Governor Romer in Colorado and Governor Carlin in Kansas.  She also spent six years working in various capacities for the National Governors’ Association in Washington DC.

Sharon Knight. Sharon is Vice President and CEO of the Colorado Nonprofit Association.  She briefly served as interim President and CEO in 2008-2009.  In addition to broad supervisory responsibilites, she provides leadership in the areas of programs, fundraising, communications and budget, and acts as the primary spokesperson for the organization.  During her tenure at the Association, Sharon has helped to double the size of the budget and staff in order to better serve the nonprofit sector, established the Leadership Luncheon Series, improved research and communications from the organization, and provided leadership to the Colorado Generosity Project and the Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence Program.  She recently spearheaded the Generous Colorado Campaign, ads and website to help increase philanthropy and engagement in the nonprofit sector.  Prior to the Association, Sharon was Executive Director of the Front Range Community College Foundation for eight years.

Joe Kost. Joe, Area Director for USDA Rural Development, administers over 50 programs for 10 counties in Southeast Colorado.  Joe has 25 years in Federal Government service; having started in Washington State with stints in Wyoming and Florida.  Joe graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1979 with a BS Degree in Animal Science/Farm and Ranch Management and completed 2 years graduate work in Agricultural Economics.

Julie Lerudis. Julie is the Director of the Grants Program at the Boettcher Foundation, she has over 16 years experience in project management and accounting in the nonprofit, healthcare, and real estate sectors. Julie is the Director of the Grants Program at the Boettcher Foundation and is also a certified public accountant. She began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and prior to joining the Boettcher Foundation, Julie was an auditor at Kundinger, Corder & Engle, P.C. in Denver, which specializes in nonprofit accounting.

Felix Lopez. Felix is the President of Trinidad State Junior College.  He was appointed to that position this spring after serving as the Interim President since July 2009, and previously as Executive Vice President of the college.  Originally from Tlaltenanco Zacatecas, Mexico, he earned an Associate of Arts degree in Accounting and Business Administration from TSJC in 1983 and joined TSJC in 1994 as Director of Fiscal Services and Director of Purchasing.  He received his BA degree in 1999 and a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Education in 2002.  He considers interacting with students to be the most rewarding of his work through the years.  As president, he continues to actively seek out students to discover what they are learning and thinking and offer his encouragement to them.

Irene Lopez-Wessell. Irene has worked for senior programs for more than 20 years in the United States and Europe.  She is currently co-executive director of the Bright Mountain Foundation and co-chair of the affinity group for the Colorado Association of Funders that addresses aging issues.

Elaine Mariner. Elaine is the Executive Director of the Colorado Council on the Arts, a state agency that promotes the cultural, educational and economic growth of Colorado through development of its arts and cultural heritage.  CCA provides $2 million in grants and professional assistance for artists, cultural organizations, schools and municipal agencies each year.  Elaine's current board and advisory roles include the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the Colorado Tourism Office, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Colorado Nonprofit Association and Arts for Colorado.  Elaine has served on numerous grant review panels, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Wallace Foundation. 

Martin Masar. Martin is the Executive Director at the CBR YouthConnect, La Junta campus.  CBRYC is an adolescent psychiatric residential treatment and education facility located in southeastern Colorado, USA.  A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW, he received his Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Social Work from Creighton University, Omaha, NE, and his Master of Social Work degree from New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM.  A national and international expert in child, adolescent, and family mental health issues, Martin has authored numerous articles, provided education/training and spoken on all aspects of children’s mental health throughout the United States and Europe.

Susann Mikkelson. Susann has worked in the nonprofit sector for almost 20 years, specializing in program development and fundraising.  She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Public Relations and a Master's degree in Leadership and Policy Studies, with an emphasis in rural development.  Since 2005, Susann has worked for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Educational & Charitable Foundation, assisting start-up rural businesses and community initiatives.  Susann provides technical assistance - including understanding the basics of cooperatives and other business structures, as well as helping establish bylaws, articles, membership structures, boards of directors, etc. - and assistance with seeking start-up funding for cooperative and other rural initiatives.

Kevin Morris. Kevin holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and was actively involved in cancer research for over 20 years.  In 1999, he co-founded Sirius Medicine, a research and development company that generates new radiosurgical technologies for cancer treatment.  Dr. Morris joined the Animal Assistance Foundation in 2009.  As the Director of Research, he brings his scientific focus to the advancement of animal welfare through research and analysis.

Carol Nickell. Carol joined the Community Resource Center as the Executive Director in January of 2010. Her career includes over 20 years as a Program and Executive Director in the nonprofit sector, 14 years in the for-profit sector and 4 years managing government social service programs and projects. She also has extensive program design and implementation experience, and has successfully implemented social services projects both at the local and state levels. Carol has a B.A. in Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino.

Cynthia Nieb. Cynthia is Director of Public Outreach for the State Historical Fund, History Colorado, and the Colorado Historical Society.  Cynthia helps non-profits and public entities develop projects that record and save the historic built environment of Colorado. She has been involved in non-profit management and public service for the last twenty years, and enjoys assisting non-profits in becoming strong, educated and independent stewards of their buildings and sites.

Tim Schultz. Tim is President of the Boettcher Foundation.

Susan Steele. Susan is the Executive Director of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation. Susan joined the foundation as controller in 1993 and was named Executive Director in 1998. During her tenure, she has helped guide the foundation to prominence as a leader in early childhood development throughout the state of Colorado. Susan received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado and began her career as a middle school math teacher. After several years of teaching, she moved into the business arena, serving in management and accounting positions for several family-owned businesses in Denver. Susan currently participates in numerous philanthropic activities both locally and regionally. She serves as a board member of the Colorado Association of Funders and coordinates the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. She regularly gives informal presentations and consultations on the topics of early childhood and finance.

Jere Thomas. Jere is a coach, consultant and facilitator with over 19 years experience in the fields of Prevention and Leadership Development.  She has hands-on experience developing, coordinating and evaluating numerous community-based prevention projects.  Jere is a licensed clinical social worker with a BA in Psychology from Brown University; an MSW from CSU Sacramento and a Leadership Coaching certificate from Georgetown University.  She is currently contracted as a Regional Prevention Consultant for the OMNI Institute, serving southeast Colorado.  Funded by the Colorado Division of Behavioral Health, the regional prevention services division provides technical assistance, facilitation, training and custom consulting to prevention agencies throughout the state.

Betty Velasquez. Betty is the director of the Southeast and South Central Workforce Centers, which cover over 15 counties in southern Colorado.  In that position, she has worked to foster relationships with institutions of higher education.  These partnerships have blossomed into collaborative projects that have improved workforce training programs at the colleges and, in turn, boosted the local workforce.  The most recent of the partnerships was through a $5 million grant received by Otero Junior College and Trinidad State Junior College to improve nursing education opportunities at both colleges.

Bob Whaley. Bob serves as Executive Director of Southeast Behavioral Health Group.  He holds an MBA from New Mexico State University.  Mr. Whaley joined Southeast Mental Health Services (SEMHS) in 1988 and served as Director of Finance until December 1998.  He was chosen from a national search to serve as SEMHS Executive Director from 1998 to present.  Under Bob’s direction, SEMHS rose to national prominence as the first community mental health center in Colorado to adopt and implement the philosophy of Recovery.  Through his visionary leadership and financial acumen, SEMHS has maintained its ability to provide world-class services during this economic recession with very few adjustments to day-to-day operations.