Board of Directors & Staff

FFRWR Board Members Our Friends group is one of about 200 across the nation that supports local national wildlife refuges. Our supporters come from all walks of life to enjoy and promote our refuges. Our supporters also have access to training and networking offered through national conferences for friends groups.

Our group is led by a board of directors with diverse environmental, educational, business and community expertise.

Board of Directors:

- Loretta Pineda, President
- Michelle Seubert, Manager Cherry Creek State Park, Vice President
- Jack Markovich, Senior Accountant at Denver Zoological Foundation, Treasurer
- Maria Carabajal, Public Relations at South Adams County Fire Protection District, Events Committee Chair
- Susan Noble, Mayor Pro Tem for Commerce City
- Rocky Teter, Councilmember for Commerce City
- Kyli Kehler, Vista Tours Colorado
- Jennifer Watson, Elephant PR
- Christopher Urias, Montbello Organizing Committee
- Vicki Vargas-Madrid, Education & Wildlife Program Manager Denver Parks & Recreation/Denver Mountain Parks
- Rebecca Pepin, Jorgensen, Brownell, & Pepin P.C.
- Sam Simpson, Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership
- Kim Weiss, City of Brighton
- Montoya Whiteman, American Indian Science and Engineering Society

FFRWR Staff:

Vanessa Thurk, Executive Director
Kim Lopez, Volunteer Coordinator
Jillian McCarten, Generation Wild NEMC Coordinator
Bri Spitz, Nature’s Nest Coordinator
Karen Ragsdale, Nature’s Nest Clerk
Malina Chavez, Nature’s Nest Assistant

Honoring Founding Board Members:

Gary Beasley, former Vice President
René Bullock, Commerce City Chamber of Commerce, former President
James Jacobs, former Treasurer
Carolyn Boller, Egli House Advocate, Co-Founder FFRWR
David Pocs, Events Committee, LPL Financial Advisor
Kate Kramer, former Board Member and Generation Wild NEMC Manager
Rachel Hutchens, Bluff Lake Nature Center, former Secretary

Volunteer of the Year Award

Congratulations to our 2023 Volunteer of the Year, Maria Carabajal!

Every year FFRWR board of directors gives the FFRWR Volunteer of the Year award. The award goes to a volunteer from Nature’s Nest or the FFRWR Board of Directors for generous and long-time service. Congratulations to all the honorees!

2015: Carolyn Boller
2016: Betty Pepin
2017: Diane Buell
2017: Reba Drotar
2018: Gary Beasley
2019: Barb Weiss
2020: Bruce Hastings
2021: Bill Marsh
2022: Rene Bullock

COLORADO GIVES DAY

Please continue to support FFRWR through Colorado Gives Day, year-round. Thank you!

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