Northeast Regional Council

Matt Carpenter is Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Corporate Secretary for El Pomar Foundation. He joined El Pomar in 1999 as a participant in the Fellowship program and now oversees grant and program operations. He currently serves on the boards of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs Sports Corporation and Empty Stocking Fund Advisory Board. Matt is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, with an emphasis on nonprofit management.

“Including my time at the Air Force Academy, I have been in Colorado for more than 25 years. I appreciate the outdoors and as a member of a soccer family, the variety of soccer fields and parks around the state of Colorado.”

Jon Becker is Morgan County Commissioner for District 2. Jon previously served in the Colorado House of Representatives, representing House District 63. Jon is a native of Morgan County where he worked as Executive Director for the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation as an adjuster for Farmers Insurance Group. Jon formerly worked as the Vice President of Business and Government for Viaero Wireless and currently serves as President of Industrial Tower West.

Born and raised in Northeast Colorado, Justin Coughlin spent the majority of his childhood in Yuma. He attended the University of Denver where he received a degree in finance and played basketball all four years. After graduating from DU, Justin joined the El Pomar Fellowship in Colorado Springs for two years. He married his high school sweetheart during the Fellowship and returned to Northeast Colorado in 2014 to be an agricultural lender at Bank of Colorado. In March of 2018, Justin and his family moved back home to Yuma where he now works for Seward Farms Seward Cattle Company in a finance and accounting role. Justin and his wife, Katherine, enjoy being back in Yuma with their three sons ages six, four and one.

Jean Johnson and her husband Scott own and operate The Flying Diamond Ranch near Kit Carson. This commercial cow-calf/stocker operation has been in the family over 100 years and Jean and Scott have expanded the business which now operates in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. They raised four, fifth generation children in Kit Carson who are all involved with the business at some level.

Jean currently serves on the Colorado State University Dean’s AgIndustry Leadership Council and is an officer for the Cheyenne County Cattlewomen. She served 14 years on the Kit Carson School Board and two years on the Cheyenne County Hospital Board.

Karen Loyd is a registered nurse, and has served the Wray community in a variety of ways over the past 32 years. Karen’s husband, Dr. Robert Loyd, is a third-generation native of Wray. She is a founding Board Member of the Wray Community Learning Center. The Loyds act as Trustees of the Kitzmiller/Bales Trust and the Powell Trust, philanthropic trusts serving Eastern Yuma County.

Trae is the 5th generation of a local farming and ranching family. After graduating from Merino High School, he received a Business Marketing degree from Colorado State University. He returned to Northeast CO with his family in 2015 for his current role and now lives in Sterling with his wife, Allie, and their son Layton and daughter Lilly. Prior to entering the field of economic development, he worked in business development and feed formulation for J.D. Heiskell & Co in Windsor, CO, and several years for Cargill Food Distribution as an account manager and head buyer in both Utah and Denver locations.

Anna Scott is from Julesburg, Colorado. She is the Executive Director of the Ernest and Lillian E. Campbell Foundation, the Director of the “South Platte River Trail” a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway and a member of the Hippodrome Arts Centre Board of Directors. In 2004 Anna was awarded the statewide Colorado Nonprofit Association William Funk Award. Anna and her husband, Randy, raise Black Simmental Cattle and grow corn, wheat and alfalfa.

Mike Buth began working at El Pomar Foundation in 1999. He currently serves as Vice President and Director of Historic Properties and also serves as El Pomar’s senior staff member for the San Juan and Northeast regions.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mike served in the United States Coast Guard. He currently serves on the Board of the Colorado Springs Youth Sports Park.

Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Regis University and his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

eth Lindsey joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the 2023 Fellowship Class. As a 2nd Year Fellow, Seth serves as a Senior Program Associate for American Council of Young Political leaders, Communications, Investment Challenge, National Recreation Foundation, and Regional Partnerships. Additionally, Seth supports the Northeast region.

Originally from Santa Rosa, California, Seth grew up in Lone Tree, Colorado, from the age of two and graduated from the University of Colorado—Colorado Springs in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) and a minor in Leadership Studies. At UCCS, Seth spread his time between performing and designing for the theater; volunteering with the Chancellor’s Leadership Class; working as the School Group Coordinator for the Office of Admissions; and taking on roles in student organizations around campus. Seth served two years on the VAPA Chair’s Council and three years on the Theatreworks Advisory Board, facilitating paths for fellow student artists to display their work and gain experience with professional development in their areas of focus. Seth was honored to have been a part of 18 productions during his time at UCCS and remembers those projects fondly. As a survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Seth’s highest achievement in college was organizing the first Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night walk on-campus at UCCS during the Fall of 2022.

Caroline Monberg joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the 2024 Fellowship class. As a 1st Year Fellow, Caroline serves as a Program Associate for Awards for Excellence, Communications, Fellowship Recruiting, and Western Legislative Academy. She also supports the Northeast Regional Council.

Caroline is a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado. She attended Taylor University in Indiana and graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology and Preventive Medicine. Caroline is passionate about learning and connecting with others. During college, she worked in the Office of Intercultural Leadership where she drove initiatives focused on diversity and community connections. Additionally, she was a Health Educator for the Taylor University Invitation Health and Wellness Program, where she used her passions for health care and community engagement to create individualized preventive care programs for health-conscious patients.

Caroline played for the Taylor University women’s soccer team and was recognized as an Academic All-Crossroads League Honoree and NAIA Scholar Athlete. In addition, she volunteered at her local church, worked in the Admissions Office, studied abroad in Greece and Ecuador, and was a member of the Honors Guild.

In her free time, Caroline enjoys traveling, reading, being outdoors, and spending time with her friends and family.