San Juan 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.”

As a lifelong resident of Delta County, Doug has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people in his community. He worked for 36 years in the banking industry working up the ranks to president and eventually supervisor over five banks. He currently serves on the boards of the Uncompahgre Development Company Incorporated and Delta County Memorial Hospital Foundation. He has served previously on the Board of Directors for Colorado Counties Incorporated and the Bureau of Land Management’s Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area Advisory Council. Finally, from 2011-2019, Doug served as a Delta County Commissioner. Doug attended Colorado State University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural industries management.

Born and raised in Montrose County on a family farm/ranch operation, Don Coram has a background in ranching, mining, environmental relations and business. Don assumed the office of Colorado State Senator in 2017 for the 6th District, where he serves on the Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee, Water Resources Review Committee, as well as the Judiciary Committee. Prior to joining the Senate, Don served as a state legislator for six years, Director and Treasurer of School District RE-1J, and as Treasurer and President of the Delta-Montrose Vocational Center. He also served as Second Vice Chairman of the Montrose County Central Committee and was selected by CRC Chairman Dick Wadhams to serve on the Colorado Republican Committee Executive Committee.

Linda Gann is a western Colorado native, growing up in Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Redstone. She has lived in Montrose 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, including raising over $10 million in grants for capital projects and two school-based health centers, Linda retired in September 2010 as the district’s Communications and Special Project Coordinator. She also retired as Senior Manager, Outreach & Community Engagement on the Western Slope for Connect for Health Colorado.

​Lauren grew up in the Gunnison Valley, born and raised in Crested Butte. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After spending some time in Lake Tahoe and Denver, she returned to the area in 2008 upon accepting an offer to help with marketing, community outreach and fundraising for Gunnison Valley Health. Lauren joined the CFGV team in 2013, becoming Executive Director in 2020, and continues to learn so much being immersed in the world of nonprofit management while working with so many organizations and full and part-time residents from both ends of the Valley. In her free time, she enjoys Nordic, alpine and backcountry skiing as well as biking, hiking and exploring (or trying to keep up with!) with her husband, daughter and dog.

Betsy Marston, a resident of Paonia, Colorado since 1974, works as the editor of Writers on the Range, a nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She also writes Heard Around the West, a column for High Country News, which covers public land issues in 10 western states.

Alexander Price is responsible for the oversight of all five branches of the bank, and also serves as a director for CSB and CSBO Holdings, Inc. Alexander has spent his career in technology. He started on the government side as the IT policy advisor and speechwriter for the Governor of Colorado and then moved to the BD side for companies in application platforms, manufacturing automation, and now restaurant automation. He has a BA in international relations and economics from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Dee Williams’ long list of service activities includes two years on the Ouray City Council and two years as Co-President of Women in Support of Education and three-time member of the Ouray Chamber Board. Dee helped launch a ski program for children in Telluride. She has driven the successful campaign to purchase and preserve Ouray’s historic Wright Opera House. She is a founding member of the Ouray County Nordic Council. A longtime member of Ouray’s Community Development Committee, she helped implement the city’s economic development plan. Dee served on Ouray’s Home Rule Charter Commission. From 2003 to 2015, she served as the School to Work Alliance Programmer, which helps high school students with special needs prepare for graduation and transition to the workplace, and continues to be involved in helping youth transition from high school. For 28 years, she and her husband operated a beloved Main Street establishment, V&S Variety Store.

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.

Amy Weisensee joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the Fellowship class of 2023. As a 2nd Year Fellow, Amy serves as a Senior Program Associate for Communications, Fellowship Recruiting, Fellowship Strategic Planning, Julie Penrose Award, and Penrose Organizational and Professional Leadership Experience. She also supports the San Juan and Southeast Regions.

Amy is from Limon, Colorado. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and minors in Psychology, American Sign Language, and Special Education. During college, Amy was a Student Ambassador in the Office of Admissions, leading guests on tours, assisting during campus event days, and creating team bonding events. Amy was a representative for the JED Foundation Campus Committee that strategically developed a plan to provide mental health resources for college students. During the summer of 2022, Amy worked in Washington D.C. for National FFA as a facilitator for the Washington Leadership Conference. Amy continued facilitating with National FFA during her last year of college for the Membership Leadership Series. Amy enjoys reading, being active, game nights, and trying new coffee shops in her free time.

Courtney Rael joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the Fellowship Class of 2024. As a 1st Year Fellow, Courtney serves as a Program Associate for Communications, Investment Challenge, Julie Penrose Award, and Western Legislative Academy. She also supports the San Juan Regional Council.

Originally born in Dothan, Alabama, Courtney Rael grew up in Fountain, Colorado. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU) with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with minors in Business and Journalism. During her time at CU, Courtney worked as a Residential Advisor, collaborating with other staff members to create a safe, inclusive environment that promotes community and personal responsibility amongst first year students. Courtney interned for Representative Judy Amabile during the First Regular Session of the 74th General Assembly in Denver. She handled constituent communications and engaged in the legislative process to promote the betterment of Coloradans. In the fall of 2023, Courtney participated in the CU in D.C. program where she was able to intern with a lobbying firm specializing in working with small businesses and nonprofits while taking classes and exploring the city. In her free time, Courtney enjoys rock climbing, paddleboarding, traveling, and going on walks with her dog Goliath.