Waleed Abdalati is Director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Previously, Dr. Abdalati held various positions at NASA in the areas of scientific research and program management, including the role of Chief Scientist from 2011-12. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University as well as a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado. Dr. Abdalati has received over a dozen professional awards from the White House, NASA, NSF and The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Ray Beck retired from Yampa Valley Electric Association on March 30, 2009 after 37 years of service. He was elected to the Craig City Council in 2007 and served two consecutive 4-year terms; and one 2-year term as the Mayor of Craig Colorado. Ray was elected as a Moffat County Commissioner for District II in November of 2016 and took the oath of office on January 10, 2017.

Commissioner Beck served on various boards and commissions over the last 14 years including the Craig Moffat Airport Advisory Board and the Yampa Valley Airport Commission for eight years. He was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper to the Colorado Aeronautical Board in 2014 and again in 2017. He has served in various leadership roles including the past Chairman to the CAB, an advisory board to the CDOT Division of Aeronautics. Ray is a past member of the Colorado Northwestern Community College Foundation Board and is an alumni from the class of 1970.  He sits on the Executive Board for CLUB 20 as the Membership Chair and has held that position for the last 11 years. He was also the Liaison and former Chairman for the Moffat County Board of County Commissioners to Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, representing issues that are important to Craig and Northwest Colorado.

KC Becker served in the Colorado State Legislature for seven years, first as a State Representative and House Majority Leader before rising to Speaker of the House She is only the fourth woman in Colorado state history to serve as Speaker of the House, and seventh woman overall in the United States. She is currently a partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, a Denver-based law firm.

During her time in the Colorado State Legislature, KC led landmark legislation to reform Colorado’s oil and gas sector, modernized the state broadband office and funding streams, and mandate carbon reduction goals. Under her leadership, Colorado created the first Office of Just Transition in the country, supporting coal workers, employers, and communities as they plan future closings of coal plants upon which their communities depend.

As the co-founder and executive director of the Just Transition Fund, Heidi is responsible for the design and the overall strategic direction of the organization. With more than 17 years of philanthropic experience on climate, coal, and energy issues, Heidi has worked with coal communities throughout the US and internationally in Australia.

In her previous position as Associate Director for Special Climate Initiatives at RFF, Heidi helped develop and grow the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Before joining RFF, she was the executive director of the WestWind Foundation, a family foundation based in Virginia. She also previously served as co-chair of the board of directors of the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) and co-chair of the Climate and Energy Funders Group, a project of the Biodiversity Funders Group. Heidi holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Notre Dame.

Marie Bolton grew up in Craig and worked as a graphic designer at Chaos Ink. Being creative is what they were known for - they made the high school's bulldog mascot from scratch and pet portraits for the community. 

Marie is now in school in Grand Junction to achieve a certificate as a lineman. Although art is still very much a big part of their live, it was getting harder to do art as a profession. They knew they wanted to get into a trade so they used their experience with Chaos Ink's traveling booth to get involved in the lineman culture. 

Ginny served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Natural Resources Section of the state Attorney General’s Office from 2000 to 2007, and represented DNR staff in hearings before the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Colorado Groundwater Commission from 2004 to 2007.

Immediately prior to joining DNR in 2010, Ginny worked on climate and energy policy at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Ginny received her JD from Denver University, where she was general editor of the University of Denver Law Review. She also earned a MA in Economics from the University of Colorado and a BA in economics from Colorado College. Ginny is a fourth generation Coloradan.

Wade Buchanan is director of the Colorado Office of Just Transition, the first state-level office in the nation dedicated to helping coal communities and workers transition to prosperous futures after the closure of the coal facilities upon which they depend. Wade has had an extensive career in state public policy, serving three Colorado governors in a variety of senior positions, including policy director, director of the state energy office, and acting Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. For 15 years he was president of the Bell Policy Center, a non-profit organization he led from start-up to become one of Colorado’s premier public policy think tanks. Wade is a fourth generation Coloradan with a BA in History from Colorado College in Colorado Springs and a Masters in International Relations from Oxford University in England, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

Duane Highley is the CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a not-for-profit electrical cooperative serving over 40 members across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming. He took the role in 2019 and has 36 years of experience with cooperatives. In previously serving as President/CEO for Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC) and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), he led an organization that provided reliable, affordable, responsible power through 17 member systems to 1.3 million consumers. Duane serves on the Southwest Power Pool Members Committee and serves as Co-Chair of the Electric Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC).

Jennifer Holloway is the Executive Director of the Craig Chamber of Commerce. Previously, she served as director of student support at Colorado Northwestern Community College. She has volunteered on the boards of Moffat County United Way and the Craig/Moffat Economic Development Partnership, as well as serving as a member of the Moffat County Emergency Response Training Committee and the Moffat County Public Information Officer Committee.

Dr. Lisa Jones is the President of Colorado Northwestern Community College, beginning her tenure with the institution in July 2021. She has spent the last 32 years of her career advancing the mission of colleges and universities. Of this, 17 years have been in service to community college students and 23 years as a member of the President’s Cabinet, in PBIs and/or HSIs, in both Student and Academic Affairs.

Prior to joining CNCC, she served as Secretary on the Board for the Detroit Urban League, and member of the Detroit, Dearborn, and Best Southwest Chambers. She partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission to support their efforts to pass legislation establishing a Texas Career and Technical Education day.

Melanie Kilpatrick is a Northwest Colorado native who actively engages in design, creation, collaboration and arts advocacy. Her work as an artist encompasses a variety of mediums including assemblage sculpture, illustrated watercolor, upcycled jewelry and graphic design. Melanie actively serves as an officer for the Northwest Colorado Arts Council board and is passionate about building creative communities and showcasing local art and its positive impacts on rural economies.

Melanie enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, adventuring, and her day job with the City of Craig. Melanie believes there is economic prosperity in rural arts, there is value in working hard, and there is benefit in approaching problems with a creative, positive and solutions-focused mindset.

Tom Kleinschnitz has always been a strong public advocate for the people that visit our region. Beyond managing the tour company, he has served in many capacities in the public forum. Some of these positions include the Chairman of the Colorado River Outfitters Association, President of the Utah Guides and Outfitters Association, board member of the Grand Junction Visitor and Convention Bureau, Chairman of the Club 20 Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee, board member of the America Outdoors Association, as well as serving on the Colorado Tourism Office Board of Directors. Since joining Visit Moffat County he was asked to serve on the Regional Branding Task Force for the Tourism Office, the initial work for this group was completed in 2019. Currently he serves as a member of the Club 20 Board of Directors and has just been asked to serve on the Destination Development Committee with the Colorado Tourism Office.  He has always felt a great responsibility for public land stewardship and keeping public lands open and accessible to all.

Chris Markuson is the Director of Colorado and State Economic Transition Policy for the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA). He leads BGA’s Colorado efforts to identify and implement policies and projects that will help build the clean energy economy, reduce emissions, create quality, family-sustaining jobs, and support a just transition for Colorado workers and communities. He also leads BGA’s development and implementation of state economic transition policies.

Chris has more than twenty-five years of experience in local government and the private sector. Before joining BlueGreen Alliance, he served as Director of Economic Development, GIS and Energy for Pueblo County, Colorado. Here, Chris was responsible for growing the economy, implementing systemic intelligent decision making through use of GIS technology, and leading community energy regulatory and policy efforts.

Kirstie McPherson is a Behavioral Economist with a primary focus on transitioning economies such as coal-reliant communities and other one-industry communities, working with their redevelopment strategies and communication programs. Most recently, Kirstie has launched a new program called Flipping Towns with her company Edeveco to better facilitate the economic development strategy process with implementation, and provide real investment to communities who need it the most. Kirstie also owns and operates local and expanding businesses 518 Wine Bar in Craig, CO, and The Find, Co. in Craig and Loveland, CO. These businesses attest to the importance of downtown revitalization and entrepreneurship, an insight she brings to each community she works in.

Sue arrived in Craig, Colorado in 2015, the same year the Colorado Northwest Field Museum at the Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) of Craig gained its Federal Repository status. Being able to touch the dinosaur skin was a turning point for Sue. She began taking most of the science courses offered by CNCC and is pursuing a Masters Decree in Museum Studies to aid in the museum's development. She is the Paleontology Coordinator, Docent, and Preparator to name but a few of her duties.

Tim Osborn, Vice President of Generation for Tri-State, joined Tri-State Generation and Transmission as a Utility Worker in October of 1990. Tim has served his 33 years in numerous bargaining unit and management roles. In his previous role as Plant Manager he was tasked with the safe operation and maintenance of the three-unit station, as well as developing the framework for its decommissioning and retirement. Tim earned a master’s degree in Family Science and a master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in engineering and technology management while working at the plant. Tim chairs the Colorado Northwestern Community College Cybersecurity Business Industry Leadership Team (BILT) Advisory Board, serves on the Moffat County Local Marketing District, and the Craig & Moffat County Chamber of Commerce board of directors.  

Senator Bob Rankin represents Colorado's District 8, an area spanning Craig and much of the Western Slope. He is a member on the Senate Appropriations Committee and serves as the Senate Republican member of the Joint Budget Committee. He was born and raised in Mississippi, attended high school in Laurel, and earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University. Twenty-two years of his engineering career was with Ford Aerospace Corporation, the defense and aerospace subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, where he rose to vice president and general manager of the division. In 1995, he founded Aspen Cybercare, LLC, an ongoing technology consulting firm providing support to business and residential clientele. In 2000, Rankin founded and served as chairman of the board for the Computers for Kids Foundation, a non-profit organization recycling electronics while motivating high school students toward a career in technology.

Graham Roberts is the Environmental Supervisor at the Trapper Mine in Craig Colorado.  As Environmental Supervisor he is responsible for the regulatory compliance and operational permitting of a large surface coal mine.  Further responsibilities include the management of on-site grazing and agricultural programs, mine land reclamation, and water treatment for the site.

Mr. Roberts graduated from the University of Wyoming with a BS in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management.  He is also a Colorado Certified Water Professional, with experience in water and wastewater treatment. Currently, he serves as a member of the Colorado Inactive Mine Reclamation Program Citizens Advisory Council. 

A Colorado native, Graham is passionate about the proper and prudent management of our natural resources as they support his many lifelong outdoor recreational hobbies, including being an avid hunter and fisherman, family man, explorer and Toyota Land Cruiser enthusiast.  

Suzanne Tegen is the Assistant Director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, where she works on clean energy policy education, research, and solutions for decision-makers including state legislators, governors’ energy offices, and others. Her current work also includes research on the equitable transition from coal power in rural America. Suzanne came to CNEE from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) where she spent 14 years as an energy analyst, researcher, and manager of the Technology, Engineering, and Deployment group for wind and water power.

Josh Veenstra, co-owner and founder of Good Vibes River Gear. He is manufacturing every single product GVRG sells. Husband and father to 2 wild boys, Josh loves the outdoors and recreation. He loves music and working with his rafting customers. His easy going nature is infectious.

Tim Wohlgenant is the Executive Director of the Yampa Valley Community Foundation based in Steamboat Springs. He has played a leadership role in successful efforts to start several non-profit organizations including the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (now in its 25^th year and one of the most successful land trusts in the country), the Bluff Lake Nature Center (a 26-year old Denver non-profit), and the South Dakota Agricultural Land Trust (a current effort to establish the state’s first statewide land trust).

Most recently Tim has been Coalition Director of For the Love of Colorado, a collaboration of water stakeholders from across the state seeking to address the funding gap standing in the way of full implementation of Colorado’s Water Plan.

Brittany Young is a lifetime resident of Moffat County and a graduate of Moffat County High School. She left Craig to attend college at Colorado Mesa University and received her Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in management. Young was offered an internship with the Craig Chamber of Commerce her final semester of her bachelor’s degree which after graduation turned into a full-time position as the Executive Assistant/Marketing Coordinator and now as the Assistant Director. She is also currently serving as the Treasurer of the Moffat County Tourism Association. Young enjoys serving her community as a voice for the upcoming generation.