Staff

Summer Laws

Summer Laws serves as the contract regional manager under the direction of the Community Resource Center, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, and the NW Colorado RPD Leadership team (see below). 

Summer was the co-founder and executive director of Integrated Community for four years, a nonprofit dedicated to intercultural understanding in Craig and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. As a budding executive director, Summer benefited from the professional development opportunities and connections to funders provided by Rural Philanthropy Days and the Community Resource Center.  She has a BS in environmental studies and animal ecology and is a current master of public health student at the University of Colorado, Denver.  Her professional background is eclectic, spanning the ranges of education, wildlife biology, community organizing, nonprofit management, and public health.  She currently lives in Steamboat Springs and serves on the First Impressions of Routt County board.  Summer balances her time between work, playing outdoors, friends, family, and her fantastic one year old son, Kai.

Lindsay Moore, Manager of RPD at Community Resource Center

Lindsay has a BA in Political Science from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia and a MA in International Development from the University of Denver.  She has extensive experience in volunteer management, grant writing, project management, and capacity building.  Lindsay has a genuine passion for nonprofits, community organizations, and issues of social justice.  In her free time, Lindsay enjoys hiking in the mountains and sewing.  She is thrilled to be back in Denver and excited to join the team at the Community Resource Center in their excellent work.

Northwest Colorado Leadership Team

Eliza Dodd, Yampa Valley Community Foundation

Bio coming soon.

Libby Foster, Partners in Routt County

Libby Foster is Executive Director of Partners in Routt County. She was PRC's Case Manager for more than three years before being hired as Director. Her job responsibilities include developing strong agency capacity, developing and maintaining effective community partnerships, planning for sustainable resource development, and ensuring quality programming and effective program evaluation. Libby earned a B.A. in Biology and a M.A. in Teaching Secondary Science at Colorado College. She has experience as the Education Coordinator and YES (Young Environmental Stewards) Director at The Catamount Institute, has been a middle school teacher in a low socio-economic and ethnically diverse Colorado school district, served as conservation coordinator for a Vermont land trust, and conducted wildlife research in Florida, South America, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Botswana.

Megan Ledin, Grand Foundation

Megan Ledin is Executive Director of the Grand Foundation, the community foundation for Grand County, which focuses on Arts and Culture, Education, Environment, Health and Human Services and Sports and Recreation. Prior to her role at the Grand Foundation, she was the CFO for the National Sports Center for the Disabled. Megan has lived in Grand County for 15 years. She chose it for the many recreational and outdoor activities but stayed for the beauty and warmth of the community and its residents. Megan holds degrees in Accounting and Biochemistry and an M.B.A. with a focus on Accounting. Megan is passionate about the role nonprofits play in the vitality and vibrancy of Grand County. On the RPD Steering Committee, she hopes to foster collaboration between nonprofits, funders and elected officials to solve community issues.

Sonja Macys, Yampatika

Sonja Macys is Executive Director of Yampatika, an organization dedicated to inspiring environmental stewardship through education. Prior to joining Yampatika, Sonja served as Executive Director of the Tucson Audubon Society. During her tenure there, the United States House of Representatives recognized Sonja for her leadership in conservation in southeastern Arizona. Her educational background includes an M.A. in Parks and Protected Area Management, a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, and a B.A. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. Her career as an environmental educator began in Mexico where she worked for the Mexican nonprofit Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan developing school programs and working with youth groups and direct resource users in the Yucatan Peninsula’s Coastal Biosphere Reserves.

Ellene Meece, Meeker Chamber of Commerce

Bio coming soon.

Kate Nowak, Yampa Valley Partners  

Bio coming soon.

Corrie Ponikvar, Moffat County United Way

Bio coming soon.

Gretchen Van De Carr, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

Gretchen Van De Carr has served as Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps since founding the organization in 1993. Gretchen has a master’s of science in Environmental Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. She was a founding member of the City of Steamboat Springs’ Teen Programs and Community Youth Corps, Partners in Routt County, Community Evaluation Team, Grand Futures Prevention Coalition, and the Routt County Family and Adolescent Resource Council. She currently serves as a board director for the Colorado Youth Corps Association, Integrated Community, North Routt Preschool and the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation Steering Committee. Gretchen is also the proud mom of two boys, Otis and Oliver. In addition to spending time with her family, she enjoys skiing, camping, hiking and making music.

Jamie Viefhaus-Zak, Jackson County Social Services

In a small rural community where everyone must wear multiple hats, Jamie has worked as the only full time Social Services employee in Jackson County for eight years. She advocates for kids as the President for the North Park School District Accountability Committee. Approximately, a year ago she was instrumental in getting nonprofit status for the Jackson County Community Center, which is currently working on various collaborations within the community to provide much-needed services for people from birth to 90+. She was excited when asked to participate on the Rural Philanthropy Days Steering Committee and has enjoyed the task.