Conor, who hails from the mountains of Southwest Colorado, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Earlham College with a degree in Politics. From 2015-2019, he served in the administration of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, holding a number of roles including Manager of Special Initiatives, Director of External Affairs, and Senior Advisor to the Governor. He served as a Senior Advisor on Climate and Conservation on Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign. Until recently, he worked for The Trust for Public Land as the Director of Conservation Strategies & Policy Advocacy for the West, working to create tens of billions of dollars in funding for conservation. In early 2022, he was appointed by Governor Polis to lead the Colorado Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry. He is an avid outdoorsman and proudly serves on the nonprofit boards of First Descents and Stand for Courage. 

Jon Kreamelmeyer spent three decades coaching, teaching and working with at-risk youths in Colorado’s Summit County High School; he retired after the 1999 school year ended. In 1999, Kreamelmeyer took the job as U.S. Ski Team’s disabled cross country head coach. He originally joined the U.S. Disabled Ski Team as a guide for Michele Drolet, the first American woman to earn a Paralympic cross country ski medal. During his time as head coach, U.S. skiers won two bronze medals, the first relay medal for U.S. athletes and three podiums in Torino in 2006. Kreamelmeyer retired from the U.S. Paralympic team in 2011, but he continues to serve as a technical classifier for the International Paralympic Committee. He was selected as Coach of the Year by U.S. Olympic Committee in 2000 and in 2014 was inducted into the Visa International Paralympic Hall of Fame during the Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.

As GOCO’s Executive Director, Jackie is a convener who is passionate about facilitating partnerships across organizations, developing strong and supportive teams, and connecting people with opportunities that will help them grow personally and professionally. Over the course of nearly two decades in the grant-making industry, including 15 years at Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Jackie has created, managed, and directed initiatives to impact others’ lives. In 2015 she spearheaded the launch of Generation Wild, an unprecedented movement in Colorado to connect youth and families with the outdoors. Collaborating with the GOCO Board, stakeholders, partners, and constituents across the state has provided Jackie with a ground-up perspective of program development and grant management as well as in-depth strategic planning and direction experience. Jackie received her bachelor’s from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.
 

Omar Munoz is pursuing a pre-med biology degree at the University of Colorado, with plans to advance to medical school, and works as a medical assistant and EMT with a profound commitment to supporting underrepresented populations through healthcare. Beyond these roles, Omar is also a CPR instructor, teaching life-saving skills at the clinic where he works and for his community. Omar is deeply involved in volunteer work, assisting in teaching English and citizenship classes, and an avid outdoors enthusiast, embracing all that Colorado has to offer. From hiking and skiing to exploring the state's diverse geography, his interests in the natural world extend to its rocks, minerals, plants, and wildlife. He is driven by his passion for healthcare, education, community service, and a profound appreciation for nature.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Hilda Nucete's journey is a tapestry woven with threads of advocacy, leadership, and a profound love for the outdoors. Born in a Venezuelan oil camp and raised amidst the bustling streets of Caracas, Venezuela, Hilda's path was shaped by the complexities of her homeland's political landscape. In 2007, she embarked on a life-changing move to Colorado with her family, where her awareness expanded to encompass social, racial, and environmental justice. Professionally, Hilda's passion for positive change led her to roles such as the Protégete Program Director at Conservation Colorado, where she orchestrated impactful environmental initiatives. Currently, as the Senior Director of Civic Engagement at League of Conservation Voters, she leads voter registration programs in marginalized communities, registering over 1.5 million voters. Hilda's commitment extends beyond her professional endeavors. She served as the Co-Chair for the Health Equity Commission and chaired the Best Practices for Community Engagement Subcommittee of the Colorado Environmental Justice Action Task Force, driving transformative recommendations. Outside of her advocacy work, Hilda finds solace and joy in Colorado's breathtaking landscapes. Her love for the outdoors not only rejuvenates her spirit, it fuels her commitment to environmental conservation and justice.

Since his early youth, Brayhan has been supporting and working toward building a better community, advocating for language justice, toppling barriers to the outdoors, and improving equity for youth and Latinas in Colorado. Brayhan grew up in Leadville at the heart of the Colorado Rockies. While the region is considered an outdoor and recreational Mecca by Coloradans and international tourists, it contains socioeconomic barriers for immigrant, low-income, and nonwhite communities. Brayhan has been working to dismantle persisting outdoor industry barriers so that recreational participation and career pathways are accessible to all. Through participation on this board, he hopes to continue to help the Colorado community with a “nothing for us, without us” mindset because bringing diverse voices to the table strengthens a group’s progress toward equity, inclusivity, and achieving a shared goal. He is currently working towards a B.S. in Business Administration after completing an A.A. in Outdoor Education at Colorado Mountain College.

Michal Rosenoer is a political strategist and government affairs professional. She has over 12 years of experience in environmental policy, outdoor recreation management, rural affairs, and electoral strategy. Michal currently works as Hipcamp's Government Affairs Manager for the U.S. and Canada, and previously served as the Executive Director for Emerge Colorado. She is on the governance council for Together Outdoors, a national coalition of outdoor industry organizations working together to make the outdoors more accessible for all, and was appointed to the Chaffee County Housing Authority in 2021. She formerly served as an elected city councilor and the only out-LGBTQ member of the council for the City of Edgewater, CO. Michal is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.

Benny Samuels is a seasoned multicultural, multi-lingual leader in health, human service, and non-profit. In her 30-year career, she has led transformational programs that have increased access, equity, voice, and power (in the form of self-sufficiency) for children, families, and communities, with an intentional emphasis on supporting communities of color and those living in poverty and furthest from opportunity across Colorado and nationally. Her accomplishments include the Statewide Colorado Family Planning Project, which reduced unintended pregnancies in Colorado by 40% in 4 years. Benny also implemented the W.K. Kellogg Foundation multi-million-dollar grant investment and flagship national demonstration project, Community Voices, enrolling thousands of children in the Child Health Plan Plus and uninsured adults into Medicaid and the Colorado Indigent Care Program. Most recently Benny led the operations of a $56M investment for Nurse-Family Partnership to scale the model by making it accessible to thousands of first-time mothers living in poverty.

Born and raised in Denver, Krystal is passionate about sharing accessible green spaces in urban areas with her community members through environmental educational programs. In 2022, she graduated from Colorado State University in Environmental Science and Sustainability, Environmental Affairs. She hopes to continue addressing environmental disparities and recognize programs that have the same passion for environmental justice. In her free time, she loves to thrift, explore local businesses in the city, and take care of all her house plants. 

Ida, born and raised in Colorado, is a member of the Santee Dakota, Oglala Lakota, Northern and Southern Cheyenne, and Ojibwe Tribes. Ida studied Accounting and Finance at University of Colorado, Denver, as an undergrad before getting her MBA at Gonzaga. She has worked across many industries throughout the state but now supports community-led philanthropic projects across Colorado through her work at Trailhead Institute. Before joining Trailhead, Ida worked with American Indian organizations and local entrepreneurs to build financial capacities and better boards of directors. Ida is deeply connected and invested in the nonprofit community, especially those serving urban American Indian Families and Youth. She also owns her own small business beautifying Coloradans. From hairbrushes to power tools, Ida loves learning and trying out new skills and crafts. When she’s not working on something, Ida can be found spending time with her big family or outdoors enjoying our own Colorful Colorado.

Dawson Metcalf (he/him) is the Director of Enterprise for the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University, where he leads initiatives advancing workforce development, strategic partnerships, and inclusive practices across the conservation and outdoor recreation sectors. With over a decade of experience at the nexus of conservation leadership, global development, equity, and community engagement, Dawson brings a unique perspective rooted in both his professional expertise and his lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. He has held leadership roles and committee positions with a number of organizations, including Friends of Lory State Park, the City of Fort Collins’ Natural Resources Advisory Board, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s Outdoor Workforce Consortium, the Diversity Joint Venture for Careers in Conservation, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Partners in the Outdoors Conference. Dawson’s work is grounded in the belief that equitable access to the outdoors is essential to building a resilient and just conservation future – one that ensures all Coloradans, especially those from historically marginalized communities, have the opportunity to meaningfully engage with and benefit from the state’s natural resources.