Say 'Hi' to the Colorado Mountain College Foundation Staff!
Kristin Heath Colon
Vice President for Advancement & Foundation CEO
Kristin Heath Colon was named Foundation CEO & Vice President for Advancement of Colorado Mountain College (CMC) in September 2015.
In her role at CMC, Kristin oversees fundraising, marketing, communications alumni relations and events for the college and serves on the President’s executive leadership team.
Prior to her role at CMC, Kristin served as the President & CEO of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) Foundation from 2009-2015. Under Kristin’s leadership, the DPS Foundation’s support of DPS students and the district grew exponentially. In February 2012 the DPS Foundation was ranked the #2 public school foundation in the country in a national study by Dewey & Associates.
Kristin’s fundraising background is rich in support for public education. She spent 14 years at the University of Colorado where she held multiple leadership roles in support of Colorado Athletics and student athletes, leaving in 2006 as an Assistant Athletic Director.
Kristin currently sits on the board of CareerWise Colorado, is a past Chair of the Colorado School Foundations Association, and is a founding board member of the Denver Afterschool Alliance. She is a proud 2009 recipient of the “Torch of Liberty Award” from the Mountain States Office of the Anti-Defamation League and was named one of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s “Top 25 Most Powerful Women” in 2015.
Kristin graduated from Scripps College in Claremont, CA.
Hometown: Boulder, CO
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: Education is the world’s greatest equalizer.
Favorite quote: Always do what’s right. It satisfies most and astonishes the rest. (Mark Twain).
Biggest Pet Peeve: Cigarette butts (especially thrown out a window!).
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: What’s not to love?
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Paddleboarding on a river with family or friends.
Proudest Accomplishment: Two grown sons who are truly good people.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: My friends would know I was lying if I didn’t answer French Fries!!
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: To Kill A Mockingbird.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: Humankind. Be both.
Favorite Sports Team: Go CMC Eagles! (Or the “SkiEagles” as the CMC Steamboat Ski Team calls themselves!)
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: Dolphin.
Hidden Talent: Wild Asparagus Picking.
Fun Fact: I have a strong connection to “the other CMC” (Claremont McKenna College): I attended Scripps College, which is part of the Claremont Mudd Scripps (CMS) varsity athletic program. I am Scripps’ first four-year varsity letter winner for women's soccer. Our team remains the only back-to-back SCIAC (Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference) conference champions for women’s soccer. I also played Water Polo for CMS.
Diana's biography coming soon.
Diana's fun facts coming soon.
Kathy moved to Vail, CO in 1994 after graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelors degree in Communications. She grew up camping and having fun outdoors in Southern California and loves all the mountain lifestyle has to offer. She can downhill ski, snowboard and telemark and also loves to skin up the mountain and Nordic ski. In the summer time she can be found hiking or biking the local trails. She has been married for 18 years and has two teenage daughters who keep her on the go. She enjoys working at CMC and helping support many students financially through the scholarship process.
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: Helping students.
Favorite quote: Go big or go home.
Biggest Pet Peeve: Loading the dishwasher wrong.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Ability be outside and active year round.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Difficult campsite in Aspen.
Proudest Accomplishment: My two daughters.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Sparkling water.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Ted Lasso.
Favorite Sports Team: My older daughter's soccer team and my younger daughter’s lacrosse team.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A bird.
Hidden Talent: I am good at wake surfing.
Fun Fact: I love to dance!
Leslie Gamez
Regional Development Officer Leadville & Alumni Association Coordinator
Concluding a 37 year career in Olympic sports, Gamez held a variety of leadership roles serving as a team leader, Attache, Deputy Chef de Mission and Games Director for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Teams beginning in 1992 through 2016. She has also served as a consultant to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Gamez holds a BA in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and completed a graduate certificate program in Olympic Sports Governance at the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University. She presently serves as the Vice President of the board for USA Ultimate, and actively participates in numerous outdoor activities including running, cycling, mountain biking, Nordic and alpine skiing.
Hometown: Formerly Manitou Springs, presently Leadville.
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I believe in the power of education; the opportunity we have to positively impact the lives of our students is immeasurable.
Favorite quote: Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Endless outdoor adventures—skiing, cycling, hiking.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Anywhere on a trail.
Proudest Accomplishment: Working behind the scenes to support America’s Olympic and Paralympic Teams.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Laughter
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (book).
Favorite Bumper Sticker: A dame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up – Mae West
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Rockies & US Olympic Team.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: Snowy Owl.
Hidden Talent: I can sleep straight through on an international flight from before take off to landing time.
Jeanne Golay
Regional Development Officer, Roaring Fork to Rifle
Jeanne has worn many hats throughout her professional and personal life- athlete, corporate spokesperson, marketer, non-profit fundraiser, UPS driver’s helper, hockey mom and cycling coach, to name a few. She has a degree in marketing from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) She traveled the world in a 16-year career as a professional cyclist including 2 Olympics. She loves the people and small-town life in Glenwood Springs, but also yearns for the sandy beaches of Florida.
Hometown: Hollywood, FL
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I enjoy working with our scholarship students and seeing them succeed. Giving them the peace of mind of having financial support so they can focus on their studies is rewarding.
Favorite quote: “Attachment is the source of all suffering.” Buddha
Biggest Pet Peeve: Waiters who ask if I’m “still working on that?”
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Mountains.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Hut trips.
Proudest Accomplishment: World championship title.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Bikes.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Star Wars.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Imagine Whirled Peas”
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Avalanche.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: Cheetah.
Hidden Talent: Underwater handstand.
Fun Fact: I once had a pet skunk.
Jaimie is a Colorado native and comes to CMC with a long career as an Administrative Professional. Before joining the Foundation, Jaimie served 5 years as the Executive Assistant to the Garfield County Public Library District Executive Director and Board of Trustees. She became a certified Administrative Professional obtaining her Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence certificate in 2021 from the American Society of Administrative Professionals. She was then asked to serve on the American Society of Administrative Professionals Advisory Board PACE Certification Committee to help other Administrative Professionals achieve their certification goals. Prior to that Jaimie helped her parents launch their tire business and was a soldier in the United States Army.
Outside of the office, Jaimie can be found spending time with her three kids, her Chiweenie Lucy and her 2 cats Fat Louie and Leo. She enjoys reading and doing jigsaw and sudoku puzzles.
Hometown: Basalt, CO
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: CMC is hometown to me. It’s the place I first went to college at 16 and will be the place my kids will attend college too.
Favorite quote: “You wake it, you take it.” -My mom or “Six of one, half dozen of the other” – Ralph Clark, 1790
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The mountains.
Proudest Accomplishment: My kids and being a veteran.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Coffee.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Harry Potter series, True Crime, The Thing Called Love.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Does this bumper sticker make my truck look big”
Favorite Sports Team: Denver Broncos & KU Jayhawks
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A pig.
Hidden Talent: I am good at jigsaw and sudoku puzzles.
Fun Fact: I have an environmentally friendly cat named Fat Louie. He doesn’t hunt mice or birds he hunts Spider Man and trash.
Amy Stern comes to CMC with a deep background in marketing and fundraising, and a passion for supporting youth and the local community. Amy studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Management, and enjoyed a professional career with 3M Company, followed by independent consulting and non-profit work with various organizations in Minnesota and Colorado. She loves working in the engaging and supportive environment at CMC-Steamboat and CMC Foundation, and is honored to represent the college and its students in the Steamboat Springs Community.
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I love working to help out our awesome students, and supporting CMC and the local community.
Favorite quote: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But, if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” – Pirkei Avot (sounds better in Hebrew).
Biggest Pet Peeve: Poorly translated movie subtitles.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Fresh, thin air!
Favorite Colorado Getaway: My backyard with friends.
Proudest Accomplishment: Raised over $50K for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by completing a series of 100-mile bike rides, in memory of my father.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Family and friends.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Too many good books to remember! The Newsroom (love that Aaron Sorkin dialog). Love Actually (the greatest of all rom-coms!).
Favorite Bumper Sticker: Ski Town, USA (Steamboat).
Favorite Sports Team: St. Louis Park, MN High School Soccer Team (yes, I was a soccer mom and I miss it)!
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: My dog (what’s not to love about a Colorado dog’s life?)
Hidden Talent: Putting together IKEA furniture.
Fun Fact: I love to do jigsaw puzzles and play scrabble – I know all the 2-letter words!
Kristen's biography coming soon.
Kristen's fun facts coming soon.
Amy came to the CMC Foundation with a desire to begin a new career where she could contribute to the Roaring Fork Valley and the community she loves. She moved to the area in 1998 seeking the mountain lifestyle and small-town environment. Amy’s professional experience began in customer service and account management for a large insurance company in Southern California. Her quest for knowledge in technology led her to work for software companies helping to develop programs and provide training. Her quest for snow led her to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in Northern California where she worked with their internal software development and risk management team. Bringing this experience to Glenwood Springs provided Amy an opportunity to work for Blizzard Internet Marketing for 14 years where she developed her online marketing skills and website development. Amy truly enjoys working with software platforms and providing quality customer service to both her co-workers, clients and donors.
Outside of work. Amy’s proudest accomplishment is her son who is attending college and is a competitive cheerleader. Amy enjoys spending time in the outdoors camping, four-wheeling or hiking with her dogs. She loves to garden and cook for her family and friends.
Hometown: Born in upstate New York, grew up in southern California but has lived in Colorado the longest.
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: Helping the community.
Favorite quote: “As if”
Biggest Pet Peeve: Loud chewing.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The mountains.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Ridgway and Ouray.
Proudest Accomplishment: My son.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Air.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Moonstruck.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: Silt Happens.
Favorite Sports Team: Raiders.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: An Eagle.
Kathy moved to Vail, CO in 1994 after graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelors degree in Communications. She grew up camping and having fun outdoors in Southern California and loves all the mountain lifestyle has to offer. She can downhill ski, snowboard and telemark and also loves to skin up the mountain and Nordic ski. In the summer time she can be found hiking or biking the local trails. She has been married for 18 years and has two teenage daughters who keep her on the go. She enjoys working at CMC and helping support many students financially through the scholarship process.
Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: Helping students.
Favorite quote: Go big or go home.
Biggest Pet Peeve: Loading the dishwasher wrong.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Ability be outside and active year round.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Difficult campsite in Aspen.
Proudest Accomplishment: My two daughters.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Sparkling water.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Ted Lasso.
Favorite Sports Team: My older daughters soccer team and my younger daughter’s lacrosse team.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A bird.
Hidden Talent: I am good at wake surfing.
Fun Fact: I love to dance!
Leslie Gamez
Regional Development Officer, Leadville & Alumni Association Coordinator
Concluding a 37 year career in Olympic sports, Gamez held a variety of leadership roles serving as a team leader, Attache, Deputy Chef de Mission and Games Director for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Teams beginning in 1992 through 2016. She has also served as a consultant to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Gamez holds a BA in Spanish from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and completed a graduate certificate program in Olympic Sports Governance at the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University. She presently serves as the Vice President of the board for USA Ultimate, and actively participates in numerous outdoor activities including running, cycling, mountain biking, Nordic and alpine skiing.
Hometown: Formerly Manitou Springs, presently Leadville.
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I believe in the power of education; the opportunity we have to positively impact the lives of our students is immeasurable.
Favorite quote: Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Endless outdoor adventures—skiing, cycling, hiking.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Anywhere on a trail.
Proudest Accomplishment: Working behind the scenes to support America’s Olympic and Paralympic Teams.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Laughter
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (book).
Favorite Bumper Sticker: A dame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up – Mae West
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Rockies & US Olympic Team.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: Snowy Owl.
Hidden Talent: I can sleep straight through on an international flight from before take off to landing time.
Jeanne Golay
Regional Development Officer, Roaring Fork to Rifle
Jeanne has worn many hats throughout her professional and personal life- athlete, corporate spokesperson, marketer, non-profit fundraiser, UPS driver’s helper, hockey mom and cycling coach, to name a few. She has a degree in marketing from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) She traveled the world in a 16-year career as a professional cyclist including 2 Olympics. She loves the people and small-town life in Glenwood Springs, but also yearns for the sandy beaches of Florida.
Hometown: Hollywood, FL
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I enjoy working with our scholarship students and seeing them succeed. Giving them the peace of mind of having financial support so they can focus on their studies is rewarding.
Favorite quote: “Attachment is the source of all suffering.” Buddha
Biggest Pet Peeve: Waiters who ask if I’m “still working on that?”
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Mountains.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Hut trips.
Proudest Accomplishment: World championship title.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Bikes.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Star Wars.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Imagine Whirled Peas”
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Avalanche.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: Cheetah.
Hidden Talent: Underwater handstand.
Fun Fact: I once had a pet skunk.
Jaimie is a Colorado native and comes to CMC with a long career as an Administrative Professional. Before joining the Foundation, Jaimie served 5 years as the Executive Assistant to the Garfield County Public Library District Executive Director and Board of Trustees. She became a certified Administrative Professional obtaining her Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence certificate in 2021 from the American Society of Administrative Professionals. She was then asked to serve on the American Society of Administrative Professionals Advisory Board PACE Certification Committee to help other Administrative Professionals achieve their certification goals. Prior to that Jaimie helped her parents launch their tire business and was a soldier in the United States Army.
Outside of the office, Jaimie can be found spending time with her three kids, her Chiweenie Lucy and her 2 cats Fat Louie and Leo. She enjoys reading and doing jigsaw and sudoku puzzles.
Hometown: Basalt, CO
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: CMC is hometown to me. It’s the place I first went to college at 16 and will be the place my kids will attend college too.
Favorite quote: “You wake it, you take it.” -My mom or “Six of one, half dozen of the other” – Ralph Clark, 1790
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The mountains.
Proudest Accomplishment: My kids and being a veteran.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Coffee.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Harry Potter series, True Crime, The Thing Called Love.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Does this bumper sticker make my truck look big”
Favorite Sports Team: Denver Broncos & KU Jayhawks
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A pig.
Hidden Talent: I am good at jigsaw and sudoku puzzles.
Fun Fact: I have an environmentally friendly cat named Fat Louie. He doesn’t hunt mice or birds he hunts Spider Man and trash.
Amy Stern comes to CMC with a deep background in marketing and fundraising, and a passion for supporting youth and the local community. Amy studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Management, and enjoyed a professional career with 3M Company, followed by independent consulting and non-profit work with various organizations in Minnesota and Colorado. She loves working in the engaging and supportive environment at CMC-Steamboat and CMC Foundation, and is honored to represent the college and its students in the Steamboat Springs Community.
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: I love working to help out our awesome students, and supporting CMC and the local community.
Favorite quote: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But, if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” – Pirkei Avot (sounds better in Hebrew).
Biggest Pet Peeve: Poorly translated movie subtitles.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: Fresh, thin air!
Favorite Colorado Getaway: My backyard with friends.
Proudest Accomplishment: Raised over $50K for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by completing a series of 100-mile bike rides, in memory of my father.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Family and friends.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Too many good books to remember! The Newsroom (love that Aaron Sorkin dialog). Love Actually (the greatest of all rom-coms!).
Favorite Bumper Sticker: Ski Town, USA (Steamboat).
Favorite Sports Team: St. Louis Park, MN High School Soccer Team (yes, I was a soccer mom and I miss it)!
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: My dog (what’s not to love about a Colorado dog’s life?)
Hidden Talent: Putting together IKEA furniture.
Fun Fact: I love to do jigsaw puzzles and play scrabble – I know all the 2-letter words!
Kristen's biography coming soon.
Kristen's fun facts coming soon.
Amy came to the CMC Foundation with a desire to begin a new career where she could contribute to the Roaring Fork Valley and the community she loves. She moved to the area in 1998 seeking the mountain lifestyle and small-town environment. Amy’s professional experience began in customer service and account management for a large insurance company in Southern California. Her quest for knowledge in technology led her to work for software companies helping to develop programs and provide training. Her quest for snow led her to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in Northern California where she worked with their internal software development and risk management team. Bringing this experience to Glenwood Springs provided Amy an opportunity to work for Blizzard Internet Marketing for 14 years where she developed her online marketing skills and website development. Amy truly enjoys working with software platforms and providing quality customer service to both her co-workers, clients and donors.
Outside of work. Amy’s proudest accomplishment is her son who is attending college and is a competitive cheerleader. Amy enjoys spending time in the outdoors camping, four-wheeling or hiking with her dogs. She loves to garden and cook for her family and friends.
Hometown: Born in upstate New York, grew up in southern California but has lived in Colorado the longest.
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: Helping the community.
Favorite quote: “As if”
Biggest Pet Peeve: Loud chewing.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The mountains.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Ridgway and Ouray.
Proudest Accomplishment: My son.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Air.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Moonstruck.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: Silt Happens.
Favorite Sports Team: Raiders.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: An Eagle.
Evan is a proud CMC Isaacson School graduate with an AAS in Graphic Design and BAS in Business Management. Before joining the Foundation team he worked as a Graphic Designer for a range of customers including Five Point Film Festival, Phunkshun Wear, White River National Forrest, Harvard Law School, and many others. He joined the CMC Foundation as a way to give back to the organization that makes it possible for students living on the Western Slope to pursue higher education without acquiring mountains of debt. When not working he can be found skiing, mountain biking, or skateboarding.
Hometown: Denver, CO
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: As a CMC graduate I experienced firsthand how CMC can transform a student’s life. With the high cost of living on the Western Slope, it’s crucial that local students have the opportunity to achieve higher education so that they can afford to live in the place they love while contributing to a stronger community.
Favorite quote: “This too shall pass”
Biggest Pet Peeve: People who use speakerphone in public.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The close proximity to action sports.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Cottonwood Hotsprings.
Proudest Accomplishment: Graduating from CMC.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: My computer, my bike, my skis.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Solar Opposites.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Warning I can’t see anything because of this awesome sticker”
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Mammoth.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A crow.
Hidden Talent: I switch which hand I operate a computer mouse with depending on the application…
Fun Fact: Cranberries ripeness is determined by how much they bounce.
Evan is a proud CMC Isaacson School graduate with an AAS in Graphic Design and BAS in Business Management. Before joining the Foundation team he worked as a Graphic Designer for a range of customers including Five Point Film Festival, Phunkshun Wear, White River National Forrest, Harvard Law School, and many others. He joined the CMC Foundation as a way to give back to the organization that makes it possible for students living on the Western Slope to pursue higher education without acquiring mountains of debt. When not working he can be found skiing, mountain biking, or longboarding.
Hometown: Denver, CO
What motivates you to work for the CMC Foundation: As a CMC graduate I experienced firsthand how CMC can transform a student’s life. With the high cost of living on the Western Slope, it’s crucial that local students have the opportunity to achieve higher education so that they can afford to live in the place they love while contributing to a stronger community.
Favorite quote: “This too shall pass”
Biggest Pet Peeve: People who use speakerphone in public.
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: The close proximity to action sports.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Cottonwood Hotsprings.
Proudest Accomplishment: Graduating from CMC.
Thing You Can’t Live Without: My computer, my bike, my skis.
Favorite Book, Television Show, or Movie: Solar Opposites.
Favorite Bumper Sticker: “Warning I can’t see anything because of this awesome sticker”
Favorite Sports Team: Colorado Mammoth.
If you could be transformed into any animal which animal would you choose: A crow.
Hidden Talent: I switch which hand I operate a computer mouse with depending on the application…
Fun Fact: Cranberries Ripeness is determined by how much they bounce.