Sustainable Educator of the Year

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Associate Professor Nathan Stewart teaching in the field.Dr. Nathan Stewart, 2019 Sustainable Educator of the Year

Yampa Valley Sustainability Council Honors CMC Sustainability Studies Associate Professor and Program Chair

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability Studies program step toward their careers with internships and work-study jobs thanks to Dr. Nathan Stewart and his colleagues at CMC.

The Yampa Valley Sustainability Council recognized Stewart's contributions and those of five other award recipients.

In addition to teaching and chairing the Sustainability Studies program, Stewart is Program Director for the Rocky Mountain Land Management Internship Program. This innovative, two-year paid internship places CMC students with the U.S. Forest Service. Working collaboratively as land managers, natural resource specialists and mountain sports rangers, the interns have an inside track to possible full-time employment with the Forest Service.

Stewart also helped create local work study opportunities including:

  • Yampa Valley Sustainability Council's ReTree and Waste Diversion programs
  • Youth education with Friends of the Yampa
  • Monitoring air particulate matter and VCAPS planning for Routt County Department of Environmental Health

Read more about the YVSC Sustainability Awards

See Dr. Nathan Stewart's profile

Pollack, Justin

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Justin Pollack

Dr. Justin Pollack, N.D.

Professor, Science / Health
970-406-1312 | jpollack@oloradomtn.edu

2019-20 Breckenridge & Dillon Faculty of the Year

Education

  • N.D. (Naturopathic Doctor), Bastyr University
  • B.A., Natural HIstory, Pre-Medicine

Awards/Publications

  • Graduation Keynote Speaker, Colorado Mountain College Commencement, 2019
  • Full-time Faculty of the Year, Colorado Mountain College, Breckenridge and Dillon, 2016
  • Adjunct Faculty of the Year, Colorado Mountain College, Breckenridge and Dillon, 2012

Professional Associations

  • Physical Activity and Nutrition Team of the Summit (PANTS); member, 2009-present; executive co-chair, 2016-present
  • Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CoAND); member, 2003-present; executive secretary (2003-2007); executive vice president (2008-2009)
  • American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP); member, 1998-2004, 2008-2010, 2020-present

Dr. Pollack earned his N.D. at Bastyr University in Seattle, worked as a resident and adjunct clinical faculty at NUNM in Portland, OR and holds a B.A. from the Evergreen State College. While working through his doctorate, he had an "early retirement" working as a medical assistant, herbalist, kayak instructor, raft guide, outdoor educator and naturalist guide.

Dr. Pollack maintains a private practice at the Mountain-River Naturopathic Clinic in Frisco, co-owning the clinic and the Backcountry Herbal Apothecary with his wife, Dr. Kim Nearpass.  He is an associate professor of science/health, having started as an adjunct faculty in 2004.

Barchers, Jen

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Dr. Jen Barchers

Associate Professor
720-425-5309 | jbarchers@coloradomtn.edu

Jen BarchersEducation

  • Ph.D. Human Science, Saybrook University
  • M.A. Global Humanities, University of Denver
  • B.A. Kinesiology, Western Colorado University

Awards

  • Faculty of the Year, Summit Campus 2017

Family

Husband Josh and dog Moogley.

Personal Interests

Cross country skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, travel.

Halliwell, Philip

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Philip Halliwell, Ph.D.

Professor of Environmental Science
phalliwell@coloradomtn.edu

Philip HalliwellEducation

Ph.D., Sustainability Education, Prescott College
M.S., Environmental Engineering, Penn State
B.S., Industrial Engineering, Penn State

Awards

  • Adjunct Faculty of the Year, 2014

Professional Interests

  • Citizen Science
  • Social Ecology
  • National Parks
  • Connected Learning
  • Connecting underrepresented students in the sciences

Personal Interests

When not teaching I love enjoying the mountains with my family. I do my share of trail running, rafting, and fly fishing in the summer and when winter hits I'm either skiing or playing hockey.

Laird, Colin

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Colin Laird

Colin Laird

Adjunct Instructor, Sustainability Studies
970-309-2053 | claird@coloradomtn.edu

Education

  • Master of Science, Community Development, University of California, Davis
  • Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Brown University

Research and Writing Interests

  • Collaborative Problem Solving
  • Community Design & Placemaking
  • Local & Regional Economic Development
  • Public Policy
  • Regional Planning
  • Social Entrepreneurship

“Anything given ... can be re-imagined.” - Seamus Heaney

Over the last 25 years, I have worked to develop community-based solutions to challenges faced at many levels of society — from transit funding and youth development to affordable housing and sustainable development.

I helped catalyze regional cooperation in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys among area governments through projects (on issues such as transportation, affordable housing, youth development and indicators) and annual and monthly events (such as the State of the Valley Symposiums and the Mountain Mayors meetings).

In 2007, I helped create the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, which fostered the partnership to transform the Carbondale Elementary School into the Third Street Center. I served as Executive Director of Third Street through the development and construction phase (2008-2010) and rejoined Third Street Center as Executive Director again in July 2014.

Third Street Center is a self-sustaining, nonprofit community center and community development corporation that is home to 36 organizations (26 nonprofit, 8 artists and two small businesses). Since opening in 2010, Third Street Center has become a regional hub and community institution. Over 100 employees work in this solar powered facility, which hosts 3000+ meetings in its community rooms.

I think of Third Street Center as an example of “applied sustainability.” In the course on Social Entrepreneurship, I help students explore the opportunities and challenges of building a more sustainable world by combining business principles and social mission.

CMC Professor Staib Wins an Emmy

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Associate Professor of Social Science Patrick Staib and his father, Walter Staib.

Associate Professor of CMC Social Science Patrick Staib and his father, Walter Staib.

Associate Professor of Social Science Patrick Staib with his EmmyCMC Professor Patrick Staib won an Emmy for his work as Producer/Co-Host for the “A Sentimental Journey Through Nicaragua”- A Taste of History TV series. Staib's father, Walter, also won an Emmy for his role as Program Host/Moderator.

Patrick is an Associate Professor of Social Sciences and Affiliated Faculty with the Sustainability Studies degree program at CMC Steamboat Springs.

The episode was a tribute to Patrick's mother, Gloria, who passed away in 2016. The cooking and history show episode delves into the culture and cuisine of Gloria’s homeland, Nicaragua.

This was his first episode at the reigns as producer. It was “trial by fire,” Patrick said. “It was an example of applied anthropology.”

Read the complete Steamboat Pilot story: CMC professor wins Emmy for work on ‘A Taste of History’ episode