CAROL EKARIUS
Executive Director

Carol has been the Executive Director for the Coalition for the Upper South Platte since 1999.  She brings decades of experience in governmental and nonprofit management.  Carol is a freelance writer and the author of nine books, including Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Profit, and The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook. Her articles have appeared in regional and national magazines, such as Alternative Medicine, Green Builder, Hobby Farms, Mother Earth News, Plenty, Western Horseman, and The Writer.  Carol holds a Civil Engineering Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver.  She lives with her husband, Ken Woodard, and their farm menagerie near Cripple Creek.

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JONATHAN BRUNO
Operations Director
Jonathan Bruno started working at CUSP in June of 2002 planning/coordinating volunteer workdays and is now CUSP’s Operations Director.  He has extensive training in mountain rescue and enjoys playing in the hills.  He graduated from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado.  Jonathan is a graduate of the University of Colorado with a Masters of Public Administration.
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CHRIS FULLER
Office Manager
As Office Manager, Chris is still the ‘keeper of the data stuff’, staying busy with database, bookkeeping, reporting etc and admin support for the staff.  Water/watershed issues have been of particular interest to Chris as a resident of South Park and former special water district board member.  An Oklahoma University graduate, still practicing architecture and running her antique business, Chris grabs
every opportunity to check out her favorite place, 'the road less traveled'. CONTACT

CARRIE ADAIR
GIS Coordinator
Fills the role at CUSP of developing a GIS program to support the overall
mission by generating and managing an efficient Geodatabase capable of being
utilized to collect, store, display, analyze, report, and present all
geospatial data pertinent to the undertakings of the organization.
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MATT BERNARD
Field Research Assistant

Born and raised in Southern New England, Matt first worked alongside CUSP on the Mile High Youth Corps while earning his B.A. in Environmental Science at Colorado College. In February 2012, Matt began working for CUSP as a field research assistant. He currently wears several hats at CUSP, applying his resource monitoring, photography, and editing skills to various projects. He is driven by the idea that land management progresses forward only when aided by sound ecological understanding.
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PAIGE FULGHUM
Natural Resource Technician

Paige is a Colorado native. She loves her home state and is very passionate about restoration. In May 2011, she graduated from UCCS with a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies and minored in Sustainable Development. In April 2012 she became part of the team at CUSP and is thrilled to be applying her education and continuing to be involved in the restoration community and protecting our watershed(s). Moreover, she loves meeting and working with people - the response from community members to help in restoration projects continually warms her heart, for she believes that members of the community learning about their own watershed and promoting stewardship is the only way to instill a sense of responsibility for our public and private lands.
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AMY KENNEDY
Communications Coordinator

Amy joined CUSP in September 2012 as our Communications Coordinator.  She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Environmental Health and the Colorado School of Public Health with a Master of Public Health.  Amy works on keeping our social media sites dynamic, editing reports and newsletters, and promoting other public outreach opportunities. Growing up in southwest Denver and benefiting from drinking water and recreational amenities provided by the Upper South Platte Watershed, Amy is excited to be part of CUSP.
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BRENT KENNEDY
Community Energy Coordinator
Brent joined the CUSP ranks in September 2010 as a Community Energy Coordinator. His mixed background includes kinesiology, construction, non-profit administration, volunteerism, and the arts.  Brent has lived off grid in Teller County since 1998 and is a firm believer in living sustainability. He is CERET certified in Renewable Energy Technology and has passed the NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) Entry Level Exam.
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Beth started working with CUSP in March 2012 as an Americorps OSM/VISTA volunteer. Her duties are wide in range at CUSP from water sampling, volunteer projects, administration, GIS,  wildland fire fighting and chainsaw handling.  Beth graduated with a Bachelors degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2009.  She is an avid outdoor enthusiasts and environmentalist.  She has hiked across the country twice on the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, and now looks forward to tagging 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado.
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LISA PATTON
Volunteer Coordinator
Lisa joined CUSP in the spring of 2010 as our Volunteer Coordinator. She is passionate about matching our ever growing volunteer efforts with projects that are fun and instill genuine stewardship in our watershed. Lisa attended Arizona State University with a strong emphasis in wilderness issues. She is a former US Forest Service Wilderness Ranger and long term resident of the area. Lisa is an outdoor enthusiast and a people person.
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JEFF RAVAGE
Deputy Operations Director- IT/Media/Outreach
Jeff brings over 20 years of experience making films and designing websites. He left Hollywood to return to the mountains and “some place with seasons”. He designs and maintains CUSP websites, the CUSP Servers, and produces informational and training films. He also works in the field with crews and volunteers. He enjoys speaking to school groups and fostering a love of the "really real" world. He sleeps less than William Shatner.
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JEFF TIENKEN
Natural Resource Technician II
Jeff, a graduate from San Jose State University, came to CUSP in January of 2009. With over 25 years of experience in “drainage and erosion control” and logging, Jeff is a good fit to fill the role of CUSP Field Crew team leader.
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TERRY SAPOS
Natural Resource Technician
Originally from West Virginia, Terry started as a volunteer working with CUSP’s Neighborhood Fuels program. That led to running the slash site during the summer season and using his carpentry skills for office repairs and renovations. Terry likes fishing by his under-construction home at 11-Mile Reservoir and building custom furniture.
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THERESA SPRINGER
Enviromental Education Coordinator
As Environmental Education Coordinator, Theresa provides a variety of presentations to educate the public, both adult and youth, about watershed and forest health.  She is an original CUSP staff member and has been involved in watershed protection efforts for years.  Theresa’s background is in agriculture and range management
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MATT WILLIAMS
Natural Resource Technician
Matt graduated from Woodland Park Highschool in 2010. He learned chainsaw work in the employ of private landowners and then with Mile High Youth corp. He landed at CUSP in Jan. 2011, and has been swingin' a saw ever since.
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