Marcie Demmy Bidwell, ex officio
Land Trust Alliance, Southwest Program Manager
Marcie works to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of land trusts in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Based in Durango, Colorado, Marcie works closely with Keep It Colorado and state associations in Texas and partners in seven states to advance mutual conservation goals to achieve large landscape conservation goals. Before joining the Alliance in 2022, Marcie supported community-driven, science-based collaborations at Mountain Studies Institute in southwest Colorado, partnering with landowners, land trusts, natural resource managers, and open space programs to innovate best practices and advance conservation. Marcie has 20 years of experience leading strategic planning processes for watershed restoration, climate adaptation, wildfire preparedness and response, organizational development, and collaborative action.
ROB BLEIBERG, Programs Committee Chair
Colorado West Land Trust, Executive Director
Rob joined Mesa Land Trust in 1996 and has led the organization through a significant period of growth and transformation - including a merger with Black Canyon Land Trust to form Colorado West Land Trust. He has been involved in hundreds of conservation transactions and has established strategic partnerships with local governments, the Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust and other private and public entities. Rob is a community volunteer, serving on the boards of local and statewide nonprofits. Rob has a Master of Science in natural resource policy and a Bachelor of Arts in American studies. See Rob’s full biography here.
JEFFREY BORING, Vice Chair
Estes Valley Land Trust, Executive Director
Prior to joining the Estes Valley Land Trust, Jeffrey worked with the Larimer County Natural Resources Department and the Big Thompson Watershed Forum in Loveland. Jeffrey also worked as a conservation director for the Athens Land Trust in Athens, Georgia, and began his conservation career in the Atlanta office of The Nature Conservancy. See Jeffrey’s full biography here. | Read Jeffrey’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
TONY CALIGIURI, Treasurer
Colorado Open Lands, Executive Director
Tony recently concluded six years of service with the National Wildlife Federation, most recently serving as senior vice president of Conservation and Education. Prior to that, he served for 18 years as chief of staff for U.S. Congressman Wayne T. Gilchrest. He received his B.A. in political science from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Tony grew up on a farm and is an avid hiker and lover of the outdoors. See Tony's full biography here. | Read Tony’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
TRAVIS CUSTER, Secretary and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Chair
Montezuma Land Conservancy, Executive Director
Travis has a deep passion for the power of connecting people to land and exploring the diverse stories of how land weaves itself through the human experience. His background includes non-profit management, leadership, agriculture, ecology, education, and social and environmental justice. Travis has advanced MLC’s community conservation initiatives through its education center Fozzie’s Farm and innovative programming. MLC is one of Colorado’s only land trusts with a dedicated Indigenous program and a staff position who works closely with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Travis previously worked for the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service and the High Desert Conservation District. See Travis’s full biography here. Read Travis’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ, Development Committee Chair
The Nature Conservancy, Colorado State Director
Working with partner organizations, government agencies, elected officials and other key decision makers, Carlos and his team strive to build alliances that advance conservation outcomes both in Colorado and around the world. Carlos previously served the Conservancy as the Southern Andes conservation strategies manager and the Patagonia program manager. He joined the Conservancy in January 2003. Earlier in his career, Carlos worked for international law firms in Washington, DC and Buenos Aires, Argentina. See Carlos’s full biography here.| Read Carlos’ Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
ERIK GLENN, Policy Committee Vice Chair
Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, Executive Director
Since 1995, Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust has partnered with landowners across the state to protect Colorado's productive agricultural land, heritage and families for future generations by conserving working rural landscapes. Erik holds a Bachelor of Science in natural resources management, a Master of resource law studies and an Executive MBA. Erik is the president of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts and is a trustee of the Western Stock Show Association. See Erik’s full biography here. | Read Erik’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
Jessica Jay
Conservation Law, P.C., Principal
Jessica is the founder and principal attorney of Conservation Law, P.C., a law firm devoted to ensuring the permanence of land conservation through sound transactions. She represents easement holders and landowners conserving working landscapes and environmentally significant land in the Rocky Mountain West. Jessica guides easement holders, professionals, and landowners in educational workshops, and the next generation of land conservationists in her Land Conservation Law courses at Vermont Law School and Denver University Law School. Read more here. | Read Jessica’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
REBECCA JEWETT
Palmer Land Conservancy, President & CEO
A 5th-generation Coloradan, Rebecca Jewett has been the president and CEO of Palmer Land Conservancy since 2014. With over 15 years of experience in the conservation and outdoor fields, she has guided and overseen significant regional planning initiatives and the strategic implementation of complex water and land conservation initiatives. She serves on the Land Trust Alliance's National Land Trust Leadership Council and is the recipient of the 2022 City of Colorado Springs Mayor's Young Leader Award. See her full biography here. | Read Rebecca’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
JIM PETTERSON, Policy Committee Chair
Trust for Public Land, Vice President, Mountain West Region
Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. Prior to joining Trust for Public Land, he worked for 17 years with The Nature Conservancy. Jim also served as board president for the Mountain Area Land Trust. Read his full biography here. | Read Jim’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.
SUZANNE STEPHENS, Chair
Aspen Valley Land Trust, Executive Director
Suzanne’s career has been dedicated to land conservation since her childhood growing up in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. With a background in biology, she got her start working for local nonprofits including Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Roaring Fork Conservancy, and the Western Colorado Agricultural Heritage Fund. She has worked for Aspen Valley Land Trust since 2003. She also serves on the board of the Watershed Biodiversity Initiative and has volunteered extensively for the Kenya-based nonprofit Space for Giants. See her full biography here. | Read Suzanne’s Q&A with Keep It Colorado.