Each year, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) presents awards to community members and groups who have taken significant steps toward promoting a healthier, greener future for the local community. Read on to learn about each award and recipient.
Environmental Cairn: Yampa River Scorecard Project
The Yampa River Scorecard Project is this year’s recipient of the Environmental Cairn Award, which recognizes projects or initiatives that help chart a path forward for a sustainable future in the Yampa Valley. The Scorecard Project is presented with this award for creating a science-based river health monitoring program that will serve as a foundation for restoration, management, and stakeholder engagement throughout the Yampa River Basin.
The Yampa River Scorecard Project was developed in 2020 and was first implemented in 2022. Born out of a recommendation from the Integrated Water Management Plan, the project seeks to fill gaps in river data, data accessibility, and river health comprehension. The Scorecard splits the Yampa basin into five segments: Upper Yampa, Steamboat, Elk River, Middle Yampa, and Lower Yampa. Throughout the year, Friends of the Yampa and other partners collect and analyze data from one segment, and present the results to the public each spring. To date, the Scorecard has analyzed the Middle Yampa and Steamboat segments, with final results from the Upper Yampa coming in later this year.
Scientists, landowners, and community members alike will benefit from what this initiative will bring to the Yampa Basin as it continues to expand the conversation about, and grow appreciation for, the health of our river systems.”
Through this project, we are now able to develop a clear snapshot of the health of the Yampa Basin and what needs to be done to protect it. Projects are already underway that are using the Scorecard’s data, and many more will continue to be developed in the future.
Not only has the Scorecard Project served its purpose in collecting and disseminating data, but it has also acted as a conduit for bringing people and entities together to work towards a common goal. In 2024 alone, the project engaged 15 private landowners, four government agencies, four non-profits, and the Town of Yampa while collecting data for the Upper Yampa segment.
As we move towards creating a more resilient Yampa Valley, the Yampa River Scorecard Project will act as a beacon for future projects and management decisions. Scientists, landowners, and community members alike will benefit from what this initiative will bring to the Yampa Basin as it continues to expand the conversation about, and grow appreciation for, the health of our river systems. We are pleased to present the Scorecard with this award, and a special thank you to all those who brought about its success.
Lifetime Achievement: Michele Meyer
This year the Lifetime Achievement Award is being presented to Michelle Meyer for her years with the Community Agriculture Alliance (CAA) and now the State of Colorado. She spent her time at the Agriculture Alliance connecting the communities of Routt and Moffat counties to agriculture through the support and development of local food and water programs while emphasizing sustainability.
Michele started her journey in agriculture by owning a small family farm west of Steamboat. She began with the Community Agriculture Alliance in 2010. In 2012 she initiated the Northwest Colorado Food Coalition in partnership with CSU Routt County Extension. There she led a community assessment that identified gaps in the food system and developed a community response plan to build a resilient local food system. Michele provided leadership for systems and partnership development resulting in a food security workgroup and policy advocacy with Routt County.
Before departing the CAA this past July, Michele launched a new website and capital campaign, and purchased and renovated the new, significantly larger home of CAA and Yampa Valley Foods.”
In 2018, Michele took the helm at CAA as executive director and developed the local foods program and retail store. She was fearless in tackling agriculture and water issues and problems unique to our valley steeped in the history of both agriculture and tourism.
Michele was appointed by Governor Jared Polis to the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council in 2021. In 2024, she started a new position with the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture as the senior program manager for the Markets Division. In her new role she will lead food and agriculture programs for the State of Colorado and continue her work to create impact for agriculture.
Before departing the CAA this past July, Michele launched a new website and capital campaign, and purchased and renovated the new, significantly larger home of CAA and Yampa Valley Foods. The location, which is perfectly located to serve producers and customers, is setting the organization up for future growth.
Michele holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Advertising from Michigan State University. She serves on several local boards, teaches yoga at Colorado Mountain College, rides bikes and skis. In Michele’s own words, she does “So many things…”
So this may be a Lifetime Achievement Award, but Michele is just starting. We can’t wait to see what she will accomplish for Routt County and all of Colorado in the future.
Sustainable Community Leader: Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council
It is with great pleasure that we present our Sustainable Community Leader award to Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council. This award recognizes those entities who help define and build sustainability in the Yampa Valley by advancing cross-cutting initiatives with sustainability at their core.
The Wildfire Mitigation Council was formed in 2019 and is composed of county and city representatives, government officials, non-governmental organizations, homeowners associations, local businesses and private landowners. The mission of Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council is to create resilient fire-adapted communities to minimize the potential impacts of wildfire.
The Council has seen enormous growth in its programs since Josh Hankes came on as the first employee a little more than two years ago. Collectively with the work of many member organizations of the Council, we have seen a true transformation in our county’s journey to becoming more resilient and fire-adapted. One sign of this change is the growing numbers of community members who are taking action to make their homes and properties more fire-safe.
The Wildfire Council demonstrates that by working together and helping each other, we can make progress to reduce our risk and adapt to the changes we see around us.”
In 2023 Routt County adopted a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan, led by the Office of Emergency Management and with the deep engagement of the Council. In 2024, the Council organized and led multiple community meetings around the County with more than 200 attendees to share the important takeaways and recommendations from the plan.
This year, the Council has greatly expanded its services to local residents. Nearly 300 households participated in their chipping program designed to help reduce wildfire fuels around homes, more than double the amount from the year before. The council has helped three local HOAs become officially designated as FireWise communities, and another six are in the application process. The Council has also worked with Fire Adapted Colorado to launch a Wildfire Ambassador program, and 16 ambassadors so far have received training to help their neighbors become more fire ready. And the Council launched its first residential rebate program to help homeowners with simple but critically important home improvements to reduce fire risk.
All of these programs, plus others underway and in development, involve one key component, and that is the engagement of all of us who live in our fire prone region to take steps to make our homes, businesses, and other critical infrastructure more resilient to the impact of wildfire which is and will become an ever more present risk. The Wildfire Council demonstrates that by working together and helping each other, we can make progress to reduce our risk and adapt to the changes we see around us.
YVSC is honored to be a member of the Wildfire Council and pleased to also be able to recognize the work of Josh and all the other members of the Council for the progress it has made in leading our community to be more sustainable and resilient in the face of one of the most challenging issues facing us.
Waste Diversion Award: UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center
The Waste Diversion Award recognizes individuals, businesses and organizations that have a real impact on waste diversion in the Yampa Valley. This year’s award goes to UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center for bringing climate action to the health care sector through innovative waste diversion and carbon reduction initiatives.
Sustainability efforts have been a team effort spanning across a number of hospital departments.
Liz Wahl, Food and Nutrition Services Manager, was instrumental in coordinating composting with Cowgirl Compost CO and implementing reusable dishes and flatware in the facility. This includes the elimination of single-use plastic water bottles for sale in the cafeteria and provided to patients and staff.
In 2022, the hospital reported over 316,000 reprocessed medical items and has seen yearly increases since.”
Matt McLaughlin, Manager of Supply Chain Operations, is starting a pilot program to divert polypropylene plastic wrap, which is commonly used to wrap pallets and package sterile medical supplies. When equipment size permits, reusable metal caskets are now being used to hold sterilized equipment in place of disposable blue wrap. Matt is also working with the Colorado Circular Transportation Network to build a coalition of small volume Yampa Valley recyclers to coordinate transport of hard-to-recycle materials to recycling markets. Together with Facilities Manager, Will LaCroix, he is overseeing a hearty level of single stream recycling, gathering approximately 36 yards per week.
The hospital’s sterilization processing team, led by Christy Compello, is reprocessing equipment in-house and contracting with vendors who also reprocess equipment. This includes the sterilization and reuse of surgical supplies, which lessens the use of disposable instrumentation when possible. In 2022, the hospital reported over 316,000 reprocessed medical items and has seen yearly increases since.
Lynde Sales, Manager of Environmental Services, is implementing disinfectants that use less soap and cold water instead of hot water.
Finally, Amanda Kittelson, Manager of Quality and Process Improvement, identifies and introduces sustainability projects to departments and provides significant support from a data and implementation perspective. YVMC was recognized in 2024 as a Bronze certified business in the Green Business Network of the Yampa Valley.
In addition to these commendable waste diversion efforts, the hospital is making important strides to reduce their carbon emissions in other areas by taking initiatives like switching to less polluting anaesthesia gases and lowering building energy consumption.
Shining Star: Catherine Carson
The Shining Star Award is presented to those individuals who advance sustainability in impactful and unique ways. This year’s Shining Star award recipient is Catherine Carson for being a consistent advocate for climate action and for maintaining dedicated civic engagement throughout the community.
Catherine is a fourth generation Coloradan and has been a member of the Steamboat community since 1999. One could say that among all of the diverse programs and initiatives taking place in our community, Catherine is a thread that connects them all. Her involvement includes serving on the boards of Yampa Valley Housing Authority and Routt County United Way, volunteering for LiftUp of Routt County and the Yampa River Botanic Park, and working on various political projects and campaigns at the state and local level.
Catherine served as treasurer and wasn’t afraid to literally get her hands dirty working to increase recycling and composting in the community back when these practices were far from being the norm.”
On any given day, Catherine can be found organizing marches, advocating for affordable housing or helping with voter registration, setting an inspiring example of how much an individual can offer when they show up and use their voice for their community.
Catherine has shown how being dedicated to a cause and inspiring others can have big impacts. As a founding member of Yampa Valley Recycles, the organization founded to help increase local waste diversion that later evolved into YVSC, Catherine served as treasurer and wasn’t afraid to literally get her hands dirty working to increase recycling and composting in the community back when these practices were far from being the norm. She was an original zero waste station volunteer, and was a staunch advocate for getting recycling bins placed in downtown Steamboat on the agreement that she personally would help monitor the bins to reduce contamination.
Catherine has also acted as a friendly advisor to younger generations, encouraging them to get involved with waste reduction and environmental initiatives throughout the community.
More recently, she’s been a powerful voice in support of the Routt County Climate Action Plan, showing up to local government meetings and voicing her support for climate-smart legislation at the local level, including the banning of fossil-fueled power snowmelt systems in new developments.
Catherine mentioned to us that “the odds of the universe bend toward justice and the right thing,” but we’d like to recognize how these odds are greatly improved by someone with a gravitational pull like hers. We’re grateful to Catherine for her advocacy and for inspiring us all to make our community a better place.
Volunteer of the Year: Si Axtell
The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes those individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of service to advance sustainability in the community. This year’s award is presented to Si Axtell for his exemplary dedication to hands-on climate action work through YVSC’s Yampa Valley Climate Crew and ReTree programs, and for supporting numerous sustainability initiatives throughout the community.
Si is a country boy, who has spent his life studying his natural surroundings. As a testament to his dedication to learning more about environmental health, he is currently working on his Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Stewardship at Colorado Mountain College. He and his wife Peggy are the proud parents of three great kids, and it was those kids who inspired him to get involved in climate action work. This has led Si to follow his mantra: “If not me then who, and if not now, then when?”
As we move towards a future that requires more of us as individuals to address the climate crisis, we should all take a page from Si’s book. His actions as a volunteer and an advocate for climate action show us how individuals can make a meaningful difference.”
Si’s dedication to climate action became apparent after his first time volunteering with YVSC, where he and Peggy, along with their dog Roux, helped restore wet meadow ecosystems in California Park. Following this first project, he quickly turned into a dedicated climate crew volunteer. He has since been a part of every wet meadow restoration project in California Park, and has participated in numerous regeneration surveys and ReTree planting events. His familiarity with YVSC’s restoration practices has even placed him as a crew leader at many of our events, adding to YVSC’s capacity to lead and teach others.
In addition to volunteering, Si has also contributed to numerous sustainability initiatives throughout the Yampa Valley. As a Firewise Ambassador for the Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council, he helps prepare his community for the risks of fire and the adaptive measures that can be taken to prevent catastrophe. He is also heavily involved in the Yampa Basin Rendezvous (YBR), where he designed a brand for last year’s event and volunteered as a shuttle driver for the YBR field trip.
As we move towards a future that requires more of us as individuals to address the climate crisis, we should all take a page from Si’s book. His actions as a volunteer and an advocate for climate action show us how individuals can make a meaningful difference. We are thankful for his service to YVSC’s projects and to the broader community, and we are pleased to present this award to him.
Lifetime Achievement: Winnie DelliQuadri
The Lifetime Achievement award honors those local leaders who have made significant contributions to advancing sustainability in our region through their years of professional service and impact. Winnie DelliQuadri is deserving of this award in recognition of her incredible 25 plus years of service with the City of Steamboat Springs, where she recently retired as the City’s special projects/intergovernmental services manager.
Winnie has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the Routt County Climate Action Plan (CAP). Her contributions began with the first greenhouse gas emissions study in the county, which led to the development efforts of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2019. Winnie’s efforts continued through the adoption of the CAP and the city’s expanded efforts on implementing clean energy projects, energy efficiency, electric vehicle adoption, recycling programs including the recycling ordinance and the plastic bag prohibition and bag fee. Winnie was also an active member of the CAP Transportation Working Group.
As a sustainability leader, Winnie is visionary, approachable, passionate and collaborative. She considers it to be an honor to have been able to serve the community in her professional career.”
Winnie’s professional work in sustainability goes well beyond the Climate Action Plan. She secured funding for the Yampa River Legacy Project helping to protect the Yampa River and Emerald Mountain, and she was a key player in the development of the Core Trail which is a key part of our biking and walking culture.
Additional work managed by Winnie includes the City’s EV Readiness Plan, which has led to City EV charging stations, the inclusion of EVs in the City’s fleet, and the ever popular EV Ride & Drive events.
Winnie has also been actively involved in efforts to advance organic composting and material recycling, participating in the Organics Recycling Task Force and in a study evaluating the management of waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Winnie was also instrumental in securing a $2.1 million grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Energy Impact Fund for a regional solar project involving 14 solar arrays across multiple communities in the Yampa Valley. Winnie oversaw the largest solar project in Steamboat Springs, a $900,000 solar array at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
As a sustainability leader, Winnie is visionary, approachable, passionate and collaborative. She considers it to be an honor to have been able to serve the community in her professional career.
Winnie is an avid ski coach, hiker and e-bike rider. Winnie was also a 2024 Leckenby Award recipient from the Tread of Pioneers Museum, an institution where she served as the first Executive Director and helped convert the museum from a summer-only operation to a year-round facility.
Educator of the Year: Bennett Colvin
As an exceptional educator of environmental science, biology, botany and zoology, Bennett Colvin has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and sustainability both in and outside the classroom. In the classroom, Mr. Colvin has partnered with local environmental groups and experts to invite guest speakers, including scientists from the Colorado parks service, to help students connect classroom learning with real-world applications. Through his lectures, lab activities, and hands-on projects, Mr. Colvin has thoroughly integrated sustainability into his classroom, inspiring students to think critically about their role in preserving the planet.
Mr. Colvin is also the staff sponsor of the Steamboat Springs High School (SSHS) Eco Club, an organization of high school students that supports climate action in the Yampa Valley. Some members of the Eco Club have shared their thoughts:
“He is an excellent sponsor for the Eco Blub,” Cassian Osias said. “He encourages us to protest but still lets the students lead. He is also an amazing teacher, one of the best science teachers I’ve had by far. He energizes his students and trusts us to complete new and challenging tasks.”
“Mr. Colvin is very uplifting and motivational,” Janie Gonzales said. “In any pursuit you have, he’ll be with you along the way, pushing you along. Both in the classroom and as a coach, Mr. Colvin is a fantastic mentor. He also encourages new and possibly abstract ideas towards sustainability, allowing us to imagine and plan freely.”
“Mr. Colvin’s passion for biology and environmental science is contagious,” Shea Speer said. “Whether it be by leading student trips to Belize to study marine biology, starting an aquaponics system in the classroom, or sponsoring the SSHS Eco Club, Mr. Colvin has worked diligently to introduce students to the wonders of environmental science and biology. His energy and curiosity in the classroom have helped inspire me to explore careers in sustainability.”
Mr. Colvin’s dedication to creating a sustainable future for the next generation goes far beyond teaching. His enthusiasm for environmentalism is evident in the ways he models eco-friendly practices and encourages students to become informed, responsible citizens. He takes class time to ensure that his students connect personally to the topic, whether that be through walks along Butcherknife, watercolor painting, or political debates. The impact Mr. Colvin has had on the SSHS community is immeasurable.
Lifetime Achievement: Ric Ondrejka
This Lifetime Achievement award goes to Ric Ondrejka, who retired last spring from over 40 years of employment with the US Forest Service (USFS).
Ric grew up in the foothills of West Boulder, Colorado, where he explored the Sunshine Canyon forest for years. When he was six years old, Ric went on his first backpacking trip with his father, where he ran into a wilderness ranger on the trail who was the first to pique his interest. Fast forward to his college years, Ric remembered his childhood outdoors and decided to major in Forestry at Colorado State University so he could spend his time in the forest.
Ric, we thank you for your legacy that you leave behind and for your years of dedication to maintaining our native, healthy forests in our backyard!”
His career with the Forest Service began as a volunteer in Walden, Colorado in 1982. He spent the next eight years in a seasonal position working in timber stand improvement and inventory, and became a crew leader of the Timber Sale Prep Crew where he was involved with establishing the Superior Tree Plantation in Walden.
In 1990, he secured his first permanent job as a Reforestation Forester for the District where he was responsible for replanting the Owl Mountain Timber Sale. In 1994, he transferred into the Timber Sale Prep Forester position in Yampa, where he later became the District Timber Program Manager in 2000, and then the District Silviculturist in 2007, which is where he fulfilled the remainder of his career. In Yampa, he assisted with the Black Whisky Planting project and oversaw regeneration of lodgepole pine stands after clearcut harvest methods.
Thanks to Ric’s help, YVSC has solidified a partnership with the USFS to add force to these planting projects and relevant data collection that helps to prioritize the most vulnerable areas. Ric and Ryan Messinger established YVSC’s first volunteer regeneration survey and forest planting days in 2022, which is now gaining momentum to increase the pace and scale of reforestation efforts.
“One of the main reasons I have not sought out jobs on other forests as many others have done to further their careers is because I wanted to see how the harvests (I worked on) came out long term,” Ric said. “It is very rewarding to see an old decadent timber stand transformed into a vibrant new forest. As young stands tend to be more resistant to fire damage, it’s great to see a fire skirt around a regenerated harvest I created.”
Ric, we thank you for your legacy that you leave behind and for your years of dedication to maintaining our native, healthy forests in our backyard!
Sustainable Government Leadership: Routt County Planning Department
This award recognizes our government partners and initiatives that lead by example and illustrate through action how sustainability advances our community. The planning department is receiving this award for leading the community through the creation of a new Unified Development Code that prioritizes sustainability and climate action.
The Routt County Planning Department stands out for its commitment to sustainability. In 2024, the Routt County Board of County Commissioners approved a comprehensive overhaul of the Unified Development Code that regulates the use, development, and subdivision of land within unincorporated Routt County.
Routt County Planning Department staff dress up for Halloween.
Throughout the long process of adopting the new code, Planning Department staff was steadfast in looking for best practices to protect the open spaces, forests, rivers, and wildlife that the residents of Routt County value so much. The staff also leaned on the strategies and actions recommended in the Routt County Climate Action Plan.
The new code outlines rules and regulations for building in specific areas of the county, covering a wide range of issues from where denser development can happen to how new developments must design their landscaping. Some of the natural features protected in the new code, such as riparian areas and wetlands, are the most carbon-rich ecosystems in the county, and their protection is key to maintaining ecosystem services, including the important role of taking carbon out of the atmosphere.
One of the most important provisions of the new UDC is increased setbacks from rivers, streams and wetlands for all new construction. This will not only help protect the trees and wildlife habitat associated with our riparian corridors, but will also help improve water quality and sequester carbon.
In addition, the inclusion of open space protections, particularly as a public benefit associated with Planned Unit Developments and new incentives for creation of Land Preservation Subdivisions, will help protect natural lands and critical wildlife habitat.
The UDC also was innovative in using land use code to help address issues related to energy use, including house size limits in new developments and a clear process for protecting habitat while transitioning to clean energy.
Learn more about the benefits of the Unified Development Code in this column from the Climate Action Plan Collaborative.
Throughout the years-long process, planning department staff sought out the best advice from experts in the County and around the western slope to produce a roadmap for the future growth of the County that we should all be proud of. Their work will help ensure that the natural values and rural landscape that we all cherish will persist even in the face of continued growth and new challenges.
Rising Leader: Benjamin Cavarra
Our Rising Leader Award recognizes young members of the Yampa Valley community who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to local climate action and sustainability initiatives, and this year’s award is presented to Benjamin Cavarra for advancing sustainable business practices at Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation.
Currently, Ben is working on advancing an electric vehicle transition at the resort. Ben worked with YVSC to develop an electric vehicle transition plan, and he is in the process of exploring options for electric snowmobiles and shuttles.”
Ben graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering. Originally from Denver, Ben would frequently ski at Steamboat Resort. Ben is extremely passionate about his work. Working for Steamboat Resort as the Sustainability Coordinator was something he described as landing his “dream job.” Since starting in April of 2024, Ben has already made a major impact in leading initiatives to reduce carbon emissions at the resort.
Ben has spent many hours helping to plant some 3,000 lodgepole pine saplings with employees and volunteers below the mid-station of Wild Blue Gondola, and has helped resort employees get involved with a riparian restoration project on Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area.
He’s also helped lead composting efforts: Last ski season, staff at The Range collected approximately 2,000 pounds of kitchen food waste for composting, and Timber & Torch staff are piloting a food waste composting effort that includes leftovers from customer plates.
Currently, Ben is working on advancing an electric vehicle transition at the resort. Ben worked with YVSC to develop an electric vehicle transition plan, and he is in the process of exploring options for electric snowmobiles and shuttles.
According to the Steamboat Pilot, “Cavarra said he is happy to combine his passions for the outdoors, ski industry and sustainability working at Steamboat Resort on gradual steps. He told fellow green business network members, ‘You all have inspired me as a young, bright-eyed, passionate ski bum to be a part of this community.’”
Partner of the Year: Energy Smart Colorado
We are honored to present the Partner of the Year award to Energy Smart Colorado for empowering organizations to expand energy savings and emissions reduction through the sharing of resources and expertise. Energy Smart Colorado has acted as a committed partner to organizations throughout the state, and has been an invaluable partner to YVSC through its support of YVSC’s energy assessment program and outreach.
Energy Smart Colorado is a non-profit organization that facilitates the energy assessment program across the Western Slope, working through 10 different local sustainability organizations.
So far Energy Smart Colorado programs have saved:
- $6,037,846 In annual utility costs.
- 33,526 in metric tons of CO2 annually.
- 38,211,001 in annual Kwh.
This partnership has been ongoing since 2015 but has strengthened over the past few years.
With the help of ESC, YVSC was able to offer multiple heat pump workshops, increase our Spanish language outreach for the program, integrate quick fixes into our energy assessment and offer the assessments for a $100 upfront cost.”
Energy Smart Colorado (ESC) will be receiving $400,000 to accelerate the deployment of equitable, widespread energy efficiency and efficient building electrification upgrades. This initiative addresses housing affordability in rural Colorado mountain communities across 18 Colorado Counties, upgrading 750 rural, underserved homes. The group is taking a similar approach with $1.4 Million from an Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant.
Since these grants, ESC was able to hire a program manager, a bilingual regional engagement and outreach manager, a workforce development manager, and a community energy fellow. With the help of ESC, YVSC was able to offer multiple heat pump workshops, increase our Spanish language outreach for the program, integrate quick fixes into our energy assessment and offer the assessments for a $100 upfront cost — an improvement from the previous $500 upfront cost.
This comes at a very important time as our community is decarbonizing our housing through beneficial electrification. With these resources, YVSC foresees an increased number of energy assessments that help those in our community electrify their homes.
Yampa Valley Connector: Nelly Navarro
The Yampa Valley Connector award recognizes those individuals and entities that strengthen connections and collaborations throughout the Yampa Valley region through their work and service. This year’s award goes to Nelly Navarro, former Executive Director of Integrated Community, for her impactful advancement of collaboration and inclusion across all communities in the Yampa Valley, and for building programs that better connect our immigrant community members to essential services and resources throughout the Routt and Moffat Counties. The award is a recognition of the many ways that we in the Yampa Valley continue to celebrate and build on Nelly’s legacies that enduringly connect our community.
Nelly’s leadership approach champions diversity, and laid the groundwork for future immigrant leaders and strengthened community partnerships to foster long-term engagement and impact.”
During her time at Integrated Community, Nelly was a leader in expanding to a new office space, increasing the budget and securing an endowment to protect the sustainability of the organization. Nelly also was key to expanding the organization’s reach geographically into Moffat County and established several innovative and community-driven initiatives. City of Craig, the Craig Chamber and many other leaders in Moffat County were incredibly grateful for the added support needed for an underserved and growing proportion of their community.
Nelly’s leadership approach champions diversity, and laid the groundwork for future immigrant leaders and strengthened community partnerships to foster long-term engagement and impact. The current climate equity work being advanced by the Routt County Climate Action Plan Collaborative is deeply anchored in the work of Nelly and her team to partner Integrated Community with organizations like YVSC, connecting relevant communications and programs with immigrant community members to benefit both people and place.
Nelly’s care for her work and those she serves is another hallmark of her leadership. Nelly always took the time needed to connect with the community members she worked closely with, bringing her knowledge of immigrant community member circumstances and values into the service of building collaborative programs. One example is when Nelly and her colleague Irene Avitia were meeting with YVSC to discuss how to better connect recycling education with our immigrant community members. Nelly and Irene took the conversation to the deeper level of recognizing how “lacking knowledge” was not necessarily a barrier to recycling, but rather how the need to recycle is created by the United States packing industry. In many of their clients’ home countries, people are accustomed to reusing and repairing. Goods didn’t come so packaged, so they were eager to learn how to recycle in the US because it was a new phenomenon culturally. In this way, Nelly demonstrated how diversity and inclusion are not additional, but essential to community building, climate and sustainability.
Throughout her work in the Yampa Valley and now beyond, Nelly is committed to creating lasting change for the communities she serves through advocacy, expertise, and passion for community empowerment.
Sustainable Business: Eagle Creek
The Sustainable Business Award goes to those businesses that both define and advance sustainability through their ethos, products and process. This year’s award goes to Eagle Creek for valuing the natural world in the adventure travel industry through sustainability and community building practices.
Eagle Creek stands as an exemplar in sustainability business practices, taking part in carbon reduction and climate advocacy throughout its operations.
Customers can have their products repaired through a network of 10 repair centers, which resulted in the repair of about 7,000 bags in 2024, of which the bags had an average age of 12 years.”
Over 90% of Eagle Creek’s products are made with recycled raw materials, including post-industrial, post-consumer and ocean recycled polyesters and nylons. The company designs products to reduce fabric waste, and has ensured the use of safe materials through its elimination of the intentional use of PFAS in their supply chain. This process was the culmination of three years of effort that involved product updates, supply chain transparency and reporting.
The business also keeps its products out of the landfill through a focus on durability and the implementation of a lifetime “No Matter What” warranty and the addition of at-home repairable features. Customers can have their products repaired through a network of 10 repair centers, which resulted in the repair of about 7,000 bags in 2024, of which the bags had an average age of 12 years. To reduce shipping emissions, the company employs tactics that reduce the amount and size of shipping containers needed.
In terms of advocacy, Eagle Creek employs an internal sustainability team, and is an active participant in several Outdoor Industry Association working groups, including Climate Action Corps, Clean Chemicals & Materials Coalition, PFAS Task Force and the Sustainability Policy Task Force.
All things considered, Eagle Creek is a role model and inspiration for the business community for what truly walking the walk of sustainability should look like.
