top of page

About us

The Next 100 Coalition of civil rights, environmental justice, conservation, community organizations, and leaders works for greater inclusion of diverse communities in our country’s national parks and other public lands. Inspired by the goals of the Next 100 Coalition, Next 100 Colorado is a BIPOC-led coalition of individuals, organizations, and vetted allies. We are the first chapter in the country to narrow the scope of a national initiative to state based policy and action. Next 100 Colorado is committed to a just and inclusive parks and public lands system.

We provide

A space where BIPOC leaders and allies who have demonstrated commitment to equity, justice, and inclusivity can find community and inspiration.


A vehicle through which members can collectively build an outdoor culture and industry that serves, celebrates, and centers the voices of those who have been intentionally excluded.


An opportunity for allies and accomplices to utilize their privilege, power, and access to amplify the work of members in an impactful, tangible, and supportive way.

Meet The Team

zoom+profile.jpg
Gemara Gifford (she/her)

Doctoral Student, Colorado State University, Next 100 Colorado Co-Chair

​

Tried out for American Idol in 2010

​

gemara.gifford@colostate.edu

​

Image by Holly Mandarich
Jerry Otero
(he/him)

Legislative and Policy Director, Grand Canyon Trust, Next 100 Colorado Co-Chair

​

Lifelong hunter, angler, sneaker collector, foodie, habitual line stepper.

​

jotero@grandcanyontrust.org

WRA-headshot - Mira Barney.jpg
Mira Barney
(she/her)

Executive Assistant (Western Resource Advocates); Program Assistant (Indigenous Women's Leadership Network)

​

Cat-loving goofy accordionist

​

barney.mira@gmail.com

Casey Bries Headshot (2) - Casey Bries.jpg
Casey Bries
(they/them)

Environmental Justice & Partnerships Manager, Ecoinclusive Strategies, LLC

​

casey@ecoinclusive.org

IMG_0938 - Simone Christopherson - DNR Contractor.jpg
Simone Christopherson (she/her)

Partners Program Assistant, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

​

I love trying out new coffee shops and my favorite season is summer

Clare-Cutler-600x600-1 - Claire Cutler.jpg
Claire Cutler
(she/her)
britt headshot 2024 - Brittni Ehrhart - DNR.png
Brittni Ehrhart-Gemmill (she/her)

Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategist, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

​

Glamorous outdoor adventurer

​

brittni.ehrhart@state.co.us

Image (10) - Damian Alejandro.jpg
Damián García
(he/him)

Volunteer Coordinator,

Environmental Learning for Kids

​

Mammals love me, reptiles excite me, birds heal me, and fish fear me. 

​

damianalejandrogar@gmail.com

Hannah.JPG
Hannah George
(she/her)

Programs and Events Coordinator, Keep It Colorado

​

Dried shiitake mushrooms are my fave life hack

IMG_1516 - K O.jpeg
Kristina Gray (she/her)

Director of Marketing & Communications, Environmental Learning for Kids

​

Unprofessional juggler

​

Kgray@elkkids.org

IMG_5472.jpg
Andrea Kurth (she/her)

Outdoor Equity Advocate, Individual member

 

Acro Yoga pro

jpeg-imag001 - Dominic Lucero.jpg
Dominic Lucero
 

Executive Director, Colorado High Country Educational Treks AKA Colorado Treks

​

Blindfolded tether ball master champion

​

dominiclucero@coloradotreks.org​

Modesta 2 - Modesta McGrath-Martínez.jpg
Modesta McGrath-Martínez (she/her)

Program Manager, Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO)

​

​

biancammm93@gmail.com

SLV GOATS - Patrick Ortiz.jpg
Patrick Ortiz
(he/him)

Operations Director, San Luis Valley Great Outdoors

​

Global History and Culture nerd

​

patrickortiz@slvgo.com

FocusTree-9 - Juan Gabriel Pérez Sáez.jpg
Juan Pérez Sáez (he/him/his)

Co-founder and Strategist, Intersecting Solutions

 

Immigrant, nature lover, hiker, and amateur salsa dancer.

​

juanprez82@gmail.com

ME! (1).jpg
Alma Sanchez
(she/her/ella)

Ph.D. Student, University of Colorado Boulder

​

Ecology buff, PhD student, Latino Outdoors leader, ice climbing noob.

​

rosie@latinooutdoors.org​

Capture - Jeremy Sifuentes.PNG
Jeremy Sifuentes
 

Workforce Development and ADA Accessibility Coordinator, Colorado Parks & Wildlife

​

Youth Mentor, Nature Lover, Career Pathfinder and Reality TV Junkie

​

jsifuentes371@gmail.com

Reseized Image  - Jason Swann.jpg
Jason Swann
(he/him)

Conservation Finance Program Director Intermountain West,

Trust for Public Land

​

Opportunities for All, Sunrise Chaser, and Serial Networker

​

j@risingroutes.com

JW Teton Wilderness with Aska dog - Jordan Williams.jpg
Jordan Williams (he/him)

Colorado Regional Representative, Continental Divide Trail Coalition

​

Trail explorer and doggy dad

​

jwilliams@continentaldividetrail.org

1.jpg
Chris Talbot-Heindl (they/them)

Creator, Designer, Editor, and DEI Specialist. Next 100 Colorado Co-Chair

 

Writer and illustrator of trans-affirming educomics

​

chris@talbot-heindl.com

Image by Sheelah Brennan
Noe
(he/him)

Sr. Manager, Renewable Energy, The Wilderness Society, Next 100 Colorado Co-Chair
 

Football fan, LA Rams; enjoys camping and hiking

​

noe.orgaz@gmail.com

9BAB4FD6-3D25-4549-85D7-9EF8A06C5931 - Jacob Belgrad.jpeg
Jacob Belgrad
(he/him)

Transportation Advocate, 

GreenLatinos 

​

Cat lover and weather nerd

​

Jacobbelgrad@greenlatinos.org

a ajusted adrianmichaelphotography (8) - Parker McMullen Bushman.jpg
Parker McMullen Bushman (they/she)

CEO / Founder, Ecoinclusive / Inclusive Guide

​

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist  Trainer | Speaker | Consultant 

​

parker@ecoinclusive.org

Cindy 2018 - Cindy Chang.jpg
Cindy Chang
(she/her)

Executive Director,

Groundwork Denver

​

cindy@groundworkcolorado.org

Profile pic - Severiano DeSoto.jpg
Severiano DeSoto
(he/him)

Energy Siting Policy Advisor,

Western Resource Advocates

​

Outdoors loving dad

​

severiano.desoto@gmail.com

Aliyah - Aliyah Santistevan - DNR.jpg
Aliyah Emita Santistevan (she/her)

Assistant Division Engineer, CO Division of Water Resources

​

Corgi Lover & 3-Day Eventer
 

aliyah.santistevan@state.co.us

IMG_8874.JPG
Patricia Garcia-Nelson
(She / Her /Ella)

Colorado Fossil Fuel Just Transition Advocate, GreenLatinos Colorado

​

​

patricianelson@greenlatinos.org

Image20240110153153 - Breanna González.jpg
Breanna González
(she/her/ella)

Environmental Justice Supervisor, CDPHE 

​

Pop & Sports Culture Encyclopedia 

​

breealexisg@gmail.com

IMG_2427 (1).jpg
Dillon Hanson-Ahumada (he/him)

Conservation Project Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy 

​

People loving wildlife enthusiast 

​

hansondillon1996@gmail.com

Cally-King-300x300 - Cally King.jpg
Cally King
(she/her)

Senior Project Manager,

Keystone Policy Center

​

cking@keystone.org

IMG_7767 - Teresa Martinez.jpg
Teresa Martinez
(she/her/ella)

Executive Director, Continental Divide Trail Coalition

​

My hope is to share the stories that make people cry in a good way

​

tmartinez@continentaldividetrail.org

Image_20240111_121609_212 - Rebeca Medrano.jpeg
Rebeca Medrano
(they/she/he)

Protégete Strategic Partnerships Manager

​

Bread-making enthusiast and mediocre dancer

​

rebeca@conservationco.org

Image by Sam Dellaporta
Gabriel Otero
(he/him)

Director of Equitable Funding Policy, The Wilderness Society

​

Music enthusiast, coaches youth sports, enjoys reading and writing poetry 

​

gabriel_otero@tws.org

IMG_7341.JPG
Hec Salas
(he/him/el)

Communications Consultant / Freelance Writer​

 

Basketball nerd

​

hecsalasgallegos@gmail.com

Screenshot 2023-09-06 085153 - Anna Sanchez.png
Anna Sanchez (she/inaru/ella)

Talent Manager, The Nature Conservancy

​

Nature nerd and dog parent.

​

anna.sanchez@tnc.org

Beatriz headshot small.png
Beatriz Soto
(she/her)

Protegete, Senior Director 

​

Climate and Environmental Justice Advocate, Architect, Artist, nature lover, Bruja, snowboarder, trail runner, Human kin

​

beatriz@conservationco.org

20210430_184407-croped-1024x982.jpg
Ean Thomas Tafoya (he/him/el)

State Director, GreenLatinos Colorado

​

Radio DJ & Host, Human & Natural Rights, Born On Earth Day

 

eantafoya@greenlatinos.org

Kara Matsumoto_Headshot.jpg
Kara Matsumoto
(she/her)

Policy Director, Conservation Lands Foundation, Next 100 Colorado Co-Chair

​

Aerial silks enthusiast

​

kmatsumoto616@gmail.com

​

IMG_3736_Next100 - Maritza Arizaga.jpg
Maritza Arizaga (she/her/ella)

Equity & Community Engagement Manager, Western Resource Advocates

​

Nature lover and enthusiast - occasional llama-wrangler.

​

maritza.arizaga@westernresources.org

headshot for next 100 colorado.jpg
Shanyce Billings
(she/her)

Social media manager, Ecoinclusive 

​

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist  Trainer | Speaker | Consultant 

​

shanyce@ecoinclusive.org

image (1).png
Jared Bynum
(he/him)

Individual member

​

jaredbynum5@gmail.com

NPCABolgerCenter(60)_edited.jpg
Tracy Coppola (she/her)

Colorado Senior Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)

​

Old tree and old dog fan

tcoppola@npca.org

Crystal Fishing - Crystal Egli.jpg
Crystal Egli
(she/her)

CEO, Inclusive Guide

 

Ultra-liberal queer big-game hunter with unexpected aquatic athleticism.

​

crystal@inclusivejourneys.com

IMG_0676.jpg
Emma Galofré García (she/her/ella)

PhD Student at University of Colorado Boulder, Well-Being, Environment, Livelihoods, and Sustainability Group / Outings Leader at Latino Outdoors Colorado​

88369036_396c4e9d1b_k.jpg
Jessica Gelay
(she/her/ella)
IMG_0017 - Jessica Godinez.jpg
Jessica Godinez (she/her/ella)

Conservation Program Manager, Hispanic Access Foundation

​

Movement loving suburban gardener doing life with a husband, two dogs and a whole flock of chickens

​

jessicag@hispanicaccess.org

IMG_8354 - Mallory Huggins.jpg
Mallory Huggins
(she/her)

Senior Project Director,

Keystone Policy Center

​

Urban-outdoorsy city kid; loves to gab

​

mhuggins@keystone.org

New Headshot 3 - Shirena Trujillo Long.JPG
Shirena Trujillo Long
(she/her/ella)

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Conservation Legacy

​

Avid outdoor fun maker, middle child, activista, from three of the Four Corners States.

​

strujillolong@conservationlegacy.org

Rising Routes YMCA - Will's Photos -0048 (1) - Mary McKean.jpg
Mary McKean
(she/her)

Planning Specialist, National Park Service

​

Colorado bird nerd

​

marymckean@risingroutes.com

88369036_396c4e9d1b_k.jpg
Alicia Mountain (she/her)

Urban Nature-based Solutions Manager, National Wildlife Federation

 

Avid napper, walker of parks, concert goer.

​

mountaina@nwf.org

​

lep photo - Loretta Pineda.jpg
Loretta Pineda
(she/her)

Individual member, Founding Member

 

Semi- Retired

​

pinedaloretta@gmail.com

profile pic omar - Omar Sarabia.jpeg
Omar Sarabia 
(he/him/el)

Defiende Nuestra Tierra, Director

​

Street Taco enthusiast, cloud collector, love to snowboard and a veteran basketball player.

​

omar@wildernessworkshop.org

Ian Sharkey-1 - I Shark.png
Ian Sharkey
(he/him)

GIS Specialist, ERO Resources

​

Dancer, Hiker, mapmaker

​

sharkeyian5@gmail.com

jessica_sushinsky - Jessie Sushinsky.jpg
Jessie Sushinsky (she/her)

Conservation biologist, Vireo Conservation

​

Into birds, maps, and data/knowledge. 

​

jrsush@gmail.com

Felipe Headshot.jpg
Felipe Vieyra
(he/him)

Co-founder of Oso Adventure Meals

​

Coaches soccer for 3-4-year-olds. 

​

fvieyra.jr@gmail.com

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

©2020 by Next 100 Colorado. Photos provided by James Mills, Janelle Paciencia, Hispanic Access Foundation, D. Burcette, and Continental Divide Trail Coalition.

bottom of page