Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust Welcomes ThreeNew Members to its Board of Directors - Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Darryl Seibel, Darryl@ccalt.org , 720-557-8266

January 8, 2026

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – As 2026 begins, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) is welcoming to its Board of Directors three new members with extensive experience in production agriculture and working lands conservation in Colorado (alphabetically):
Patrick “Pat” Karney, Erin Michalski, and Sallie Miller.

Their initial appointments to the CCALT Board of Directors take effect immediately and will last until the end of FY28/29 (June 30, 2029), after which they may be reappointed for subsequent terms.

In addition, CCALT recognizes the distinguished service and lasting contributions to working lands conservation made by outgoing Board members John Braly, Jay Fetcher, Jen Livsey, and Ben Rogers, whose terms expired December 31, 2025.

“Working with John, Jay, Jen, and Ben has been an honor and a privilege,” said CCALT President, Stacy Kourlis Guillon. “They brought experience, insight, and energy to the work CCALT has done during their terms to provide best-in-class conservation services for agricultural producers. We are looking forward to working with Pat, Erin, and Sallie to take those achievements to the next level.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Erin Michalski, Sallie Miller, and Pat Karney to the CCALT Board of Directors,” said CCALT Chief Executive Officer, Erik L. Glenn. “These three individuals bring an exceptional breadth of experience to the Board and are each deeply committed to the land and production agriculture. Erin, Sallie, and Pat embody the producer-led conservation ethic that has defined CCALT since 1995, and their diverse expertise will be instrumental as we work to keep agricultural lands productive, intact, and in the hands of the families who steward them.”

Biographical information on the new members of the CCALT Board of Directors:

Patrick “Pat” Karney is a sixth-generation rancher from Las Animas, Colo., with a lifelong commitment to conserving working landscapes and sustaining rural communities in Colorado and beyond. He began working in his family’s feed mill at age 17 while earning an accounting degree from the University of Southern Colorado (now CSU-Pueblo). After assuming ownership of the business, Pat and his wife, Robin, sold the operation and purchased a ranch near Las Animas, where they continue their ranching tradition.

Pat previously served on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association where, as Treasurer, he participated in deliberations that led to the formation of CCALT in 1995. He brings decades of leadership experience across numerous agricultural and conservation organizations to CCALT, including Lifetime Member, Director, and Past President of the Bent-Prowers Cattle and Horse Growers Association; Past President and sevenyear Director of the Bent County Fair Board; Director of the Colorado Grain and Feed Association; Co-Chair of the Central Shortgrass Partnership; Director of the Otero County Land Trust; and, eight-year Director of The Nature Conservancy in Colorado.

Erin Michalski is a Colorado native, lifelong agricultural advocate, and partner in her family’s multigenerational Eagle Rock Ranch, a high mountain working cattle ranch in Park County. Raised in Denver and active in Arapahoe County 4-H from the age of 11, Erin developed an early appreciation for land stewardship, livestock, and the importance of preserving working landscapes.
She earned a degree in finance from the University of Virginia and spent 17 years in New York City working at UBS Investment Bank before returning home in 2016 to play an active role in the family ranch. Today, Erin is involved in ranch operations, direct-to-consumer beef marketing, and long-term planning, balancing the economic realities of modern agriculture with conservation-minded land management.

Erin currently serves on the Colorado State Fair Authority Board and the Colorado State Fair Foundation Board, where she advocates for youth in agriculture, agricultural education, and the sustainability of Colorado’s farming and ranching communities. She brings to CCALT a unique blend of financial expertise, strategic thinking, and hands-on agricultural experience, along with deep respect for conservation easements and the conservation of working lands. In addition to her ranching work, Erin has a strong passion for horses and competes nationally in AQHA Ranch Versatility events. Erin lives full-time in Breckenridge with her husband, Matt, and their three children, and spends much of her time at the ranch, where family, land, and legacy remain her focus.

Sallie Miller is from Briggsdale, Colo., and is a partner in Croissant Red Angus with her husband, Kevin, along with Austin and Katie Fischer. In addition, Sallie has worked for American AgCredit, a member of the Farm Credit System, for 25-plus years and currently serves as Director of Corporate Underwriting for the Feedlot and Dairy Sector. In this capacity, she has had the opportunity to learn about a variety of agricultural operations, as well as the importance of ensuring agricultural lands remain in production and are viable parts of the community.

Sallie has been actively involved with several ag-focused organizations and served as President of Colorado CattleWomen and as a Director on the Colorado Beef Council Board. Currently, she serves as a Director for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and Colorado Foundation for Agriculture, which educates Pre-K through Grade 12 students, teachers, and the public about the vital role of agriculture in daily life. Sallie is a graduate of Colorado State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a master’s of agriculture with a focus on extension education.

About the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust
The mission of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust is to conserve Colorado’s Western heritage and working landscapes for the benefit of future generations. Since 1995, CCALT has partnered with more than 400 families to conserve more than 820,000 acres of Colorado farmland, ranchland, open space, and wildlife habitat.

Members of the media: for more information, please contact Darryl Seibel, CCALT Director of External Relations, at (720) 557-8266 or darryl@ccalt.org.