Mission
Conserving Colorado’s western heritage and working landscapes for the benefit of future generations.
A lasting heritage
For nearly 30 years, CCALT has partnered with landowners across Colorado to protect productive agricultural land, while conserving the natural resources that make Colorado such a special place to live and visit.
CCALT was established in 1995 by the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and was the first land trust formed by a state livestock association — Wyoming, California, Kansas, Texas, South Dakota, and Oregon have since followed suit.
In 2019, CCALT merged with the Yampa Valley Land Trust. Under the shared banner of CCALT, the Yampa Valley Conservation Partnership was created. The partnership extends CCALT’s conservation efforts in the Yampa Valley and across northwestern Colorado.
LEADERSHIP
CCALT is powered by a small, but mighty staff who work on behalf of ranchers, partners, and donors. We facilitate conservation, crunch numbers, write grants, publish newsletters, and plan events. We come from family ranches, urban neighborhoods, and mountain ski towns, but we each have a deep passion for conserving Colorado’s working lands.
Tyler Morrison
Conservation Manager
Tyler is a Conservation Manager with CCALT who facilitates easement transactions and assists with stewardship monitoring and issue resolution. He brings years of experience focused on managing the Mountain West’s agriculture, energy, wildlife, and water resources. He has a Master’s in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University and worked for the Department of Energy and Bureau of Land Management prior to joining CCALT in August 2024. Tyler is a Colorado native who enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, gardening, live music, playing hockey, and exploring western Colorado with his wife and two daughters.
Kathleen Voight
Additive Conservation Manager
Kathleen is the Additive Conservation Manager at CCALT and is based out of the Steamboat Springs office. In this role, she supports the enhancement of agricultural and conservation values on working lands across the state. Top priorities include grassland health, improvements to irrigation systems, and wildfire mitigation. Kathleen supports the Agricultural Resiliency Fund, the Steamboat Front Wildfire Ready Action Plan, and CCALT’s administration of the Colorado Soil Health Program. She developed a deep appreciation for agricultural lands while working on ranches and raising livestock. She believes working lands are essential to resilient western landscapes and local communities.
Darryl Seibel
Director of External Relations
Darryl brings more than 25 years of experience in strategic communications, media relations, brand development, fundraising, marketing and the development of broadcast properties for leading organizations in national, international and intercollegiate sport to this role with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust.
His professional experience encompasses 10 Olympic Games, including serving as Chief Communications Officer for the United States Olympic Committee and Team USA (2003-09) and the British Olympic Association and Team GB (2009-14). Darryl’s intercollegiate sport communications leadership roles include the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Mountain West Conference. He has also held senior-level communications and brand development roles with USA Wrestling, USA Hockey and World Lacrosse, and as an advisor to World Sailing.
Darryl is a third generation Colorado native who spent his formative years on a small farm near Ignacio in La Plata County.
Haden Cunningham
Operations Coordinator
Haden plays a pivotal role in supporting CCALT’s Executive Director, Board of Directors, and Senior Directors with organizational operations and strategic plan implementation. She recently graduated from Elon University with a B.S.B.A. in Human Resources Management. At the Elon Academy she worked with high school students from local counties to fulfill their dreams of being the first person in their families to attend college. She is very passionate about being involved in her community.
Haden was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She moved to Denver in early 2024 and has loved every moment. In her free time, she loves playing volleyball with friends, exploring Colorado, and gardening.
Jocelyn Catterson
Conservation and Outreach Manager
Born and raised in Colorado, Jocelyn serves as the Conservation and Outreach Manager at CCALT. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Resource Conservation and a Certificate in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Montana. Before working with CCALT, she spent most of the past decade working for nonprofits in Montana focused on place-based education and collaborative, local conservation efforts.
Jocelyn is also an artist in the San Luis Valley, serves on the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable Education Committee, and is a Colorado Art, Science, and Environment Fellow. She is passionate about water, environmental education, and community. In her free time, she loves drawing, painting, hiking, camping, and skiing around her home in beautiful Del Norte.
Britney Filter
CCALT Fellow
Britney graduated in May 2022 from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and a certificate in Animal Nutrition. Agriculture is Britney’s background. Her family has a small cow-calf operation in Morgan County where they also grow alfalfa hay. Britney grew up showing cattle in 4-H and FFA, and started her studies at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, CO where she found she really enjoyed studying animal nutrition specifically for beef cattle. Upon graduating she started the CCA/CCALT Fellowship last year to expand her industry knowledge beyond the sciences. Now she is expanding her knowledge further as CCALT’s Additive Conservation Fellow. She hope to continue her studies and pursue a master’s degree in animal nutrition.
Britney enjoy the outdoors, whether it’s camping, hiking, skiing, or almost anything outdoors in Colorado where she has lived her entire life.
Owen Yager
Regional Manager of External Relations
Born and raised on Colorado’s Front Range, Owen joined CCALT as the Northwest Regional Manager of External Relations in June 2023. In this role, he works to support CCALT’s commitment to northwest Colorado and the Yampa Valley Conservation Partnership (begun in 2019). Owen develops and facilitates events in Rio Blanco, Grand, Routt, Eagle, Jackson and Moffat counties, helps with CCALT’s annual easement monitoring, and works with local landowners and stakeholders to strengthen conservation in the state’s northwest corner. Between getting his BA in Religion from Carleton College and his Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, Owen served as an AmeriCorps member doing rangeland restoration work in northwestern Nevada.
In his free time, Owen enjoys getting outside with his dog Ernest, backcountry skiing, and fly fishing. He also loves tucking in with a cup of tea and friends on a rainy day.
Kai Miranda
Data, Grants, and Administrative Manager
Kai Miranda re-joined CCALT in May 2023, after previously holding a position as the 2020-2021 CCA/CCALT Fellow. She holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Business from Colorado State University. Kai is returning to CCALT after a few years managing data and projects for the DNA Department at the Red Angus Association of America. Kai comes from a life-long agricultural background, with family ties to ranching in Colorado and Hawai’i. Her academic studies consisted of working in research, including one of the largest Management-Intensive Grazing studies in the U.S., which encompassed a multitude of nutrition, soil health, forage and economy projects.
In her free time, Kai enjoys everything and anything related to cattle and equines, spending time in the ranching community and working horses. As a Colorado native, she gets to the mountains any time possible to hike and go fly-fishing. Kai looks forward to bringing her agricultural background to CCALT and help in preserving working lands in Colorado.
Tate Fox
Events and Fundraising Coordinator
Tate has a B.A. degree in Political Communications and Minors in Leadership Studies and Entrepreneurship from Kansas State University. Tate joined CCALT as our Seasonal Events Coordinator and seamlessly moved into her full-time role. Prior to working at CCALT, Tate was a Capital Campaign Intern for the Honoring the Legacy Campaign at the National Western Stock Show, where Tate is also a member. She was also a Cellar Intern at Lambert Bridge Winery in Healdsburg, California for the 2022 Harvest. Tate is a fourth generation Coloradan and is passionate about preserving Colorado’s natural beauty and western way of life. In her free time, Tate enjoys cooking, throwing dinner parties, gardening, skiing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Bill Noonan
Seasonal Easement Monitor
Bill worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a biologist for 35 years until he retired in 2018. Most of his career was spent as the Colorado Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Coordinator for the USFWS. The PFW program works with private landowners to voluntarily restore habitat on private lands. Bill served on the Mountain Area Land Trust Board from 2005 to 2011. He as also been a contract easement monitor with CCALT for three seasons. Bill has two children and one newly minted granddaughter. He and his wife, Mary, live in Evergreen and enjoy rafting, camping, and cycling when not planning trips to see their granddaughter.
Courtney Bennett
Senior Conservation Manager
Courtney is rejoining Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT) after working for four and a half years at Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) as their Grants Officer for Land Acquisitions. At GOCO, Courtney worked with Colorado’s conservation community to close over fifty land acquisitions that protected over 100,000 acres across Colorado. She was also responsible for addressing all post-closing issues including conservation easement amendment requests. In her previous tenure at CCALT, she was part of the Conservation Team managing conservation easement transactions and completing a variety of stewardship responsibilities. Courtney’s conservation experience also includes time working for the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and the Southwest Conservation Corps.
Courtney has a Masters in Environmental Science and graduate certificate in Sustainable Agriculture from Washington State University and an undergraduate degree in Biology from Fort Lewis College. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors – gardening, biking, skiing, hiking, and camping. When not outdoors you can find her doing yoga, swimming or spending time with her family including nine nieces and nephews.
Brendan Boepple
Director of Conservation
Brendan is the Director of Conservation at CCALT. In this role, he collaborates with landowners to develop new conservation finance tools and land management opportunities to enhance CCALT’s transactions and stewardship programs. Brendan developed a deep connection to western landscapes and communities while directing Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project. In this role he supervised research and public outreach related to natural resource and socioeconomic issues in the Mountain West. He holds a BA in Political Science from Colorado College with an Environmental Issues minor, and completed a Masters of Environmental Management at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. His Masters Project supported the development of a new Conservation Plan to guide the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Prior to joining CCALT and returning to Colorado, Brendan worked in the Northeast US coordinating conservation transactions with local land trusts as well as state and federal agencies.
In his free time Brendan enjoys fly-fishing, bird hunting and cooking for family and friends.
Molly Fales
Staff Attorney
Molly is the staff attorney at CCALT. She previously served as the Director of Transactions. As the staff attorney, Molly provides guidance on all new conservation transactions and the resolution of stewardship issues in addition to managing new conservation easement projects. Since joining CCALT in 2015, Molly has partnered with landowners to conserve more than 90,000 acres. Molly consistently looks for new tools to help landowners achieve their goals. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Dartmouth College where she wrote her thesis on the use of conservation easements in Colorado and a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law. She is admitted to the bar in Colorado.
Molly grew up on a cattle ranch in Carbondale, Colorado. She and her husband, David, are lucky to live on the ranch and are having fun introducing their daughter, Rhea, and dog to ranch life. In her free time, Molly enjoys hiking, skiing, and biking, and baking.
Monica Garcia
Conservation Manager
Monica serves as the Conservation Manager at CCALT. Before moving to Colorado in 2020, Monica was working in restoration and project coordinating in the Bay Area, California. She is passionate about building genuine relationships with landowners and conserving working lands that both wildlife and all generations can enjoy.
Monica double majored at San Francisco State University with a B.S in Environmental Science and a B.A in Geography. She received her Masters in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Colorado State University. In her free time, Monica enjoys backpacking, crafting, cooking, and travelling locally and afar.
Erik Glenn
Executive Director
Erik is the Executive Director of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT). Erik holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University, a Master of Resource Law Studies from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and an Executive MBA from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. Erik also serves on the Board of Directors of Keep it Colorado, is the President of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts and is a Trustee of the Western Stock Show Association.
In his free time, Erik enjoys coaching youth soccer, reading, fishing, hunting, and exploring new places with his wife Shelby and their three children – Theodore, Henry, and Abigail.
John Gioia
Director of Transactions
John joined CCALT as a Conservation Manager in January 2022. He holds a BA in Environmental Science from Colorado College and a Master in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University, where his research and work focused on ranching and outdoor recreation on land managed by the BLM in Colorado. Prior to joining CCALT, John worked for Massachusetts’ Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs where he managed the state’s conservation easement review program, and prior to that he worked for a regional land trust in Maine coordinating conservation transactions. In his free time, John enjoys skiing, biking, and hunting, and hiking and camping with his wife, Brooke, and son, Oliver.
Maggie Hanna
Director of External Relations
Maggie joined the CCALT team in 2015 and serves as the Director of External Relations. In her time at CCALT she has facilitated conservation easements, supported annual monitoring, and managed the Leopold Conservation Award. Prior to joining CCALT, Maggie worked for El Pomar Foundation as a member of the 2011 Fellowship class. She then moved to Oregon to serve as an Americorps volunteer and worked alongside the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District to develop and implement the Agora Platform, a project sourcing mechanism designed to better connect funders with rural community projects and needs.
Maggie received her BA from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, in History and Urban Studies: Urban Environments and completed a graduate certificate in Ranch Management from the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program in Fort Worth, Texas. She is a Trustee of the National Western Stock Show, was a member of Class 13 of the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program, and was recognized as a 2021 Who’s Who in Agriculture by the Denver Business Journal.
Megan Knott
Senior Director of Stewardship
Megan Knott is the Senior Director of Stewardship and is charged with ensuring that CCALT meets its commitment to perpetually uphold the terms of each of its conservation easements. Megan focuses on partnerships with ranching families across the state to help her accomplish this goal. Megan is also actively engaged in the conservation community on both the state and national level and helps CCALT stay on the cutting edge of evolving stewardship trends. Megan joined CCALT in 2008. Her background is in forest management, and she has master’s degrees in forestry and Environmental Management from the Nicholas School at Duke University.
Megan and her husband, Tyler, and their two children help run the Knott family’s ranch and local meat business, located southwest of Oak Creek, Colorado. Megan is based out of CCALT’s Steamboat Springs office.
Amber Pougiales
Regional Director of External Relations
Amber joined CCALT in 2018 and is honored to live and work in her hometown of Steamboat Springs, where she serves as Northwest Colorado’s Regional Director of External Relations. In her role, Amber works with CCALT’s External Relations and Conservation teams to provide conservation services to the communities of Northwest Colorado and to ensure that the region maintains a powerful voice in the broad conservation community. In her time with CCALT, Amber has helped develop the organization’s events and outreach programs, facilitated conservation transactions, supported annual monitoring, and played a key role in the merger with the Yampa Valley Land Trust in 2019. Amber received her B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon and earned her Masters in Natural Resource Management from Colorado State University.
Outside of the office Amber enjoys running, skiing, biking, and just about any activity that allows her to explore and spend time outdoors.
Karina Puikkonen
Communications and Design Manager
Karina is CCALT’s first Communications and Design Manager. In this role, she oversees CCALT’s print, digital, social, and visual communications products and channels. In her career, Karina has worked on building communications products and programs for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and higher education. Karina has a master’s degree in Communications and Media Management, and two undergraduate degrees in Zoology and Communications. As a first-generation born American, Karina has ancestral farming roots from Finland. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, traveling, and capturing it all through photography.
Haley Rhodes
Events Manager
Haley joined the CCALT team as an Events Manager in 2022 and will be working to deliver and improve existing programs and developing new tools to deliver impactful events and showcase the work of CCALT to a variety of stakeholders. Haley grew up on a farm and ranch in Lamar, Colorado and feels blessed to have the experiences that rural living and working with family granted. Haley attended Colorado State University and graduated with a BS in Human Development & Family Studies and a minor in Business Administration. Haley, her husband Ashlynn, and their daughter, River, reside in Northern Colorado. In her free time, Haley enjoys spending time with family, traveling, baking, and entertaining.
Anne Rogers
Controller
Anne joined CCALT in February 2014 as the organization’s Controller, fulfilling a long-standing wish to return to the non-profit world. Previously, Anne served as the Controller for a Denver-area technology firm and has held various finance and accounting roles throughout her career, including financial planning and analysis, audit, and taxation.
Anne holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Accounting from Iowa State University. She is an Iowa native with many fond memories of summers on her grandparents’ farms. Anne moved to Colorado in 1999 and enjoys camping, skiing, hiking, and golfing with her husband and two boys.
Dan Skeeters
Stewardship Manager
Dan joined the CCALT team in 2022 and in his role as Stewardship Manager he works diligently to forge lasting partnerships with landowners who choose to conserve their land and preserve their legacies with CCALT. Dan earned an MBA and an MS in natural resource management from the University of Michigan as well as a BE in civil engineering from Vanderbilt University. Dan is also a 2021 graduate of the Conservation Finance Network’s Boot Camp. A Kentucky native, Dan moved to Colorado in 2016 and has held various land trust stewardship positions in Colorado prior to joining CCALT. He brings over 20 years of transaction experience in commercial real estate investment to the organization.
Dan lives in Westminster with his wife, Jennifer. They enjoy spending time hiking, skiing, sailing and experiencing all that Colorado has to offer with their high school and college-aged children.
Patricia Thompson
Grants, Data, and GIS Manager
Patricia joined the CCALT team in 2022 as the Grants, Data, and GIS Manager. Patricia’s role will support the CCALT team by enhancing data management and grant processes. Patricia is a broadly trained biologist who has a background in environmental science, GIS, grant management, and a strong commitment to conservation. She brings a wide variety of experience with her from her previous positions working at state and federal agencies. Patricia earned an MS in Fisheries and Wildlife and a graduate GIS and Spatial Analysis Certificate from West Virginia University, as well as a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University.
Patricia, her husband, Ben, and their daughter, Georgia, moved to Wheat Ridge, Colorado, in 2021 to be closer to family. During their spare time, they love hiking, camping, birding, and fly fishing.
Scott Wappes
GIS Manager
Scott first joined the CCALT team as a Land Conservation Intern in May 2021 before becoming a Conservation Coordinator. Scott will be working with the conservation and stewardship teams assisting with conservation easement transactions and stewardship related items. Scott grew up in Indiana and has fond memories on his family’s fifth generation farm. Scott moved to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado – Boulder where he earned a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies. Following his studies Scott worked in the hospitality industry and now looks forward to creating a positive impact in the place he calls home!
Scott is based in Steamboat Springs where lives with his wife and dog. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, running, snowboarding, and exploring beautiful landscapes across the state.
- EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Conservation Manager (Based in Del Norte)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Stacy Kourlis Guillon,
Arbitrator/Mediator, Decisioncraft
Denver, CO
Treasurer
Tawny Halandras, Mountain Valley Bank
Meeker, CO
Secretary
Lee Rooks, Rafter 26 Ranch
Buena Vista, CO
Vice President –
Tom Stoever, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
Denver, CO
Vice President –
Chancy Love
Denver, CO
Vice President –
Rye Austin, Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation
Denver, CO
Vice President –
Orlando Gonzalez
Steamboat Springs, CO
Vice President –
Jeff Pyatt, Broadmark Realty Capital, Inc.
Seattle, WA
Immediate Past President –
Koger Propst, Sturm Financial Group/ANB Bank
Denver, CO
John Braly, Colorado Gourmet Potatoes
Monte Vista, CO
Frank Daley, Daley Ranch
Newcastle, CO
Ben Duke, Fire Rock Cattle Ranch
Elizabeth, CO
Jay Fetcher, Fetcher Ranch
Steamboat Springs, CO
Billy Gascoigne, Ducks Unlimited
Fort Collins, CO
Jen Livsey, Flying Diamond Ranch
Denver, CO
Ken Mirr, Mirr Ranch Group
Denver, CO
Kenny Rogers, Wagon Wheel Ranch
Yuma, CO
Ben Rogers, Russell Ranch
Meeker, CO
Sara Shields, San Isabel Ranch
Westcliffe, CO
Sandi Turecek, Stacked Lazy Three Ranch
Deer Trail, CO
Legal Counsel
Larry Kueter
Denver, CO
Ex Officio Member
Erin Karney, Executive Vice President of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Arvada, CO
Emeritus Directors:
Sue Anschutz-Rodgers
Carbondale, CO
Reeves Brown Denver, CO
Tom Compton
Hesperus, CO
Bill Fales Carbondale, CO
Terry Fankhauser (Posthumously)
Kirk Hanna (Posthumously)
Dale Lasater (Posthumously)
Penny Lewis
Denver, CO
Joanne Sinclaire
Sedalia, CO
Certifications
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Real Estate
CCALT has also met the qualifications to hold conservation easements and is certified by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Conservation. Click here for CCALT’s DORA Certification Number. - Land Trust Alliance Accreditation
In 2009, 2013, and 2020 CCALT received accreditation status from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. The accreditation seal recognizes land trusts that meet national standards for excellence, uphold the public trust, and ensure that conservation efforts are permanent.
PARTNERSHIPS
PARTNERSHIP OF RANGELAND TRUSTS
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust is a proud member of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts (PORT), a group of agricultural-focused state conservation associations. Together, PORT members across 12 states have partnered with over 2,000 farm and ranch families to conserve more than 3.1 million acres. One family’s decision to conserve their land contributes to a much larger mission that keeps the agricultural foundation of the West and Midwest prosperous and productive.
For more information visit www.rangelandtrusts.org.
Awards
- 2017 Land Trust Excellence Award
CCALT was honored to receive the Land Trust Excellence Award in 2017. The honor, awarded by the Land Trust Alliance, is given to an accredited land trust that has excelled in innovation, collaboration, communication, and initiation of broader support for land conservation. CCALT is the first land trust in Colorado to receive the award. Click here to watch CCALT’s featured award video. To learn more about the Land Trust Alliance, please visit www.landtrustalliance.org
2017 Land Trust Excellence Award
- 2012 El Pomar Foundation’s Outstanding Nonprofit Award
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust was honored as the state’s outstanding nonprofit with the Julie and Spencer Penrose Award on October 1st. The Penrose Award included a $50,000 cash prize to further CCALT’s work with ranchers throughout Colorado. CCALT is the first agriculturally oriented organization and the first conservation group to receive the award since it was started by the El Pomar Foundation in 1989. Click here to read the article.
- 2006 Colorado Lottery’s Starburst Award
In 2006, CCALT received the Colorado Lottery’s Starburst Award for protection of open space values, preserving the state’s natural resources, and the public benefits and partnerships derived from the protection of the Saguache Creek Corridor. - 2001 CCLT Land Conservation Excellence Award
In 2001, CCALT received the Land Conservation Excellence Award from the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts for the protection of the Sam Capps Ranch in Huerfano and Las Animas Counties. It also received the 2001 Land Stewardship Award from the Colorado Chapter of the Wildlife Society for its work. - 1997 Governor’s Smart Growth Award
In 1997, CCALT received the Governor’s Smart Growth Award for the innovative and informative book, Keeping the Family in the Family Ranch. Also in 1997, CCALT President Jay Fetcher received the prestigious American Land Conservation Award from The Conservation Fund for his efforts in land conservation and for his vision in creating CCALT.