We are passionate people doing powerful work that creates proven impact.

Andrew is a member of Garfield & Hecht’s Vail Valley office, advising and representing clients in Eagle County and across

Andrew is an attorney representing clients across Western Colorado in family law, small business, and property tax matters. He also serves on Eagle’s Town Council, is a guest lecturer at Colorado Mountain College, and is a student mentor at the University of Washington School of Law. 

Raised in Aspen, Andrew served for twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, first as a tank commander, later deploying to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division, and concluding his service as a Deputy Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

From his upbringing and military service, Andrew became committed to fulfilling unmet nutrition, health, and social services needs. After the Army, he continued in public service as a senior counsel with AmeriCorps, furthering the agency’s grant based and direct community service programs nationwide.

Andrew lives in Eagle with his spouse and their two children.

Veteran TV anchor Jim Benemann retired at the end of 2022 after more than four decades on the air, and 36 years in the Denver TV market. 

Benemann, who has co-anchored KCNC-TV’s CBS4 nightly news with Karen Leigh since 2008, has also been the face of that station’s primetime news broadcasts since 2002, witnessing the Mile High City’s highs and lows during times of unprecedented growth and social and political turmoil, and sitting in the front seat of the city’s charitable scene.

After he signs off at the end of 2022, Benemann plans to travel with his wife, Karen, hitting their “bucket list” locations and spending more time with their sprawling family, which includes eight children and five grandchildren in Colorado and elsewhere.

Benemann’s reporting career spans the globe as he has filed stories on five continents and worked as a reporter and news anchor from Washington, D.C., to Portland, Ore. His retirement also underlines the changes that the TV news business has seen over the last few decades, from the “printing money” days of stations flush with cash from advertising in the 1970s and ’80s, to the digital evolution, competition and badly needed diversity discussions in contemporary news media.

Those jokes aside, Benemann is widely admired in Denver because he finds a balance between earnest and entertaining, with a stand-up comic’s sense of timing, fierce intelligence and unerring news judgement, friends and colleagues said.

Benemann hails from Chicago — his mother, 98, still lives in the Glenvale suburb — and moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins in 1978. Fresh out of broadcasting school, he worked in the Quad Cities market (Davenport, Iowa).

His first on-air job in Denver arrived in 1981, as the inaugural Boulder County reporter for Channel 9 KUSA. Station owner Gannett then offered to send him to Washington, D.C., to help open a new national news bureau there, at age 25. After that, he returned to Denver and reported on weekend sports and morning news at 9News, as the KUSA station is now called. In 1989, he returned to CBS4 to become a co-anchor.

While most of his career has been Colorado-focused, he also served as one of the main news anchors at Portland’s KGW-TV from 1994 to 1997. But a call from KUSA brought him back to Colorado, as that station was looking to replace longtime Denver anchor Ed Sardella with another comforting, familiar face.

An Avalanche fan, Benemann also loves the Cherry Cricket restaurant and music venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Bluebird Theater. Despite his upcoming travels, he won’t be straying from Colorado for too long, he said.

He sees brighter days ahead for the news industry, and Denver, despite the “dramatic changes,” and is looking forward to the simple pleasures of not delivering the news at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. every weeknight.

Nick Brinkman is the current Market Executive of PNC’s Mountains Market. As Market Executive, Nick’s responsibilities include leading commercial lending, business development and community engagement in both Summit and Eagle Counties. After over 24 years with FirstBank, he joined PNC in 2026 and has worked in various roles over the last 24 years, serving in his current position as a Market Executive since January 2026.

Nick has been active in both the Eagle and Summit County communities throughout his career. In addition to serving numerous prior organizations, he currently serves the following: - -

- The Summit Foundation – Vice President (current) and President Elect (2027)
- Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley– Board Member
- Eagle Valley Community Foundation – Board Member and Treasurer

Nick is a 2001 graduate of Colorado State University with a B.S. degree in Business and Finance. He also earned a degree from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He and his wife Kristy along with their two children (Emmy and Evan) currently reside in Edwards, CO. During his spare time, Nick is active outdoors and enjoys coaching youth athletics in his community.

Kathryn Carson has business and governance experience in both Fortune 50 corporations and large non-profit US sports organizations. Through her roles as general counsel at PepsiCo’s $20B US beverage unit and United States Golf Association, and as board chair of USA Gymnastics, she has gained deep commercial, governance, crisis and reputation management and organization transformation experience. Having spent her growing up years in Colorado in a military family, she has returned “home” and lives in Edwards for much of the year. Whether working to provide more accessibility in golf, or advocating for survivors in gymnastics, she is passionate about finding and acting upon purpose in the communities she is a part of. Kathryn looks forward to working with EVCF to make a difference for those in need in our valley. She is also the proud Mom of two adult children and three grand dogs and an avid skier and golfer.

Linda Giordano, SHRM‑CP, is a seasoned human resources leader with over a decade of experience supporting mission-driven organizations across Colorado. As the Senior Director of Human Resources at the Vail Valley Foundation, she leads all facets of HR strategy and operations, including talent acquisition, employee engagement, DEI initiatives, compensation planning, and staff development. Known for her approachable leadership style and strategic mindset, Linda fosters strong partnerships across departments, aligning HR practices with the foundation’s mission to enrich community life through arts, athletics, and education.

Certified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP), Linda brings a depth of knowledge in workforce planning, compliance, training, and organizational development. Her background spans both nonprofit and public sectors, and she has earned a reputation for building inclusive workplace cultures and designing systems that support employee growth and well-being. Linda holds degrees from Arkansas State University and Universitat Politècnica de València, and she remains actively engaged in local HR networks. Passionate about creating thriving work environments, she blends professional expertise with a deep commitment to community and the unique mountain lifestyle of the Vail Valley.

Dan has raised four children in the Eagle River Valley, where he has called home since 1989. Dan held the position as President with the Colorado Bankers Association before serving as President for GreenStar Financial Services. Dan now serves on multiple nonprofit boards in the Valley including Bravo! Vail, Berry Creek Metropolitan District and Eagle Valley Land Trust.

Cynthia is a native Chicagoan. She lived there until she moved to the valley in 2020. Cynthia is enthusiastic about finding ways to get involved and support her new community. She is excited to help further the mission of EVCF! Cynthia is a passionate supporter of access to education and mental health services. She serves as a Board member of the University of IL Foundation, Josselyn Community Mental Health Center and Providence Englewood Charter School Foundation. Cynthia, and her husband Dan, live in Edwards and have three children.

Alan Hernandez wanted to be a police officer his entire life.

Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, he came to the U.S. when he was 4. But when Hernandez approached the Avon Police Department to volunteer when he was 15 years old, the answer was no.

The department couldn’t work with Hernandez because of his immigration status, he said.

Hernandez persisted. He got his permanent residency and – eventually – a job as a police officer. Today, Hernandez is a detective in this small Rocky Mountains community, just a few miles west of the well-known ski town of Vail.

Full Article- https://inpursuit.news21.com/stories/building-trust-immigrant-community-police-goal-avon-colorado/

Entrepreneurial leader of non-profits, high-growth start-ups and corporate businesses. Expertise in strategic planning, growing revenue, building organizations and launching initiatives, programs & products. Passion for impacting community development, including the empowerment of girls and women, to make Eagle County a prosperous and inclusive place to live.
 
In roles as CMO / SVP Marketing and Brand Development, responsibility for crafting brand / mission-centric initiatives requiring strategic vision and emotional buy-in, delivering revenue for annual operations as well as long-term strategic growth &
endowment. Additionally, as Founder & CEO of a for-good / for-profit social enterprise, personal direction of all business operations, identifying, incubating, launching and scaling programs to forge deep emotional connections, rally stakeholders around a compelling cause, and inspire dedication of time, talent & treasure. Extensive work developing programs for volunteer, donor, brand ambassador, Board member and stakeholder recruitment and stewardship to successfully execute key initiatives, programs and products.

Samantha Hodgkins is Founder & Chief FireStarter of SparkFire Active, a for-profit for-good consumer brand business. With a passion for elevating & empowering girls, a love of adventure & exploration, and a deep expertise in consumer branding & engagement, Samantha’s core expertise is in building brands, driving business growth and developing organizational capabilities, particularly in the areas of consumer insights, new product innovation and commercialization excellence.

 Samantha leads all entrepreneurial aspects of SparkFire Active as start-up, including brand positioning, product development, consumer marketing, digital engagement, partnership development and everything in between. She is a seasoned senior marketing executive with deep professional background in the Consumer Products industry, leading both Fortune 500 brands and high-growth entrepreneurial B2C start-ups. 

She is an avid explorer, adventurer and global traveler, as well as a lifelong active woman who has played sports all her life, including as a NCAA Div 1 college athlete.

Samantha has a joint BS/BA degree in Industrial Engineering and Art History from Stanford University, and her MBA at University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Passionate about community and the impact of non-profit initiatives, Ryan Kipp became involved with Eagle Valley Community Foundation (EVCF) in 2018. Ryan moved to the Valley full time in 2017 and is invested in finding ways to support this community that he loves. In his professional life, Ryan is a business executive with experience ranging insurance, financial services, technology and business development. He currently works at Marsh & McLennan as a leader in their insurance and benefits practices, serving mid-market companies. Ryan and his wife Marianne live in Edwards with their son Wes and daughter Parker.

Jeff Malehorn is on “Chapter 3” of a highly rewarding career. He is Founding Principal of L3.0 Ventures, concentrated on board of director (public, private & non-profit), advisory services, and investments. Chapter emphasis: Giving back.

Locally, he is Board Chair of EVCF and on the boards of Walking Mountains Science Center (former Treasurer) & the Vail Valley Foundation.

Jeff is on the board of Sabra Healthcare REIT (NASDAQ) based in Irvine, CA, and he previously served on the board of Care Capital Properties (NYSE).

‘Chapter 1” was a 28 year career at GE, including leadership of Commercial Real Estate businesses for the U.S. and then Europe (Paris-based). He was appointed a Company Officer in 2001 and then led global GE Capital businesses based in Tokyo (Financial Restructuring), and Chicago (Healthcare Financial Services and Commercial Distribution Finance).

In “Chapter 2”, he focused his energy driving broader economic and societal impact in the public/private/501(c)(3) sectors. He worked for the Mayor of Chicago and with domestic and international CEO’s, civic leaders, municipal/state/federal & int’l govt’s and partners leading World Business Chicago (WBC), as Pres./CEO and then Executive Advisor. He has served on the WBC board since 2017.

In Chicago while at WBC, he and his talented team established four industry-based innovation centers and Jeff currently remains on the board of mHub. He previously chaired the boards of the American Heart Assoc. Chicago and Workforce Chicago.

Jeff and his wife, Laura, enjoy adventuring, wellness, sports and the mountains. They are volunteers with the National Ski Patrol as Vail Mountain Hosts and he is a U.S. Soccer Development Council member.

They reside in Vail and Chicago and have 2 daughters raised in the Chicago suburbs, now working in the city: Kayla (McKinsey Consulting) and Ali (Pepsi/Gatorade).

Laura Malehorn brings a deep passion for healthcare access and community-centered support to her role on the Eagle Valley Community Foundation Board of Directors, where she champions the MIRA program and its mission to reduce barriers and expand access for underserved populations.

Laura spent her professional career at General Electric, where she completed the company’s Financial Management Program and went on to serve on the Corporate Audit Staff. These experiences shaped her strong foundation in operations, process management, business development, and finance—skills she now applies to her community work. Laura proudly attended Duke University, where she studied public policy and economics.

Her connection to EVCF began through The Community Market, whose efficiency and impact reminded her of the Chicago Food Depository, where she and her family were previously involved. She quickly became an engaged volunteer and helped support the evolution of the MIRA Bus, including playing a key role in coordinating on-site COVID-19 vaccine clinics at Eagle County schools, helping provide access to vaccinations for 416 students. In recognition of her leadership and impact, she was named the 2020 MIRA Volunteer of the Year.

Laura has a strong history of civic engagement, including serving on the Glencoe School Board in Illinois and volunteering as a tutor teaching Hebrew reading at her synagogue. She brings a thoughtful, service-driven perspective to her board work, grounded in a belief in dignity, access, and community-driven solutions.

Laura and her husband, Jeff, have two adult daughters, both University of Michigan graduates, who live in Chicago. In her free time, Laura enjoys traveling and serves as a mountain host, reflecting her love for the outdoors and connection to the local community.

Elizabeth is a retired finance executive with more than 25 years of experience in financial planning, analysis, and corporate leadership. She held senior finance roles at several large multinational companies, including Northwest Airlines, Bristol Myers Squibb, Diageo, and Western Union, where her work included budgeting, strategic planning, capital planning, and risk assessment. She also served as a fractional and full-time CFO for small and mid-sized businesses for 15 years, overseeing financial planning and analysis, treasury functions, cash management, and banking relationships.

Elizabeth has nonprofit governance experience as both a board member and treasurer for organizations including the History Theater and the Colorado Cancer Research Program. She brings strong expertise in finance, corporate management, and strategic planning. 

Elizabeth became familiar with the EVCF through her support of the Food Bank of the Rockies and her interest in helping ensure that community members have access to food, healthcare, and opportunities to thrive. She is particularly interested in supporting EVCF’s work around financial stewardship and long-term sustainability.

Eric Reinhard served in a variety of leadership and managerial roles over his 40+ year career.
Most recently he served as President and Chief Commercial Officer at Avangard Innovative
leading external customer and business affairs. Prior to joining Avangard, Eric served as Region
President, Sysco South Texas, where he was responsible for all functions at the companies
Houston and San Antonio sites. Prior to joining Sysco, Mr. Reinhard was a Partner at Rumble,
LLC, a collaborative effort formed by beverage entrepreneurs to identify early-stage brands and
innovation that impacted the beverage industry. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Reinhard served
as President of the Pepsi Cola Bottler’s Association, a beverage association management and
consulting firm. In 2005, he was Senior Vice President & General Manager for the Pepsi Bottling
Group’s Great West Business Unit. While in this role, Mr. Reinhard was also a member of the
Pepsi Bottling Group’s Chairman’s Council, The Food Service Strategic Planning Committee,
and The Dr. Pepper Bottler Marketing Committee. Mr. Reinhard joined Pepsi Cola in 1984 after
four years with The Proctor & Gamble Distributing Company. Since 1984 he held several field
and headquarters positions including Vice President/General Manager Pepsi-Lipton Tea
Partnership (JV), General Manager Mid-Atlantic Business Unit, Area Vice President Retail
Channels, Vice President On-Premise Operations and Area Vice President of Franchise
Operations. Mr. Reinhard holds a BA from Michigan State University and has completed the
Executive Business Program at the University of Michigan. Mr. Reinhard has served on multiple
for profit/not for profit boards and looks forward to new challenges as a recently retired business
executive.

Tim and Wendy Shannon came to the Eagle county valley area in 2018. Throughout the various communities that have been their home, it has been important to them that they serve within their community. ECVF’s focus on healthy food security, healthcare and mentorship certainly touches their heart and desire to serve.

Tim’s professional background was in various sales, marketing and technology leadership positions at Ownes Corning. Afterwards he started Larimer Shannon Group, which is a manufacturer representative company with a focus on the sales and marketing of commercial exterior construction materials to specialty contractors, architects, distributors, consultants and building owners (private and public sector).

As for the non-profit area, he has a successful history with the Boys and Girls Club, Global Orphan Project and Care Portal... with the latter two having a global footprint with a focus on orphan prevention and foster care. The roles and actions with these organizations have ranged from board positions to “boots on the ground” positions. An important part of his business charter is to be actively involved in the community and serving those in need… especially children, young adults and families.

Bill and Beth’s primary residence is in Paoli PA. Colorado home is at Redsky Ranch in Wolcott. All three of their children are in their 20’s. Bill’s career was in the financial services industry with the majority of it spent with the American Funds as Senior VP of sales and distribution. In 2011 Bill joined Brinker Capital where he ran sales and distribution before retiring in 2016. Bill currently has an LLC, Larkspur Partners that is focused on real-estate development in the Philadelphia region. Bill is on the Boards of Cornerstone Christian Academy, a school based in south west Philadelphia serving “at risk” kids from K-8, the Younglife Liberty Region and Waynesborough Country Club. Bill graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. Beth went to Dennison University and received her degree in Psychology. They met at Van Kampen Merritt, an investment management firm in Philadelphia and will celebrate their 30^th anniversary this July. Beth is also active in Younglife and has been a mentor for their program working with teen mothers in urban areas. They spend about 5-6 months a year in the Vail Valley.

After visiting for many years, Mark and his wife Deb moved permanently to
Colorado in 2010. Living in Breckenridge for a decade they became very involved in
the Summit County non-profit community. Mark served as board president for The
Summit Foundation, board vice-president for The Summit Community Care Clinic,
and co-founder and board chair of The Peak Health Alliance. In 2021 Mark and Deb
relocated Eagle county moving to the Frost Creek community outside of Eagle. Once
again Mark wanted to get involved in working with an impactful local non-profit.
“One of the most rewarding aspects in becoming involved with local non-profits is
being able to see the difference it makes for those who live and work in your
community”. “The Eagle Valley Community Foundation has supported hundreds of
families and will continue to expand its reach in the years ahead”.
Mark spent 35 years in the pharma industry and is a retired pharmaceutical
executive who enjoys mountain life through golf, skiing, and other outdoor
activities. He has a daughter who works in administration at Graland Country Day
School in Denver.