Susie Davis

Susie Davis, a longtime force for change in the local nonprofit sector and formerly on staff  with Eagle Valley Community Foundation (EVCF) is now serving on the board.  Susie began her CO nonprofit career helping to formulate the “business education partnership” (now known as EFEC) before transitioning to the Youth Foundation for fourteen years. In May 2021, Susie became Executive Director of Guardian Scholars, a scholarship program that supports local, first-generation college students.

Jason Denhart

Jason was involved in the initial planning for the community group that ultimately became OCF.  He was a leader of the group who expanded the Gives Day program into the Vail Valley.

Jason is a professional development officer with Bravo! Vail, and formerly raised funds for the Eagle Valley Land Trust. Jason has worked with the Vail Valley Foundation, Can Do MS, and was Executive Director of the Merwin Conservancy in Hawaii.   He and his wife Farrah have been involved in numerous community efforts, always engaged with empathy and commitment. 

Seth Ehrlich

Seth Ehrlich is the Executive Director of the national nonprofit, SOS Outreach, a youth development organization that builds character and self-esteem in underserved youth through outdoor experiences. Seth has been with SOS since 2006. In addition to his work with youth, Seth is the co-founder and chair of Eagle County Gives a community wide and collective fundraising initiative. Seth co-founded Our Community Foundation.

Dan Godec

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 Helle

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

Ryan T. Kipp

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.

Brian Knapp

The eldest Knapp sibling, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge in business and risk management to his role as Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources Manager at Knapp Ranch. As a research manager at Simmons Market Research Bureau and later at TIAA-CREFF, Brian became facile with product-specific marketing surveys designed to increase revenue and customer satisfaction in the publishing and advertising industries, and the insurance sector. From there, he moved into risk management operations at Citigroup, General Electric, and finally, Synchrony Financial, where he was responsible for overseeing credit and capital management risk aggregation data platform initiatives related to date aggregation, quality, accuracy, reporting, and analytics. Brian moved to Colorado from North Carolina with his family and enjoys reading and photography.

Merv Lapin

Both Merv and Laine Lapin have long been involved in building community in the Eagle Valley.

Laine has focused on multiple aspects of wellness, from hospital ethics committee, to hospice, volunteer Angels and a Board member of the Heuga Center. In 2004, she co-founded the Pet Therapy program still in existence with Vail Health, and is chair of the EV PROUD (Eagle Valley Partnership Response to Opioid Use Disorder) Task Force.  President of Vail Securities Investment since 1969, Merv spent nine years on Vail Town Council, and his commitment to local philanthropy includes decades of engagement with the Eagle Valley Community Fund, Roundup River Ranch, and his passion – Vail International Hockey Club; currently Laine and Merv are hosting a group of young hockey players from China.

The Lapin Family Foundation offers real world financial literacy throughout Eagle County Schools through EverFi, an education activation technology. For eight years, their family foundation has also funded the Mandarin Program at Battle Mountain High School.

Jeff Malehorn

After a highly rewarding 28- year career leading global GE Capital businesses, Jeff Malehorn directed “Chapter 2” energies focused on driving broader economic and societal impact in the public-private sector, leveraging global leadership skills working with domestic and international CEOs / C-Suites, Government and Civic leaders and numerous partners leading World Business Chicago (WBC) as President & CEO and then Executive Advisor through the Mayor’s second term (April 2019). On to an equally exciting Chapter 3, Jeff is Founding Principal of L3.0 Ventures doing board (public, private and non profit) advisory and investment work, with a concentration in healthcare and the environment. Jeff has served on the Greater Chicago Food Depository Board and Finance committee for years and chaired the American Heart Association Chicago Board; currently, Jeff sits on the Walking Mountains Science Center Board. Jeff and wife Laura are Vail residents, with two adult daughters, Kayla and Ali.

Laura Malehorn

Kathyrn Regjo

Kathryn is the Vice President of the Colorado Mountain College (CMC) Academic Affairs, ensuring that academic offerings are consistent in quality and creativity, across all CMC campuses.  Kathryn is focused on developing new bachelor’s degree programs that will have a direct community impact, and greater opportunities for students’ careers.  Kathryn places an emphasis on developing programming that is responsive to community need and orchestrating service levels and student-centered learning environments.

Chris Romer

Chris Romer has been with the Vail Valley Partnership for the past ten years where he has grown the organization to become a full-functioning chamber of commerce. Chris’ passion lies in tourism and hospitality and channels that passion into creating experiences for visitors that are thoughtful and cost-effective.

Mike Rushmore

Mike Rushmore is the Co-Founder of Eagle Valley Community Foundation and now serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Prior to his work in philanthropy Mike led a successful business intelligence software for asset management firms. The snow and mountain culture drew Mike and his wife Sue to the Eagle River Valley in 2010, where they have made a home and community for themselves.

Carter Sharfstein

Carter lived in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago for most of her life before moving to the valley in 2014. While living in Chicago, Carter served as a board member for Hubbard Street Dance as well as the Women’s Board for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. When she and her family relocated to Colorado, Carter became involved in the school system here, serving as co-chair for the Vail Mountain School Gala. After learning more about the severity of food insecurity in the valley, Carter said she felt motivated to use her experience to serve with Our Community Foundation.

Bill Simon

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.

Mark Wurzer

Mark Wurzer is the Publisher of The Vail Daily (>10,000 per issue, plus digital) since September 2016. Vail Daily is a long-time supporter of numerous local nonprofits.  Mark was 5 years at Register Media in Des Moines as VP of Advertising, and prior to that 6 years as Chief Marketing Officer with Clarity Media Group in Denver.