Jen Caltrider, Board Chair – Award-winning television producer Jen Caltrider brings journalistic instinct and know-how to CCVEF. A network producer for CNN, specializing in technology journalism, Jen traveled the United States to cover the latest in high-tech happenings. With accurate investigative research and diligence, Jen entered the hidden world of computer hackers and provided viewers rare glimpses of these secretive people and their incredible skills.
Working as the Executive Producer at Denver, Colorado based ProgressNow since 2005, Jen is recognized as a pioneer in the use new media for online organizing. Her online videos, viewed by millions, have been covered by the NY Times, MSNBC, CBS News and many others. Jen designs and coordinates new media campaigns, utilizing all the web has to offer to fight for causes ranging from justice for a murdered transgender teenager, to helping citizens in Longmont, Colorado win a rare victory in the civic fight against mega-church expansion in their community.
Described as creative, strategic and personal, Jen understands how to take all aspects of new media and turn them into a story to help better communities everywhere.
Diane Carman joined the staff of the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver as director of communications in October 2007. With support from several Colorado foundations and the University of Colorado, she is creating Solutions, a website and electronic news platform specializing in health policy analysis.
Formerly a columnist for The Denver Post and an editor and reporter at newspapers from Portland, Oregon to Cleveland, Ohio, Diane covered politics and the environment, education and the arts for over three decades.
Diane was an integral part of team that won the Pulitzer Prize at The Denver Post in 2000. As an editor she led teams of reporters, photographers and graphic designers to win numerous national and regional journalism awards.
Michele Christiansen, Treasurer – Michele is the Operations Manager of the Colorado Health Institute, a nonprofit organization that serves as a comprehensive source of health data resources and policy analysis. Prior to joining CHI, Michele was Marketing Coordinator for Rothberg, Tamburini & Windsor, an environmental engineering company that provides services to the water and wastewater industries. Michele holds a B.S. in International Business and Marketing with a minor in Spanish from the University of Minnesota . Her love of the mountains and adventure drove Michele to move to Colorado in 2001. She now enjoys her free time hiking, snowboarding, rafting and camping in the Colorado Rockies.
Gaspar Perricone - A fourth generation Coloradan and native of Steamboat Springs, Gaspar Perricone is an avid hunter and angler. Perricone’s roots in farming, ranching, and guiding led him to develop a strong respect for conservation and the protection of our outdoor heritage. After earning his degree in Political Science at the University of Utah on an athletic scholarship, Perricone returned to Colorado to focus on public lands policy. In 2007 Perricone founded Outdoor Heritage Consulting, a group dedicated to advancing sportsmen’s interests throughout Colorado.
He is currently the Co-Director of the Bull Moose Sportsmen’s Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to representing a complete sportsmen’s agenda. Perricone has also served as the Western Slope Director for U.S. Senator Mark Udall. Connected to his sportsmen community, Gaspar serves as the Conservation Chair of Denver Chapter of Trout Unlimited and is a member of Colorado Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Colorado Bowhunters Association, Rocky Mt. Elk Foundation and the NRA.