Our People

– STAFF –

J.R. Lapierre,
Managing Director

M.S., Sports & Recreation Management, Northeastern University

J.R. earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut with a major in economics. He has worked in the financial field as a financial analyst and has an extensive background in working with youth previously as an Executive Director for a 501c3 non-profit organization and was instrumental in growing the program. He has worked as a volunteer in schools working with students, providing additional academic work on reading comprehension, writing, math skills and special projects. As a volunteer coach, J.R. has a passion to help develop the overall well being of kids and has been able to bridge the gap with numerous community organizations to provide programming to youth throughout the state of Colorado.
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Contact J.R.

jr@lincolnhillscares.org
720-504-9754

Tim Flynn

Tim Flynn,
Program Director

M.S. Outdoor Recreation/Env. Education, Southern Connecticut
State University

Tim’s passion for the natural environment, conservation and education originated at an early age through exploration of the outdoors. By combining his passion with degrees in natural and social sciences, his personal and professional focus is to engage individuals and communities through outdoor education and recreation pursuits. Tim is an avid fly fisherman and has worked in natural resources, education and outdoor recreation for municipal, private and non-profit organizations for over a decade. From 2012-2013, he received the Inspire By Example award, along with the Youth Engagement award from the City of Boulder for his youth development and leadership efforts. Tim’s purpose is founded in bringing communities together to expand natural resource awareness, stewardship and involvement while improving equity in accessing outdoor resources.
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Contact Tim

tim@lincolnhillscares.org

Gaby Isturiz

Gaby Isturiz,
Program Coordinator

B.S., Political Science and Sustainability Studies, University of Florida

Gaby is a recent graduate from the University of Florida, with degrees in Political Science and Sustainability Studies. Her passion for outdoor education stems from a blend of her natural admiration for the outdoors, as well as understanding that education is one of the most important factors in addressing poverty. Her new approach to tackling tough environmental issues is through inspiration rather than focusing on negative statistics. She recently moved to Colorado and enjoys backpacking, hammocking, and checking out new spots within the state!
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Contact Gaby

gaby@lincolnhillscares.org

Marcie Moore Gantz

Marcie Moore-Gantz,
Program Manager – Nizhoni Equestrian Program

Founder, Nia Philanthropy

Marcie is the founder of Nia Philanthropy, where she draws on a 20+ year background in nonprofit management, program development, social investment, fundraising and strategy. Nia Philanthropy is a thought partner that exists to help maximize impact on the causes you care most about.

Her passions include supporting arts & culture and empowering women/girls. As the Program Manager for the Nizhoni Equestrian Program, she is committed to continuing to build onto curriculum with the rich history of the original “Nizhoni camp” and the Lincoln Hills properties while exposing young women to the outdoors and the beauty and power of horses. Both teach us how to recognize and remove the filters that govern our lives and discover new ways of communicating and relating to one another.

Prior to Nia, Marcie was the Deputy Director at Gill Foundation (GLFC Fund) and the Deputy Administrator at the Scientific Cultural Facilities District. She has held leadership positions at DCPA, Cleo Parker Robison Dance and DCTC. A native of Denver, she is a Colorado Trust Fellow as well as a Leadership Denver and AABLI alumni. She has a BA in Dance, BA, a BA in Business Administration and a MNM (Masters in Nonprofit Management).

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Contact Marcie

marcie@niaphilanthropy.com

– BOARD OF DIRECTORS –

Sid Wilson

Sid Wilson,
Board Member

CEO, A Private Guide Inc.

Sid is President and CEO at A Private Guide, Inc. For more than twenty years, Sid has been in the leisure, travel & tourism business. A Private Guide has become one of the largest and most respected tour companies in Colorado. He has served on many boards and currently serves on the boards of Visit Denver, the Denver Zoo, the Aurora Plains Conservancy and the Denver Public Library. Sid’s contributions to the tourism industry have not gone unnoticed. In 2013, Sid Wilson and A Private Guide, Inc. was inducted into The Denver & Colorado Travel Hall of Fame.
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Dr. Nate Howard

Dr. Nate Howard,
Board Member

Educator, Brighton Public Schools

Nate has been an educator with Brighton Public Schools since 2009. He holds a masters degree in Botany and Plant Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), form the University of Phoenix. He has top skills in curriculum development, lesson planning, public speaking, educational leadership and staff development, to name a few.
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Beale Tejada

Beale C. Tejada,
Board President

Trial Attorney, Crane & Tejada P.C.

Beale is a Trial Attorney with Crane & Tejada, P.C. and opened their Denver office, which focuses on Criminal Defense, Workers Compensation, Personal Injury and Employment Law. He currently serves on the statewide board of governors for the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association (CCDB). He directed fundraising efforts for El Pomar Foundation, and has run numerous charity events. Beale has served as the Class of 2012 Class President in law school along with conducting numerous leadership programs.
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Alton Dillard

Alton Dillard,
Board Member

Senior Public Information Officer with Denver Elections Division

Alton has more than 20 years as a communications professional. He has previous experience as a talk show host, anchor, reporter and former sportscasts producer. He previously served as Press Secretary and a Senior Aide responsible for U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. His specialties are as a Spokesperson and Media Strategist.
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Danaa Kennedy

Danaa Kennedy,
Board Member

Program Administrator, University of Colorado Denver, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program

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Travis Long

Travis Long,
Board Member

Statewide Hunter Education Coordinator, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

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Nneka McPhee

Nneka McPhee,
Secretary & Treasurer

Chief Operating Officer, JEWISHcolorado

Nneka McPhee is an executive-level professional with over fourteen years of experience in non-profit management. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for JEWISHcolorado, an umbrella fundraising and community convening organization dedicated to stewarding and strengthening Jewish life. In this role, Nneka is primarily responsible for the management of the internal operations of the organization, including the general oversight of 40 direct and indirect reports. She also works closely with the President & CEO on board governance, special projects, and strategic planning initiatives.

A Denver native, Nneka is passionate about giving back to her community. She is a co-founder and member of the Sisterhood of Philanthropists Impacting Needs (SPIN), a philanthropic giving circle compromised of African-American women who seek to empower and positively impact marginalized women and girls. She also serves on the Crime Prevention and Control Commission (CPCC) of the City & County of Denver.

Nneka is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Denver and a 2013 graduate of Chamber Connect, a program of the Urban Leadership Foundation. Nneka holds a BS in Marketing from Metropolitan State University and is the mother of four children.

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Allan Smith

Allan Smith,
Board Member

Independent Management Consultant, Invictus Management Consulting Ltd.

Allan Smith is the founder and owner of multiple enterprises with activities in several international locations. As an independent management consultant of his own firm, Invictus Management Consulting Ltd. he has directed the conception and successful completion of several multi-million-dollar luxury residential and commercial development projects. Prior to founding Invictus, Allan was Director of Gaming and Hospitality Division for a large Las Vegas based general contractor. Allan has also served in several senior management positions for other general contracting, development and construction management firms in Las Vegas and Colorado, completing projects in commercial, residential, healthcare, and educational markets for both public and private clientele.
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– FUNDRAISING MANAGER –

Shane Wright

Shane Wright,
Fundraising Manager

Masters in Nonprofit Management, Regis University

Shane Wright is a husband and a father whose personal and professional life has revolved around connecting people to nature for over twenty years. Shane received his Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University in Denver and his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Western State University of Colorado. Over the last decade he worked to represent the changing face of America’s future in conservation and the environment with Groundwork Denver where he built the youth, food, water and natural resource programs and assisted in raising over three million dollars for the organization. Shane is an awarded and recognized leader in youth development, healthy eating and active living, nonprofit management and urban watershed restoration. He came of age guiding the rivers and mountains of Colorado and Washington State and is an advocate for the conservation of our land, air and water. He and his wife Erin and their three boys; Aidan, Noah and Griffin, live in West Colfax, Denver with their old dog Hazel. Shane is honored to join the team at Lincoln Hills Cares and is committed to continuing the growth of the organizations impacts for youth from our urban Colorado backyards to the great Rocky Mountain backcountry and beyond.
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