STAFF
STAFF
Ryan Banks
Chief Executive Officer
ryan@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 105
Ryan first came to RMYC in 2012 as an Assistant Crew Leader. While here, his life changed forever. He met his best friend, and now wife, Caroline, and he discovered a passion for conservation and environmental stewardship. He returned in 2013 as a Crew Leader for the Veteran Fire Corps, and after stints with the US Forest Service in Idaho and as a Program Manager for an "at-risk" youth program in Portage, WI, he found his way back to RMYC in 2017. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Ryan has a background in Education, Environmental Studies, and cheese consumption. The Green Bay Packers and his two daughters hold special places in his heart. Ryan has found a home here at RMYC. A place to express and be directly involved with service work and a place that shares his steadfast trust in community involvement and the powerful role that youth can have within our communities. He is looking forward to sharing the life-changing experience of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps with young people of all ages.
Mark Wertheimer
Chief Operating Officer
mark@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext, 108
Mark joined RMYC in 2005 and leads the organization's partnership development and program operations. He serves on the South Routt Recreation Association Board, the Yampa Valley Partnership for Students, Stewardship, and Sustainability Board, and several regional outdoor-orientation coalitions and committees. After moving to Colorado in 1994, Mark found himself in paradise! Mark earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Naropa University (Boulder, CO) in 1999 and a Master of Science in Environmental Education from Leslie University’s Audubon Expedition Institute (a field-based program across the nation) in 2005. Following several years of outdoor work in Colorado and Alaska in conservation corps and wilderness guiding programs, he is honored to work with the amazing staff at RMYC and partner organizations to empower young people to make positive changes in their lives and the environment. Mark finds inspiration from his wife, children, and the young people in RMYC’s programs—people who are fully immersed in curiosity and excitement about the possibilities in life. Mark enjoys time with his wife, Kim, son, Henry, daughter, Alice, dog, Sunday, and cat, Cowie who joins the family on neighborhood walks near their home in Oak Creek, CO. His favorite activities include talking about, preparing for, and then actually rafting, paddle boarding, hiking, camping, biking, skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing, playing guitar, and singing.
Chrissy Lynch
Chief Financial Officer
chrissy@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext, 106
Chrissy eagerly started working with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in 2014. Having raised two children in Steamboat who benefited greatly from RMYC programs, Chrissy jumped to join an organization with a mission to engage young people in the outdoors. With broad experience in financial management, accounting, and administration, Chrissy has been fortunate to work in progressive industries such as health care, construction, airline transportation, and real estate. Chrissy started her business career with Arthur Andersen & Co. while earning her C.P.A. and then completing her Masters in Business Administration. Before her business career, Chrissy spent 7 years competing internationally on the U.S. Women's Cross Country Ski Team and was inducted into the Colorado Sports Women Hall of Fame. Chrissy and her family enjoy skiing, hiking, biking, fishing, and exploring the Colorado mountains and wilderness.
Jenna Gannon
Human Resources Director
jgannon@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 107
Jenna Gannon grew up in the beautiful Yampa Valley, where her passion for youth development and community building took root. After 12 years as an art teacher in a variety of educational settings, she shifted her focus to leading a youth-focused organization as Executive Director. There, she created innovative, play-based programming for K-12 students, guided by a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework. As she deepened her understanding of the critical role families play in a child’s success, Jenna expanded the organization into a family resource center, empowering both youth and their families to achieve their goals together. She’s thrilled to bring this experience to her role as HR/Community Development Director at Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, where she can continue to create purpose-driven impact for youth and those who serve them.
Jenna describes herself as a lifelong learner and a “professional student.” Most recently she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Art Education from Colorado State University and her Master’s in Education with an emphasis on play (yes, play!) through The Art of Education University. She’s always seeking new ways to combine creativity, learning, and leadership.
Outside of work, Jenna can be found exploring the great outdoors—camping, skiing, biking, or hiking through the stunning landscapes of Colorado. She’s also an artist, a yoga enthusiast, and someone who can’t resist staying active.
Jenna’s hero is Brené Brown, whom she admires for her groundbreaking work in organizational psychology and her ability to inspire people to lead and live with authenticity, courage, and vulnerability. Jenna firmly believes in Brown’s mantra: “Daring greatly” is the key to meaningful work and relationships.
When she’s not drawing inspiration from Brené Brown, Jenna is all about Ted Lasso. His unwavering optimism, belief in people, and knack for finding humor in even the toughest situations make him her go-to role model for leadership (and, let’s be honest, for life). Jenna channels his “be curious, not judgmental” approach in her work and beyond.
After graduating with a B.S. in Animal Science and Wildlife Management from the University of Missouri, Sara craved the mountains and open rangelands of the West. Her journey with RMYC began in 2018 as a Youth Corps Leader. She reassured her parents it was just a one-summer gig before she’d move on to a “real job.” Spoiler alert: that plan didn’t stick. Instead, Sara spent the next five years adventuring across Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska, working for organizations like CFI, CMC, and the US Forest Service. One of her most unforgettable roles was as a wilderness ranger in the Tongass National Forest, where she lived on a remote island for 10 days at a time. Her days were filled with kayaking through fjords, building trails in the wettest conditions of the temperate rainforest, and watching brown bears meander the rocky beaches in the early morning mist. After years of adventures (and growing weary of endless job applications), the Yampa Valley worked its magic and lured her back. By winter 2022, Sara rejoined the RMYC family full-time as the Assistant Youth Programs Manager. Her passion? Helping young people forge meaningful connections with nature, discover its magic firsthand, and inspire them to become the next generation of public land stewards. When she’s not working, Sara stays busy volunteering with Routt County Search and Rescue, holding an active EMT cert, and teaching wilderness first aid courses for Desert Mountain Medicine. In her free time, you’ll likely find her backcountry skiing, digging out her snowmobile, mountain biking, climbing, disappearing on river trips for days, or adventuring with her four-legged sidekick, Kootznoowoo.
Sara Duft
Youth Programs Director
sduft@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 102
Sierra McQuay
Youth Programs Manager
smcquay@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 109
Sierra excitedly joined RMYC in 2023 as a Youth Conservation Corps field coordinator, hoping to blend her passions: conservation work and youth education. She grew up in the PNW, exploring the local National Forests and swimming in the pristine lakes of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. Her childhood fostered a passion for the outdoors that influenced her to pursue a Wildlife and Fisheries Resources degree. After graduation, she worked with the Forest Service to help protect our natural resources on public lands for future generations in both Washington and California. While she loves working in conservation, she loves recreating outdoors and traveling. She has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand and plans to hike the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) someday. While working at Steamboat Ski Resort, she found a secondary passion for teaching kids how to ski. She is excited to join the team in 2024 as the Youth Program Manager and hopes to pass on her passion for the outdoors. You can find her skiing, backpacking, paddle boarding, climbing, canyoneering, and playing board games with friends in her free time.
Alex Guerra
Natural Resource Internship Director
aguerra@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 103
Alex joined RMYC as a crew leader in 2019 after having been a member of another corps in the southwest. He's led four crews since then and worked as a field coordinator for the Conservation Corps and intern program. He grew up in Puerto Rico and, at the age of 20, left the island with a desire to see natural places all over the world. After vagabonding for years, he found a place he'd like to call home for a while, the Yampa Valley. He's part reptile and enjoys basking in the sun, but he manages to make it through the winters thanks to his snowboard. In the summers, he enjoys the mountain bike trails, fishing, backpacking, and skating.
Nathaniel Faflick
Natural Resource Internship Manager
nfaflick@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 100
Nathan previously worked with the U.S. Forest Service and taught snowboarding for Steamboat resort. Inspired by the opportunity to create a positive impact in the lives of other people, he feels non-profit creates a more sustainable environmental future and makes a difference in the conservation landscape of the surrounding community. In his spare time, he enjoys riding all kinds of bikes, playing with dogs, going to concerts, and following sports. My heroes include my parents, 3 siblings, and the greatest Quarterback of all time, Patrick Mahomes III. Nate attended Kansas State University, graduating with a degree in Human Development and Family Science. While there, he joined multiple research projects and published articles in the academic Journal of Sexuality and Culture and the Journal of Adolescence. While in school, he joined several community organizations and advocacy projects related to fighting tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS globally and increasing access to healthcare throughout Kansas. While living in Steamboat, he volunteered with the SOS Outreach program, which promotes access to snowsports. He also volunteered with kids from the burn unit of Children's Mercy Hospital of Colorado, providing snowboard lessons and participating in their annual cycling tour fundraiser, "The Courage Classic."
Liz Hartstein
Data Systems Manager/Salesforce Admin
lizd@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
Liz came to us in 2016 and has held a variety of roles, including Field Coordinator, NRI Program Manager, and now Data Systems Director. She got her B.S. from the University of Maryland before making Colorado her home base in 2007. She then spent the next 10 years working all over the US and Canada, running rivers, leading wilderness trips, teaching science school and skiing, coaching swim teams, dog sledding, and ski patrolling. When she’s not in the office, she is most often on her bike, but she can also be found using fruit snacks to bribe her young kids to enjoy the same outdoor activities she and her husband love.
Lauren Hewitt
Accounting Director
lhewitt@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 112
Lauren made her way to Colorado from Rochester, New York, almost ten years ago, driven by her love for the mountains. Lauren discovered the paradise that is Steamboat Springs when she took a seasonal summer gig with The Home Ranch back in 2008, where she realized her passion for the outdoors and the part of the country she would eventually call home. In 2010 Lauren graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia with a B.A. in Communications Studies and English Literature and promptly made her way back west to begin a new chapter in Steamboat. Since that time, Lauren has worked for such local organizations as Yampa Valley Bank, where she performed the roles of Teller, Loan Administrator, and Credit Analyst, and Yampa Valley Medical Center as an Accountant. In addition, she has provided bookkeeping services to several small businesses in town. Lauren enjoys running, hiking, cross-country skiing, gardening, and spending time with her husband, Cole, and their 5 fur babies. Lauren couldn’t be happier to have joined the RMYC team as it continues cultivating a deep appreciation for the outdoors in our youth.
Ashley Roscoe
Conservation Corps Director
aroscoe@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 113
Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Ash discovered a passion for conservation and the outdoors during high school, which inspired her to pursue an environmental degree in college. After graduation, she explored diverse roles, including farming and environmental consulting, before finding her niche in the corps world. Ash has been working in conservation since 2017 and has held numerous roles with RMYC since 2018. When she’s not out adventuring in Colorado’s stunning landscapes, she can be found working on a fun sewing project or tackling the challenge of gardening at altitude alongside her flock of chickens. What drew Ash to her current role was the opportunity to connect people to the outdoors while working on tangible, hands-on environmental projects. The chance to hike for work may have been a bonus motivator, too! Fun facts about Ash? She has a love for ducks, enjoys bike-packing adventures, and has a soft spot for cool rocks.
Cierra (CJ) LeCluyse
Conservation Corps Manager
clecluyse@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 101
CJ first joined RMYC as a crew member in 2017, escaping the Colorado front range to live in the mountains full time. She found the personal and professional growth to be so profound that she returned for two more seasons, working on the 14ers crew and then as a crew leader. She attended Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs, earning a BA in Sustainability Studies, an AA in Outdoor Education, and a GIS Certificate. During this time, she completed a two-year Rocky Mountain Land Management Internship (RMLMI) in partnership with CMC and the US Forest Service. She has kayaked and climbed around Chile and Mexico, further stoking her love for outdoor adventure, rivers, and mountains. The Yampa Valley curse sucked her back in and she decided to stick around full-time. She loves exploring our national forests, rock climbing, canyoneering, desert-dwelling, kayaking, stomping around in any river she can find, snowboarding, and all things dog. Through her experiences, she realized a passion for not only pushing her own comfort zone but also facilitating this for others to help them experience personal growth. She believes this is an integral part of empowering future generations in the conservation sphere and beyond. She is excited to cultivate a connection to place through outdoor immersion and education while providing a safe space for differing skill levels.
Olivia Stuart
Conservation Corps Manager
ostuart@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.871.6344 ext. 201
Livi is originally from Roswell, GA, but found herself doing seasonal jobs all over the west after getting her BA in International Affairs from the University of Georgia in 2021. Her first post-grad experience was with a conservation corps based out of southern Utah, which changed the trajectory of her personal and professional goals. After moving around for a while working mostly in the service industry, she found herself feeling at home in Steamboat Springs in November of 2022, and (gladly) fell victim to the Yampa Valley Curse! After spending last summer as a Field Coordinator for the Conservation Corps, the community and purpose she found left her wanting more, and she was lucky enough to get the opportunity to step into a Manager role. She can be found hiking, skiing, running, or sitting by the river doing crossword puzzles and sudokus!
Lauren Vandenhurk
Development Director
lvandenhurk@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
970.879.2135 ext. 110
Lauren grew up in the hills of Pennsylvania, where she developed a love for the outdoors and earned her B.A. in Secondary Earth Science Education from the University of Delaware. She spent much of her early twenties facilitating environmental education and outdoor leadership programming for young people in Delaware, New York, Alaska, and Tennessee before calling Colorado home. An AmeriCorps term of service with Partners for Youth brought Lauren to Steamboat Springs in 201,3 and the Yampa Valley curse clamped on tight. She worked for Rocky Mountain Youth Corps as a Youth Programs Leader and YVSS Instructor before joining the team full-time as the Regional Youth Program Manager in 2015. Lauren is a Certified Prevention Specialist in the State of Colorado, a Positive Youth Development facilitator, a Wilderness First Aid Instructor for Desert Mountain Medicine, a First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor through the American Heart Association, and serves on the board of the Routt County Youth Services Coalition. In her free time, she can be found exploring with her adventure buddies, Jimmy, Eisley and Ebri.
Meghan Loury
AmeriCorps Grants Manager
She/Her/Hers
mloury@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
Meghan grew up in the foothills of Colorado and received her degree in Ecology from the University of Colorado. After working as a Naturalist (Nature Nerd) and environmental educator, she wanted to have a hands-on impact on the land, so she joined RMYC! As an Assistant Crew Leader for the Conservation Corps, she loved the community, the conservation work, and the challenges brought by the job. From here, she served as an AmeriCorps member with the Maine Conservation Corps, helping to create a Youth Corps in Portland, Maine. She returned to RMYC in 2021 as the Youth Program Manager before transitioning to the AmeriCorps Grants Manager position. When not at work, you can find her playing with her dog Inky, nature nerding out on plants, birds, and rocks, or bikepacking with her partner. She is stoked to help the RMYC team provide meaningful personal and professional experiences in conservation!
Carlyn Mickle
Marketing/Media Specialist
She/Her/Hers
cmickle@rockymountainyouthcorps.com
Carlyn grew up on the beaches in Massachusetts, always looking for ways to escape to the mountains. She spent her teen years exploring with Outward Bound, studied Psychology in Cambridge, MA, and got her first real taste of trail work through the Department of Conservation and Recreation in MA as a Trail Runner for the Appalachian Trail in 2011. In 2012, she saw an opportunity to work with RMYC for their Youth Corps Leadership Team and went for it! She spent two years leading for RMYC and an additional year at Mile High Youth Corps in Denver. A few years later, she returned to RMYC as a Program Manager after managing programs for youth experiencing homelessness in a residential setting. With a brief hiatus to start life as a parent to her daughter Eleanor, she is now back with us in a new role, working on our media accounts and website! She is psyched to spend her off time with her husband Scotty, getting their family outside to experience all the outdoors has to offer.