Rich Karas - President is a retired professor of Physics and university administrator.  From 1992 to 1996, he was Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western State College.  During his career, Rich did research in atmospheric and space sciences in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway.  He also worked in Norway, China, and the United Arab Emirates.  Since returning to the Gunnison Valley in 2004, he has done volunteer work for a number of organizations ranging from the Gunnison Farmers Market to the Gunnison Valley Observatory. In addition, he has served on the County Planning Commission, the RE1J School Board, and chaired the Gunnison County Carbon Policy Task Force and the County Energy Action Plan Committee. An ardent hiker and recumbent cyclist, Rich resides a few miles north of Gunnison.

Billy Rankin - Billy has been an ambassador for the natural world for the past 18 years. He moved to Crested Butte as a young outdoorsman and loved the intact ecosystem surrounding town and how easy it was to get out into the woods to recreate. Billy spent 15 years taking Outward Bound courses into the backcountry. Billy engaged hundreds of students and helped them understand the importance of the natural world while trying to instill wilderness ethics in his students. Billy is a Leave No Trace (LNT) Master trainer and helps teach other outdoor professionals how to teach LNT Ethics. Most recently Billy was on the Crested Butte town council where he helped with the acquisition of open space and supported smart deliberate growth, keeping the surrounding environment at the forefront of every political decision. Billy joined the board at HCCA in hopes of helping the organization fulfill its mission of protecting the amazing environmental attributes of this valley. Residence: Crested Butte.

Larry Mosher - Larry is a retired journalist now living in Crested Butte. He worked as a reporter and editor in New York City, Washington D.C., Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Paonia, Colorado, where he edited The High Country News for one year. While covering the environment for the weekly magazine National Journal in Washington D.C., the National Wildlife Federation named him “Communicator of the Year” for his coverage of the Reagan Administration’s attempt to reduce the nation’s environmental protection. Larry looks forward to finding solutions to the challenges ahead and is convinced that learning to live within our resources will provide answers to our future. Residence: Town of Crested Butte.

Sue Navy - Sue has lived in Crested Butte since 1971 and is a founding member of HCCA. She has worked on a wide variety of issues since 1977. Sue's volunteer work focuses on land use planning, protection of the Gunnison Sage Grouse, open space and other community and public lands issues. Sue serves on the Gunnison Basin Sage Grouse Strategic Committee, Gunnison County Sage Grouse Mitigation Committee and the Gunnison Valley Land Preservation Board. She also helps coordinate fundraising and outreach events for HCCA. Sue leads HCCA's Senior Hike program, as hiking in our inspirational public lands and wilderness areas is her passion. Residence: Town of Crested Butte.

Jeremy Rubingh - Jeremy recently worked on Colorado wilderness initiatives and currently serves as a consultant to the Natural Resource Defense Council.  He brings experience with issues of environmental degradation on the Tibetan Plateau.  He is also a filmmaker of two Mt. Emmons related films: Trespassing and the award winning Red Lady--the Battle for Your Mountains.  Jeremy has a B.A. in Environmental Studies and resides in Wildbird.

Kate Vogel - Kate is a cell biologist.  She spent 31 years teaching biology and researching connective tissue biochemistry as Professor of Biology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.  Since retirement in 2006 she has lived in Crested Butte full time and plants have become a new scientific passion.  She has served on the board of the Wildflower Festival, on the Stewardship Committee of the CB Land Trust, and was a founding member of the Alliance for Clean Electricity.  In addition she has been a mentor with the Partners program for four years and won Golden Marmot awards for writing 10-min plays. Residence:  Town of Crested Butte.

Peggy Moore Peggy has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and spent 22 years as an Early Childhood Educator/Administrator. She retired to Crested Butte in 2000, and made new friends by participating in the HCCA senior hikes.  Since then she has served on the Wildflower Festival Board, been with Guest Services at CBMR, guided Small & Charming Home Tours for HCCA, and is currently on the Gunnison County Democratic Central Committee.  Peggy feels so lucky to be living in this beautiful valley where she enjoys skiing, hiking and fly fishing. Residence: Crested Butte South.

Mel Harper - returned to Colorado in the early 2000’s after living on the West and East coasts.  Mel is a local artist with her company, GO WEST.  She pursues numerous outdoor activities including hiking, biking, nature and wild flower identification, guiding, snowshoeing, nordic skiing, boating, fishing, gardening, jeeping, photography, wood cutting, target shooting, and hunting. She has been involved with other Boards including the RTA, Paragon Gallery, Artists of the West Elks, and CB Wildflower Festival. Mel joined the HCCA Board in 2012.  Residence: Crested Butte

Greg Dyson - Executive Director - High Country Citizens’ Alliance is pleased to announce that Greg Dyson has been hired to be its new Executive Director.  Mr. Dyson is an environmental attorney with 20 years experience in the environmental movement as an activist and non-profit manager.  He founded and ran the group ‘Bark’ in Portland, Oregon, and later was Executive Director of the Hells Canyon Preservation Council in Northeast Oregon.  At those two groups, he worked on mining, energy, old growth, wilderness, recreation, wildlife, forest planning and watershed issues.  Most recently, he has been residing in Denver.  Mr. Dyson started at HCCA on January 2nd. 

Rich Karas, President of the HCCA Board, stated: “we were fortunate to find in Greg someone who could bring a strong background on the issues along with a wealth of experience in running a non-profit.”  Sue Navy, a founding Board member of HCCA, added: “Greg has a demonstrated ability to work constructively with a wide range of interest groups while staying true to an environmental mission.”

“I’m excited to be here in Crested Butte.  Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly, and the way in which the community has banded together to stop mining on Red Lady for all these years is truly inspiring.  I intend to keep serious pressure on US Energy and strengthen our Water and Public Lands programs, while building our support base in and out of the Upper Gunnison Valley,” 

Brett Henderson - Finance and Membership Director - Brett holds a bachelors degree in Financial Accounting from Western State College and a bachelors degree of Fine Arts – Photography from Texas Christian University. Prior to returning to WSC to complete his Financial Accounting degree, Brett was a freelance photographer and web designer. Brett’s skill set will allow HCCA to continue to operate efficiently while focusing its resources on protecting the Upper Gunnison River basin ecosystems. Brett is an avid outdoorsmen who enjoys fly fishing, bow hunting and photography. Email address: brett@hccaonline.org

Jennifer Seidenberg Bock - Water Director - Jennifer joined HCCA in 2011 after clerking for Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory Hobbs and working as a plaintiff-side water Attorney at Rossmann & Moore in San Francisco.  Her background is in water and environmental law, as well as organizing and social justice.  Prior to law school, Jennifer worked as an organizer for the Colorado Environmental Coalition in Northwest Colorado.  She holds a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law with a certificate in environmental law and a B.A. in American Studies from Georgetown University.  Jennifer has lived in India and South Africa, and traveled extensively across Europe and Africa, and looks forward to exploring the Upper Gunnison Basin.  Residence: Crested Butte.  Email address: jen@hccaonline.org

Alli Melton - Public Lands Director - Alli joined High Country Citizens' Alliance in March 2013. Alli received her Bachelor's degree in political science from Colorado State University in 2009 and her J.D. from Colorado Law in 2012. At Colorado Law, Alli focused on natural resources and environmental law in addition to interning for the Western Mining Action Project and the U.S. EPA Office of Enforcement, Compliance, and Environmental Justice. Since graduating, she was admitted to the Colorado Bar, clerked as a Judicial Fellow for Colorado Supreme Court Justice Monica M. Márquez, and worked pro bono for the Western Mining Action Project. Alli is thrilled to be in Crested Butte and looks forward to integrating into the Upper Gunnison Basin community.  Some of Alli’s hobbies include hiking, trail running, snowshoeing, and pottery.