CEA Election | Candidate Bios

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

I have been living in Kinston since June 2023 after my family relocated for our jobs. I am interested in serving on the CEA because I feel that we all have a role to play in creating the community we want for ourselves and our families. Being new to the area has highlighted the importance of building a community that feels like family. In my experience so far at Kinston, the times when everyone comes together, make me feel like I am settling into Northern Colorado. Through events and neighborhood gatherings, my children, husband, and I have been able to make new friends and feel connected despite only having been here for about half a year.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

My experience as an educator and school leader has given me ample experience with participating in and leading committee work where we have to develop a vision and then make choices that support that vision. Additionally, my background has allowed me to develop effective practices around event planning, program development and implementation, as well as the ability to promote events and programs to have strong participation.

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education as well as a master’s in educational administration. I have over eleven years of classroom experience in grades 1-12. Before becoming the K-8 administrator at Trinity Lutheran in Greeley, CO, I was a middle school teacher in Waukesha, WI. My teaching experiences have included both public and private schools.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

I have chaired a Live Nativity committee for three years. This was an event that had around 700 attendees and I was part of its very first years. This role included fundraising, organizing volunteers, and promoting the event to the community.
My current job as a school administrator utilizes leadership tasks such as setting agendas for staff and board meetings, updating staff and student policies, organizing community communication, and collaborating with other school leaders.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

I have not attended a meeting.

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

I believe that as we grow into the next phases of the development of Kinston, it will be important to not only reach new residents but also find ways to keep existing residents engaged and ready to welcome new Kinston families. I also feel as we begin to enter the phase of amenities being started and opened, it will be important for the CEA to promote it well and create events and programs that will continue to enhance life at Kinston.

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

Moved in end October 2023

I have experience and enjoy planning events and would like the opportunity to do my part in bringing the community together.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

I have extensive previous experience with coaching, training and events planning.

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have previously held positions in Incentive Programs, planning events, traveling for set up and entertain clients from all over North America. Also worked for a Coaching, Training and events company- planning events, set up, selling and promoting training programs while developing, maintaining and cultivating new relationships.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

I’m currently an Account Manager and have a portfolio of accounts. I’ve been in the Account Management for almost 20 years. I was also certified as trainer for specific real estate training programs.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

One

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

Community engagement.

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

I moved to Kinston in November, from South Denver. I am interested in helping build a fun, engaging community for groups of all ages. In this busy world it can be hard to make connections and meet new people. I want to meet people in my new community and make lasting friendships. I want to take an active role in making that happen.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

One of the best ways to make connections is through shared experiences. Creating opportunities to share the things we love with others who love them too is a great way to build community! Creating events and activities is a fun way to bring people together. My background in marketing and experience putting together events for Anheuser Busch give me good perspective on how to create engaging activities and events and very importantly, how to gets folks excited to volunteer and participate. Plus it’s fun!

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a Marketing emphasis from UNC in Greeley.
I started my career in Advertising with an Ad Agency in Denver. We created campaigns for various business, most notably The Children’s Museum. I worked in Product Management for The Anheuser Busch Denver Wholesale operation, for the Michelob Family of Beers. I led the creation and implementation of the March of Dimes Mudd Volleyball tournaments, Michelob night golf events, the Bal Swan Celebrity Tennis Tournaments, and NFL Celebrity Golf tournaments to name a few. I then transitioned into sales as the National Accounts Sales Manager, managing 30 driver salesmen and the account sales teams. I’m currently working as the Senior Customer Support Manager for a critical process equipment manufacturing company in Lakewood, where I manage our Customer Service and Technical Support teams.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

I was on the HOA for Meadow Vale Farms in Longmont where we drafted the initial covenants and bylaws.
I was on the Parent Advisory Council for our church and school where I spearheaded our annual charity auctions, organized blood drives and opened a gift shop with all proceeds going to charity.
I’m currently a member of our corporate L2 Leadership Team.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

I don’t believe there have been any since I moved in. I do think it’s hard to keep track of all of the communications related to the CEA and metro districts. There must be a better way.

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

The number one challenge we face everywhere today is building connections. People want the support and camaraderie of a community, but struggle to find ways to engage. The key is to find ways to entice people to step out of their comfort zones, take a chance, and try something new. To some that’s exciting, but to many it seems scary. Staying home seems easier. We need to create a momentum to engage and build!

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

My wife, daughter, and I have lived in Kinston since October 2022. I am a veteran, engaged citizen, and interested in giving back to the community my family lives in and influencing a positive atmosphere for all of our Kinston residents.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

I have experience in military leadership as combat medic and non-commissioned officer (NCO). I also have experience with community outreach and have represented private industry with the Larimer County Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). I have committee experience with Hach as a lead committee member for our annual ‘Walk for Water’ in which I was personally responsible for securing donations of over $10k and an event total of over $70k, which went to two water infrastructure projects in Africa.

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have a B.S. in Environmental Science and a Minor in Chemistry. I speak Spanish at an intermediate/advanced level (my wife is a native speaker), and I would be able to work with our Spanish-speaking residents and contractors. I work at one of the larger local employers, Hach Company, where I administer programs for Safety, Environmental Compliance, and Sustainability. I have professional certifications in emergency medicine and occupational health and safety.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

As mentioned above, I have military leadership experience as a non-commissioned officer (NCO). I was a junior-enlisted soldier in the US Army and an NCO in the Colorado Army National Guard.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

I have not yet attended a CEA Board meeting. Our daughter just reached 18 months old, and I am ready to take on additional responsibilities.

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

Personally, I have been impressed so far with the community organization, and have observed few problems, aside from slower than expected development of secondary features like recreational areas and landscaping. Areas for improvement would be managing placement of heavy equipment from construction contractors, safety both for traffic on Centerra Parkway, as well as construction contractors within the development.

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

Since July 2023

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

I am a police officer and have the best respect for our community. I want this community to be a great place to live.

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have a bachelor’s degree and I have been a police officer for 8 years and before that I was a manager in the airline industry for 12 years.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

I have been a police officer and a manager for a long time.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

I have attended a lot of community meetings as a police officer. But not as a resident.

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

The biggest challenge is to make every resident happy for living here.

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

For over a year we have lived in Kinston, we lived in the lakes for a year previous. We have been actively involved in community events in both locations in addition to serving at these events and hosting some of our own. I believe in building a healthy community filled with neighbors who actually know and care about each other. I think being involved in the CEA would allow me to speak into events that help to foster this desired environment.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

I am already active in our community, additionally I have worked for over 20 years in a community and service oriented profession. I believe I am a good problem solver and am very invested in the well-being of our community and the success of these events.

What is your educational background and work experience?

Masters in Divinity – SWBTS 2014
BA- Biblical studies and Speech Communication – 2008 OBU
20+ years working as a pastor or minister in churches that span Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Colorado.
(During this time I worked with multiple non-profits in volunteer roles alongside my jobs including Mission Arlington in Arlington Texas, Serve the City with Fielder Church in Arlington, Serving alongside Rock Creek Church in Arkansas which had a massive nonprofit service wing, started and led on the board of a
basketball league and nonprofit in Calhoun, LA, and much more).

Additionally / ancillary experience:
Starbucks Shift Manager 2 years
Social Media and marketing manager for BSE- Arkansas 1 year
Waiter 3 years / Cook 1 year
Tech industry 20+ years (computer hardware primarily as a side job, additionally installed car audio for 2 years and as a former worship pastor have comprehensive experience with tech / sound and troubleshooting portable tech solutions)

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

Lead pastor (Currently lead pastor of River Church), Church minister, Led multiple staffs and volunteers from churches ranging in size of 100-4000, Led teams within teams and sat on Elder and Senior Lead boards, Led volunteers who were CEO’s, CFO’s, Executives in their corporate jobs and volunteered under me on community events or within the church.
I have led serving teams on multiple occasions serving within the cities I’ve lived in or alongside events other organizations were doing. Most recently we helped run the Kite Festival for the Loveland Housing Authority, ran two free summer camps with over 100 kids at each camp at the Loveland sports park, and have served with the Halloween Hullabaloo and other CEA events as well as Aspire events and serving the schools. I led most of these endeavors for our church and teams, sometimes managing teams of 60+ people.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

One to my knowledge since being in Kinston

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

I think balancing engaging activities that span a wide demographic range is one opportunity, coupled to this challenge is marketing in a way that continues to promote a healthy, vibrant, and visceral interaction across all marketing platforms.

How long have you lived in Kinston and why are you interested in serving on the CEA?

I have lived in Kinston since April 2023. I am interested in serving on the CEA board because it offers a unique opportunity to actively contribute to and shape the community my family calls home. By becoming a board member, I can play a pivotal role in decision-making processes that directly impact the neighborhood’s overall well-being. It provides me with a platform to voice my ideas, address concerns, and collaborate with other residents to enhance the quality of life within the community. Serving on the board allows me to foster positive relationships, contribute to community initiatives, and ensure that the neighborhood remains a desirable and harmonious place for all residents.

What makes you uniquely qualified for the councilperson position?

My wife and I had our first child last year and moved to this community with the intent of raising our daughter here. Because of her, I have a strong stake in the well-being of the community as well as the long-term outlook for the development and sustainability of the community.

What is your educational background and work experience?

I have a bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering. I am currently working as a Project Manager where I manage multiple global teams. I have previously been a Quality Assurance Engineer leading our company’s testing efforts.

What leadership position(s) have you held in the past?

I have led 4 teams as well as 2 projects at my company. I was the President of a local Toastmasters club. And run multiple Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

How many CEA Board of Council meetings have you attended since residing in the community?

I have been to 1 CEA Board of Council Meetings since I joined this community.

What do you consider to be the number one challenge facing the CEA today?

Participation. My family and I try to attend every event, and what we have noticed is that there are the same people time and time again. Now this consistency is fantastic as we always have some participation, but we need to make sure we get more resident participation. At events, having more residence participation will make the community that much better.