Staff & Board Members

Photo Credit: Gail Hunter

Meet Our Dedicated Team

GARNA is guided by a passionate and experienced Board of Directors and dedicated staff members. Our board brings a wealth of knowledge in areas like nonprofit management, park administration, environmental science, and law. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise ensure we approach our mission from a well-rounded perspective. Our staff is equally impressive, with experience in education, finance, communications, and outdoor recreation. Their dedication and hard work are essential to achieving GARNA’s goals.

Staff Members​

To reach a staff member by email, first name @ garna.org

Jessica Downing

Executive Director

Craig Bingham

Programs Director

Chris Lamson

Community Programs & Watershed Coordinator

Rose Nadelhoffer

Program Development Coordinator

Chesney Thompson

Youth Program Coordinator

Josie Pearson

Sustainability Coordinator

Cat Anderson

Sustainability Coordinator

Board Members​

Bonnie Davis
Board Chair

Bonnie grew up in the Caribbean islands and has lived in various countries around the world. In addition to being bilingual, she is a Master Gardner with Colorado State, a rescue Scuba diver, and a wild mushroom identifier. Bonnie has lived in Chaffee County since 2016. Professionally, she has worked in sales, marketing, business development, and is currently a senior strategic analyst supporting Fortune 100 and 500 companies.

Devin Castendyk
Board Vice-Chair

Devin holds a PhD in Environmental Science and a Masters Degree in Geology, and is a Licensed Professional Geologist in the State of Wyoming. His passion for water education has taken him from Guatemala to Antarctica and locally teaching geology at CMC Salida and Colorado School of Mines. He is currently Assistant VP of a global engineering firm, where he advises the mining industry on strategies to minimize impacts on water. His favorite pastimes include skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and international travel.

Board Treasurer

TBD

Truman P. Young
Board Secretary

Born and raised in Colorado, and climbing in the Sawatch range since he was ten, Truman (Ty) got his BA from the University of Chicago and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, both in biology. He has taught, mentored, and carried out ecological research for over forty years in Kenya, Panama, and the western United States. He brings years of experience in environmental education and the ecology, restoration, conservation, and management of human-dominated landscapes, especially rangelands.

Mahting Putelis

Mahting is a seasoned commercial photographer with over twenty years of experience in the outdoor industry. He brings extensive knowledge of adventure education and hunting related activities to GARNA. You can find him teaching skiing at Monarch in the winters while trail running occupies his summer months. "Mahting" is the phonetic spelling of his Latvian name, pronounced "MAH-TING." He's a second-generation Latvian-American, with Latvian as his native language.

Rob White Garna
Rob White

Rob received a BS in Park & Recreation Administration/Biology with a Secondary Teaching Certificate from Central Michigan University in 1980, and a MS in Park Administration/Fisheries & Wildlife Management from Michigan State University in 1983. Since the year 2000, Rob was the Park Manager at the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, one of 42 state parks within Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Rob retired from that position in July of 2020.

Brad Kloewer

Brad is a trial attorney and civil litigator with his practice based in Salida. Before practicing law, Brad spent many years traveling the world. He has lived in seven different countries and traveled to more than fifty. Brad loves spending time outdoors with his wife and two children, and spends his free time bird watching, woodworking, reading, and cheering for the Denver Nuggets. 

Kelly Chandler

(Bio Coming Soon)

Joseph Solis

Bio Coming Soon.

Jonathan Svarka

Bio Coming Soon

Carly Jorgenson

Carly specializes in environmental compliance with experience in air quality management and sustainability initiatives, she has supported industrial facilities and government agencies in advancing environmental stewardship. She enjoys meteorology, swimming, biking, and her pets.

Maddox Tolsma
Youth Representative

(Bio Coming Soon)

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