Kate is a software architect who works “in the cloud” helping nonprofits and education institutions use technology to do good in the world. She was raised in Europe and the UK, has lived in more places than she can count, and is glad to have finally settled. A valley resident since 2016, she is a founding board member of Trails for All, enjoys the outdoors with her horses and alpacas, and loves traveling to visit her adult children and to see the world.

Richard has lived part time in the Valley since 2005 and moved here full time in 2013. He has been active in education for much of his life, working with children as a social worker starting in the 1970s. He is Professor Emeritus of the University of Alaska, where teaching was the favorite part of his job. After retirement, Richard was a substitute teacher both in Juneau and here in Custer County. He enjoyed being a volunteer in Custer County school classrooms for another five years thereafter. He is a member of the Alaska Bar Association (retirement status) and was the Municipal Judge for the towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe for two years.

Clark is Senior Managing Partner at Trailcrest Capital Advisors, a high net worth consultant and family office manager. As former Director of Research and Portfolio Manager at New York Life Investment Management, Dr. Maxam combines over 25 years of proprietary fixed income, equity and derivatives trading experience with a Ph.D. in finance from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. At New York Life, he led product development in both equities and fixed income and managed or co-managed over $1 billion in assets for their $4 billion quantitative strategies group. His market experience includes proprietary fixed income and derivative arbitrage trading and market making as Senior Vice President at Security Pacific Global Trading and NatWest Capital Markets. He is a past member of both the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange and was Senior Vice President of financial futures floor trading and sales from 1988-1993.

Dirk is a practicing architect and land developer. Prior to moving recently to our glorious Valley, he was the design manager for an architectural/engineering ministry non-profit based in Colorado Springs that provides strategic design services for global ministries. His focus centered on educational and healthcare facilities, while international exposure ignited a passion for cross-cultural connection and catalyzing under-resourced people groups. Now that their adulting children are thriving on their own journeys, he and his wife Joy have delighted settling into the dynamic Westcliffe environment and community.

Dr. Alma Golden is a pediatrician who retired full-time to her home in the Wet Mountain Valley in 2021, where her family has had roots and property for over 25 years. Her most recent assignment was in Washington, DC leading the Bureau for Global Health in the United States Agency for International Development as the White House Appointed, Senate-confirmed Assistant Administrator. Previously (2002-2006) she served under President George W. Bush in Health and Human Services leading the Office of Population Affairs. Her career has included private pediatrics, indigent health services, academic medicine (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, and Texas A&M University), healthcare administration, adolescent health, and national and international public health policy. She began her professional career as a 7th grade Life Science teacher before entering medicine. Alma is delighted to be the grandmother of 13 wonderful children and young adults.

is an English professor, historian, and internationally known author of several books and anthologies. She grew up in Colorado and completed her PhD at the University of Denver, and has taught at universities around the country and around the world. She and her husband George have lived near Westcliffe for several years. Currently she divides her time between Westcliffe and Cincinnati, where she is Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Cincinnati. She enjoys hiking, skiing, and the beautiful Sangre de Cristos.

Rick s a retired business executive with extensive experience in Business Development, Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Effectiveness. He retired after 30 years of employment from Procter & Gamble in 2009 and worked a few more years with smaller companies and in business consulting. Since 1980, he has been married to wife Judy, is a proud father to his daughter Jennifer and son Ben and loves his two grandkids. Rick and Judy first bought property in Custer County back in the late 80s and have resided in rural Custer County since 2018. He is a 2014 graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies, past Board Member of the Custer County Economic Development Corp, Co-Chaired the County’s Post-Covid Economic Recovery Task Force, and is a frequent substitute teacher in the Custer County School Middle School and High School. He still routinely gives talks on Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organization Design.

Lived in Connecticut through college. Followed by California, Colorado (1970’s), Illinois, Texas, and then to Westcliffe in 2004. Naval officer for three years, two of which spent in Vietnam. After that experience worked with IBM for almost thirty years in sales, computer development, and management. Retired in 1996, and then earned masters’ degrees in history, and education. Since moving to Westcliffe my participation in the community includes; Board of Zoning (2013 to present), Business Advisor to the Clinic Board and Clinic staff (2012-2014), Search & Rescue (2005-2013), Planning Commission Alternate (2008-2012), Volunteer Advisor to School Superintendents and Principals (2016 – present), Bring It To The Table Custer County (BITTTCC) (2020 - present), Education Legacy Fund Board (2019 - present).

Troy is an educator and guidance counselor and has been enthusiastically involved with Custer County Schools since 2012.

Reggie is the Vice President for Custer County’s BOE (Board of Education) as well as the County’s Public Information Officer.

Are you interested in helping shape the future of lifelong learning in the Wet Mountain Valley? The Education Legacy Fund of Custer County is currently seeking a Student Advisor. Fill out our contact form to apply — we look forward to filling this necessary position soon!

Thom Peck was born and raised in Montana in a family of 4 older sisters - the entire family, including Mom and Dad went into education. He started his teaching career in Port Orchard, WA but returned to Montana in 1996 to raise his two daughters, Taylor who is a Math Teacher in Cheney, WA and Kylie, who is an ER Nurse in Denver for UC Health. Thom is married to Angie and together they now have 3 grandchildren. This is his 37th year in education, the last 12 years have been as a Superintendent with the most recent in Lewistown, MT. He is super excited to begin his Colorado Superintendency at Custer County Schools and believes that this community has incredible potential because the first class community, staff and students at Custer County Schools.

Walter is an entrepreneur, business owner, and investor. He was born in the Netherlands, raised in Australia, and has lived in South Africa and Canada, before moving to Colorado with his family in 1988. Walter was educated as a Mechanical Engineer. Since building their home in the Wet Mountain Valley in 2000, Walter and his wife Els have focused on supporting our local schools and students, founding the Adopt a Class program and Education Legacy Fund 501c(3).