Board of Trustees

In 1992 Kelly graduated with a degree in Financial Planning and Counseling from Purdue University, packed up her little red car and headed to Steamboat Springs. The idea was to ski powder and figure out how to stay. Thirty years later with 2 children, a home in downtown and a wonderful husband Kelly’s dreams have come true.  

Kelly’s professional journey started with waiting tables at the Steamboat Yacht Club, transitioning to marketing for the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. In 1999 Kelly opened the Creekside Cafe. Her husband Jason joined her as the chef in 2002, and they ran it together for the next 16 years. Along the journey was Creekside’s prestigious Business Philanthropist of the Year Award from the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, recognizing them for giving back to the community which had supported them and that they truly love.

Kelly has served on several boards including MainStreet Steamboat, Steamboat Chamber, and the Ski Town Rotary.  After her career in restaurants Kelly found her next passion as the Development Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Colorado; she was recently named Outstanding Development Director for the BGCA Southwest Region. Kelly stays busy as a Girl Scout Troop Leader, Soccer Referee, Strings Music Festival Guild Member, SSWSC Mountain Bike and Ski Coach, Bike Ambassador and avid powder skier!

Rob graduated from Middlebury College (1978) in Vermont with a BA in Economics. He worked as a reinsurance executive with 39 years of industry/management experience; at his retirement in 2017, he was Managing Director at Guy Carpenter & Company in Boston, MA, the world’s largest reinsurance intermediary. Rob has been coming to Steamboat since the early 1990’s with his wife of 40+ years, Ellen, and their two daughters, moving full-time to Steamboat following Rob’s retirement. They enjoy the outdoor activities available in the valley and have now become involved with many local nonprofits. When Rob and Ellen lived in Topsfield, MA, he served on the Topsfield Athletic Association Board for many years including President, and he coached both daughters in soccer and basketball. Rob has been serving as Chair of the YVCF Grants Committee since 2018 and joined the YVCF Board in March 2021. Rob and Ellen have two daughters and two granddaughters who they dote on as often as possible.

After two years of commuting to Steamboat from Denver, Paula Cooper Black moved to Steamboat Springs in 1973. She served three consecutive four-year terms on the Steamboat Springs City Council, six years as President pro tempore, and represented the Council on various local, regional, and state committees. Paula was on the Yampa Valley Medical Center Ethics Committee for nine years and on the board of the Medical Center’s Foundation for two years.  Since 1995 she has sat on the board of YVCF, serving as board chair three different terms. She continues to participate as Board Member Emeritus and is chair of the Nominating Committee. Paula has also been involved with the SSWSC, the Rotary Club of Steamboat Springs, and several other community organizations. Like many other community members, Paula has been a small business owner and also worked for a number of years for the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation, retiring in 2005. Paula and her late husband Jack raised two children in Steamboat Springs. Paula continues to be politically active on local, state and national levels.

Jim graduated from the University of Michigan and received his law training at Northwestern University, culminating with a Ford Foundation Fellowship to supervise an indigent defense program and teach at the law school. He and 3 other young lawyers started a law firm (the law firm with which Barack Obama chose to practice), after which his career evolved to developing commercial recreation facilities and then to representing professional baseball players. The representation business grew significantly, presenting Jim and his partner the opportunity to represent hundreds of major league players, including eight who have now been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. By 2001 it was time to sell the business and spend substantial blocks of time in Steamboat. Having first visited and acquired property in Steamboat in 1970 with his wife Barbara, the move to Steamboat gave the couple greater opportunity to focus on community organizations and programs that matter to them. For Jim that has meant long term board service at Catamount Ranch and Club, Strings Music Festival, the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado, and the Yampa Valley Community Foundation where he served a term as Board Chair and is now an emeritus board member. Jim also just completed his nineteenth season volunteering as an assistant basketball coach with the Steamboat Springs High School varsity boys’ basketball program. If there were a mileage award program for miles traveled on a yellow school bus, he would have lifetime status. Beyond his professional and coaching associations with sports, Jim is an avid golfer, still competing in senior amateur championships, as well as enjoying the skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, and biking so accessible in Steamboat. Nothing brings him more pleasure, though, than spending time with his 4 grandchildren.

Cathrine is a fifth generation NW Colorado resident. She is a commercial loan officer with Yampa Valley Bank where she has worked for nearly 16 years. She has a BS in Business Administration specializing in Finance from Regis University and a dual MBA from the University of Colorado and the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado. She is a member of the NW Loan Fund Committee through the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of NW Colorado.

Paul Ferguson grew up in Los Altos, CA but was introduced to the charms of the Yampa Valley during his first ski vacation to Steamboat in 1968. He moved to Steamboat permanently after graduating from San Diego State in 1971 and has been a tremendous contributor to the area ever since. He has served on numerous boards and committees such as the Board of Adjustment, the Bob Adams Airport Steering Committee and the Arnold Barn Committee and he volunteers for various nonprofits including United Way and the Soda Creek Homework Club. You may recognize him from his monthly ProDo Food Drive duties for the benefit of LiftUp of Routt County! In acknowledgement of his generous and giving spirit, he and his wife Bridget were recognized as Philanthropists of the Year by YVCF in 2022. He enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, golfing, and ceramics and looks forward to contributing to YVCF’s Board of Trustees.

Maren grew up in Fort Collins, graduated from Colorado State University, and moved to the Yampa Valley in 2011. A seasoned communications professional with a decade of experience in brand storytelling, driving communication strategies, and fostering a positive company culture, Maren lives in South Routt County with her husband Anthony, son Joey (3), Bernedoodle Harry, and will welcome a daughter in spring of 2024. Maren is the Communications Manager at Steamboat Resort and previously worked in Public Relations, events, and membership relations at the Steamboat Springs Chamber. Serving on the Young Professionals Network board for five years, Maren is passionate about honoring the heritage of the Yampa Valley and bridging vibrant community connections for longtime locals and newcomers alike.

Bio pending

Kirstie McPherson is a serial entrepreneur, behavioral economist, and an economic development professional in Craig, CO., where she was born and raised and returned after graduating from Montana Tech University with two Bachelors of Science degrees in Management and Marketing.  She owns multiple businesses including Blanco Cellars Wine and Whiskey Bar in Meeker, 518 Wine Bar, The Find, Co., Edeveco, and others in Craig, and the Behavioral Economics Co. in D.C. 

In addition, she works for the CO State Office of Just Transition as the Community and Economic Development Manager serving transitioning coal communities across the state. McPherson has a Masters in Behavioral Economics from the Chicago Institute of Professional Psychology, serves on multiple local community boards including the Craig Chamber of Commerce and the Moffat County Junior Affiliated College District Board, and state organizations such as the Wright Foundation. 

Gillian moved to Steamboat Springs in 1999 to be a ski bum for 6 months after graduating from UMass Amherst.  Just like so many, the Yampa Valley kidnapped her and, all these years later, she and her husband, Michael Morris, are raising their two sons, Kane and Olson, in Steamboat while also running TALON Grips, Inc.  Gillian has been actively involved with Rotary for the past 12 years, including serving on the board for several years and as President in 2020/2021.  She was awarded the Rotary President of the Year for District 5440 and she and Michael were honored to receive YVCF’s Individual Philanthropist of the Year award in 2021.  Gillian is passionate about all things community and is excited to be part of such a vibrant and dynamic board.

Dave Hunter has been in the ski industry since he was a young teenager, now with over 35 years of experience.  He started his career working for his uncle at the local ski area in his hometown, Mt. Tom Ski Area.  During that time, Dave worked in every department working his way up to management and eventually became the Assistant General Manager in 1996.  Then the west was calling and Dave moved to Boulder, CO where he began working at Eldora Mountain Resort.   Starting as the Snowmaking Manager and eventually becoming the Director of Operations and reporting to the owner.  After spending 16 years at Eldora, in 2013, Dave accepted the position of Director of Sales & Operations for PRINOTH,  a snow grooming company where Dave was responsible for all of North America.  In the spring of 2017, Dave was hired at Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation as the VP of Operations.  Dave, and his family moved to Steamboat in May of 2017.  Dave’s role at SSRC evolved over the first 7 years becoming the VP of Resort Operations.  In November of 2024, Rob Perlman was promoted from SSRC President & COO to EVP at Alterra Mountain Company. Dave took over as Resort Lead from November 2024 until May of 2024 when he was named President & COO.

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Bio pending