UNITED WAY OF WELD COUNTY - Key Persons

Dawn was born in Edison, New Jersey. Her family moved to Lake Tahoe when she was a teenager, and has remained in the western half of the country. Dawn went to CU Boulder where she earned her BS degree in Business Administration with an area of emphasis in Accounting. She has 33 years of accounting experience with the past 14 years being in the nonprofit sector. Dawn moved to west Greeley in 1995 and has two adult children who also live in northern Colorado. We enjoy hiking, paddle boarding, playing with our dogs and pretty much anything outdoors. Dawn used to work as a Staff Accountant for United Way of Weld County and is happy to return to a company that helps and supports so many people in need in our community.

Diana Ortiz

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Donor Services Associate

Emily De Wett

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Assistant Director of Shelter Operations

Erika Harris

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HNC Lead Housing Program Assistant

Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca

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VP of Community Impact

With over 25 years' experience serving more vulnerable populations, has worked with the developmentally disabled, older adults, migrant farmworkers, families on public assistance, at-risk youth, households experiencing homelessness and individuals in the criminal justice system. A Colorado native, he was raised in Lamar, Colo. Ernest earned a BA in business administration and organizational management from Adams State College and later obtained a graduate degree in nonprofit management and leadership from Regis University. Most recently Ernest was the executive director for Jobs of Hope, a Greeley-based nonprofit organization providing housing and employment support to those recently released from incarceration and, before this, the operations manager at Catholic Charities Guadalupe Community Center.

Gabby Howell

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Philanthropy Manager

Gabriela Montes Duran

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PASO Institute Trainer

Gisselle Lopez-Hernandez

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UPK Family Coordinator

Jamie Ulrich

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Member of the Board of Directors

Jane Martin

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Early Care and Education Lead Child Care Coordinator

Janet Vazquez-Perez

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HR Associate

Jenny Shaw

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Director Housing Navigation Center

John Gates

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Member of the Board of Directors

Juana Martinez

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Member of the Board of Directors

Jude Printz

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Office Assistant

Julie Cozad

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Member of the Board of Directors

Kent Naughton

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Member of the Board of Directors

Latrice Thomas

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Housing Program Assistant

Laurent Gabriel

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Emergency Assistance Specialist

Liberty Martinez

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UPK Child Care Support Coordinator

Lisa Hudson

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Member of the Board of Directors

Lisa Sadar

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Assistant Director of Early Care and Education

Lorena Ruiz

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PASO Institute Coordinator

Lyle SmithGraybeal

With 30+ years of experience working in nonprofits as a program developer, manager, fundraiser, and volunteer, Lyle serves as the chief operating officer with United Way of Weld County, working on communications, grants and large designation fundraising, and the access to services initiative area. He has a BS in accounting and business administration from Friends University and a MS in economic development from Eastern University. Most recently Lyle was coordinator for Renovaré, an internationally focused faith-based nonprofit that provides teaching on spiritual practices. His most recent board of directors involvement was with Pura Vida, a Colorado-based nonprofit that facilitates primary and secondary education opportunities in the highlands of western Guatemala.

Marely Martinez

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HNC Housing Coordinator

Mary Jo Vasquez

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Housing Coordinator

Melanie Woolman - CEO, President

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CEO
Member of the Executive Team
President

Melanie earned dual BA degrees in international relations and political science from Canisius College, a Jesuit institution, in Buffalo, New York. Before becoming the United Way of Weld County vice president of Community Impact and overseeing the programmatic life of the organization, she held other roles at United Way, beginning with a year of service as an AmeriCorps member focusing on community-wide capacity building to end homelessness in Weld County. Melanie is a regional and state-wide leader in addressing and preventing homelessness, including leading the process of founding the federally-recognized Northern Colorado Continuum of Care for Weld and Larimer counties. She embraces the Jesuit ideal of being "men and women for and with others" and embodies it in her day-to-day work. Get to know Melanie by watching this interview.

Michael Mathews

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Member of the Board of Directors
Chairman - Elect Jeff Carlson - Vice Chair

Michelle Trevino

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Connecting Weld Coordinator

Nate Taverner

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Vice President of Individual Giving

Nate Taverner, Vice President of Individual Giving, brings over 15 years of experience in building strong communities and meaningful relationships across both the business and nonprofit sectors. With a deep passion for connecting people and creating spaces where collaboration thrives, Nate is excited to engage with like-minded leaders who share a vision for a stronger, more vibrant Weld County. He believes that real change happens through authentic relationships-and he's always eager to start a conversation that could lead to something meaningful.