BOARD & STAFF
BOARD MEMBERS
Don Stephens - President, general representative, Salida (until 2024)
Natural Habitats - Project Manager
Don has worked in a wide variety of professions and has a degree in Natural Resource management. Don has served as chair of the Salida Planning Commission and Mayor of the City of Salida. Don's current job as a project manager for a major developer in Salida.
Ken Matthews - Vice-President, general representative, Salida (until 2027)
Retired attorney
A recent arrival to our community, Ken has chosen to dedicate his energy and passion to an organization that he sees as essential to the integrity of our community. He brings his professional legal expertise as well as a keen interest in local housing policy. Ken is a great asset for the CHT working with our land-lease and other critical legal documents, as well as public interaction with elected officials.
Greg Follet - Treasurer, government representative, Salida (until 2024)
Fish Builders - Owner
With a degree in construction management and over 25 years of experience, Greg has established himself as a quality home builder using innovative green and sustainable construction techniques. Greg was recently President of Chaffee County Homebuilders Association and currently serves on the Salida Planning Commission. He is a founding member of the CHT Board (2007).
Noah Sosin - government representative, Leadville, (until 2025)
Lake County Build a Generation - Resilient Lake County Manager
Noah works with the residents of Lake County’s manufactured home communities to foster civic engagement and empower the residents to advocate for their rights as tenants. He is also a co-facilitator of the Access to Care work group that strives to improve the conditions of healthcare access for all residents of the County. He has Masters degrees in Public Health and Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Keith Baker - government representative, Buena Vista (until 2026)
Retired US Navy Commander, current County Commissioner
Keith's recent election to County Commissioner prompted him to volunteer to bring a government perspective to the CHT as he campaigned on affordable housing as a top issue. His experience as a small business owner and Trustee with the Town of Buena Vista also informs his views.
Savanna Klimesh - CHT homeowner representative, Salida, (until 2025)
Exercise Physiologist, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC), Adjunct Instructor, Colorado Mountain College (CMC)
Savanna has a background in Health Promotion and Education and works on health and wellness initiatives for HRRMC employees and Chaffee County Residents. She is also involved with Colorado Mountain College and works as an adjunct instructor. With her background in Public Health she understands how affordable housing affects the future of Chaffee County and its residents.
Cheryl Kovacic-Brown, Ph.D,
Salida City Councilperson
Cheryl’s academic background as an education consultant, evaluator and New Mexico Public Education Department Director lends to her deep analysis of the issues. She has long been a supporter of affordable housing, having served on the County Land Use Roundtable and Salida Planning Commission before being elected to City Council where she continues to work for constituents who cannot afford current housing.
Alex Restrepo - CHT homeowner representative, Salida (until 2023)
Pure Greens - Lead Production Technician
Alex worked in multiple restaurants in Salida with quite the following of loyal customers. Her dream was to own her home, now realized. Her advocacy for affordable home ownership is fierce, as is her Colombian-American pride. She brings the lived experience of making this community her own.
Christine Engle - CHT homeowner representative, Salida (until 2021)
Salida Family Medicine - Administrator
Christine’s goal of providing her son with a place to call home in town was recently accomplished. Her awareness of the needs of local workforce compelled her to join the Board to see what she could do to give back by representing them.
ADVISORY BOARD
Eileen Rogers
Retired teacher, former Salida City Council Member
Eileen has been involved in affordable housing dating back to the mid-80's. She participated in Colorado Springs Habitat for Humanity’s creation and their first home construction. Eileen was part of the original team that created Greccio Housing, serving on their Board of Directors for several years. As an elected official, Eileen championed affordable housing efforts in Salida and Chaffee County.
Earl Pfeiffer
Realtor, retired Executive Director, Florida Home Partnership
As a 20-year veteran of a large-scale nonprofit affordable home ownership program, Earl knows the field, the lenders, and the policymakers. He brings decades of experience in the industry, a wealth of wisdom and a critical eye for detail. Currently, Earl is a part-time realtor, enjoying not being in charge.
STAFF
Read McCulloch - Executive Director
With 27 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Read has worked in large national and small local organizations in a variety of capacities. He was an Echoing Green Fellow and obtained his master's degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University as a Colorado Trust Fellow. In 2008, Read led the creation and development of the Chaffee Housing Trust and has served as ED since.
Claudia Palzkill - Homeownership Program Director
With over 10 years of hospitality experience in operations and human resources, Claudia brings a passion for customer service, training and personal development. Originally from Peru; Claudia lived in Jackson, WY from 2007 to 2018. Claudia’s interpretation and translation skills are a critical component of the management team as the main contact for all Spanish speaking clients.
Sean Romero - Director of Finance & Development
Sean brings a breadth of experience in business development, expansion strategies, and project management, as well as financial analysis and consulting. With bilingual English-Spanish fluency, he's worked in both the U.S. and Mexico in food & beverage, hospitality, as well as education and sales. His talents round out the team as the organization expands and scales.
