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Meet Our Staff (en Español)

Stacie Gilmore, Executive Director

Stacie Gilmore is a life-long resident of Colorado, born and raised in Brush, Colo. She graduated from Brush High School in 1988, and earned a Bachelors of Science degree in zoology and chemistry from Metropolitan State College of Denver in 1994. In December 2003, she graduated from Regis University with a Masters degree in non-profit management as a Colorado Trust Fellow. She has been involved in environmental and conservation education since 1990 and has worked for the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

Currently, Stacie serves on the Far Northeast Denver Business Association and the Montbello 20/20 Board of Directors. Previously she served on the Stapleton Citizen Advisory Board and the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education Awards Committee. Stacie, Scott and their three children reside in the Montbello community of Denver and she is often in the field, leading ELK programs.

Contact Stacie at sgilmore@elkkids.org or 303-371-8658.

Kimberly Weiss, Education Coordinator

Kim received her Master of Arts in environmental education and conservation from Rowan University, in Glassboro, NJ in May 2004. Previously, she was an Angler Education Assistant for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Before moving to Colorado, Kim was a camp director for YMCA Camp Onyahsa in western New York. There she was responsible for directing all programs as well as supervising staff. As a part of her Masters thesis she developed a year-round environmental education program for Camp Onyahsa. She implemented the program during the summer of 2004. Kim maintains her First Aid/CPR for the professional rescuer certification.

Contact Kim at kweiss@elkkids.org or 303-291-7554.

Deborah Purce, Education Coordinator

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Deborah earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and Latin American studies from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR and a Master of Science degree in marine biology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. For the past 10 years she has been involved in research, management, and education related to marine science and natural resources, including spending a year conducting research on marine protected areas as a Fulbright Scholarship recipient to Chile where her passion for hiking in the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina foreshadowed her love for Colorado’s magnificent Rocky Mountains. Deborah’s personal identity as a “scientist,” “global citizen,” “social justice advocate,” and “western woman of color” make her particularly passionate about ELK’s mission and very excited for this opportunity to serve Denver’s diverse community of young people.

 

Liberty Shellman, Resource Development Assistant

Liberty received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Metropolitan State College of Denver. She is still actively involved in making art and has exhibited her work at Emmanuel Gallery, Boxcar Gallery and the Center for Visual Art. In addition to art and design, Liberty also loves camping and hiking. Prior to joining the ELK team, Liberty worked with Lifeline Puppy Rescue as their Art Director and continues to volunteer with their organization as well as the Denver Botanic Gardens and Post Art School.


Contact Liberty at lshellman@elkkids.org or 303-291-7553.

Syrena Johnson, Bilingual Student Coordinator

Syrena, a Colorado native, missed the Rocky Mountains too much and decided to return to Colorado after spending 11 years on the east coast. She received her Bachelors of Science from the Pennsylvania State University in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. In the near future, Syrena will pursue a Master of Science in conservation biology. Prior to joining ELK, she was gaining various science-based experiences, including international internships in Greenland, China, and Spain. In her free time, Syrena enjoys outdoor recreational activities, photography, scrapbooking, and knitting. Yes, knitting!

Contact Syrena at sjohnson@elkkids.org or 303-291-7693.