Our Staff
Emily Andrews
Program Associate
Emily carries out daily administrative functions. She provides assistance with operations, building maintenance, education programs, public policy, and public relations. She received the President's Student Service Award for her development work in a rural village in Bolivia through the program Amigos de las Américas, 2002. During the fall of 2005, she conducted qualitative research on social sustainability and organizational change in an organic fair-trade coffee cooperative in Oaxaca, Mexico. She facilitated conversation for Soliya's Connect Program, a web-dialogue class between Middle Eastern and American college students focusing on collaboration and looking beyond perceived divides, 2006. She worked as an Office Assistant for the corporate immigration law firm, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP, 2006-2007. Ms. Andrews graduated with honors from Tufts University in 2007 with a degree in Psychology.
Sarah Garrison
Operations Director
Sarah helps the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado team organize and complete tasks effectively, and develops systems to help the staff continue to work efficiently. She is primarily responsible for internal administrative operations, office oversight, and bookkeeping functions. She began working in local nonprofits in the fall of 1996. She has more than 10 years experience in the nonprofit sector, mostly in the operations management arena. She began her career at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, CO, and in the summer of 1999, was recruited by Colorado's Ocean Journey to assist with its grand opening. While there, she received the President's Award for outstanding performance and exemplary customer service. Upon learning that the Aquarium would close, Sarah took a position with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association where she worked in program development for 4 years. Sarah has consulted for local cultural nonprofits and spoken at several local and national conferences on topics such as client relations, staff development and retention, and program management.
Nichole Goodman
Policy Director
Nichole directs policy for the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado; policies which promote the triple bottom line and advance sustainability. Her background includes extensive public policy work for state-based and national grassroots organizations; including coordinating a statewide campaign to facilitate voter education and increase public participation in the political process regarding land use and development in Colorado. Her career also includes several business development and marketing positions in the finance industry where she gained valuable experience in the business sector. Nichole devotes much of her free time to volunteering for organizations which share her passion for preserving the economic, social and environmental prosperity of Colorado. At the University of Colorado – Boulder, she earned her BA in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on decision making, planning and public policy.
Joanne Keys
Executive Director
As Executive Director, Joanne is responsible for the overall mission and success of the organization. She brings over 20 years of management and executive level experience in the business and technology sectors, including as a Vice President with American Management Systems (a Fortune 500 company) and, most recently, as the President of NANA Pacific (an Alaskan-native owned technology corporation). She has spent many years managing multi-continental/multi-cultural projects and businesses, and looks forward to helping the Alliance incorporate a broader business perspective into the sustainability arena.
Ms. Keys has always had a passion for the environment, having served for many years in volunteer wildland firefighting and in Search and Rescue in remote locations. This includes over six years in Antarctica supporting the US Antarctic Program’s scientific missions. These experiences solidified her passion for the environment and for planetary sustainability. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech.
Nathan Moore
Facilities Manager
Manages daily operations of the Alliance Center including tenant requests, IT supervision, capital improvements, and shared services. Mr. Moore is working on LEED accreditation and is involved in all aspects of the high-performance green building movement. After graduating from college, he continued his work with the University of Colorado Solar Decathlon project, which went on to win 1st place in Washington, DC. Born and raised in an off-grid house in New England, Nathan has been involved in all stages and many varieties of residential construction. From August 2006 - May 2007, he helped repair and sail a 40-foot boat from Maine to Grenada. Summer 2007 was spent installing solar electric (PV) panels on homes, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity where he helped build several houses from start to finish. He received his degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on Environmental Construction Technology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, 2004.
Aaron Nelson
Project Director
Oversees operations of the Alliance Center including telecom and IT infrastructure, website maintenance, and green building technical support. Mr. Nelson is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional for Existing Buildings, April 2006, and New Construction, October 2006. He earned a Denver Green Building Program Certificate in December 2005. Aaron was University of Puget Sound's Community Coordinator, serving as a liaison between students, professional staff, and the community, 2001 - 2003. Additional experience: Social Coordinator and Assistant, Todd Stevens & Associates, where he independently programmed leisure activities for cognitively challenged clients and assisted with their volunteer work, summer 2000; and deckhand aboard the Dream Maid & The Adventurer, fall 1998. Awards: Two-time recipient of the University Leadership Award, 2001, 2002; Undergraduate thesis presenter at the Pacific Sociologists of America Conference, 2003; "Top-Five" presenter at the Northwest Residence Life Leadership Conference, 2003; Summer Research Grant recipient, Archaeological Study Abroad, Greece, summer 2002; President of Residence Hall Association, 2000; Education: BA in Comparative Sociology, University of Puget Sound, May 2003, Thesis: "HIV Storytelling - Experience, Narration and Salvation."
Jason Page
Program Assistant
Bio Coming Soon!
Alexis Riccio
Development Associate
Alexis assists the Development Department in cultivating donor, foundation, corporate and general community support for Alliance for Sustainable Colorado. She has over 10 years experience working in the nonprofit sector, including 6 years experience working with the international nonprofit, WVSA arts connection, and 4 years with the School for Arts in Learning, PCS. Alexis graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in English-Creative Writing from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2007. Born and raised in the heart of the District of Columbia, Alexis has a passion for travel writing; she has lived in Italy, France and Scotland and has traveled throughout Europe and Central America. She speaks four different languages including English, Spanish, French and Italian, and is diligently learning Portuguese. On the side, Alexis volunteers with the WINGS Foundation, which serves survivors of childhood sexual abuse, as a weekly group facilitator.
Kendra Sandoval
Outreach Director
Kendra researches current movements in the field of sustainability and oversees event coordination. A native Denverite, she has served diverse communities of people for over fifteen years through teaching, and social justice and environmental activism. Her experience includes: The design and implementation of math, language arts, special education, and leadership curriculums for middle school and high school students; instruction of developmentally and physically challenged populations ranging in age from 5-90 years old; ownership and management of a small mountain business; Northwest Community Liaison for Mayor Webb (Denver); and an internship with Greenprint Denver, Mayor Hickenlooper's sustainability initiative. She has traveled and studied in Israel, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Vermont. She has a BA in Theatre from University of Colorado Denver, 1997, and an MA in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University, 2005.
Janna L. Six
Education Director
Oversees educational and collaborative programs. Ms. Six has been the Coordinator of numerous environmental education programs and nonprofit operations including: environmental education consultant, 2000-2002; chair of the Sierra Club Poudre Canyon Group in Larimer County, 1998-2002; assistant director, nonprofit office manager, and administrator of programs, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, 1997-1999; development assistant, Colorado Environmental Coalition, 1996-1997; volunteer organizer for annual conferences, Environmental Grantmakers Association, 1989-1994; grants administration consultant, Educational Foundation of America, 1988-1995; office manager for multi-faceted business interests for J.P. Powers and Company, 1988-1995; U.S. Peace Corps volunteer teacher, Dominica, West Indies, 1985-1987; middle school reading instructor, Fitzsimmons Middle School, Park County, CO, 1979-1985. Education: MS Environmental Education, Colorado State University, 1999; BS K-8 Teaching Certificate with Honors, University of Colorado at Denver, 1978.
Natalie Spohrer
Project Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon!
David Yeager
Research and Writing Coordinator
Bio Coming Soon!
Anna Zawisza
Project Coordinator
Anna assists the Board President and Founder as well as the staff with short and long term projects which advance the mission of the Alliance. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Anna spent 12 years in the student loan industry, most recently at Axiom Management Group as the Corporate Development Officer. In that role she was responsible for responding to Requests for Proposal, developing standardized internal policies and procedures, managing trading partner relationships and managing all projects which increased Axiom’s revenue stream. Before Axiom, she spent five years with InTuition/Nelnet in the roles of Marketing Officer, Marketing Manager and Campus Director. Anna earned her B.S. in Management Science at SUNY Geneseo in 1994 and completed her M.B.A at Webster University in 2003. She studied abroad at Oxford University, New College and has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe.
