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Pikes Peak Regional Council

Focus Area

The Pikes Peak Regional Council has focused on veterans’ homelessness for the past four years. After funding five organizations in 2019 that serve veterans’ homelessness, the Council decided to formalize it as a focus area and recommend multi-year grants to three organizations addressing the issue. Additionally, the Council allocates part of its funding on emergent community needs such as youth mental health and education.
Serving El Paso, Teller Counties

Click to enlarge the map.

Region Facts
Population
763,454
Major Cities
Colorado Springs, Cripple Creek, Manitou Springs, Monument, Woodland Park, Victor
Median Household Income
$79,017
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
High School Graduation Rate
75.3%
Industries
Aerospace, technology, military, mining, recreation, and tourism

Data is sourced from the KidsCount! Database and the US Census Bureau.

Meet Our Regional Council Members

Along with council members, regional councils are supported by El Pomar Trustees, staff, and Fellows

William J. Hybl Chair Emeritus, El Pomar Foundation
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William J. Hybl is Chair Emeritus and charter member of the board of Trustees of El Pomar Foundation, after serving 30 years as Chairman and CEO. In 2008 Hybl was confirmed by the United States Senate as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Public Diplomacy, a position he was appointed to by President George W. Bush. He was reappointed by President Barack Obama on June 2, 2011 and currently serves as Vice Chairman.

He serves as Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Endowment and is President Emeritus of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). He served twice as President, when he led the U.S. Olympic Team Delegations at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France, and the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. In 1998, he again led the U.S. Team at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and, in 2000, at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2000-2002. He has also been engaged in a variety of public service activities. Hybl is Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (Senior).

In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Hybl as U.S. Representative to the 56th General Assembly of the United Nations. He serves as vice chair for the Fund for American Studies. In addition, Hybl was Chairman of the Board of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) from 2003-2009 and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus. He was named Citizen of the West by the National Western Stock Show of Denver in 2003. He is vice chair of the Colorado State Fair Foundation.

Hybl is a graduate of Colorado College and earned his juris doctor at the University of Colorado School of Law. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1972 and was Special Counsel to President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He was married to Kathleen Horrigan for 56 years until her recent passing. They have two sons, B.J. and Kyle, and six grandchildren.

Colonel Gail Colvin, Retired, USAF Trustee, El Pomar Foundation
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Colonel (Ret) Gail Benjamin Colvin is the Director of Staff of the United States Air Force Academy. Her 30 year military career is marked by diversified leadership experience in a wide variety of disciplines including joint military doctrine, research and development, and weapon systems acquisition. She has commanded the fifth Mission Support Squadron, the fifth Services Squadron and the 49th Mission Support Group. Colonel Colvin has held a variety of positions at the Joint Staff Headquarters United States Air Force and major command levels. She served as the Chief of Joint Doctrine for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, she headed the U.S. delegation to the NATO subcommittee on Allied Joint doctrine and chaired the NATO Joint Warfighting Interoperability subcommittee. In her terminal assignment, she served as USAFA’s Vice Commandant for culture and climate.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Gail graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy as a member of the first coed class in 1980. She earned a master's of business administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from Air War College and is a certified level 3 acquisition professional.

Lance F. Bolton, Ph.D. President, Pikes Peak State College
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Dr. Lance Bolton is the seventh President of Pikes Peak Community College. Before working in higher education, Lance gained extensive professional experience in technical support and sales as well as research and development as a Global Director on Research and Development for DuPont Qualicon. Lance was President of Northeastern Junior College from 2006-2011. Lance served on the Governor’s Green Jobs Council and the Colorado Children’s Campaign. He has been a board member for nonprofit organizations including the Economic Development Corporation, Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado and Center for Social Impact.

Lance earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting, and master’s and doctorate degrees in food science and technology from the University of Georgia.

Jordan Bridwell Founder & President, Gather Innovation
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Jordan Bridwell is the founder and president of Gather Innovation, a social impact consulting firm where she works with NGOs, nonprofits, foundations, and businesses to create new programs and products that delight those they serve.

Originally from Abilene, Texas, Jordan began her career as a special education teacher, then fell in love with the west while participating in El Pomar’s fellowship program
Following the Fellowship, Jordan worked in South Africa, then as Development Director at Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity before serving at Compassion International as an innovation and program leader for twelve years. Jordan received her bachelor of arts in sociology from Southern Methodist University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Jeff Crank Regional Director, Americans for Prosperity
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Jeff is a Regional Director at Americans for Prosperity, a grassroots free-market, free enterprise organization. Jeff also hosts The Jeff Crank Show, a conservative talk podcast. He also owns a real estate investment company in Colorado.

From 2013 until 2016 Crank was the President of Aegis Strategic, a political consulting company. He previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of Americans for Prosperity and is the former Colorado State Director of the organization. He was a candidate for U.S. Congress in the 5th Congressional District Republican Primary in 2008 and 2006.  Jeff has served as Vice President, Government Sales for XAware Corporation, a data integration company and previously served as the Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs for the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Jeff served on the Washington staff of U.S. Congressman Joel Hefley from 1991-1998 where he focused on military issues and served as the Administrative Director. During this time he helped author several pieces of legislation including the Military Family Housing Privatization Act and legislation to stop the transfer of U.S. missile technology to China.

Bob Gardner Colorado State Senator, District 12
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State Senator Bob Gardner was elected in 2016 to serve Senate District 12. In the Colorado State Senate, Senator Gardner served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2017-18 and is currently the Ranking Minority Member on that committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Legal Services and served on the Senate Education and Local Government Committees during the 2017-18 term of the General Assembly. Senator Gardner previously served four terms in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2007-2014. As a House member, Senator Gardner chaired the House Judiciary Committee and served on the Local Government and Appropriations committees.
Senator Gardner is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and received his J.D. from the University of Texas in 1981, later earning his Masters of Law from the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Senator Gardner retired from the Air Force Reserve in 1998 completing 22 years of active duty and reserve service. Senator Gardner has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and continues to practice law in Colorado Springs.

Reggie Graham Director of Risk Management, Navigators
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Reggie Graham serves as the Director, Risk Management for The Navigators.

Prior to joining The Navigators, Reggie spent twelve years as a licensed commercial insurance broker working with all types of businesses across the Pikes Peak region. He is also a retired Air Force officer. During his years of service, Reggie held various leadership roles and specialized in Intercontinental Ballistic Missile training and operations.

In addition, Reggie is highly dedicated to serving within the community. As such, he has sat on several nonprofit governing boards focusing on mental health and healthcare in El Paso County. In 2016, he was appointed to the Colorado Springs Planning Commission and spent six years focusing on land use matters.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from The Citadel and his MBA from Central Michigan University.
Reggie is married and has one adult daughter, and a young son with his wife, Yolanda.

Norm Steen District Director for Congressman Lamborn
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Norm Steen formerly served as a County Commissioner for Teller County CO, first elected in 2012. Prior to that, he was president of a transportation services company serving a 5-State region, moving business headquarters from Kansas to Woodland Park CO in 1998. Among his significant work as a County Commissioner, he was the former Chair of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, former state Co-Chair of the Works Allocation Committee with oversight of distribution of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds; chair of the transportation and telecommunications legislative steering committee at Colorado Counties Inc.; and Pikes Peak area representative to CDOT Statewide Transportation Advisory Committee. He also serves on national advisory committees for transportation and veterans affairs. After serving 32 years with the United States Army on active duty and with the Army National Guard, Norm retired in 2010 at the rank of brigadier general.

Norm holds a Bachelor of Science in economics, a Master of Public Administration, and a Master of Strategic Studies.

Ann Winslow Owner, Winslow BMW
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Ann Winslow, co-owner of Winslow BMW with her husband, Phil Winslow, is a longtime resident and business leader in Colorado Springs. Originally moving to the Pikes Peak region to be a teacher, Ann later joined the business community as Executive Director of the Colorado Springs Automobile Dealers Association from 1992-2013. In addition, she led the Colorado Springs Executives Association from 1995-2008. Ann has made notable contributions to the community, including service on the Boards of Directors of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs, and others. She participated in El Pomar Foundation’s Award for Excellence Nomination Committee, was named a Colorado Springs Business Journal Woman of Influence in 2016, and received the UCCS Lifetime Entrepreneurship Award in 2020. Ann holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Texas at Austin.

Stella Hodgkins Senior Vice President & Elevating Leadership Development Program Officer, El Pomar Foundation
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Stella Hodgkins is Senior Vice President and Elevating Leadership Development Program Officer for El Pomar Foundation. In this role, Stella directs the Elevating Leadership Development (ELD) program and serves as the senior staff member for the Pikes Peak Regional Council.

Stella currently serves on the 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission, and as a board member of Peak Vista Community Health Centers and Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership. She was recognized as a 2018 Builder Member of the Year by the Colorado Springs Housing & Building Association, 2019 Woman of Influence by the Colorado Springs Business Journal, 2022 El Paso County Public Health Champion, and is a graduate of Leadership Denver 2016 and Colorado Springs Leadership Institute 2018.

Stella earned a bachelor of fine arts from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design, and worked professionally in architecture and interior design, sustainability consulting, and corporate citizenship prior to joining the Foundation.

Abigail Hernandez Senior Program Associate, El Pomar Foundation
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Abigail Hernandez joined El Pomar Foundation as a Fellow in July 2022. Her programs include Alumni Relations, Elevating Leadership Development, New Fellow Orientation, Sally Beck Fund, and Southeast Colorado Springs Initiative. She also serves as the 2nd Year Fellow for the Pikes Peak and Northwest Regions.

Abigail grew up in Round Lake, Illinois. She graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minors in education and linguistics. Abigail’s study of psychology informed her passion for understanding socioeconomic factors within eating disorders. During her time at Colorado College, Abigail was a Resident Advisor, a member of President’s Council, and both the Philanthropy Director and the Vice President of External Affairs for her sorority Kappa Alpha Theta. Abigail has always had a passion for philanthropic endeavors; she spent much of her time in college working to support both CASA of the Pikes Peak Region and CASA of the Lake County Area. Abigail has engaged with her community through supporting and promoting CASA of the Pikes Peak Region, a nonprofit dedicated to providing a voice in court for children who are victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic conflict. CASA promotes community awareness of such issues to ensure permanent, safe, and loving homes.

In her free time, Abigail can typically be found playing fetch with her dog, Finnegan, spending time with friends, or baking banana bread.

Carlos Buendia Sevilla Program Associate, El Pomar Foundation
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Carlos Buendia Sevilla joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the Fellowship class of 2023. As a 1st Year Fellow, Carlos serves as a program associate for Pikes Peak Heritage Series, Alumni Relations, Fellowship Recruiting, and Western Legislative Academy. He also supports the Pikes Peak and Southwest regions.

Carlos grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He graduated from Georgetown University in May 2023 with a degree in Government and Philosophy.

Carlos has greatly enjoyed service-based opportunities such as interning for Senator Michael Bennet and Congressman Jason Crow, as well as helping bring English tutoring to recent immigrants in Washington D.C. through Georgetown’s DC Schools Project. He was a part of Georgetown’s Community Scholars Program and the Georgetown Scholars Programs, which included serving as a student peer mentor to provide support for first generation college students. With experience working for nonprofit organizations such as Food to Power in Colorado Springs and the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in Washington D.C., Carlos is looking forward to learning about the grantmaking side of the nonprofit sector.

In his free time, Carlos enjoys exploring the great Colorado outdoors, rock climbing, and spending time with family.

More on grant making

Grant Making

Beyond Regional Partnerships, El Pomar contributes over $25 million to nonprofits and government equivalents across Colorado through our grant making efforts each year. We have a broad grant making scope with greatest focus in the areas of arts & culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health, and human services.

Regional Partnerships

More than 70 leaders from across Colorado serve on El Pomar’s 11 regional councils, which identify and address local needs in their communities. Since 2003, the councils have recommended grants totaling more than $25 million.