San Luis Valley Regional Council

Andrea Aragon is Executive Director of the Robert Hoag Rawlings Foundation. Andrea was appointed by Governor Bill Ritter to serve on the Caring for Colorado Board of Trustees and was reappointed for a second term by Governor John Hickenlooper. Prior to this service, she was appointed by Governor Owens to serve on the College Invest Board. Andrea has received honors for her community involvement by the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation, the YWCA and the Pueblo City/County Library. Andrea received the 2015 Charles W. Crews Business Leader of the Year Award from the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, and in 2016 Andrea was presented with the President’s Medallion for Distinguished Alumni Achievement from Colorado State University – Pueblo.

She is a member of US Bank Pueblo Community Advisory Board, the GCC Rio Grande Corporate Advisory Board, the Colorado Nonprofit Association Board, and was recently named to the Colorado State University – Pueblo President’s Advisory Board.

Born and raised in the Mosca-Hooper area of the San Luis Valley, Lori graduated from Sangre de Cristo High School. Attending the then University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo (now CSU-Pueblo), she received her bachelor’s in sociology, later attending the University of Houston for a master’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in medical sociology.

Lori’s working career has always been in business management and she owned a successful business for 12 years. She also managed the Mineral County Dental Clinic, where working part-time allowed her time to serve the community in a variety of volunteer positions. Lori’s volunteer groups include the Victims Assistance and Law Enforcement Board (VALE), Victims Assistance Board, Ladies Aid Society and the Mineral County Action Coalition. Lori is also an elected City Trustee for Creede.

Jason C. Medina is currently the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley and is a fourth generation San Luis native. After graduating from Adams State University, Jason moved to Greeley to work with adjudicated youth with the Division of Youth Corrections, and then moved back to Alamosa in 2000. He served as a Youth and Adult Protection Caseworker with Costilla County Department of Social Services for three years, and worked the next six years in public education, was the first Dean of Students for Centennial School District R-1, spent the next 10 years working in public housing, and left there as the Assistant Director for the Costilla County Housing Authority. He also spent six years in local government, including as the Land Use Administrator and Deputy Emergency Manager in Costilla. Most recently, he served as the Director for the San Luis Valley Small Business Development Center. He also serves as the Treasurer of the Costilla County Fire Protection District Board, on the Board of Directors for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, and most recently was elected to serve on the TSC Advisory Council. He is the owner of a small business and continues to advocate for other small businesses.

Luis Murillo is the Assistant Superintendent of the Alamosa School District, where he focuses on promoting educational equity and access for all students. He began his career as a school counselor and spanish teacher at Ortega Middle School and later served as the principal of Skoglund Middle School for seven years, contributing to improvements in student engagement and academic performance.

Luis earned a double major in spanish and psychology and a master’s degree in counselor education from Adams State University as well his doctorate in educational leadership from the American College of Education. He is committed to creating opportunities for students and actively participates in initiatives connecting LatinX leaders across Colorado.

In addition to his role as Assistant Superintendent of the Alamosa School District, Luis is a member and co-chair of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) and a graduate of the SLA cohort 9. He aims to advance his impact in education and is dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to quality education and opportunities for success.

Karla Shriver served three terms as a Rio Grande County Commissioner. She is a Colorado native and earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture business at Colorado State University. She has a background in agriculture finance, farm/ranch real estate brokerage and farming. Karla raises over 900 acres of potatoes, small grains, and hay. She also oversees the management of a ranch along the Rio Grande river. She has served on numerous state and local business and civic boards including Adams State University, Great Outdoors Colorado, San Luis Valley Federal Bank and numerous water-related boards, including San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration, the Commonwealth Irrigation Board, and as legislative representative to the Rio Grande Basin Round Table.

Until her recent retirement, Pattie Swift served as a judge in the San Luis Valley for 31 years. She served as Costilla County Judge for 14 years beginning in 1989 and then was appointed as a District Judge for the 12th Judicial District (which encompasses the six counties of the San Luis Valley). In 2011, she was appointed Chief Judge for the Judicial District as well as Water Judge for Colorado’s Water Division No. 3. She was instrumental in creating the 12th Judicial District’s original Family Drug Treatment Court in 2006 and presided over that court until 2012. She served on the Colorado Judicial Department Bail and Pretrial Committee and on the 12th Judicial District Best Practices Court Team. She was chair of the Colorado Judicial Ethics Advisory Board for eight years and served on the Colorado Panel on Multi-District Litigation for over six years. She also served as a member of the Executive Oversight Committee for the Colorado Dependency and Neglect Statewide System Reform effort. She is currently vice-chair of the San Luis Valley Community Corrections Board on which she has served for more than 30 years and a member of the Board of Directors for CASA del Valle-a court-appointed special advocate program in the San Luis Valley.

Kathy Rogers is the former Mayor for the City of Alamosa, serving the community for 12 years as an elected official. She has served on many boards and commissions including the Colorado Municipal League Policy Board, Governors Rural Health Care Grants Council, American Red Cross (State and Local), Victims Compensation and Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. She formerly served on the Adams State University Board of Trustees as Vice Chairman and on its Foundation Board, Alamosa Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Committee for the San Luis Valley US Veterans Coalition. After previous service on the Board of Directors for RGS & L, Kathy was invited to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer. After spending a good part of her career in health care including nursing and as a hospital administrator for San Luis Valley Health, Kathy now serves as the Economic Development Director for the City of Alamosa.

Larry Zaragoza is currently serving as the Town Manager of La Jara. He has been involved in civic government since 2007. Larry is a retired educator and after 32 years of teaching and 45 years of coaching. Larry serves on the Board of Trustees for the Council of Governments, the Peyton Sanchez Pay it Forward Foundation, and San Luis Valley Development Resources Group. He is an advisor for San Luis Valley People First and chairman for Northerner’s Senior Citizen Board as well as the La Jara Glory Day’s committee. For his service and dedication to the youth of the San Luis Valley, Larry was awarded the Colorado Education Association’s John and Gladys Bates Humanitarian Award in 1992. In 2003, Larry was inducted into the Adams State University Athletic Hall of Fame; in 2008, he was inducted into the Colorado High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and most recently in 2016 into the Adams State University Educators Hall of Fame.

Chris Sohn began working at El Pomar in 2015 and currently serves as Vice President and Board Liaison. She also directs the Foundation’s Awards for Excellence program. Chris is the senior staff member for the Southeast Regional Council.

Chris serves on the Board of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Colorado and is the Executive Deputy Director of The Hundred Club of Colorado Springs.

An Air Force veteran, Chris served as an information management specialist during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Erin Huggins joined El Pomar Foundation as a Fellow in July 2023. As a 2nd Year Fellow, Erin works as a Senior Program Associate for Elevating Leadership Development, Fellowship Roundup, Investment Challenge, and Western Legislative Academy. She also supports the Metro and San Luis Valley regions.

Erin grew up in Newark, New Jersey and graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Education. During her time at CC, Erin worked at the Butler Center, the center for antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and as a student assistant at the Registrar’s office. Additionally, she was a member of the Cutthroat Rugby team, was the co-president of an affinity group for Black women on campus, and was involved with the Outdoor Education program as a trip leader. While studying Sociology, Erin deepened her understanding of the world around her and became fascinated by the social structures and systems that shape our society. These systems are far from perfect, which inspired her to get involved in nonprofit work and community service.

In her free time Erin likes to spend time with friends and family, mountain bike, journal, and play card games.

Arleth Rodrigues joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the Fellowship Class of 2024. As a 1st Year Fellow, Arleth serves as a Program Associate for American Council of Young Political Leaders, Investment Challenge, and Regional Partnerships. She also supports the Central Peaks and San Luis Valley Regional Councils.

Arleth grew up in Wyoming and graduated from Amherst College in May 2024 with a Bachelors’ Degree in Mathematics. Throughout her undergraduate career, she supported several nonprofit organizations and initiatives spanning various fields such as college access, ecology, healthcare, and translation services.  One of her most notable accomplishments was spearheading the initial blueprint of Amherst College’s first college access program for local high school students. Arleth conducted research and facilitated stakeholder conversations in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.

During a semester abroad in Ecuador, Arleth studied development, indigenous languages, and politics, culminating in a capstone research project analyzing the design and impact of the agroecological business project Mashpi Chocolate.

In her free time, Arleth loves biking, reflective journaling, and spending time with loved ones.