Southeast Region
Counties: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo
Cities: La Junta, Lamar, Pueblo, Trinidad, Walsenburg
The Southeast Regional Council focuses its funding on youth mental health and emergent needs. For the past two years, the Council focused on communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, the Council decided to recommend funding to organizations that provide preventative programming for youth and counseling services throughout the region.
Meet Our Regional Council Members
William J. Hybl is Chairman 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. Hybl is President Emeritus of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). He served twice as President; when he led the United States 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.
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 is married to Kathleen Horrigan and they have two sons, B.J. and Kyle, and six grandchildren.
William J. Hybl
Chairman, El Pomar Foundation
Dennis Maes sits on the District 60 Board of Education and is the former Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial District. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he was Director of the Pueblo County Legal Services and a Deputy State Public Defender. He was a past member of the Pueblo Regional Planning Commission and the Board of Directors for Eastside Child Care Center.
Dennis received his undergraduate degree from Southern Colorado State College and his law degree from the University of Colorado.
The Honorable Dennis Maes
Trustee Emeritus, El Pomar Foundation
Dr. Alvarez currently serves as the fifth president of Otero College in La Junta, CO. In this role, he is a member of the Southeast Sub Area Workforce Board, Southeast Colorado Business Retention Expansion and Attraction board, the Koshare Museum Board, District Advisory Council for La Junta School District, the Main Street Colorado (La Junta) board, SETran Regional Coordinating Council and Leadershape Board of Trustees.
As a first-generation college student, he received an associate degree from Western Nebraska Community College, a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Bellevue University, a master’s degree at Chadron State College in Education with a major in Developmental Counseling and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
He is an avid reader and enjoys golf and physical fitness. Dr. Alvarez has been married for thirty-five years to Lori. They have three adult children: Joshua and wife Jordie (grandson Reese); Jason and wife Yary; Tiffany and husband Trey (grandsons Walter and Oliver).
Dr. Timothy Alvarez
President, Otero College
Melanie Bravo is the Vice President of Philanthropy at Caring for Colorado Foundation, where she leads the foundation’s grantmaking and nonprofit capacity building efforts in Pueblo and manages statewide initiatives directed to adolescent populations. Before joining the Foundation, Melanie spent 10 years in the Boys & Girls Club movement—first as the President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County and then as the Director of Organizational Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Early in her career, Melanie served as a Fellow and then Director of Programs at El Pomar Foundation. In this role, she worked on the Foundation’s regional grant making and leadership development programs. Melanie was born and raised in Pueblo, Colo., and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico.
Melanie Bravo
Vice President of Philanthropy, Caring for Colorado Foundation
Mike Cafasso has served as Chief Executive Office at St. Mary-Corwin since January 2018, after serving as the Vice President of Operations since March 2011. Mike is a strong supporter of the Pueblo community, having been named the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2018.
Prior to joining St. Mary-Corwin, Mike served as Colorado President for the American Bank of Commerce. He also led Pueblo Bank and Trust as President and CEO with their expansion into several Colorado markets. Mike has an extensive background in customer service programming and developing innovative practices. He has completed programs at the Disney Institute, Ritz Carlton, Nordstrom, Lands’ End, and the Center for Creative Leadership. He is a current board member for the Association for Managers of Innovation.
As an active supporter of Colorado communities, Mike has served on the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board, co-chaired Access Denver, Girl Scouts of Colorado, and Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado Boards. He currently serves as an elected member of the Board of Water Works of Pueblo and recently served as a Colorado State Fair Commissioner.
A Massachusetts native, Mike originally relocated to Colorado to attend Colorado State University-Pueblo.
Mike Cafasso
Chief Executive Officer, St. Mary-Corwin
Gina M. Cimino serves as President and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Mt. Carmel of Colorado, a 501(c)(3) non-profit which operates two campuses – Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center in Trinidad and Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center in Colorado Springs. She also serves as President and Broker for Kip Hampden, LLLP and as Vice Chair of the Phil Long Dealerships Board. Gina spent 18 years in the advertising industry starting as an administrative assistant while still in college and advancing through media buyer to account executive to Vice President with Graham Advertising, a Colorado based company. In 2009, Gina obtained her real estate license, where she specialized in business properties by joining Kip Hampden as a property manager and broker. Her responsibilities in this capacity include real estate owned by the Phil Long Dealership Group.
Being part of a philanthropic family has always inspired Gina to give back to her community. She has participated and volunteered in varied activities including those by The National Charity League, Newborn Hope, Boys and Girls Club, Care and Share, National Cancer Society, and a multitude of fundraising and support activities for St. Paul Catholic Church, Pauline Memorial Catholic School and St. Mary’s High School. Gina, a Colorado native, graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She has three daughters and loves outdoor activities.
Gina Cimino
President, Mt. Carmel Health, Wellness and Community Center
Kim MacDonnell is a Bent County Commissioner, serving her second term. Kim is a fifth generation Bent County resident and is dedicated to serving Bent County and the region. Her experience in economic development as manager of a sole-practitioner law firm, and her love for her community have equipped her to be attuned to needs and to identify resources to help meet them. Kim is passionate about supporting children and youth, helping people out of poverty and homelessness, and about business development and job creation and retention in Southeast Colorado. In addition to involvement in local boards and initiatives, Kim serves on the Advisory Board for the Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community, is a member of the Colorado Rural Workforce Consortium, and was appointed in January 2021 to the State Board of Human Services. Kim enjoys long walks, hiking and climbing, and being creative in the kitchen. She enjoys travelling and loves being at home with her husband, Mark, and their Silver Lab, Hazel.
Kim MacDonnell
County Commissioner, Bent County
Senior Staff, Southeast Region
Contact Chris:
719-577-5763
Chris Sohn
Vice President of Foundation Support, El Pomar Foundation
Contact Emma:
719-577-7071
Emma Mantooth
Program Director, El Pomar Foundation
Contact Ben:
719-577-7033
Ben Garfield
Program Associate, El Pomar Foundation