leadership
Colorado is not just where we live. It is who we are.
Protect & Elevate
From the mountains to the plains, our board reflects the spirit and pride that define Colorado. We understand that litter prevention and beautification are more than cleanup efforts. They are culture shaping work that strengthens communities, protects our landscapes, and inspires long term civic pride.
FOUNDING BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Jenifer is the President of Keep Colorado Beautiful. With almost 20 years of experience in programs, policy and community engagement in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West, Jenifer brings a depth of expertise and relationships that drive results.
Throughout her career, Jenifer has prioritized community and industry engagement with extensive board work. Currently, she serves as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Recycle Colorado, Member of the Board of Directors for Circular Colorado Boards of the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, A Precious Child, and Circular Action Alliance in Colorado.
Jenifer Freeman
President
Nicolas Wilson is a Colorado based environmental leader with deep roots in the energy and waste management industries and a strong commitment to stewardship, civic pride, and community impact. His connection to Colorado runs generations deep, with family ties to both Colorado State University and University of Colorado. He lives in Fort Collins with his family and brings an entrepreneurial, hands on approach to advancing practical environmental solutions across the state.
Nicolas is the Founder of Keep Colorado Beautiful, a statewide nonprofit focused on building a stronger culture of responsibility and action around Colorado’s environment. Inspired by the ethic behind Don’t Mess with Texas and the beautification legacy of Lady Bird Johnson, he founded KCOB to help communities turn care into measurable impact. The organization also honors his mother’s memory and her deep love for the West, making the work both personal and purposeful.
NicOLAS Wilson
Vice President & Board Chair
Accomplished senior advisor with decades of success driving transformation for global multi-nationals at Deloitte. I’m now focused on empowering the next generation of innovators. My expertise in strategy, digital transformation, inorganic growth and organizational effectiveness is now dedicated to leveraging A.I. and Big Data to drive growth and profitability.
Kevin Lyons
Vice Chair of the Board
Kevin Lyons serves as President of FoodBridge after 5 years with BlueSky as Chief Strategy Officer. Kevin is passionate about solving tough challenges and transforming complexity into opportunity. Whether revitalizing brands, launching innovative platforms, or scaling new revenue streams, he thrives on turning ambitious ideas into measurable results. His superpower has been processing complex data and information to craft strategies that empower teams to perform at their best.
John Powers
TREASURER OF THE BOARD
John's career spans over two decades of industry experience dedicated to innovative design solutions for waste infrastructure challenges and industry compliance. He has a proven track record of successfully working with communities and industry partners alike to balance their environmental goals and operational needs. He has hands on experience for landfills, transfer stations, material recovery facilities, recycling and compost.
John Briest
SECRETARY OF THE board
Alicia Archibald has been developing partnerships and assisting communities throughout Colorado for over 25 years. Alicia’s love for people and systems thinking has assisted businesses, nonprofits, military communities, and municipalities with sustainability initiatives to include green purchasing, environmental management, and zero waste strategies. Alicia’s analytical mind primes her for the work she enjoys which includes research, strategic planning, public education and outreach, and data analysis. Alicia also enjoys making music, spending time in the yard, and hanging out with her family.
Alicia Archibald
board member
Stephanie is an environmental attorney, former diplomat, and community leader who believes that strong, beautiful places are built when people come together with care, respect, and a shared sense of responsibility. Throughout her career, she has worked across government, nonprofit, and international settings to advance environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and community-centered solutions, with an emphasis on collaboration and inclusive engagement.
Stephanie Altman
board member
Dee cunningham
BOARD MEMBER
Dee is the Executive Director at Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful and brings with her a wealth of experience organizing and running community initiatives and activating communities in Colorado for change.
Gary has been involved in the upstream and midstream oil and gas industry for over forty years, with more than twenty-five years in upper management and executive roles, including several privately backed start-up ventures. He is a partner in Covault Resources LLC, a private equity investment firm that focuses on early-stage businesses with technical IP in oil and gas, oilfield services, critical minerals, water, and alternative energy sources. He currently serves as a Board member for Star Valley Energy, an international drill pipe rental business. He is known for his depth of knowledge and practical experience in technical, operational, and financial aspects of business as well as teaching and mentoring new talent in the business.
GARY DAVIS
board member
Steve is responsible for all aspects of municipal government business development, community relations, public process, and communications for Republic Services for the company's Denver Metro and Colorado Springs business operations. Steve is also responsible for managing the company's statewide Government Affairs initiatives, where he works closely with the National Waste and Recycling Association and Recycle Colorado. He started this new position in Colorado in April of 2025. In the ten years before transitioning to Colorado, Steve worked for Republic Services’ post collection business unit in Washington State, which includes the largest waste by rail system in the Country.
Steve Gilmore
BOARD MEMBER
With over three decades of experience in public policy, Scott emphasizes the importance of including diverse perspectives in the formulation and execution of ordinances and legislation. He represents WM on various boards in the market area, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Arizona Trucking Association, the Colorado Counties Foundation, the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Denver Energy Efficiency Advisory Board. Previously, he served as chairman of both the Colorado Motor Carriers Association and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Waste and Recycling Association.
Scott Hutchings
board member
Jeff is a Partner at Laurel Mountain and serves as the CEO of our Colorado operation, Bruin Waste & 5280 Waste Solutions. Jeff has an engineering background and brings 10 years of heavy operational leadership experience across a variety of different sectors. He is known for leading with a keen focus on process and technological innovation.
Jeff Kendall
Board member
With years of experience in Colorado’s waste and recycling industry, Matt specializes in helping communities improve diversion programs, expand access to recycling services, and adopt practices that reduce landfill reliance. His work focuses on developing practical, long-term waste strategies that support both environmental and economic sustainability.
Matt Prescott
board member
Ryan is Plant Director at Niagara Bottling in Aurora, Colorado and as a Colorado native, takes immense pride in the natural beauty and resilience of his home state. His passion for KCOB stems from a deep-rooted commitment to preserving the environment and enhancing the communities where we live and work. For Ryan it’s not just about keeping Colorado clean, it’s about fostering a culture of care, responsibility, and pride in the places we call home.
Ryan Peters
Board Member
Nikki is a climate and sustainability professional driving impact at the intersection of clean energy, regenerative agriculture, and waste innovation. As a Market Manager at Vanguard Renewables, she helps businesses turn their organic waste into renewable natural gas, building a more circular and resilient future for our food and energy systems. With a background in communications, community engagement, and systems thinking, Nikki bridges the gap between ideas and implementation, connecting people, organizations, and resources to accelerate climate action across industries.
Nikki (Chernick) Raichelson
Board Member
Together, we are building a statewide movement rooted in integrity, partnership, and action.
From the mountains to the plains, our board reflects the spirit and pride that define Colorado. We understand that litter prevention and beautification are more than cleanup efforts. They are culture shaping work that strengthens communities, protects our landscapes, and inspires long term civic pride.