Northwest Rocky Mountain CASA Staff
Jim McCormick
Executive Director
With over 40 years in non-profit management at two institutions of higher ed in Denver, Jim recently retired as the Senior Vice President of Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado, where for almost 30 years he oversaw the traditional undergraduate campus of 1500 students founded in 1914.
After moving to Steamboat from Golden, he and his wife Lori–who went through high school in Steamboat, enjoy living full time in the Yampa Valley where they were married 41 years ago. While overseeing the enrollment and retention effort at his last university, Jim led an effort that nearly doubled the traditional enrollment on campus in just under 10 years, sparking a growth explosion in the physical campus as over $120 million of facilities were built. He also founded the CCU Academy where 5,000 students nationwide gain college credit for classes they were taking while still in high school through a dual credit arrangement.
Jim received his BA in Communication and Public Relations from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s in Education from the University of Colorado. He and Lori have 2 children who live in Denver and three grandchildren.
“Being involved with NWRM CASA gives me the chance to do what I have done all of my professional life: advocate for children to help pave the way for their successful future”.
Lauren Rising
Assistant Executive Director
Lauren Rising is the Assistant Executive Director of Northwest Rocky Mountain CASA, where she is dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families involved in the child welfare system. In her role, Lauren oversees NWRM CASA’s two programs: Court Appointed Special Advocates and Supervised Family Time.
Lauren values strong connections with volunteers and community partners. She focuses on thoughtful recruitment, training, and support to ensure volunteers are equipped to advocate for children and families effectively. She is also committed to making supervised family time accessible throughout the district, providing a safe, supportive environment for children to maintain family connections.
Lauren joined NWRM CASA in 2019, previously working 9 years in Colorado’s child welfare system. She received a BSW from the University of Wyoming, she has three children, and has called the Yampa Valley home for 15 years.
Lauren Patton
Supervised Family Time and Volunteer Coordinator
Lauren Patton is deeply committed to advocating for children and families involved in the child welfare system. She brings a diverse professional background in family support and community collaboration, with a focus on creating safe, trauma-informed spaces where children can maintain meaningful connections with their families.
Lauren’s prior experience across service-oriented and leadership roles has strengthened her ability to navigate complex family dynamics while upholding best practices and national standards in supervised visitation. She is passionate about ensuring families are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
As a mother of two and Routt County resident for 12 years, Lauren is especially driven by the belief that children thrive when they feel protected, heard, and supported by a trusted network of adults. She is honored to serve through CASA and is deeply passionate about addressing the unique needs of children and families in rural Northwest Colorado, where access, consistency, and strong community partnerships are essential to long-term stability and well-being.
Theresa Howard
Operations Coordinator
Theresa, our operations coordinator, has a wide variety of business management experience with a niche for marketing and financial experience, mostly in the corporate sector. She graduated from a dual MBA/MHA program a few years ago.
A Grand County native, Theresa relocated to the other side of the divide, Routt County, over five years ago. Like most in the Yampa Valley, she embraces the beauty the valley has to offer and tries to make the most of it when she can. She has two beautiful, amazing children to whom she devotes most of her time.
Board of Directors
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Talitha (TJ) Appenzeller has 25+ years working in the managed healthcare industry, half of which has been focused in the behavioral health space. She has a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration as well as Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean certifications.
TJ lives in Routt County with her husband, Lonnie. They have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. TJ enjoys cycling, hiking, horseback riding, and travel.
TJ became interested in serving on the CASA Board as a way to give back to the community. She hopes to bring her business and operational acumen to CASA’s Board in service of the kids our region serves.
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After a career in entertainment lending, Julie retired in 1995 to raise 3 kids with husband Lance, in La Canada, CA.
She participated in many organizations relating to school, community, and the local city government. She is most proud of becoming a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster care children which took her through many parts of Los Angeles and into family court to advocate for the kids.
She kept her financial skills tuned through her love of the performing arts by joining the boards of a modern dance company and a theater company that produces classic theater, performing Shakespeare, and other classic theater to 18,000 school children across Southern California.
Selecting Steamboat for their new home in the summer of 2022 was a “no brainer” once they experienced the four seasons.
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Wendy Rogers currently serves as the BOD Treasurer and has been on the BOD since Fall 2019. She was sworn in as a NWRM CASA advocate volunteer in January 2024 and recently completed training to be a Routt County Foster Parent. Wendy holds a BBA degree in Accountancy and Information Services from the University of Texas Permian Basin.
Raised in Buena Vista, Leadville, Lakewood and Boulder, Colorado, she branched out even farther as an adult living in Oklahoma, Texas and California before moving to the Middle East: Dubai U.A.E., Muscat Oman and Bahrain before settling down full time in the Steamboat Springs area in 2014.
Wendy has one son, Tariq Rogers, who lives and works in Steamboat Springs!
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Sharon is retired after a 27-year career in the telecommunications industry. She holds an MS in Telecommunications and certifications in Program/Project management.
During her corporate career she led many nonprofit community projects which she has continued during retirement in various areas including museum, housing, recycling, and school projects including in the Amazon.
In addition to her nonprofit work, Sharon enjoys the Colorado outdoors, pursuing activities like hiking, biking, and golfing. She has been a wilderness instructor for the Colorado Mountain Club as well as led hikes and adventure trips. She loves traveling and often organizes group trips to new and exciting experiences. Sharon also volunteers as a backcountry ranger for Rocky Mountain National Park and snowshoe guide at the YMCA in Colorado. In the summer months, she has a self-guided hiking business.
Sharon looks forward to utilizing her corporate and nonprofit experience to continue serving her community serving the children in our region.
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A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Julie has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Business from Indiana University and a law degree from the University of Denver. She practiced law briefly in Denver before returning to Indianapolis, where she spent over 20 years advising and representing corporate clients in employment matters in state and federal court. She also served on several nonprofit boards, including Damar Services, a large provider of services to children and young adults with developmental disabilities.
Julie and her husband, Kevin, live in Tabernash (Grand County) and have 3 grown sons and 3 grandchildren living in the Denver area. She enjoys downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, pickleball and golf as well as reading, traveling, and wine tasting.
Now that she is retired, Julie wants to be involved in her community in ways that will help make a difference for individuals, especially children, in need. She hopes to apply her legal knowledge and nonprofit experience to help further NWRMC’s mission of advocating for the safety and well-being of at-risk children.
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Newel Linford is the managing partner of his own accounting firm Linford & Company LLP. Newel has over 20 years of internal control and audit, IT assurance and advisory, and accounting experience; 9 of those years were with Ernst & Young accounting firm. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) in the state of Colorado, a certified information systems auditor (CISA), and a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Colorado Society of CPAs. Newel holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Information Systems degree from Brigham Young University. Newel has worked with multiple nonprofit organizations including serving as acting CFO for the Colorado Ballet for three years. However, rather than dancing in his free time you’ll find him biking, skiing, or playing pickleball. Newel is excited to be serving the CASA community.
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Karen was born and raised in Texas and Nevada, later moving to Wyoming. She currently resides in Craig. She is a licensed cosmetologist and retired from Colorado Northwestern Community College in 2019 where she was a CTE instructor for seventeen years. Karen then worked for several local non-profits focusing on grant management and emergency assistance.
After retirement, Karen continued her non-profit “work” by volunteering at several community non-profits meaningful to her including: The Community Kitchen at St. Michaels, Special Olympics, Interfaith Food Bank, LOVE, INC., Rotary Club, and NWRM CASA. She has also served on the Moffat County School District’s Board of Education for 8 years.
Karen and her husband Rick have three grown children and six amazing grandchildren.
In her spare time, you can find her traveling with Rick, watching grandkids in all their activities, camping, and volunteering with the various organizations in her community as noted above.
Karen joined NWRM CASA in 2011 as a volunteer and joined the CASA Board of Directors in 2022, where she is currently serving as the secretary. Karen loves being involved with anything that has to do with youth and underserved individuals; making her community a better place to live.
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Alie Alexander has lived in Steamboat Springs for the past 23 years. She and her husband Tom have enjoyed raising their 3 children in this beautiful valley. Alie and her husband are the owners and operators of an environmental service company serving homeowners in Routt County. Alie has dual degrees in Human Development & Family Studies and Elementary Education.
She has been on the planning committee for Dancing With The Steamboat Stars for the past decade and has a true passion for helping support and advocate for children in her community that need a voice. Alie is a newcomer to the board of directors and she is looking forward to facilitating in making a difference in the lives of children in Northwest Colorado.
In her spare time Alie enjoys playing tennis, gardening, cooking, volunteering and traveling with her family. She is gearing up to be an “empty nester” and is looking forward to traveling to watch one of her sons play lacrosse in college while visiting the other son in sunny Arizonian in the winters.
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Kitsey Behrman was born in Moffat County and spent her childhood in Craig. After raising her family in Oregon, she returned to her roots in Northwest Colorado in 2021. During her time in Oregon, Kitsey served as a CASA Volunteer Advocate and Peer Coordinator for Linn County CASA, advocating for children in foster care and mentoring new advocates. She also worked as a Permanency Worker for the Oregon Department of Human Services, helping strengthen families and achieve safe, stable, and permanent homes for children.
Kitsey is a Managing Broker with eXp Realty, where she supports real estate professionals across Colorado while continuing to work directly with buyers, sellers, investors, and landowners throughout Northwest Colorado. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master of Business Administration and brings more than 25 years of experience in real estate sales, brokerage leadership, property management, and real estate investing.
Since returning to Northwest Colorado, Kitsey has become active in the community through organizations including United Way, Rotary, and the Moffat County Planning & Zoning Board. She is honored to serve on the Northwest Rocky Mountain CASA Board and looks forward to contributing her leadership, professional expertise, and commitment to strengthening children and families throughout Moffat County and Northwest Colorado.
Outside of work and volunteering, Kitsey enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, hiking, traveling, and exploring Colorado’s mountains and rural communities. She believes every child and every family deserves the opportunity to build a safe, stable, and hopeful future.
If you would be interested in joining our Board of Directors and live in one of the counties that we serve, please contact info@kidscasa.org.