Maggi Hanna

Hanna Frost Ranch

Maggie Hanna joined the Central Grasslands Roadmap Initiative as the Director from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust (CCALT). Most recently, Maggie served CCALT as the Director of External Relations. In her time at CCALT she facilitated conservation easements, supported annual conservation easement monitoring, fundraised and managed the Leopold Conservation Award. Prior to pursuing work in the conservation space, Maggie was a member of El Pomar Foundation’s Fellowship Program and spent a year in central Oregon as an Americorps volunteer working alongside the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District to develop and implement the Agora Platform, a project sourcing mechanism designed to better connect funders with rural community projects and needs. Maggie grew up on her family’s ranch on the plains of Colorado, where she lives and works to this day.

The Hanna Ranch was established in 1947 about 20 miles south of Colorado Springs. Over the past several decades, Colorado Springs experienced rapid growth which brought many environmental challenges to the Hanna Ranch and their fellow ranchers.

As a tenacious and creative advocate for both the conservation movement and the cattle industry, Kirk, Maggie’s dad, introduced Holistic Resource Management (HRM) at Hanna Ranch; showing that responsible ranching is good for the land and good for business. HRM is based on the natural grazing practices of Buffalo and Elk. Rather than overgrazing on the same patch of grass, cattle herds are rotated across the land. The result is the conservation of grasslands and streams and a more productive ranch.

The Hanna family continues to run the ranch using the principles championed by Kirk. In 2009, as a lasting tribute, a conservation easement was finalized on Hanna Ranch, under the “Peak to Prairie” program which will ensure the land remains open and undeveloped. The influential example of “engagement, scholarship, and conservation” that Kirk Hanna provided in the Pikes Peak region, Colorado, and the West continues to live on.

Kelley Wittenberg
Leading Edge Aerial Technologies

Kelley Wittenberg has overseen drone sales for Central UAS Technologies since 2023. She focuses on UAS application technology, and has participated in multiple studies focusing on areas including mosquito control, agriculture, and aquatic plant management.

Ian Mickells
Fortress Development Solutions

Ian Mickells is a dedicated environmental and land management professional with expertise in weed control and reclamation strategies. As a Vegetation Program Supervisor at Fortress Development Solutions, he plays a key role in ensuring sustainable land restoration and compliance with the state’s ECMC guidelines for Reclamation maintenance. Ian’s background also includes experience with Weld County Government, Controlling noxious weeds on cattle grazing allotments on USDA land leases and the counties ROW, showcasing his diverse skill set in land management and operational coordination. Beyond his environmental work, Ian has a passion for culinary arts and education. His commitment to sustainability extends to food preparation and preservation, having co-developed a hands-on course that teaches students essential culinary techniques. Ian’s multifaceted expertise makes him a valuable asset in both environmental stewardship and community education.

Kate Graves
Fortress Development Solutions

Kate Graves brings over 25 years of experience in environmental stewardship, with a diverse background spanning reclamation, revegetation, erosion control, and environmental compliance across mining, oil and gas, energy infrastructure, and agricultural sectors. A graduate of Colorado State University, Kate holds both a B.S. in Soil and Crop Sciences and a Master of Natural Resource Stewardship (MNRS) in Rangeland Science. Kate is a well-rounded environmental generalist with a focused passion for soil health, native grasses, and ecosystem function. A lifelong resident of Colorado’s northern Front Range, she has deep roots in the region, having managed operations for her family’s reclamation services company and hay/cattle enterprise until 2021. Her career includes serving as HSE Advisor – Reclamation & Stormwater at Anadarko/Oxy, and she now leads the Reclamation, Stewardship, and Environment division at Fortress Development Solutions in Greeley, CO. Kate offers a unique and valuable perspective through her ability to connect industry professionals, landowners, and construction teams. She champions practical, ground-level education in restoration practices and advocates for increased cross-sector collaboration. Her mission is to bridge stakeholder understanding of the “why and how” behind successful revegetation efforts, ensuring that projects are not only compliant—but ecologically meaningful and sustainable.

John Kaltenbach
Colorado Department of Agriculture

John has been with the Colorado Department of Agriculture for 17 years. The last 11 years with the Palisade Insectary Biological Control Program as the director of Front Range operations. The Insectary imports, rears, and establishes new beneficial organisms for control of specific plant and insect pests, and evaluates their effectiveness. He has 35 years of experience working in entomology, including plant pest management, regulation, and control.

Scott Nissen, Ph.D.
Colorado State University

Dr. Scott J. Nissen received his Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Science from Montana State University in 1986. He began his career at Colorado State University in 1995, working in crop, non-crop, and aquatic plant management. He retired in December of 2021 and currently holds the rank of Professor Emeritus in the department of Agricultural Biology at Colorado State University.

Cynthia Brown, Ph.D.
Colorado State University

Dr. Cynthia (Cini) Brown is a plant ecologist who studies invasive plants and weeds and restoration ecology. She has worked primarily in grassland and rangeland settings. She received her doctorate from University of California, Davis and conducted postdoctoral research for 1 year at UC Davis and 3 years at the University of Minnesota. She became a faculty member at Colorado State University in 2002. Over the last two decades at CSU, Cini has taught classes about the ecology and management of invasive plants and weeds, sustainability, and biology. She has trained graduate students and conducted research resulting in over 60 peer-reviewed publications. She and her students apply ecological principles to understand and manage invasive plants and promote healthy native plant communities.

Emily McGrath
Colorado Department of Agriculture

Emily McGrath is the Early Detection & Rapid Response Specialist with the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weed Program. She has over 10 years of experience running field crews and managing invasive species and is a licensed qualified supervisor in the aquatic, rangeland, industrial and right-of-way, and turf categories in the state of Colorado. She also is an ISA Certified Arborist and has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Natural Resources & Environmental Science from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

Seth Davis, Ph.D.
Colorado State University

Dr. Seth Davis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship at Colorado State University, where he leads the Forest Health Lab. His research explores the chemical, behavioral, and microbial ecology of insects in both natural and managed ecosystems, with a focus on plant–insect interactions, pest population dynamics, and pollinator health. By studying how environmental changes, pathogens, and plant chemical signaling influence species ranging from bark beetles to native pollinators, Dr. Davis bridges fundamental ecology with applied management. His work supports land managers in developing science-based strategies to sustain biodiversity, enhance pollinator habitat, and build ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change.

Dr. Joseph Carrica
Valley Wide Health

Dr. JC Carrica is a fourth generation southeast Colorado native, and has been passionate about bringing outstanding behavioral healthcare to the area since the beginning of his career. He started a substance use disorder treatment center, Single Point Services, LLC, which was purchased in 2005 by Southeast Health Group and became the existing SUD treatment arm of the non-profit Community Mental Health Center serving six counties in southeastern Colorado. Carrica worked for Southeast Health Group and took over as CEO in 2018, until its merger with Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. in 2023. The combined organizations now serve 14 rural counties where he serves as Vic-President and Chief of Healthcare Innovation & Strategy. Additional experience includes serving as President of the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council (2020-2021), Region VIII Representative for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a Governor Polis appointment to Opioid Crisis Recovery Funds Advisory Committee, and most recently an appointment to the Agricultural Behavioral Health Community of Practice Work Group by the Commissioner for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. This group is tasked with improving access to behavioral health care for those involved in agriculture and their families. Growing up surrounded in agriculture, The Coffee Break Project has quickly become a movement Carrica is proud to hang his hat on.

Jennifer Pollmiller
Valley Wide Health

Jennifer Pollmiller, MA, is a long-time rodeo athlete, raises performance horses, and is part of a small cattle operation. She joined the Coffee Break Project in 2019 and has been running the Marketing and Public Relations Aspect since. Pollmiller serves as the Director of Community Outreach for Valley-Wide Health Systems where she oversees the Farm Worker program for the agency, and is passionate about healthcare equity for all. Pollmiller has been the media contact for The Coffee Break Project as it was featured in multiple large publications, including The New York Times, The Team Roping Journal, Rocky Mountain PBS, The Fence Post and more.

Sabrina Slagowski-Tipton
CSU Center for Public Deliberation

Sabrina Slagowski-Tipton is the Managing Director for the Center for Public Deliberation and an Instructor in the Department of Communication Studies at Colorado State University. In 2016 she received her M.A. in Communication Studies with a specialization in Deliberative Practices from Colorado State University. Her research and work focus on the role of expertise in deliberation, applying trauma-informed care approaches to facilitation, and increasing equity and inclusion in community engagement efforts. She has worked with numerous local groups in Northern Colorado to examine structural barriers to robust civic participation and has worked to build networks and practices to ensure all members of a community impacted by an issue have a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard. She has been the lead on various local engagement projects with the City of Fort Collins about issues such as housing affordability, the City’s strategic plan, and land use codes, in addition to work on the innovative Community Guides program which has been replicated across several institutions. Sabrina has also designed various facilitation training courses for the local community, collaborated with colleagues on numerous facilitation training manuals, and given talks about community-based work at conferences across the U.S.

Loren Cunnington
Central Life Sciences

Loren Cunnington is the Regional Territory Manager – West Central for Central Life Sciences, representing the Zoecon Professional Products division. With nearly two decades of experience at Central Life Sciences, Loren has held several key positions including Regional Territory Manager for the Midwest, Director of Sales East, and his current role. Loren holds a degree in Turfgrass and Soils Management from Michigan State University. His professional background spans over three decades in the horticultural and turf management industries. He began his career at Terra International, where he worked for two years, followed by a five-year tenure at United Horticultural Supply. Loren then spent one year with Simplot Partners and six years at ProSource One before joining Central Life Sciences, where he has now been contributing his expertise for 19 years.

Mira McBroome
Colorado Department of Agriculture

Mira McBroome is the Pesticide Applicator Coordinator for the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). This position runs the Certification & Training program in addition to the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) program. She began her career with the Department over 8 years ago as a private applicator inspector specializing in WPS, pesticide use and investigations. After moving into a lead inspector position for several years, she then began her career as the Pesticide Applicator Coordinator in spring of 2024. Prior to her job with the Department, Mira worked as a commercial applicator and holds a qualified supervisor license in categories forest pest, rangeland and right of way.

Kayla Malone
Rootout Solutions

Kayla Malone has been in the field of Invasive species management for over 15 years with experience in academia, local government operations, and most recently, as an entrepreneur with her own business, Root Out Solutions. She has spent the past 10 years mastering her craft in land management on a large scale as a County Noxious Weed Manager in Colorado, and has recently returned to her midwest roots in Minnesota. Kayla is a CWMA past president and continues to stay active in the area.

Joe Swanson
Boulder County

Joe Swanson is the Noxious Weeds Supervisor/County Weed Coordinator for Boulder County Parks and Open Space located in Longmont Colorado. Joe has served 12 years with Boulder County having worked the various roles within the county weed management program. Joe oversees invasive plant and noxious weed management on over 50k acres of open space property and approximately 700 miles of county road right of way in his current role. Joe started his noxious weed career at the age of 7, hoeing weeds out of row crops in north central Kansas for $2.00/hour. At that time, he had no idea his life and career would end up being centered around the control of invasive plants.