Colorado Extension
Advisory Council

Commissioner Perry Buck is a third-generation Weld County native. She learned the importance of community service from her father who served Weld County as both a county commissioner and state representative.

In 1984, Perry graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, with a degree in English. She did her graduate work in accounting at Ft. Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.

Perry is and has been involved in many civic organizations including Rotary, United Way of Weld County, Weld County Partners, Senior Resource Services, Habitat for Humanity, Board of Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, Greeley Chamber of Commerce, Progressive 15 and the Weld County Republican Party. She attends Resurrection Fellowship Church.

In 1999, Perry was appointed by Governor Owens as the Northeast Business Development Representative for the Colorado Office of Economic Development. She helped facilitate economic development in the rural communities from Jackson and Grand counties in the west to Phillips and Sedgwick counties in the northeast, down to Cheyenne, Lincoln, and Elbert counties.

Perry served four years as Secretary for the State GOP and then four years as the Vice-Chair of the State Republican Party. Before that, she was the Weld County GOP Chair. She also served as President of the Colorado Federation of Republican Women from 2012 to 2014.

In 2010, Perry was re-elected in Weld County for County Council at-Large. In November of 2012, Perry was elected Representative for House District 49, where she served four terms.

Perry lives in Greeley, and enjoys gardening, sports, reading, and fighting for Republican principles.

First term beginning 2025.

Martin Buoy is partner and CEO of Lenz Farms, a multigenerational operation now managed by the 3rd generation. Located north of Wray, Colorado, they manage 5500 acres of irrigated land, 2000 acres of dryland, and 5000 acres of grass. They grow corn, wheat, milo, edible beans, and yellow-flesh potatoes. The potato packaging facility washes, grades, and packages potatoes for shipment. They also have a cow-calf and yearling operation along with a 3000-head feedlot. Martin is married to Yvonne and they have four sons: Michael (21), Chase (20), Andrew (18), and Lance (16).

First term beginning 2025.

Becky Ela is a licensed clinical social worker and the Behavioral Health Manager at Delta Health, in Delta, Colorado.  Becky has been in the social work field in western Colorado for 30 years. A Ram alum, Becky was raised on the western slope surrounded by her family’s two-fold endeavors of medicine and hobby farming. Becky previously lived on a 100-acre, 4^th generation organic fruit orchard in Hotchkiss. It was during this time that her passion for agriculture and rural behavioral health was shaped and molded.

Becky is a passionate advocate for under-resourced frontier/rural communities and integrated behavioral health services in the primary care medicine setting. Her strong desire for community collaboration and addressing workforce issues in rural Colorado led to her appointment on Governor Polis’s Behavioral Health Task Force in 2019.

Becky’s family has a strong family heritage of raising and graduating CSU students for multiple generations and considers herself proud to be among them. She has two kids in their early twenties, both graduates of land grant schools. In her free time, you can find her hiking or snowshoeing up mountains near her home.

First term beginning 2025.

John Farnam is Director of Responsive Grantmaking at the Buell Foundation. He was previously managing director at the Morgridge Family Foundation for 15 years, where he aligned resources, fostered innovation, and administered more than $165 million in grants around complex social issues. He is an Aspen Institute Fellow, a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network, and was an advisor to the Colorado Governor’s Leadership Committee on COVID Relief.

In 2022, he earned an executive certificate through the prestigious Chief of Staff Fellowship at the University of Oxford. In 2023, he was one of 60 leaders from 20 countries to complete the inaugural Chief of Staff Association Program through Harvard Business School Executive Education.

John’s ongoing passion for education began when he raised $6.5 million to build one of the first charter schools approved by Aurora Public Schools. Previously, John established the $10M Goodwill Endowment Fund in his role as VP of Marketing for Goodwill Industries.

In addition to other volunteer efforts across metro Denver, John and his husband Paul Heitzenrater grow and donate more than 2,000 pounds of produce every year. He was recently named 2024 9News Leader of the Year in Denver.

First term beginning 2025.

John Knapp lives in Rocky Ford where he and his family are part of the fourth generation of Knapp Farms family produce and vegetable operation in Southeast Colorado. John completed college degrees from Colorado State University in agronomy and agricultural economics and worked for a number of years with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in various locations in Colorado. John has been a part of the local school board of education and the Colorado Association of School Boards. He has held leadership positions with the Otero College Foundation, Palmer Land Conservancy and the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program and other community and educational organizations.

Second term beginning 2025.

Merrit Linke is part of a 5th generation ranch family and Grand County native. He lives on the original 160 acre that was homesteaded in 1883 by his great grandfather. He graduated from Middle Park High School in Granby, from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, and from the University of Wyoming in 1985 with a B.S. in secondary education with a major in physics and minors in chemistry and earth science.

From 1987-2001, he taught all levels of science, mostly chemistry and physics, and coached multiple levels of several sports ranging from 7th-grade girls’ basketball to intercollegiate rodeo. He started a livestock feed and supplement business in 2001, worked for the livestock nutrition division for an international company and continued with his own feed distribution business until selling it in 2018.

Merrit was elected Grand County commissioner in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. He is currently chair of the Board and serving his third term. He also currently serves on the executive committee of Club 20; served as CCI Mountain diarist president for 3 years and currently serves as vice president of Middle Park Stockgrowers. He is a member of the Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Council and serves as vice-chair of the Grand County Wildfire Council. Since 1999, he has owned and operated a livestock and hay production business in Grand country and continues to operate it today.

Second term beginning 2025.

Jenn Moore has a diverse background spanning environmental engineering, science education, and community engagement. As the Executive Director of the EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum, she has spearheaded significant growth and innovation, including a successful multi-million dollar capital campaign that resulted in a new facility and expanded interactive STEAM education.

With a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Colorado State University and a bachelor’s degree in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech, Jenn possesses a strong foundation in scientific principles and practical application. Her professional experience includes managing complex environmental projects for the U.S. Geological Survey, instructing environmental science at Colorado Mountain College, and currently as an adjunct faculty member at Colorado Mesa University, teaching freshman engineering and design. 

Jenn is deeply committed to community service, serving on the boards of La Plaza Palisade for immigrant communities, the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association, School District 51 Advisory Board, and previously on the Caprock Academy School Board. Her diverse experiences and unwavering dedication make her a valuable asset to any organization. In her spare time she enjoys skiing, trail running, reading, gardening and traveling the world. 

First term beginning 2025. 

CJ Mucklow recently retired from CSU in 2023. Since that time, he has been Ranching and owning and operating a Noxious weed control business. He serves on the board of several local non-profits. Including the Upper Yampa Conservancy District, Purchase of Development Rights Advisory Board, Head Water of the Colorado Collaborative and the Community Agricultural Alliance.

CJ spent his 37+ year career with Colorado State University Extension.  He has worked as a 4-H Agent, Agriculture Agent, County Director and as the Regional Director for Extension in Western Colorado.

CJ has a B.S. in animal science and a Master of Agriculture, both from CSU.  He is also an alumnus of the Colorado Ag Leadership program. CJ is a co-author of two books, one on land management for new landowners in the West, “A Guide to Rural Living,” and a repeat photography book documenting rangeland and riparian area changes over time in Northwest Colorado, “Rivers, Range and Change.” 

CJ has specialized in niche marketing agricultural products, working to build three companies to address wool, beef and lamb opportunities and specialty products. Additionally, he has conducted a study examining the intrinsic value of undeveloped private lands in a resort economy, as well as numerous seminars on ranch viability and hay meadow management, haying vs. grazing, and poisonous plant management. CJ currently serves as a member of CSU’s predator co-existence and educational task force.

CJ has served on several nonprofit boards including Ski Town Rotary, Yampa Valley Community Foundation, Routt County Purchase of Development Rights, and the Routt County 4-H Scholarship Foundation. He is frequently asked to participate in a broad range of community development projects.  CJ’s passion for rural communities and the viability of Agriculture throughout Colorado is apparent in all aspects of his work.   CJ and his wife, Nancy also ranch in North Routt County, running a summer grazing operation and putting up native grass hay, as well as fostering a small grassfed beef program.

First term beginning 2025.

Claudine Norden is a Leadership Development Facilitator based in Summit County. With 25 years of experience in personal and professional leadership development through strategic planning, corporate wellness, Division 1 college football, and community programming, she is skilled at engaging and empowering people to strive for higher levels of performance.

Claudine launched Ascent Planning, LLC in 2010 where she works with individuals, teams, and organizations in facilitating leadership development and building strong teams.

Claudine partners with CSU ‘s Office of Engagement and Extension and the Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI) of Colorado as a facilitator and state trainer. The FLTI training experience is designed to increase civic participation and promote greater collaboration between individuals, families, institutions, public administrators and elected officials as they seek strategies to respond to emerging social, health, and economic issues in their communities.

Second term beginning 2025.

Marsha Porter-Norton is a second-term Commissioner from District 2. She grew up on a cattle ranch and farm in Lewis, Colorado north of Cortez. Commissioner Porter-Norton’s goal is to build healthy communities and a strong economy to serve all residents in La Plata County. Having graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Social Work in 1986 and the University of Denver in 1989 with a Master of Social Work, she moved to Durango in 1994 with her husband John. Growing up, she was in the 4-H program for 10 years and one her first jobs while in college was in the Montezuma County Extension Office in Cortez.  She brings these experiences to serving as the Commissioner liaison to the Colorado State University local Extension Advisory Council.

She has set affordable housing as a priority and is on the Board of Directors for the multi-jurisdictional Regional Housing Alliance.  Because substance abuse disorders are impacting students, families and entire communities, she is a founding member of the SouthWEST Opioid Response District (SWORD) Board of Directors. This group accepts State of Colorado opioid settlement(s) funds for use in getting more services in place for southwest Colorado.  Marsha highly values her role in working with both the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes, two sovereign nations with lands in La Plata County. She is an ex-officio member of the State’s Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs.   She also serves on the Board of Counties and Commissioners Acting Together and is vice-chair of the Human Services Steering Committee for Colorado Counties, Inc.

Prior to her elected office, Marsha was a professional facilitator leading numerous meetings and complex stakeholder processes to address a wide range of public issues. Several of her key accomplishments include the Hermosa Creek Workgroup; Firewise Southwest Colorado; Southwest Trails Roundtable; La Plata Community Clinic; and the Bayfield Facilities Planning Group.  From 1994-2000, Marsha served as executive director for six years of the regional nonprofit Operation Healthy Communities (OHC), a group that helped complete projects to foster healthy communities.

Her volunteer experiences include the La Plata County Fiscal Needs Committee; Airport Planning Advisory Committee; County Road and Bridge Campaign Issues Committee; La Plata Community Clinic; United Way Fundraising Committee; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of La Plata County; La Plata Historical Society; Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado; Durango Food Bank; and the Colorado Children’s Campaign.

Commissioner Porter-Norton’s awards include the 2009 Colorado State Forest Service Statewide Partner of the Year; the 2009 Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County Service to Youth Award; and the Leadership La Plata Barbara Conrad Leadership Award in 2006.

Marsha is a 2001 graduate of Leadership La Plata and a current trainer for the organization.

Her husband, John Norton, is a Fort Lewis College Business School graduate. Both moved to Durango in 1994 and when not serving as a commissioner, she enjoys Xeriscape gardening, getting outdoors, reading and connecting with extended family and friends across Colorado.

First term beginning 2025.

Don Reimer is the County Administrator for Chaffee County, Colorado. While not a native Coloradoan, he has been a continuous resident of Colorado since 1979, growing up in Littleton, and receiving an engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines. Don has resided in the mountain communities of Salida and Frisco for the past 26 years, primarily in Salida, and has been employed by rural local governments since 2002.

In his role as Chaffee County Administrator, Don works closely with the CSU Extension office in support of the numerous program offerings, continually supporting expansions of programs that support this growing community.

First term beginning 2025. 

Brendon Rockey is a third-generation farmer in Center, Colorado. On Rockey Farms, he raises specialty potatoes and quinoa among cover crop fields, all cultivated in a living environment. Companion crops, animals, cover crops and flowers replace synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. The 500-acre, irrigated farming system sustains yields, has greater water efficiency and it supports a flourishing ecosystem encouraging beneficial insects, soil microbes and carbon cycling. At 7,600 feet above sea level, Rockey Farms also produces cide-free, year- round certified seed potatoes in a greenhouse while operating an off-farm packaging warehouse.

First term beginning 2025. 

Sarah Stoeber has been involved in the fields of investment banking and residential/commercial finance for over four decades. She moved back to the San Luis Valley (SLV) in 2009 from the Houston area where she had lived for roughly 20 years.

November of 2013 presented a new opportunity to Sarah when she accepted the position of Director of Business Development with the San Luis Valley Development Resources Group (SLVDRG). In this role she added commercial finance to her knowledge base.

During this time, she also administered the Department of Local Affairs Regional Mini Grant program while assisting with SLV Enterprise Zone project management.

During the pandemic, she was offered the position of Economic Recovery Coordinator at the SLVDRG. Efforts included support of local economic and community development organizations by way of developing an economic summit for the region and offering access to technical training. She now serves as Executive Director of the organization.

Second term beginning 2025.

Amy White-Tanabe is a seasoned leader with over 25 years of management experience across the long-term care and public sectors. After 16 years of serving seniors in the long-term care industry, she transitioned to local government and has served as the County Administrator for Otero County since 2019. In this role, Amy oversees executive-level operations including policy development, budget planning and oversight, team leadership, and compliance with state and federal statutes.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Science in Gerontology from the University of Northern Colorado and is a proud alumna of the Rocky Ford Meloneers. A fourth-generation native of Otero County, she brings a deep understanding of rural Colorado’s challenges and strengths. She is passionate about community development, public service, and creating opportunities that improve quality of life in rural areas.

Outside of work, Amy enjoys life on the plains with her husband, Kevin, their two adult children, their significant others, and two incredibly adorable grandchildren.

First term beginning 2025.

Jim Yahn is the manager of the North Sterling and Prewitt Reservoirs, a position that he has held for nearly 33 years.  He is responsible for overseeing the diversion and distribution of water to over 350 farmers.  Together the reservoirs are a source of irrigation water for approximately 70,000 acres.  Jim is a registered professional engineer, receiving his B.S. in agricultural engineering from Colorado State University.  Prior to his employment with North Sterling and Prewitt he worked as a private consulting engineer in Fort Collins for five years.  He is a native of Colorado growing up on a family ranch, which used water from the North Sterling Reservoir System.

Jim served as the South Platte Director on the Colorado Water Conservation Board for five years, one year as Chair.  Jim has been a member of the South Platte Basin Roundtable since its inception in 2005, served as chair from 2009 – 2012, and currently serves as one of the roundtable’s two representatives to the Inter-Basin Compact Committee.  Jim also currently serves as a Colorado Water Congress board member and serves as one of two Colorado board members to the Family Farm Alliance.  In addition, Jim and his wife Tracy have a cow calf ranching operation.  Jim, most recently, was elected as a county commissioner in Logan County.

First term beginning 2025.

Michael Macklin joined CCCS in 2018 and serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Solutions. In his role, he works to coordinate academic affairs and workforce development initiatives across CCCS, interfacing with state agencies, philanthropic organizations, colleges, and corporate partners. His current efforts are focused on the intersection of business and education, overseeing career-connected learning opportunities, apprenticeships, and customized workforce training that upskills new and incumbent workers.

Prior to joining CCCS, Michael spent ten years at Colorado State University. He started his career in student affairs as a graduate program recruiter and moved to academic affairs in online and professional education as the Director of Professional and Noncredit Programs, where he launched Colorado State University’s digital badge program.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado State University and a master’s degree from Colorado State University Global in organizational leadership and change management.

Amanda McQuade represents the CSU Agricultural Experiment Station on the Advisory Council. Amanda is a program coordinator based at the 80-acre Western Colorado Research Center (WCRC) in Grand Junction, Colorado, where she works with CSU and community collaborators to address food and nutrition security. As a part of that work, she connects K-12 students more directly with their food through a hands-on Agricultural Literacy program, which brings thousands of students each year to the fields, orchards, garden and teaching kitchen at WCRC.

Amanda is also currently serving as the administrative coordinator of the CSU Western Campus. This campus is home to WCRC as well as Regional Extension, Colorado State Forest Service and the Western Slope Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Glenda joined CNGA in January 2020, and prior to that served as a grant manager and marketing specialist for the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). Glenda has spent the last five and a half years helping people with innovative visions to improve their communities, industries and lives. She managed the Specialty Crop Block Grant, which CNGA has previously received, and was involved with numerous other CDA programs including a new Ag Workforce Development internship program, CDA’s strategic planning process, human resource issues and strategic planning. Part of her responsibility was oversight of eight non-profit boards that manage the state’s check-off programs. Before joining CDA, Glenda worked for six years at Colorado Wheat, encompassing a check-off organization, a member association, and a research foundation. Prior to that, she was with the National Honey Board.

Kristin Ramey is the owner of Long Shadow Farm and a member of Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union. She is the previous President of the Larimer County Chapter and served as a regional and national Delegate for the Farmers Union. She and her family have been raising a variety of livestock in their small farm in Berthoud since 2007. Kristin has been a member of the Larimer County Agricultural Advisory Committee, and is currently the assistant Superintendent of the Poultry Program for Boulder County 4-H. She has a daughter who is 16, that she has supported with 4-H leadership, Girls Scout Leadership, and volunteering at her school in Berthoud.

Kathay Rennels works to advance collaborative networks across the state and create economic development opportunities. She has significant experience fostering public and private partnerships in regional and rural workforce development across the state. Rennels previously served three terms as a Larimer County Commissioner and is co-leader of the Food and Agriculture Key Industry Network for the State of Colorado.

Rennels helped initiate “The Value Chain of Colorado Agriculture” project, released in March 2013, co-authored the November 2014 follow-up study, “The Emergence of an Innovation Cluster in the Agricultural Value Chain along Colorado’s Front Range”, and planned and implemented the recent “Advancing the Agriculture Economy Through Innovation” summit held at CSU.

Rennels has served on the Northern Colorado Economic Development Council, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, El Pomar Foundation, The Matthews House, Larimer County United Way, and Colorado Youth Conservation Association.

Dr. Noa Román-Muñiz grew up in Puerto Rico and enjoyed spending time on the family dairy farm. After completing a pre-veterinary program at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in 1997, she earned her D.V.M. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001 and her M.S. in Clinical Sciences from Colorado State University in 2004. She joined the Department of Animal Sciences as Extension dairy specialist in 2008 and currently serves as department head for the Department of Agricultural Biology. Her research and outreach efforts focus on the intersection between human and animal health, well-being and productivity. Román-Muñiz studies labor management and leadership strategies and culturally responsive training interventions as a way to improve the sustainability of livestock operations.

Erin Karney Spaur has been on staff with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) since 2015 and was appointed Executive Vice President in 2022. She leads the nation’s oldest cattlemen’s association in this role, working closely with state and national policymakers, regulatory agencies, media, and consumers to advocate for CCA members and the broader Colorado beef industry.

A proud native of Southeast Colorado, Erin grew up on her family’s ranch and remains actively involved in the operation. She and her husband now reside on his family’s farm in Johnstown, Colorado, where they continue their shared commitment to agriculture.

Taylor was born and raised on a cattle ranch in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. A graduate of the University of Denver, she had a passion for policy and storytelling from an early age, even though it took a bit to find her way back to agriculture.

After earning her undergraduate and graduate degrees in communications and policy, Taylor worked for a public relations firm focused on public issues. She then joined Colorado Farm Bureau as the communications director before moving up to become the organization’s 11th Executive Vice President.

As the first Colorado native to lead staff in 57 years and the first woman, Taylor brings compassion for Colorado’s farm and ranch families and an understanding of the tough issues the industry faces.

She leads the association’s dedicated and passionate staff across the areas of public policy, membership services, leadership development, communications and the many other programs Farm Bureau offers. She has converted her husband Vincent into a passable ranch hand and is always looking for places to board a show steer for her daughters, Alice and Susan.

Dr. Kristyn White Davis began her career in secondary education – and transitioned to higher education in 2011, where she began working in the Hasan School of Business at Colorado State University Pueblo. The Hasan School of Business fostered her passion for innovation and entrepreneurial growth in higher education. Her work in enrollment and programming for business led her to accept a Dean of Extended Studies position in 2018. During her tenure as dean, she led the charge to increase enrollment by developing new academic programs and targeting new student groups. In July 2022, White David accepted the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management and Extended Studies, where she oversees a complex portfolio that includes Admissions, Registrar, Student Financial Services, Marketing, Communications and Community Relations, Military and Veterans Success Center, the Visitor Center, and the school of Extended Studies. Kristyn and her husband, Shawn, have two amazing little boys and love the home and family they have created in beautiful Colorado.