Who Is Conifer Area Council?
CAC’s origin began back in 1997 when a group of local citizens volunteered to develop planning criteria, specifically to preserve the character of our mountain community. They knew that the strength of a community lies in gathering, sharing ideas, and making the community better.
The planning criteria they developed protects the natural surroundings and wildlife that residents value so highly from intrusive development. Jeffco incorporated this “Conifer / 285 Corridor Area Plan” into their Comprehensive Plan in 2003 and still exists today.
Conifer and surrounding areas are unincorporated and lack local government which limits communication with Jefferson County officials. To address this, Conifer Area Council (CAC) was established in 2002, becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2007.
CAC is a team of volunteers from the community who aspire to improve the community and who embody our vision, mission and core values. Our team takes on and leads issues raised by the community and gets results.
CAC consists of a board of directors and advisors who meet regularly throughout the year. Study/Action Teams are formed to address issues of concern raised by the residents. These teams have been a voice for a new library, establishing trails for safe passage of residents and access to parks and monitoring and educating citizens on our water resources.
Key to CAC’s role is listening to residents and collaborating to solve local issues. CAC hosts four Town Hall Meetings each year to facilitate information exchange. These meetings feature presentations by legislators, county commissioners, experts knowledgeable about Conifer area issues, local leaders, businesses, local news reporters, as well as CAC members.
To better understand what the community believes is important, CAC has facilitated 5 community surveys and several other issue-specific surveys since 2006. This guides our direction for study and action, to have the community’s input on record and to provide information to public officials.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Jan – Apr / Aug – Dec – Board Meetings
Jan – Dec – Trail Meetings
Feb – Town Hall Meeting
Apr – Town Hall Meeting
Jun – Cleanup 285 Underpass with BSA Troop
Jul – Elevation Run to Kick Off Elevation Celebration (sponsored by Conifer Chamber of Commerce)
Sep – Town Hall Meeting
Nov – Town Hall Meeting
Dec – Christmas Parade Marshalls supporting CoC
KEY EVENTS IN HISTORY
1997 – Volunteers Develop Conifer 285 Corridor Development Plan for Jeffco
2002 – CAC Established
2003 – CAC Hosts first Town Hall meeting
2006 – Trails team established / First survey issued to Conifer residents
2009 – Trails Master Plan completed, identifying 50+ trails linking Conifer
2010 – Sutton Rd sidewalk paved from WJES to King Soopers – Trails team initiative
2011 – Sidewalk paved linking Conifer Rd to Meyer Pkwy under 285 – Trails initiative
2020 – Punky Kiefer leads initiative for a stand-alone library
2024 – Jeffco Public Library approves new Conifer Library in Safeway shopping center and Jeffco Open Space and Transportation & Engrg incorporates Trails team’s Plan
1997 – Volunteers Develop Conifer 285 Corridor Development Plan for Jeffco
2002 – CAC Established
2003 – CAC Hosts first Town Hall meeting
2006 – Trails team established / First survey issued to Conifer residents
2009 – Trails Master Plan completed, identifying 50+ trails linking Conifer
2010 – Sutton Rd sidewalk paved from WJES to King Soopers – Trails team initiative
2011 – Sidewalk paved linking Conifer Rd to Meyer Pkwy under 285 – Trails initiative
2020 – Punky Kiefer leads initiative for a stand-alone library
2024 – Jeffco Public Library approves new Conifer Library in Safeway shopping center and Jeffco Open Space and Transportation & Engrg incorporates Trails team’s Plan
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Shirley Johnson
President
Shirley, a Colorado Native and resident of the Conifer area since 1978, is passionate about “Conifer”. With management backgrounds in both Oil & Gas and Residential Mortgage Lending, volunteering with Jeffco & Conifer Schools, Inter-canyon Fire Department Board, Jeffco Planning Commission and CAC, as President since 2002, have been the most fulfilling.
Kurt Kaisler
Vice President
Kurt moved to Colorado in 2009 and joined CAC in 2023. He retired from the Air Force, after 26 years as a Civil Engineer/Commander. Kurt is also a former client manager for a global infrastructure consulting firm.
Christy Seabourne
Treasurer
Christy is a local realtor and a proud mother of five. Since moving to Colorado in 2005, she has embraced the mountain lifestyle, finding joy in both her professional and personal life. She is deeply passionate about volunteering and actively supports community initiatives. CAC member since 2019.
Marilyn Saltzman
Secretary
After retiring from a career as public relations professional, adjunct professor and journalist, Marilyn has dedicated herself to community service. She is past president of the boards of Congregation Beth Evergreen, Mountain Resource Center, and several other local and state organizations. CAC member since 2017.
Erika Armstrong
Erika Armstrong is a professional pilot and marketing specialist. She has lived in the Conifer area for 25 years, and after traveling the world, there is no place she’d rather be. Her two daughters graduated from Conifer HS and both attend CU Boulder. She enjoys hiking the trails with her three dogs and yoga. Board member from 2007-2015 and 2024-present.
Angela Bassano
Angela has lived in the same home in Conifer since 1977. She has been with Conifer Area Council since the beginning, helped to write the 2002 Conifer Community Plan and is a Conifer Rotarian, fundraising for the good of the all.
Pat Bouchard
Pat retired from the corporate world in 2010 and decided he wanted to get involved as a volunteer to help better our community. He joined CAC in 2006 and served as Treasurer and on the Trails Team for much of that time.
Christy Cragin
Christy moved to Conifer in 2003 and joined CAC in 2012. She is a member of Rotary and has volunteered for MRC and IMHS. Christy has been a member of the Trails Team and participates in numerous CAC community activities.
Suzy Nelson
Trails Team
Suzy is a founding member of Conifer Area Council. She has been involved in several Study/Action Teams and other CAC activities. Suzy has served the community for decades and continues to enjoy volunteering to improve our way of life.
Katie Rothman
Social Media
Katie and her husband have lived in Conifer since 2019 and joined CAC soon after. She has a career in marketing and communications and is very involved with local organizations. As a family they like to travel & jeep around Colorado.
Thomas Schenck
Trails Team
Thomas is a retired entrepreneur who has lived in the Conifer area since 1996 and joined the CAC Trails team in 2008 and the Board in 2019. He is in the process of acquiring his private pilot’s certification. In his spare time, he hikes, plays with his two dogs, and is building a storage shed/workshop.
ADVISORS
Peter Barkmann
Trails Team and Water Team Lead
Peter has lived in Conifer for 40 years now and recently retired from the Colorado Geological Survey where he worked for 20 years primarily as a hydrogeologist (water-rocks). He joined CAC in 2006 and is one of the original members of the Trails team.
Jan Schmidt
Trails Team
Jan has lived in Conifer since 1994 and joined the CAC Trails team at its inception. She is a retired computer and security administrator. She volunteers for JCOS Parks and the Friends of Mt Evans and Lost Creek Wildernesses (FOMELC) and is a passionate hiker, bicyclist and mountaineer.
Ron Schmidt
Trails Team
Ron has lived in Conifer since 1994 and joined the CAC Trails team at its inception. He is a mechanical/electrical engineer. He volunteers for JCOS Parks and the Friends of Mt Evans and Lost Creek Wildernesses (FOMELC) and is a passionate hiker, bicyclist and mountaineer.
Karin Rueff
Trails Team
Karin, a Colorado native, moved back to the Conifer area in 2022 and joined CAC in 2023. She loves to mountain bike, ski, hike, and rock climb with her husband, twin boys, and two dogs. Karin owns a government affairs consultancy and was appointed to Jefferson County’s Open Space Advisory Committee in 2024.
Carl Borrmann
Trails Team
Carl moved to Colorado in 2001. He has been a Realtor since 2006 and lives in Conifer with his family. He rides and hikes all over the foothills, volunteers to help build and maintain trails, and coaches youth mountain biking.
Edith Keifer (Punky)
Elevation Run Organizer
Punky and her family moved to Colorado from Maryland in 1983. She joined and later led our Trails team beginning in 2007 and was a board member for 15 years. Punky has been instrumental in several community projects and spearheaded the movement to obtain a new library.
David Peterson
Website Design and Maintenance
David has lived in Conifer since 2004 and is owner of Marketing Type Guys, a digital marketing company. He became involved with CAC in 2017. In his free time you can find him on the local trails riding bicycles, motorcycles and skis while occasionally stopping to snap a photo of Colorado’s wildflowers and critters.
John Wallack
Water Team
John and his wife moved to Conifer in 1985. His background is in Electrical Engineering and he spent 30 years in Test Engineering. John got involved with CAC when the Water Team was formed in 2018 to inform the community about water resources.
Dual Schneider
Legal Support
Dual operates a local business and has lived in the Conifer area with his significant other and two children since 2016. Dual is also a basketball coach and a proud supporter of Conifer High School. He has provided legal assistance to CAC since 2020.
