Meet The Team!
Executive Director
Meghan Franges
Meg serves as the Executive Director for First Impressions of Routt County. She has a bachelors in Elementary Education and MA in Early Childhood Special Education. She has been involved in Early Childhood for over 10 years as a classroom teacher, early childhood special education teacher, childcare center director and most importantly- Mom.
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Meg enjoys spending time with her husband camping, biking, skiing and chasing after her two kids. Meg also has a passion for dance and is actively involved in Steamboat Dance Theatre and served on the board of directors as former president.
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Contact Meg for support or questions regarding: Active Council Committees, Universal Preschool (UPK), PDIS, Events and/or trainings.
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970.875.4229
Program Coordinator
Pamela Nebel
Pamela is originally from Medellin, Colombia. She enjoys traveling, skiing, hiking, mountain biking and camping. Over the years, she has worked with children's and youth in a variety of settings including domestic violence, sexual assault, mentoring and others. As a Social Worker she understands the importance of Early Childhood education.
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Pamela provides assistance and support for programs and coaches in navigating the Colorado Shines system, FCCH providers and more. She works closely with staff to support and assist with day-to-day operations of the Council.
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Contact Pamela for support or questions regarding: Bilingual Assistance, CSQI, QRIS, ecConnect, Available funding, Website + Marketing.
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970.875.4227
Program Specialist
Abigail Gustke
Abby, is originally from Manitou Springs. She enjoys riding her mountain bike, exploring by backpacking either on foot or horseback, and enjoys backcountry skiing in the winter.
Abigail has worked previously as a 4th grade teaching all subjects, as well as in food access and food security program management, providing local, healthy food to families. Abigail’s work has taken her to Washington state, Oregon, and now back home to Colorado, where she looks forward to connecting her passions for the outdoors, social programs, and equitable access to food and education through her role with Routt County.
Abigail provides assistance and support for First Impression’s Tuition Assistance, event coordination, grant invoicing and other programmatic functions. She works part-time to support First Impressions while also spending time in the Routt County Dept. of Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services.
970.870.5252
Fatherhood Program and Collaborative Management Program Team
Program Specialist
Fatherhood Program
Andrew Boness
Andrew is the Program Specialist for the Fatherhood Program. He has been fathering his two daughters since 2008. He has been working in Routt County since 2019. Andrew enjoys Skiing, biking and camping with his family.
Andrew is a certified facilitator for the Nurturing Fathers program. He offers one on one coaching, group classes and community building events.
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Contact Andrew for any support or information regarding fathering in Routt County.
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970.870.5289
CMP Coordinator
Collaborative Management Program
Liz Kuker
Liz is the Collaborative Management Program (CMP) Coordinator. She has a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Sociology. She started as an early elementary teacher with Teach for America, served as a legal technician in Child Support, and as a summer teacher coach. Currently serves as a co-chair for the CMP State Subcommittee on Evaluation.
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Liz is passionate about family advocacy and providing the right resources at the right time to ensure families have what they need to be successful.In her free time, she enjoys painting, hiking, traveling, and reading.
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Contact Liz for any support or questions regarding the CMP program
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970.819.1791
First Impressions Executive Committee
Chair
Irene Avitia
Irene moved to Steamboat Springs in 2004. Her educational journey led her to enroll in classes at CMC and CNCC, where she earned her Preschool Director Qualifications. As the Education Coordinator at Integrated Community, Irene plays a vital role in assisting families, guiding them through the education system, and providing support through early literacy programs and other resources to ensure their overall well-being and success.
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Irene has served on the First Impression Council since 2017 and joined the Executive Committee in 2019.
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Aside from her professional commitment, Irene finds joy in spending quality time with her family.
Vice Chair
Zoe Albright
Zoe, a devoted mother of four, is deeply committed to community and children's well-being. Actively engaged in various programs in Routt County and a key member of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) in the SSSD, Zoe tirelessly works for a better world for our children and teachers. With a unique background splitting her childhood between Australia and the U.S., Zoe offers valuable insights into early childhood education and intervention.
Joining the Executive Committee after her service on the District Advisory Council for CPP, Zoe seized the opportunity to contribute more significantly in 2023 when she became the vice chair..
Beyond her community involvement, Zoe treasures outdoor adventures and travel, creating lasting memories with her family. She also expresses gratitude to school staff through her culinary talents, showcasing appreciation for their collective efforts in raising her children.
Secretary/Treasurer
Alexis Wolf
Alexis moved to Steamboat Springs in 1996 to spend one winter as a snow bum and then the Yampa Valley curse took hold. She met her husband here and they have raised two sons. She has worked for the City of Steamboat Springs in the Parks & Recreation department for almost 20 years spending many of them working directly with youth of all ages.
She has served on the First Impressions council for over 10 years and on the Executive Committee since 2019.
When not working, she loves walking with the neighborhood moms, hiking, reading, cooking, snowboarding, and spending as much time as possible in or on the water while living in the mountains. Her giant beast of a cat Dragon keeps her sane throughout it all.
Child Care Center Representative
Kim Martin
Kim has been in her role as Executive Director at Young Tracks since 2006, and active in the field of Early Childhood Education for the past 37 years. Focusing on Infants through Pre-Kindergarteners, early childhood development, and staff development.
Over her career, she is privileged to have been on the Board of Directors for both the Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children, and our local North West Chapter of that same organization. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children since 1999.
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Kim and her family have lived in the Yampa Valley, “this time” since 1995 after moving back here from Jackson Hole Wyoming, where she taught and worked with families for seven years. They enjoy all that the valley has to offer, including skiing, biking, camping and boating.
Director of DHS
Kelly Kissling
Kelly currently serves as the director of Routt County Human Services. She is passionate about early childhood education and worked for the early childhood council in Summit County.
She moved to Steamboat Springs in 2017 and has lived in Colorado since 1999. She has a Bachelor of Social Welfare, and MBA/MS in Management.
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She enjoys spending time with her son, adventuring in the mountains, travelling and listening to music.
Routt County Comissioner
Tim Corrigan
Tim was re-elected as Routt County Commissioner in November 2020 and was first sworn into office on January 8, 2013.
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He has lived in Clark, Stagecoach and Phippsburg and now lives just South of the town of Yampa on a small ranch where he helps his wife Donna with her quarter horse business and irrigates and harvests a hay crop. Tim has owned and operated TIMCO Walls and Ceilings, Inc. (a construction subcontracting business) since 1984.
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Tim and Donna have four children, all of whom started in kindergarten and graduated from SOROCO Schools.
Tim is an avid backcountry skier, bicyclist and hockey player​.
First Impressions Council Members
Melinda Mass
Colleen Miller
Sharon Butler
Joella west
Susie Clark
Barbara Gueldner
Cecilia Morter
Irene Avitia
Emily Barnhart
Sheila Hendersen
Jordan French
Torey Wodnik
Kate Nowak
Mark Andersen
Michelle Hoza
Alexis Wolf
Pamela Nebel
Meaghan Franges
Cindy Ashley
Zoe Albright
Amy Bohmer
Kim Martin
Erin Ax
Bonnie Hernandez
Kelly Kissling
Tim Corrigan
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Want to join First Impressions Council? Reach out to Meg, Click Here!