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DescriptionEvery Sanctuary Starts With A Solid Foundation.
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A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide therapeutic, curative, supportive and recreational activities to veterans, active military personnel, their spouses and children in a leisure environment.
Leadership
Heather Ehle (pronounced E. Lee) - Executive Director and Founder
Heather is a Registered Nurse in the State of Colorado and has more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry as a nurse, manager, volunteer and entrepreneur. She has extensive experience in the non-profit health care system. A proud single mother of three. Heather is driven by a strong desire to give back and do more. She cannot think of a more deserving group of people to whom she may devote her time, energy, love than the brave families of our nation's heroes.
In 2010 Heather was a finaliast for People Magazines All Stars Among Us, and a 2011 award winner from the Aurora Chamber for Women Making a Difference.
Michelle Bruce - Military Outreach Director
Michelle has been with Project Sanctuary since attending the very first retreat June 2008.
Having completed college at The Center for Advanced Therapeutics, Michelle became a Certified Massage Therapist. In 2003 Michelle became an Air Force wife and mom. Balancing life with her two girls, Kaylee and McKenna, and her son, Dawson, along with the rigors of her husband’s frequent deployments inspired Michelle to start a ministry for Military Wives. Michelle believes that the Colorado Mountains provide the needed peace and quiet to help balance the stresses of military life. After attending a Project Sanctuary retreat with her family, Michelle became an active volunteer, reaching out the new families and providing a necessary bridge of information, recruitment and comfort.
Today, Michelle selects all families for retreats and directors all buisness and contacts in the Colorado Springs area.
Michelle was honored ot be a finalist for the 2010 Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Humanitarian award.
Missy Hyatt CTRS - Director of Programs and Special Events
Missy has a bachelors in Leisure Services with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Missy has worked in the Recreation Department at the Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Oklahoma. She spent 3 years working with children and adolescents in a behavioral health hospital. Missy has been with Project Sanctuary since February 2011 where she began as Youth Services Coordinator. In 2012 Missy was promoted to full time where she will direct all retreat services, manage sponsorships and special events. She will continue to coordinate Youth Services.
Kristi Cox - Community Outreach Director
Kristi@ProjectSanctuary.us
Kristi started her Military career in Frankfurt, Germany working in Inpatient Psychiatry and Alcohol & Drug Rehabilitation, with the soldiers returning from Desert Storm. She worked in the Army Medical and Psychiatric field for eight years. After her military service, she worked for Child & Family Services with Troubled Youth for 4 years and then quit the work force to raise her four children. Kristi has been a military spouse for 16 years and completed the Army Reserve Family Programs Academy in 2009. Kristi's family went through the February 2011 Project Sanctuary retreat and she been an active volunteer since that date.
Kristi heads up our two year follow up program matching families with needed support and services.
Dani Hammond - Events Coordinator
Dani is a military wife and mother of three. The Hammond family was given a retreat in November of 2010, and has been actively volunteering for Project Sanctuary since. Dani joined the staff of Project Sanctuary in January of 2012 as the Events Coordinator. Her background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and she has a wide range of experience including Office Management, Property Management, Non-Profit work and Vision Therapy. Dani’s main focus has been working with children and adolescents who have been vicitims of severe abuse and neglect. She has worked extensively with children ages 5-14 who have behavioral, emotional and learning disabilities, as well as, assisting parents in developing improved parenting skills.
Dani’s husband, Brad served 8 years in the Army which included a combat tour in Iraq 2004-2005. Brad sustained a TBI and suffers from severe PTSD and anxiety. Dani and Brad are advocates for veteran’s issues, especially for awareness of the effects of TBI and PTSD on veterans and their families. Dani is looking forward to helping the organization move onward and upward and is excited to see what the future holds! All Gave Some, Some Gave All, Give Some Back
Board of Directors
Arthur "Artie" Guerrero - President
In 1987, Artie became the President and national director of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Mountain States Chapter, in which he brought issues of disabled veterans to the nation's attention. He became involved with various accessibility projects and served on the accessible advisory committees for RTD, Jefferson County Government, Coors Field and INVESCO Field at Mile High. In 1996, Artie was the co-founder of the Colorado Avalanche Sled Hockey Team and the Colorado Rockies Wheelchair Softball program. He served on the Board of Directors for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) and still promotes their adaptive ski program on a regular basis. In 2010 he was given the Civil Rights Award from the Anti-Defamation League for his work and advocacy for people with disabilities.
June 2006, Artie received the award for Veteran of the Year (out of 460,000 veterans in Colorado), by the United Veterans Committee of Colorado.
Scott Westfall
Scott attend Project Sanctuary retreat June 2009 and has four children. He received his Bachelor of Science in Project Management from Colorado Technical University, and is currently serving in the US Air Force Reserves. His professional experience includes positions as an aircrew instructor, acquisition program requirements manager, maintenance work center supervisor, and global communications network engineer. He recently designed, procured, constructed, and fielded a prototype satellite interference monitoring system which is used today as a baseline for emerging industry designs. He has also created workspaces, organized personnel, and developed the life-blood infrastructure and processes that form the framework of a modern organization with few personnel and a near-zero budget. This has prepared him for the rapid growth a nonprofit can experience in its early years. Scott now focuses on efficiently and effectively leveraging Project Sanctuary resources to best serve its critical mission: serving the needs of the modern military family.
BJ McAllister
BJ comes to us from Sam’s Club Management. He brings extensive experience in Event and Fundraising projects. Also brings connections to Sam’s Clubs and Wal-Mart directors.
Lucila Peterson
Lucila served in the Army from 1996-2001 as a Korean Linguist. She moved to Colorado after serving in the military and began her Financial Planning practice with First Command Financial Planning in 2004. Lucila is a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Financial Consultant and practice comprehensive financial planning in the Denver area. She joined the PS board of directors as a way to support and give back to the service members and their families. Lucila believes Project Sanctuary is doing work to rebuild fragile families that are torn down by the rigors of serving our nation. She is very excited to be part of the Project Sanctuary Team!
Barry Schwabauer
Board memeber as of February 2012. Barry attended the Wounded Warrior/Project Sanctuary retreat August 2011. He is an Army Veteran and retired Marine. Since Iraq, Barry has felt a strong calling to help out his fellow brothers in arms in dealing with the many things that happen to soldiers when they are deployed. Now he wants to help our veterans transition back to civilian lives, and help families deal with what war brings home.
Steering Committee
Marcia Smith
Marcia started her military career at Bitburg Air Base Germany as an avionics technician on the F-15A fighter aircraft. She was later accepted to Officer Training School and selected as Officer Trainee Wing Commander and was a distinguished graduate upon completion of training. She earned her Master of Science degree in Management from Lesley College. Her military career included three years as an instructor of Military Strategic Studies at the United States Air Force Academy and an assignment to the Pentagon as an Executive Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. She retired after 28 years of active duty military service at the rank of Major. Her volunteer activities include: Big Bother - Big Sister, Literacy Volunteers of America, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistant.
Blake Anderson
Blake has been volunteering with Project Sanctuary since April 2009. He is the co-founder of his own nonprofit, BOLD Youth, Building On Life's Disappointments. Blake played on the CU BUFF NCAA National Champion team. He brings nonprofit experience and during retreats heads up acitivites and asists with the youth program.
