ABOUT
MISSION & VISION
Mission & Vision
Purpose
To ensure agriculture thrives as a vibrant core of our Valley.
Values
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A commitment to agriculture is the core of our existence
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The credibility of our organization is paramount
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We treasure our heritage while adapting to the future
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We honor diverse perspectives
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Together we achieve more
What We Do & How We Do It
We provide leadership, education, and programs that promote agriculture and connect the shared interests of our Valley by:
- Enhancing and promoting local agriculture: food, fiber, products, and services
- Providing resources, advocacy, and support for local agriculture
- Fostering meaningful connections between agriculture and our community
Ensuring the vitality and continuity of agriculture in the Yampa Valley is our primary focus.
Through actions and programs we lead Community to grow Agriculture and to create Alliance among individuals with shared passions and goals.
HISTORY
The Community Agriculture Alliance (CAA) is a Colorado incorporated, non-profit community organization serving Routt County and the Yampa River Valley. The CAA was established in 1999 to ensure that the agricultural community can adapt to changes in the local and regional economy and still be active and vital in the Yampa River Valley for generations to come.
The Yampa Valley is truly a unique place. We have a rich history of cattle and sheep ranching, dating from the 1870s, with many of the ranches still in continuing family ownership. We have a deep economic base of coal mining with a heritage of gold and silver mining. We are located in the heart of the Colorado Rockies and are blessed with abundant scenery and wildlife that provides a strong recreational economy. We are also home to the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation, an internationally acclaimed ski and snowboard area, which provides a strong resort and service economy. All segments of the area are dependent upon each other for economic survival because of soaring land prices, continual residential and commercial growth and the desire to maintain the rural way of life. The challenge is to intermingle all of the players in northwest Colorado to assure that the amenities that we so love will exist for generations to come.
CAA BOARD & STAFF
2022 Board of Directors
Colby Townsend, Co-Chair
Mikinzie Taylor, Co-Chair
Karla Trevithick, Treasurer
Megan Knott, Secretary
Greg Brown
CJ Mucklow
Kent Sandstedt
Claire Sollars
Eric Wellman
Joella West
Shiloh Whaley
2022 Advisory Committee
Carol (Shine) Atha
Tiffany Carlson
Kristi Doran
Todd Hagenbuch
Sarah Jones
Lore Marvin
Chereen Leong-Schwarz
Tim Redmond, Routt County Commissioner Representative
Clinton Whitten
Michele Meyer
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Michele has worked at CAA since 2010 and assumed the Executive Director role in 2018. She brings over 20 years of professional fund raising and marketing experience to the CAA. Michele previously worked for United Way, Hospice of Larimer County and has her own business as a personal trainer/yoga instructor, she is also a part time ski instructor With a diverse background, Michele comments, “I am honored to be a part of the Community Agriculture Alliance. I truly believe in the organizations’ mission of preserving, promoting and supporting agriculture. One of the main reasons I moved here, and I think a very common one, is the scenic working landscapes and heritage of agriculture. The natural beauty of the area and the scenic views that rural agriculture provide are critical to keeping the Yampa Valley so unique and special. I truly believe the mission of CAA is critical to the fabric of our community.”
Contact Michele at michele@communityagalliance.org
Patrick Stanko
AG RESOURCE COORDINATOR
Patrick is a fourth-generation rancher on a local Yampa Valley ranch that has been in the family for more than 100 years. After a 20-year hiatus from the Valley, while gaining his Engineering degree and working in the business world, Patrick moved back to the ranch in 2013. Starting work for the CAA in 2018 Patrick is dedicated to the work of promoting agriculture in the Yampa Valley. As the Agriculture Resource Coordinator, Patrick will continue the water education programs and outreach for agriculture in the Yampa Valley.
Contact Patrick at patrick@communityagalliance.org
Meredith Rose
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Meredith’s journey into local food began as a young adult. In college, she took a course that sparked her interest in agriculture. This interest became a hobby when she moved to the Yampa Valley in 2014 and started volunteering for the Community Ag Alliance. She then became a staff member and helped grow the CAA Market program and perform admin duties. Her hobby of local food grew into a passion and is now the north-star in her career path. Presently, she is an officer of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union’s Northwest Colorado Chapter and a Regional Food Coordinator for Hunger Free Colorado. She enjoys connecting with local food any chance she gets and sharing the farmer’s story. She is the owner of Rose West, an ag marketing and resource business, that launched this year. Away from the CAA, you can find her cross-country skiing or hiking with her dog, Tilly, or enjoying a beer at Storm Peak Brewing Co.
Contact Meredith at meredith@communityagalliance.org
Katie Stanhope
CAA MARKET COORDINATOR
Growing up in Steamboat, she developed a strong sense of loyalty and pride for this community; the people, the culture and the history are so special to me. Her passion for the food system and agriculture as a whole has grown and grown after years of selling local produce at farmer’s markets and working on a farm. Now, she’s seeking a lifelong career connecting people to their food and what better place to do it than in the community she loves. Working at the CAA Market is a beautiful opportunity to combine the two things she loves most. Outside of work and class, you’ll usually find her romping around North Routt or enjoying a beer with her pals.
