WHO WE ARE

STAFF

Keith Desrosiers, Collective Impact Project Lead

keith@nullthornenature.org, 303.499.3647 x105

Keith is the Executive Director of Thorne Nature Experience and has more than 20 years experience in nonprofit management with environmental nonprofits in Colorado.

Angela Myers, NKJN Program Manager

Angela@nullthornenature.org, 303.499.3647 x102

Angela is Curriculum and Evaluation Manager for Thorne Nature Experience and has extensive environmental education experience as well as experience as a bilingual educator and lead science instructor within Denver Public Schools.

Veronica Sangabriel, NKJN Community Liaison

veronica@nullnaturekidslafayette.org, 720-601-4964

Veronica Sangabriel has worked with Nature Kids Lafayette since the program first started in 2017. She has assisted with connecting families in the Lafayette community to the many programs that are available through Nature Kids. She has been working with the Lafayette community for many years in different capacities. In her past, she has worked with community organizations like ELPASO and the Boulder Community Foundation to connect families to resources.

Regina Reyes-Zaragoza, Inclusiveness and Equity Manager

regina@nullthornenature.org, 303.499.3647 x111

Meet Regina, our amazing Inclusiveness and Equity Manager. 

Regina graduated from CU Boulder with a double B.A. in International Affairs and Art History. Regina is originally from Querétaro, Mexico, where she attended school before moving onto college. Regina has been involved in Boulder’s nonprofit sector since she graduated in 2015.

COMMUNITY

Lafayette, a small city of 9 square miles and 27,000 residents, is home to some of the lowest-income neighborhoods and schools in Boulder County. Founded by farmers and coal-miners in the 1880’s, Lafayette continues to attract immigrant and working class families. Despite a recent infill of suburban housing, the Lafayette city core remains a mix of high-density residential areas (rentals, trailer parks, and older homes) and industrial zones. In stark contrast to the wealth that surrounds Lafayette throughout much of Boulder County, 41% of the population targeted to be served by NKJN live below the poverty level of $24,350 for a family of four. The living wage for this area is 180% of the poverty level, creating a great disparity between resources and needs.

Despite limited access to financial resources, the community to be served by NKJN is rich in human capital. Lafayette is home to a number of effective grassroots community organizations and leaders, many of whom are signed on as NKJN collaborators and advisors. Members of the Latino community, in particular, are eager to improve their neighborhoods. The heart and grit of Lafayette’s low-income and Latino residents is perhaps best exemplified by Alicia Sanchez, for whom Sanchez Elementary was named and who, as a single mother of seven and a woman who never finished high school, was a tireless community activist, leader, and humanitarian. NKJN intends to harness this passion for community improvement to ensure access to nature and outdoor experiences for all Lafayette youth.