Board of Directors

Paul Major has served as the President and CEO of the Telluride Foundation since its inception in 2000. He leads the Foundation’s initiatives in early childhood development, immigrant integration and health care. He has established and led programs for these areas and secured multi-million dollar grants from private, state and federal sources. Major is a board member of Colorado Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), Bright Futures for Early Childhood and Families, Mobile Accord and Council on Foundation Community Foundation Leadership Team.

Jeannie is the Chief Medical Officer for River Valley Family Health Center with over 18 years of experience in healthcare. She is a Physician Assistant (PA-C), Registered Dietitian (RD), and Certified Diabetic Educator. She holds a Masters Degree in Science from A.T. Still University in Arizona. Jeannie is a 6th generation native of Colorado and has spent the last 17 years on the Western Slope providing care to underserved populations. As a National Health Service Loan Repayment Recipient and HRSA Leadership Award Recipient who chose to stay in rural Colorado, Jeannie understands the barriers to health care and wishes to be part of the solution. When she is not working, she enjoys body building and spending time with her husband and two dogs, the Brown Brothers.

Quality in health care has become a primary focus for Amber Hickert. She has spent the past 15 years working in the medical field doing a little bit of everything from Medical records to billing. Amber has been with Pediatric Associates since 2002. In 2009 she became the Practice Manager. The team at Pediatrics has dedicated themselves to quality initiatives, leading the way in innovation in Primary care with integrated behavioral health services. Amber’s work with Practice transformation has allowed her to become a resource in the community and surrounding areas. She is currently serving on the board of a newly founded organization, Western Slope Medical Manager Association. She also works closely with School based health centers in Montrose and Delta Colorado.

Shelly brings more than 28 years of experience in working in both urban and rural not-for-profit community mental health centers. She received her Master of Education, in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. As the Chief Executive Officer for the Center for Mental Health, Shelly directs financial, clinical, and administrative operations and ensures that the organization, its mission, programs, and services are in step with the needs of the communities served by the Center. A committed community volunteer, Shelly is a Rotarian and actively involved in her church.

Peter G. Dodge is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Performance Officer of Hanover Research, a global information services firm based in Washington, D.C. Ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in D.C. and as one of the largest market research firms in the world, Hanover provides knowledge support to more than 1,200 corporate and non-profit clients. Peter is Founder, Chairman, and Chief Investment Officer of GP Ventures (GPV), which provides funding to early-stage enterprises. He is Founder, Board Chairman, and President of The Peter G. Dodge Foundation (PGDF). By investing $3M in PGDF over five years, Peter has transformed the Foundation from a private philanthropic endeavor to a national grantmaking charity that now raises and distributes funds to advance the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Finally, he is the founder of the Young Philanthropists Initiative, which hopes to inspire increased giving among wealthy people under the age of 50. An alumnus of Washington and Lee University, Peter travels frequently but divides the majority of his time between Telluride, CO, and Bridgehampton, NY.

Jessie Neitzer has been at Montrose Memorial Hospital since 2015 directing the Department of Quality and Risk Management. She is responsible for oversight of the Quality Management System including clinical quality data gathering and submission, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. Jessie is focused on growing relationships with patients and families, as well as community partnerships. She facilitated the first Patient Family Advisory Council at Montrose Memorial and heads up the Community Health Neighborhood Engagement project. Jessie received her undergraduate degree and MBA from Adams State in Alamosa and worked with Southwest Health System in Cortez. Jessie is a southwest Colorado native and she enjoys playing and coaching volleyball, and spending time with her husband enjoying all the outdoor activities our area has to offer.

Nichole Long has been with Uncompahgre Medical Center since 2012 and has served as the Chief Executive Officer since August 2018. Nichole previously oversaw all compliance related tasks and quality improvement initiatives as the Chief Quality and Compliance Officer. She is a Registered Nurse and holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri Columbia, where she graduated summa cum laude. Nichole brings experience in hospital, outpatient, specialty, and home health care patient services to UMC from her previous nursing work.

Karen brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare management. She started her healthcare career as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, managing nursing homes in Texas and Colorado. She is currently the CEO of the Telluride Medical Center and before that she was the Executive Director of an ophthalmology practice in Montrose, Colorado. Karen is active in collaborating with different associations and organizations to improve healthcare for patients and help to find ways to deliver care to those that need it. She has lived on the western slope of Colorado for the past 18 years and enjoys spending time with her family skiing, rafting, biking, and hiking.