Team Profiles

Dawn Katz serves as the Communities That Care Manager for TCHNetwork and has over two decades of experience working with children and families in San Miguel County. Throughout her 28 years in Telluride, Dawn primarily worked as an early childhood educator and director. Dawn believes that the collaboration, dedication, and hard work of a village are essential in creating a stronger community, particularly for our youth. In Dawn's downtime, she enjoys traveling, hiking, camping and spending time with friends and family at the lake.

As a Bilingual Community Programs Systems Navigator, Donna offers essential support to English and Spanish-speaking community members, assisting them with various programs that TCHNetwork offers. Donna gained valuable experience in Property Management and Corporate Translating, during her four years in Property Management, she witnessed the challenges faced by the Latino Community, which fueled her passion for advocacy and community support. Donna firmly believes that every positive action will be carried forward, benefiting others and creating a better world. She enjoys various outdoor activities, such as hiking, mushroom hunting, and relaxing by the river.

Heidi is our Marketing Coordinator. Heidi is a true Colorado native, graduating from Olathe High School and growing up in the Pea Green area. She achieved her business degree from Colorado Mesa University, Montrose Campus, and was a peer tutor at CMU, offering tutoring sessions for all undergraduate courses. Heidi has spent years volunteering for different organizations in our communities. The most rewarding for her was volunteering as a table hostess for the Altrusa organizations with her Grandmother. Heidi is another Spanish-speaking member of our team, which is very helpful. One thing is for sure, Heidi truly loves helping people. She considers herself a true local, a blessing to us as she knows our Tri-County area well. She is already bringing ideas and passion to TCHNetwork organization.

As Tri County's Human Resources Administrator, Jackie is responsible for recruiting, hiring and retaining team members. She is also responsible for compensation and benefit administration, training and development, performance management and employee engagement. Jackie also oversees the VISTA Team members, the volunteer program and serves as the acting Telluride office manager as well as performing some finance and accounting duties. Jackie has many years of experience working in human resources, town and county government and ski area management. She also has a strong sense of community and has volunteered for many festivals, served on local boards including the Town’s Planning & Zoning Commission, Rainbow Preschool Board President, was a KOTO community radio volunteer DJ as well as participating in TCHN’s Communities That Care. When not working, Jackie loves to travel, read, watch films, play Mah Jong and be in our amazing outdoors.

Jamie Hurst is the Education and Awareness Programs Administrator for Tri-County Health Network. She has worked for the past three years at a crisis walk-in center on the Western Slope, serving our communities through direct client care & management. In addition to community mental health & crisis work, Jamie has experience working with domestic violence advocates and Habitat for Humanity. She obtained an honors degree in Psychology and a minor in English from the Ohio State University. Jamie is honored to work with the Advocacy Team at TCHN and is looking forward to growing in the field. In her downtime, she enjoys reading, playing games with family & friends, and exploring with her husband.

Juanita serves as the Care Coordination Supervisor, where she orchestrates ongoing care conferences with clients and partners with community partners to effectively support the community while fostering trusting relationships. With six years of experience in community support, she previously worked at River Valley Family Health Centers as a Patient Health Navigator. Juanita’s core value is providing a sense of respect and self-worth to the community and advocating for the community members to have a voice. In her spare time, she enjoys spending moments with her family, caring for her pets, and reading a good book.

Originally from Mexico, Julia moved to Telluride full time in 2010 and is raising her four young children in a bilingual household. She previously worked in the Telluride School District. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and works concurrently at the Wilkinson Public Library.  She serves on the Board of Directors for Karma Tutors, the Telluride Education Foundation, and is an active member of the local coalitions Raíces Sin Fronteras as well as Acción Collaborativa para Inmigrantes. She is a leader in the local Latinx community and is known for her passion for supporting the mental health and sense of belonging of all who live and work here.  Julia was named Volunteer of the Year by the Telluride Foundation in 2022. She used this award to continue serving the local immigrant community by founding the crisis fund Fondo Unidos. Julia founded Telluride's first Latinx women's recreational softball team, which has had an incredibly positive impact on the women participating and the league as a whole. You can find Julia at the gym, hiking in the mountains, or at local events with her family.

As an Enrollment Specialist based in Delta. Kimberly Meraz enrolls English and Spanish-speaking clients in insurance programs and assists with other emergency program applications. During her time in this industry, she has helped many community members find the assistance and services they need. Being bilingual in this industry has allowed her to reach a wider range of people, breaking down barriers and allowing people to feel more confident and comfortable. In the long run, she wants to be able to build strong relationships and earn the community's trust. On her down time, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her family and being active, such as running and playing volleyball.

Kaisa is the Health Equity Advocate in Delta County for Tri-County Health Network. They have grown up in this Delta and Ridgway, and worked with the Delta, Montrose, and Ouray communities. During Kaisa's time in nonprofit work, they have put on large community gatherings such as Partners Palooza Music Festival, Ouray County Pride in the Park, and more. Kaisa started their work in health equity with the Colorado Collective Leadership Initiative where they spent a year working with a team across the state to design programming to make communities safer for rural LGBTQ+ Coloradoans. Kaisa believes in liberation for all through equitable action, leading with compassion and curiosity, and thinking outside the binary. In Kaisa's downtime, they enjoy being with loved ones on the water, gardening, and trying out new crafts.

Kerry is the Behavioral Health Administrator, working with the Behavioral Health Solutions Panel and administering the Behavioral Health Fund for San Miguel County. Kerry is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland. After moving to the US, she spent her childhood moving around the Northeast, before attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She graduated with dual degrees in Sociology and Political Economy. While in school, she spent her time working with people experiencing homelessness. After graduating, she decided to move to Telluride and become a lift operator. She spent four years working for Telluride Ski Resort before returning to the nonprofit world with TCHNetwork. She enjoys helping the panel find creative ways to expand behavioral health services in San Miguel County.  When she is not working, she can most likely be found outside skiing, biking, or hiking, preferably with her dog Luna. 

As the Immigrant Affairs Advocate, Laura leads the administration of TCHNetworks’s immigration legal services program. Laura represents TCHNetwork on statewide and local coalitions seeking to advance racial and health equity in Colorado. Before taking this position, Laura worked with UPS, Mountain Village Gondola and most recently at the Uncomphagre Medical Center as a Medical Interpreter and Latinx Outreach lead. Having lived and worked in the immigrant community, Laura understands the complexities of the immigration system. Laura loves spending time with her daughter, her husband, Chris, and two grandchildren. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, swimming, bonfires, and wine in her free time.