MaryAnne Talbott is owner of Zepol Media Partners, LLC, a marketing and design firm based in Alamosa, Colorado. She is co-founder of AlamosaCitizen.com and The Rural Journalism Institute of the San Luis Valley. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, she began her career in print journalism, working at newspapers in San Luis Obispo and the San Francisco Bay Area. She loves to geek out over typography.

Kathy Walker is the long-time News Director of KOA Newsradio in Denver and now also serves as IHeartRadio’s Regional News Director for the Rocky Mountain Region. Kathy enjoys talking with interesting people all across Colorado. In addition, Kathy is a national board member of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), and served as its chairperson in 2014. Kathy is a Mass Communications graduate of CSU-Pueblo and is also proud to be a Colorado native.

Katie Roberts is the Corporate Communications and Brand Development Manager for The Kent Companies. She oversees communications and branding for the 14 different retail entities The Kent Companies operates. Katie holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master’s degree in Media and Communications from The University of Texas at Dallas. A Colorado native, Katie now resides in Midland, TX, with her husband and two children.

Chris Lopez is a veteran journalist and communications professional. He lives by the motto: Think big, get it done, and have a good time doing it. He is co-founder of AlamosaCitizen.com and The Rural Journalism Institute of the San Luis Valley. He built his career working in three major metro markets – Denver metro; San Francisco Bay Area; and El Paso/Las Cruces/Ciudad Juárez border. He is a native of Alamosa and graduate of Alamosa High and Adams State University.

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Katie Dokson is seventh generation to the San Luis Valley. She is an artist, author, producer and currently the SLV Community Engagement Manager for History Colorado. She has worked in preservation, production, research and outreach for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, the Maestas Case Commemoration Committee, La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU) and is a board member for NOON Organization. 

Sarah Ramirez is a SLV native with deep family ties to the area. She is currently working as an Assistant Principal of Instruction for KIPP Colorado, a part of the Denver Public School District. She loves reading, hiking, gardening, painting, and traveling. She is passionate about community, social justice and all things education. 

Maddy moved to the San Luis Valley in 2014 from Boston. She is the host of the Creative Citizen: Unexpected Artist podcast, the founder of The Church Project Community Art Center in Monte Vista, and the grant writer for San Luis Valley Great Outdoors in Alamosa.