Amber Shanklin joined the GOCO team as a Grants Officer in April 2025.
What did you do before you came to GOCO?
Most recently, I ran my own consulting business—Red Curl Consulting—where I helped mission-driven organizations build capacity, set long-term goals, and fundraise for conservation and community-focused projects. Much of my work focused on land and water conservation, outdoor access, and post-fire watershed recovery, particularly in rural communities across Colorado.
I grew up in Wisconsin, and after a brief stint in Nevada, I came to Colorado for graduate school (go Rams!), and quickly decided I never wanted to leave. My graduate work gave me the chance to explore the Front Range in depth, and I fell in love with the landscapes and strong sense of place that make Colorado so special. That connection ultimately led me to a career in land conservation.
Before launching my consulting business, I spent over a decade working with conservation nonprofits and land management agencies. I served as conservation and stewardship director at Palmer Land Conservancy, where I managed a portfolio of nearly 140,000 acres of conserved lands and led efforts to support working lands, outdoor recreation, and habitat protection. As program director at the Rocky Mountain Field Institute, I had the privilege of bringing hundreds of volunteers into the field to complete trail construction, high alpine restoration, and post-fire recovery projects. Earlier in my career, I worked with The Nature Conservancy, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—doing everything from eradicating invasive species to coordinating large-scale conservation initiatives.
That blend of field-based experience and organizational strategy has shaped how I approach this work—I love diving into complex projects, helping partners find creative solutions, and witnessing the long-term impact of protecting land and water for people, wildlife, and future generations.
What brought you here?
I’ve had the privilege of working with GOCO from the grantee side during my time at Palmer Land Conservancy and Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and I was always impressed by the staff’s collaborative approach, deep expertise, and genuine commitment to Colorado communities. GOCO reflects the values that drive me—conservation, community, and a meaningful connection to the outdoors, so when the opportunity to join the team presented itself, I didn’t hesitate!
What’s your GOCO experience been like so far?
My experience at GOCO so far has been incredibly welcoming and energizing. The staff is supportive, collaborative, and truly passionate about the work—and it’s been inspiring to be surrounded by such a dedicated team. I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with familiar partners from my previous roles and getting to know new ones, each bringing their own spark to projects across the state. It’s a privilege to learn about the creative, community-driven work underway in every corner of Colorado, and I feel lucky to be in a role where I get to support that impact every day.
What are some of your favorite things to do outdoors?
Oh gosh, where do I even start? Lately, I’ve been getting into backpacking—I love the solitude and deep connection with nature that comes from carrying everything you need on your back for a few days. I’m also happiest on the water. My parents live on a lake in Wisconsin, so I grew up paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and more recently, learning to surf behind the boat. Closer to home, rafting the Arkansas is a fun way to experience water—mostly in my face.
But the thing that’s stuck with me the longest? Plants. I’ve been smitten with them ever since I started working in the West. My first job out of college was on a National Wildlife Refuge that had over 26 endemic and threatened species. I spent hours exploring that refuge, searching for both rare and common plants. After grad school, I spent a summer wandering the Piceance Basin on the Western Slope doing the same thing, tracking down T&E species and soaking up the desert botany life. My grad work at CSU focused on foothill ecology, and a big part of that was growing native plants in the greenhouse—there’s nothing quite like watching a seed you planted grow.
There’s a saying I heard recently that I think really nails it: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. If you want to go very slowly and also not very far, go with botanists.
What’s your favorite place to get outdoors in Colorado?
It’s tough to pick just one spot—Colorado has so many places that feel meaningful to me. I have a real soft spot for the Lower Arkansas Valley and the incredible farmers and ranchers who care for that land. I’ve also come to love the desert-y edge of Colorado Springs on the eastern flank of town—it reminds me of the Mojave, where I spent time early in my career, and it’s full of subtle, surprising beauty.
I started my Colorado journey in Fort Collins, and the Poudre Canyon will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I fell in love with rivers and granite and that mix of forest and sky. Lately, I’ve been working my way through the Collegiate Peaks, backpacking section by section and spending time at a friend’s nearby cabin. It’s quickly become one of my favorite places to slow down and soak it all in.
And yet, there’s still so much to explore and never quite enough hours in the day. One of the things I’m most excited about in this role is the chance to get out and see more of the state, connect with new places and people, and keep adding to that list of favorite spots.
What’s the coolest wildlife you have spotted while outdoors in Colorado?
The first bear I ever saw in Colorado was a little cinnamon-colored black bear that ran right in front of my car while I was driving on a private property along the Gold Belt Scenic Byway. I had been meeting with the landowner who had conserved his land years ago and was trying out new crops—hops and grapevines, in this case. It was such a cool and unexpected moment (made even better by the fact that I was safely in my car!).
When I told the landowner about it, he lit up. He was so proud that I got to see that bear on his land. That’s honestly one of my favorite parts of this job—working with people who care deeply about their land and getting to experience the results of their stewardship in real time.