Elizabeth joined the GOCO team in February 2021 as the executive coordinator.

What did you do before you came to GOCO?

I’ve been working in the education field for the past 17 years, most recently working at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, managing the MD-PhD dual degree program for graduate students.

What brought you to GOCO?

While working in higher education and with graduate students has always been important to me, I thrive when I’m outdoors. I continue to be in awe of what this state offers so I was always looking for ways to combine two of my loves – education and the environment. When the opportunity to be a part of GOCO opened, I didn’t hesitate. Being able to bring my passion for the outdoors and this state to my everyday work is a dream come true.  

What has been your favorite part of working here so far?

The team camaraderie is amazing! Everyone is so friendly and wants to help. The staff’s enthusiasm for their work is contagious.

What is your typical day like?

I’m still learning my role, but so far I’m spending most of my days preparing for upcoming meetings, connecting with local businesses for those meetings, and getting to know my coworkers – learning the ins and outs of everything we do here.

What are some of your favorite things to do outdoors?

I’m an athlete at heart, so much so I am on one or two softball and volleyball teams throughout the year and recently started dabbling in basketball again. If I’m not on a field or court somewhere, you can find me on the city bike trails or hiking in the foothills and mountains.

Where is your favorite place to get outdoors in Colorado?

I live on the south end of Denver, so I love how easy it is to hop on the Cherry Creek Trail and bike around the reservoir. The ability to be outside the city limits quickly makes it easy to go for day-hikes; some of my favorites have been Mt. Falcon, St. Mary’s Glacier, and Booth Falls.

What is your most memorable outdoors mishap?

Every time my sister comes to visit, she wants to go for a hike in a new area. The first time we went to Eldorado Springs, it was late afternoon and more than halfway up our path it started to downpour on us. We were just in shorts and t-shirts without any rain gear. We had to (carefully) run the mile back to our car. The next summer, new trail, different time of day, we got rained on again; at least this time we had long sleeve shirts? Finally, on our most recent adventure up to Breckenridge, I saw we would be getting afternoon showers during our hike, so I packed us raincoats and a change of clothes – alas, it didn’t even rain! But better to be prepared than not.

What is the coolest wildlife you have spotted while outdoors in Colorado?

I went up to Estes Park with some friends, having lived here less than a year, and I was shocked and a little frightened when we opened our cabin door to find three large elk snoozing in our front yard and very close to our car. They are very beautiful animals, but wow are they big!