John Tayer Bio
As President and CEO of the Boulder Chamber, John is honored to lead the organization that serves as Boulder’s unified voice for business interests, advances the community’s economic vitality, and provides valuable business support services. It’s his passion for serving the community that led him to this role, beginning with his early years as a US Senate staff aide in Washington, DC (in exciting roles that evolved from running the Xerox machine and reception desk to something more resembling what you see on C-SPAN). After moving to Boulder for law school, John served in policy and public affairs positions with the Boulder City Manager’s Office and the local pharmaceutical company, Roche Colorado (now Corden Pharma). All along the way, John has immersed himself in volunteer and elected positions that reflect his values, from the governing boards for Intercambio, Eco-Cycle, Resource Central and the Community Foundation to six years as Boulder’s representative on the RTD Board of Directors. It’s a busy life, but John still finds the free time to enjoy this wonderful community. Look for John on the disc golf course, out on the running trails, at any Grateful Dead cover band concert... and it’s always most fun for him when he’s getting time with his sweetheart, Ms. Molly T.
Operations Team
Jacqueline McCauley (she/her)
Associate Vice President - Finance, Human Resources and Operations
Jacqueline McCauley Bio
As a Colorado native, Jacqueline was thrilled to step in as the Associate Vice President of Finance, Human Resources, and Operations with the Boulder Chamber. While her business endeavors served businesses across the US and abroad, her goal is to dedicate her time to the community that has provided so much for her.
Jacqueline’s recent endeavors include managing as the Head of People for a consumer product tech startup that brings emotion and tactility to the metaverse within the virtual reality sector. There, her role was implementing human resource initiatives that applied a consistent and fair framework and practices across the company. Jacqueline has also been a consultant for the meditation application company, Abide. She had oversight of the finance team and managed the human resource administration throughout an acquisition. Abide was acquired by the historical non-profit, Guideposts, in October of 2021.
Previously, Jacqueline transitioned from Vice President of Finance and HR to the Interim CEO for SonicEnergy, which delivers in air ultra-sound to charge sensors and other devices. While serving in this capacity, SonicEnergy pivoted from mobile device charging to sensor IOT applications, with the first public reveal of new technology at the Consumer Electronics Show. As the Vice President of Finance and HR, Jacqueline developed all finance and human resources strategy, tactics, and infrastructure in alignment with the product development roadmap.
Jacqueline holds a board seat with the Society for Human Resources Management Mile High chapter, now serving as the Board Treasurer, and has earned the SHRM-SCP certification. Jacqueline also is an advocate for the professional and personal development of female executives. One way she advances goals in this area is through her seat on the board of the Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation and serving for over five years as a Mentor Liaison and Mentoring Supervisor.
Jacqueline’s dedication to effectiveness in her career notwithstanding, she raised six children as a single mother, all of whom are now building successful careers of their own. Jacqueline loves both snow days and floral gardens and just took up watercolors. In her ‘spare time,’ she practices yoga. Her love of technology is fueled by her love of gaming. She thinks fun and laughter are the keys to a good life.
Jacqueline has both a BS in Business and an MBA from Pepperdine University
Amy Barz Bio
Amy Barz is a University of Illinois alum with a degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism Management. She has held various positions over the years, all revolving around organization, management and multi-tasking. Her goal is to make the Chamber office run as efficiently and eco-friendly as possible. In her spare time, Amy enjoys tending to her vegetable garden, baking and taking bike rides around McIntosh Lake.
Judi Zrimec Bio
Judi Zrimec studied business at the Madison Business College. She has administrative experience with financial, pharmaceutical, and aerospace businesses. Judi also has knowledge of non-profits and was a volunteer at Dress for Success Denver. She hopes to share her administrative knowledge with the Boulder Chamber.
Kathleen Baer Bio
As the Admin and Event Assistant, Kathleen is dedicated to providing exceptional administrative support to her colleagues, allowing them to focus on their core responsibilities with ease. She is excited to make valuable contributions to Boulder chamber events and gain in-depth insights into the Boulder business community.
Originally hailing from Chicago, Kathleen and her husband relocated to Colorado in 2008 and settled in Lyons, CO, where they have since made their home. Kathleen's professional background most recently includes serving as the Admin for her family tree business, Baer Mountain and Urban Forestry LLC,. Her passion for supporting small, local businesses led her to join the Boulder chamber, and she previously served on the board of the Lyons Area Chamber of Commerce.
When Kathleen is not in the office, she enjoys attending live music events, camping, hiking, and spending quality time with her family, friends, and beloved dog.
Member Relations Team
Scott Firle (he/him)
Senior Director of Member and Investor Relations
Scott Firle Bio
As Director of Member Relations, Scott leads the Member Relations department in providing value and support to the 1,300-plus member businesses of the Boulder Chamber, bringing on board new members and securing sponsorships for chamber events and programs. Scott is a graduate of the Boulder County Leadership Fellows program and currently sits on the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee. When not at a chamber event or in the office you can find Scott spending valuable time with his family, camping in the Rockies, on the golf course or in the pit.
Cate Cook Bio
Cate Cook (she/her) is a creative community builder with a background and degree in Community Health. She is excited to be re-joining the Boulder Chamber to help advance the efforts to build community through business!
Cate comes to the team with 10 years’ experience working with community and civic organizations, with a focus on building community and engagement among the Boulder County business and nonprofits. She spent the last two years working with Workforce Boulder County supporting and growing their Board of Directors and engaging local businesses in various grants and workforce opportunities.
She is a graduate of the Boulder County Leadership Fellows, an E-for-All Mentor, as well is a previous committee member of the Boulder County LGBTQ Chamber. She has volunteered for various local campaigns in Boulder County and is passionate about community and voter engagement. Outside of community building, she spends her time on her bicycle, improving her Spanish language skills, playing with her nephews, and has recently discovered a deep love for gardening.
Lindsey Sharp Bio
Lindsey is the Member Development Partner with over 12 years of sales and nonprofit experience in the Boulder market area. Lindsey loves connecting with local businesses and learning more about what makes them unique. Helping businesses improve their connection to the community is her passion.
Lindsey is originally from Maryland but a proud graduate of the University of Colorado. Go Buffs!
When she is not working, Lindsey is enjoying time with her family, traveling or enjoying the outdoors. Occasionally she’s playing a field hockey pickup game.
Economic Vitality Team
Scott Sternberg (he/him)
Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council and Associate Vice President for Economic Vitality
Scott Sternberg Bio
Scott Sternberg is the Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council and Associate Vice President for Economic Vitality. Sternberg holds significant leadership experience in international business, entrepreneurial startup ventures, and research technology development. He most recently served as President of Vaisala Inc., a manufacturer of professional weather and industrial environmental sensors, systems and solutions. Prior to his initial employment and escalating roles within Vaisala, Sternberg worked to position the venture capital backed Photometrics for sale to Roper Technologies, where he then worked for a number of years to build their portfolio of digital imaging companies.
Aside from his direct business experience, Sternberg has been actively engaged throughout his career in service to economic development, technology transfer and environmental sustainability goals. He was Chair of the Board of Directors for CO-LABS, helping to position the organization as both a strong advocate for federal research investment and a true partner in the conversion of scientific findings into business enterprise. Sternberg also served on the Board of Trustees for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and currently sits on the External Advisory Board for the School of Global Environmental Sustainability at Colorado State University.
Matt Wiggins Bio
As the Director of Workforce Development, Matt doggedly pursues ways to create and connect opportunities between businesses, job seekers, and burgeoning professionals of Boulder and its surrounding communities. Matt has over 12 years of experience in marketing and communications related to business development and K-12 education. Prior to his role with the Boulder Chamber, he served as the Director of Community and Business Development of St. Vrain Valley Schools, where he helped align career technical education with pertinent skill building activities, local industry needs, and regional workforce initiatives.
Over the past three years, Matt has assumed leadership roles with several chambers, economic development, workforce, and sector partnership boards. He takes a hands-on approach with this work and looks for ways to simplify systems, share impactful stories, and build relationships that improve the economic vitality of our local community.
Gary Boley Bio
Gary has been a professional in the workforce development arena in multiple capacities and has a passion for developing systems and networks that allow more precision in the worklife of our employment community and talented students/professionals seeking terrific matches.
Gary provides services in his capacity as the Economic Vitality Specialist, supporting & leading workforce development initiatives that benefit Boulder and the Boulder County region. Gary has served in many public positions as Director of Career Services for a few high profile University’s and regionally for Metro State University of Denver, so he understands the economic landscape of the front range. Gary also understands the challenges and complexities of entrepreneurship, having started the Career Action Network supporting recruiting, on-boarding and retention of talent.
Goodwill Industries of Denver to this day still employs the career development/planning curriculum and syllabus Gary authored for the workforce development centers and the Denver & Aurora school systems. Gary looks forward to working alongside you to create a reliable pipeline of talent creating the dynamic outcomes, catapulting your organization to the next level of excellence.
Louis Rosner Bio
As the Economic Development Analyst at the BCC, Louis brings a strong background in economics and social policy to his role. He holds a BA/MS in Economics and Social Policy from the University of Denver, with a focus on healthcare and financial economics.
Louis has a track record of successful collaborations and innovative projects. He has worked extensively with the Colorado Universities Innovation Council and RTD on the Go Centennial 2.0 initiative, developing a last-mile solution for the Dry Creek train station. His analytical skills and strategic thinking have contributed to addressing transportation challenges and enhancing community connectivity.
In his current position at the chamber, Louis works closely with local and regional businesses, providing valuable insights into data related to local demographics, real estate, transportation, workforce, foot-traffic, and other strategic values. He excels at translating complex data into actionable intelligence, empowering professionals to make informed decisions.
Marketing and Events Team
Maye Cordero Bio
Maye is a Marketing and Communication Specialist with over fifteen years of combined experience in the entertainment industry and the nonprofit world. She is also a graphic designer and professional photographer from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Maye holds a Media Design Master of Fine Arts from Full Sail University in Florida, and currently is part of the Advisory Board for the Personal Investment Enterprise (PIE) program, a collaboration between Mile High United Way and the City of Boulder.
Most recently, Maye has shifted gears from professional photography to work closely with small businesses to help them achieve their marketing and communication goals. She is experienced in developing strategic marketing and communication plan tactics, building brand awareness, increasing online exposure, managing and developing social media campaigns and creating beautiful and meaningful marketing assets for her clients.
When she is not working, Maye enjoys reading, being outdoors, taking care of her plants and practicing conscious meditation.
Courtney Warford's Bio
Born and raised in Rural Missouri, Courtney Warford joins the Boulder Chamber as the Marketing and Communications Manager after a short stint in Charleston, South Carolina. Achieving a Bachelor of Arts in English degree from Central Methodist University in 2016, she made the leap into marketing, earning a Master of Arts in Communication, New Media, and Marketing in 2021 after working in Public Education.
Bringing experience in campaign plan execution, social media management, and written content creation, Courtney is thrilled to serve the Boulder Chamber and its members through the development of engaging content and storytelling. Most importantly, she is excited to engage with the businesses of Boulder and be a voice for the local community.
When not at work, Courtney can be found at concerts or other music/art events and is a die-hard Kansas City sports fan. She enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, running, and spending as much time as possible with her Red Heeler, Murphy.
Amanda Duffy Bio
Amanda grew up on the East Coast and decided to call Colorado home after her college graduation from The University of Vermont. With a graduation date of May 2020, Amanda received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Public Communication.
Prior to her move, she spent her time in Vermont building community, contributing to organizations that prioritize sustainability, and helping expand Vermont’s socially responsible businesses. Most notably, she worked with Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility to pioneer the “Building Better Businesses Toolkit,” a project that outlined a wide range of initiatives for HR specialists across the state to use to better support their employees, communities, and environment. Amanda is excited to continue this work here in Boulder with the Boulder Chamber.
Amanda is a lover of concerts, sunsets, and supporting local and small businesses. Outside of the office, you can find her paddleboarding, searching for the best ice cream cone in town, or planning a trip to somewhere new!
Megan Sanders Bio
As Boulder Chamber’s Events and Programs Specialist, Megan is committed to using her talents and experience within an organization that means so much to the community.
Megan comes to Boulder from her hometown of Nashville, TN. There, she earned a Mass Communications degree from Middle Tennessee State University. After graduating, she took a position with Village Voice Media as an Advertising and Marketing Consultant for their local publication, the Nashville Scene, in this role, she developed a niche for hosting and producing video montages for the paper’s many events. Her desire to grow and develop within the events industry lead her to accept a management position with the historic event venue, Riverwood, in East Nashville. There she planned and coordinated hundreds of events and weddings as well as celebrity photo shoots, videos and TV shows. She’s worked with Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn, Reese Witherspoon, and Adam Duritz of the Counting Crowes to name a few.
When the events industry was put on hold in 2020, Megan decided it was time to shake things up and move to Boulder with her husband and two children. Megan is excited to be back doing what she loves, creating special events and opportunities that bring the community together.
Fun Facts: Megan has performed in the Macy’s Day Parade, bouted as a Nashville Rollergirl, named her dog after her favorite cookie, Oreo, and has a Guinea pig named Elvis.
Erika Daun Bio
As the Events Coordinator, Erika brings her nearly ten years of experience working with non-profits in the entertainment industry to the Boulder Chamber to balance time and resource management with creating unique and memorable events. Erika is a CU Boulder alumni with an MA in Theatre and MBA in Marketing. In her spare time Erika can be found in the mountains hiking and backpacking or in the city working as a costume designer for local theatre companies.
Policy Programs Team
Jonathan Singer Bio
Jonathan comes to the Boulder Chamber after 25 years of community work in the Boulder and Northern Metropolitan region and has been a staunch advocate for business success and a vibrant economy throughout his years in public service, recognizing their underpinning to fully healthy communities.
As Senior Director of Policy Programs, Singer will serve as the liaison to government bodies in addressing individual business needs and continue the Boulder Chamber’s tradition of connecting with policy leaders and educating them on the pivotal role that a strong economy has in advancing Boulder community’s other environmental stewardship, social equity, and quality of life goals.
After his time in the House, Singer was interim executive director at LOGIC working with local communities on energy policies. He has previously worked with Denver’s Office of Economic Development to connect businesses with refugees and people experiencing financial hardship, helping impacted individuals to achieve their career goals while supporting businesses with workforce development solutions.
Devin Edgley Bio
Devin is the Policy Program Specialist coming from the Capitol as a Legislative Aide/Director of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus. She has an Organizational Leadership Master of Science from Regis University and is focused on expanding the Boulder Chamber of Commerce towards state policy engagement.
Devin has experience with organizing events and constituent outreach. Her goal is to represent the members of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and address their concerns or requests for both local and state legislation.
In her spare time, she enjoys working in her garden, tending her chickens, doing yoga, and spending time with her family and friends.
Boulder Transportation Connection's Team
Elaine Erb Bio
Elaine joined BTC in 2017 as the Sustainable Transportation Planner. Her work focuses on assisting businesses and individuals with transportation and commuting options.
Originally from Michigan, Elaine moved to Boulder to pursue a degree in Geography at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She went on to receive her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from University of Colorado, Denver.
Elaine has worked on various transportation projects for the City of Boulder including managing the Love to Ride bike challenges, enhancement of the city transit network, and reviewing crash data for the Safe Streets Report.
Elaine is the Board President for Community Cycles and a volunteer DJ with KGNU where she hosts world music and jazz programming. She also volunteers with Boulder International Film Festival and Chautauqua. In her free time Elaine loves to enjoy Colorado by foot and bike and practicing yoga.
Darcy Kitching Bio
Darcy brings nearly a decade of experience as an advocate for walk-friendly communities to her role as Transportation Demand Management Outreach Specialist with Boulder Transportation Connections. She previously served as the Boulder Community Director for the Walk2Connect Cooperative, which entailed both building a grassroots walking community and collaborating with the City of Boulder to develop the Boulder Walks program. An avid lifelong hiker, long-distance walker, transit user, and bicycle rider, Darcy loves helping people of all ages and abilities discover the joys and benefits of getting places actively.
For the past 20 years, Darcy has been involved in the international Child-Friendly Cities movement as a researcher, urban planner, and consultant with university- and community-based organizations. She holds master’s degrees in Education and Urban and Regional Planning and is in the process of finishing her doctorate in Geography, Planning and Design at the University of Colorado Denver with a study of weekday family travel in Boulder County.
Darcy serves on the board of Advocates for Healthy Communities, a Boulder-based nonprofit, and regularly consults with America Walks, a national advocacy organization. She enjoys international travel and can’t wait to visit Antarctica someday to reach the milestone of having visited all seven continents.
Will Shepherd Bio
Will grew up in the Rockies & began event marketing in Boulder before moving to the Bay Area for college. In SF he loved the music scene and began a thriving ‘Bike Life’ after discovering local carsharing. It was such a great fit he soon became the Outreach Leader at City CarShare (while also creating some fun marketing videos).
Since being back in Boulder he’s worked with numerous mobility organizations and the City of Boulder with a focus on sustainable transportation combined with local infrastructure innovations.
Will is very excited to bring over a decade of active mobility outreach and program management to the BTC team at the Chamber. He is inspired to expand into advocacy for zero-emissions vehicles and continue connecting with local community members through a variety of initiatives.
In his free time he loves family adventures, morning yoga, kombucha, and snowboarding through the trees when fresh snow arrives.
Liaisons and Advisors
Deborah Malden Bio
Deborah Malden is the volunteer Arts Liaison & Advisor at the Boulder Chamber, a role that combines her passion for the arts and business. She loves connecting people, and people to resources, and helping them make good things happen. Deborah is a life-long dancer and started her professional career in banking, which culminated as head of Project Finance for the Americas at UBS, a global financial institution. Her specialty was financing hard infrastructure: roads, energy, and telecommunications. More recently, she has focused on building ‘soft infrastructure,’ the other assets needed for a healthy, vibrant, and just society.
She is the Boulder County appointee to the Scientific & Cultural Facilities Board and a founding board member of Create Boulder, which launched in 2020 to raise relief funding for the arts and strengthen arts advocacy in the City of Boulder. Working in collaboration with the City of Boulder’s Office of Arts & Culture and other arts leaders in the community, Deborah helped launch Boulder Arts Week in 2014 and continues to serve on the City’s Boulder Arts Week advisory group each year. Deborah served on the 2014 advocacy team for the first iteration of the City of Boulder’s Community Cultural and Safety Tax, a sales tax that helped fund renovation of The Dairy ARTS Center, the Museum of Boulder, and multiple city projects. She later served on the City’s Capital Tax Committee that helped identify arts and nonprofit capital projects to be partially funded through the tax extension in 2017. The voters most recently renewed the tax in November 2021 for 15 years. Deborah has served on the boards of multiple nonprofit arts organizations, including 3rd Law Dance/Theater and The Dairy, where she later served as interim executive director. In addition, Deborah is a member of Social Venture Partners Boulder County, a nonprofit that strengthens many of Boulder County’s nonprofits through skills-based volunteerism and financial support. Deborah is a 2021 certified Change Leader with Colorado Creative Industries and co-chair of Colorado Cultural Champions, a new state-wide arts advocacy initiative launched in late 2021 by the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts.
Deborah loves to ski, hike, bike, and travel with friends and family. Not a day that goes by that she isn’t grateful to live in Boulder.
Carly Hare Bio
Hare, who served for five years early in her career as Director of Programs for the Community Foundation Boulder County, will return to her local roots in a consultant role as the Boulder Chamber’s Equity Amplification Advisor. This new opportunity formalizes Hare’s partnership as an advisor to the Boulder Chamber in its strategic internal and external diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Hare also will also serve as a facilitator and planner for the Leadership Fellows program, which the Boulder Chamber operates in partnership with the Community Foundation.
In serving in this new Equity Amplification Advisor role, Hare noted the serendipity in her responsibilities. “It is wonderful to be engaged in the further evolution of a program that I had the privilege of helping to design and launch during my time with the Community Foundation over twelve years ago.” She added, “I’m excited to return to the Boulder County community and apply my experience in equity strategy development in my work on behalf of traditionally under-resourced communities and populations, all in service to the DE&I efforts of our local business. We will all need to work together towards an inclusive community for a thriving and equitable economy.”
Since her time at the Community Foundation, Hare has led philanthropic efforts on behalf of organizations that help to represent and lift Native Americans, such as the Native American Rights Fund, Native Americans in Philanthropy. She currently serves as National Director for CHANGE Philanthropy, a coalition of philanthropic networks that work to strengthen bridges across funders and communities to advance philanthropic racial equity. Hare will maintain her role at CHANGE Philanthropy while assuming her consulting role as the Boulder Chamber’s Equity Amplification Advisor
Carly Hare (she/her)
Equity Amplification Advisor