Meet the Trustees
Nancy Chisholm
Linda Clark retired from Piper Jaffray in 2008 after 29 years of investment banking. Ms. Clark established the Piper Denver Public Finance office in 1990. Prior to joining Piper Jaffray, Ms. Clark was senior vice president and manager of public finance for Boettcher & Company. Ms. Clark has been active in the community, having served in various leadership roles for such organizations as Downtown Denver Partnership, Girls, Inc., and the Colorado Forum. She currently serves as treasurer of Florence Crittenton Services, is a member of the Colorado Women's Forum and a board member of Colorado Physicians Insurance Company.
George Delaney served as Budget Director for the State of Colorado from 1994 through 1998. He spent a 32-year career with the State of Colorado including twelve years as a manager in the State Department of Corrections and twelve years in the Executive Budget Office as Deputy and Director. Delaney worked in the Colorado Community College System from 1998 through his state retirement in 2005. During this period, he served as system Vice President for Finance; Executive Vice President; and Interim Chief Operating Officer responsible for all administration of the 13 college Community College system. Currently Delaney serves as Deputy Manager for the Department of Public Works in the City and County of Denver appointed by Mayor John Hickenlooper. He is responsible for all administrative and financial operations in the Department and citywide fleet management.
Noelle Hagan has been a resident of Colorado's Western Slope for more than 20 years, first in Montrose and currently in Gunnison. She served on the Montrose City Council from 2000-2008, including two terms as Mayor. Noelle's life-long commitment to civic involvement is demonstrated by her past and current service to numerous boards including the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, Colorado Municipal League, the Montrose Regional Library District, the League of Women Voters and the San Juan Regional Council of the El Pomar Foundation. She has a degree in Communications from Regis University and currently works as a consultant to nonprofits and governments in the area of organizational development.
Sandra L. Mark married fellow Western State College alumnus, Leon G. Mark, and traveled the world for thirty-one years in support of his career as a United States Air Force officer. During those years she lived in nine different states and three foreign countries (England, USSR and Germany). Upon returning to Gunnison she has been active as a volunteer in civic organizations. Some of her past affiliations include the Gunnison Council for the Arts, the Gunnison Home Association, and the Gunnison Valley Hospital Board of Trustees. She is also a past president of the Western State College Foundation Board of Directors. She presently serves on the WSC President’s Advisory Council and as past president continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the Gunnison Area Community Foundation.
Linda Morton served ten years on the Lakewood, Colorado City Council and eight years as Mayor of Lakewood. During that time she was Chairwoman of DRCOG (Denver Regional Council of Governments), Chairwoman of the Metro Mayors Caucus, and a member of the Board of the National League of Cities and the National Association of Regional Council of Governments. She also served as Vice President of the Colorado Municipal League. Currently she owns Morton Consulting Co. and serves on the board of the Bell Policy Center, Civic Results and is Vice Chairwoman of the Post/News Colorado Colfax Marathon Board.
Gregg Rippy is president and co-owner of Grand River Construction and also a managing partner of Rocky Mountain Redi-Mix and a member of the Board of Directors of Bank of Colorado and of American Alkali. He is a former Colorado state congressman and served as the House District 61 representative beginning in 2002. Prior to that he had been the District 57 representative from 1999-2001.
Meyer Saltzman is a certified public accountant and partner with Saltzman Hamma Nelson Massaro LLP, an accounting and consulting firm in Denver, which he founded in 1975 and merged with a national firm in 1997. His practice areas include litigation support, business formation, capital acquisition, business valuation, and real estate matters. He also is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accounting and holds a Colorado real estate broker’s license. Mr. Saltzman also is involved with a variety of philanthropic, community, and professional organizations. Among those are the Caring for Colorado Foundation, the National Jewish Fund’s Mountain States Council, Community Associations Institute, and Colorado Concern, a political action committee for improving the economy, education, and quality of life in Colorado.
Todd Wheeler is Executive Vice President of the global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. based in New York City. Mr. Wheeler has over 20 years experience as a market leading transaction consultant advising many of the largest and most influential organizations in the country on optimizing the value they receive from their business real estate portfolios. He is a highly regarded expert in leasing, structured finance and portfolio optimization who has won many regional, national and even one global award for his work. He graduated from Western State College of Colorado in 1990 having thoroughly enjoyed his years as a student athlete, skier and outdoor enthusiast. Mr. Wheeler married fellow Mountaineer, Laura Durfee in 1991 and now resides in Castle Rock with Laura and their three children. Mr. Wheeler currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Tennyson Center for Children and Families and has served on the Board of Directors for the Denver Metropolitan Association of Commercial Realtors.
Dale L. Orth, serving as the faculty trustee for 2011-2013, is a full professor of chemistry and chair of the department of Natural and Environmental Sciences. He has taught at Western since 2001, serving as faculty senate chair, department chair, environmental studies council member, and on various other committees. In addition to general education and introductory chemistry courses, Dale teaches upper level physical and analytical chemistry courses. During a 2010-2011 sabbatical, he served as an American Chemical Society/American Association for the Advancement of Science Congressional fellow in the office of United States Senator Jay Rockefeller. As a Congressional fellow, Dale assisted Senator Rockefeller chiefly in policy areas related to science research funding and education.
Haleigh Hanifen is the student trustee for 2012-2013. She is currently working towards a double major in Accounting and Business with a minor in Economics. While maintaining a high level of dedication to her studies and grades, Haleigh was elected as Student Government President, as well as becoming a Western Ambassador for potential students of the institution. She is also an active officer of the Women's Rugby Club, heavily involved within the Multi-Cultural Center, and an Academic Leadership Program Scholar. Haleigh is a Colorado native, being born and raised in Arvada and graduating from Arvada West High School.
