Beginning July 1st, 2026, the RMECC will be the early childhood council for Garfield, Lake and Pitkin Counties. We will be working to update our website now through July 15th to properly reflect these changes. If you find any broken links, please send an email to [email protected]. Thank you!

Staff

Staff

RMECC Staff

  • Stacy Petty

    Stacy Petty

    Stacy Petty has been the Director of the RMECC since August 2015, but her involvement in the Council dates back to 2006. Drawn into early childhood when her children were young, she started volunteering in her children’s preschool classrooms and soon after became a licensed home provider. From 2000-2013, she taught classes as an adjunct…

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  • Kristin Sparkman

    Kristin Sparkman

    Kristin Sparkman is the Quality Initiatives Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council (RMECC). With a passion for child development and a commitment to excellence in early education, Kristin works closely with educators, caregivers, and community partners to implement quality improvement strategies and support best practices in early childhood settings. Kristin holds a Bachelor’s…

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  • Cindy Rivas

    Cindy Rivas

    Cindy is the Council’s Early Learning Navigation Coordinator. In this role, she supports families with young children by helping them find and access early learning programs, childcare options, developmental resources, and community services.

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Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the Council’s governing body made up of broad and diverse representation and is composed of 11-15 individuals who share a common interest in supporting the Early Childhood systems building work throughout the four-county region. The membership is committed to reflecting the geographic and cultural diversity within the counties involved in the Council. Members serve staggered 3-year terms.

Miriam Lozano

Non-Profit Organization

Cristina Betancourt Santos

Child Care Assn

Sara Sims

Fiscal Agent

Megan Monaghan

Resource & Referral Agency

Renee Giles

Mental Health

Kelly Esch

Parent of child under 6

Sam Markovitz

Local Government

Claire Winchester 

Health

Missy Taucher 

Early Care & Education