STAFF

LAURA SANFORD

Executive Director

Laura comes to Douglas Land Conservancy (DLC) with over 20 years of conservation experience. Past professional experiences include working for Adkins Arboretum, a native ecosystems arboretum, running my own native plant nursery, working for The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and spending 12 wonderful years with the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC).

In 2015, her family visited Colorado for the first time and fell in love. They decided to try to relocate and explored many opportunities to make that happen. Fortunately the stars aligned when the Executive Director position at Douglas Land Conservancy opened up. The chance to work and play in the picturesque community of Douglas County is a dream come true for Laura. A long history of conservation and land trust work, including leading ESLC through national Accreditation, has helped prepare her for the challenge of leading Douglas Land Conservancy into the future.

DLC has had a phenomenal leader for over 20 years and filling those shoes will be a challenge and an aspiration. She looks forward to continuing the great legacy already established by Douglas Land Conservancy to protect and conserve the natural and open space of Douglas County and surrounding areas, as well as working with the vibrant community.

AMY GRAZIANO

Advancement Director

Amy Graziano has been with Douglas Land Conservancy since 2014. She has served as the Project Coordinator, Director of Outreach, and is currently the Advancement Director. She is grateful for all the wonderful people she has met through the organization who share her passion for DLC and land conservation. Amy finds great satisfaction in the knowledge that all the DLC protected areas around the region will stay that way in perpetuity. The expansive views from atop Spruce Mountain make that her favorite DLC protected open space. Amy graduated from the University of Kansas with both a bachelor’s degree and a serious love of Jayhawk basketball. Rock Chalk! She earned her Master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Management from Denver University. Amy and her husband Anthony love to travel far and wide. They spent 2012 exploring the world with their two daughters, visiting 16 countries.

EVAN LIDDY

Stewardship Manager

Evan Liddy is DLC’s Stewardship Manager. Originally from Connecticut, he earned an appreciation for the outdoors through a childhood spent hiking, camping, and exploring. Evan moved to Colorado to attend school at Colorado College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in economics with a particular focus on natural resource management. After graduating he spent two years teaching mathematics and social studies at an alternative high school, before shifting his focus back toward conservation. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking, skiing, climbing, and kayaking, and is also an avid wildlife photographer.

KAITLYN STABELL

Outreach and Projects Manager

Kaitlyn Stabell is DLC’s Outreach and Projects Manger. She grew up in beautiful Washington state hiking, backpacking, skiing, and exploring all over the Pacific Northwest. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma before moving out to Fort Collins, CO for graduate school at Colorado State University where she graduated with a Master’s in Conservation Leadership. Kaitlyn has spent much of her time around the west doing wildlife research, habitat restoration, and conservation education. Now that she has free time again, she enjoys skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, backpacking, reading, taking her adventure cat on walks, eating good food, and discovering what colorful Colorado has to offer.

LINDSAY HOPPESTAD

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

DLC is thrilled to share the arrival of our new Administrative Coordinator, Lindsay Hoppestad! Lindsay is DLC’s Administrative Coordinator. Growing up hiking and camping in Colorado fostered her love of nature and wildlife as well as her desire to protect it. She graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in biology. The pursuit of her degree served to further nurture her love of wildlife and nature as well as her wish to protect both. Lindsay joins DLC with knowledge and skills from her degree and experience working with multiple environmental nonprofits. She is excited to put her skills to work and the opportunity to learn and grow in this position. In her free time, she loves to hike, camp, bird, read, creatively write, and play board games.

LARISA KOGAN

Advancement Intern

Larisa supports DLC’s mission while gaining hands-on experience in event planning and supporter engagement as she works toward a future career in fundraising.

Larisa is currently attending Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she is pursuing a degree in political science. She is also working toward her personal trainer certification. She is passionate about protecting the environment through DLC’s work, with a particular interest in water resources and soil conservation. After moving to Colorado more than six years ago, she quickly fell in love with the state’s mountains, culture, and outdoor lifestyle. In her free time, Larisa enjoys exploring Colorado’s natural spaces—often seeking new creeks to swim in. One of her favorite spots is St. Mary’s Glacier. When she’s not outdoors, you can often find her at local cultural centers reading or working on creative writing.