Kate Collins
executive director
As Executive Director of the Middle Colorado Watershed Council, Kate is known for her leadership in public outreach and community engagement. A trusted voice in both conservation and business, she’s made meaningful contributions across Garfield and Eagle counties over four decades. Kate’s background in organizational management and communications helps MCWC deliver efficient, community-driven projects with lasting impact. She attributes her intrinsic passion for Colorado’s land and water to her Arapaho heritage and family history that includes her great-great-grandmother’s escape from Sand Creek Massacre. She’s lifelong swimmer and can be found freestyling in lap lanes, rivers, the ocean or her seasonal favorite, Harvey Gap.
Liberty Costello
project manager
Liberty Costello grew up in Kremmling, Colorado, and is now based in Grand Junction. A biology grad from Colorado Mesa University, she’s passionate about protecting the native fish of the Colorado River. With experience as a fisheries technician for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and a background in freshwater fisheries, Liberty brings both expertise and enthusiasm to her work. When she’s not working with waterways, you’ll find her spearfishing in the Pacific, scuba diving through kelp forests, or exploring Colorado’s mountains with her husband.
Sam Feuerborn
Colorado River Wildfire Collaborative Program Manager
Sam Feuerborn brings nearly two decades' experience in conservation leadership, outdoor education and collaborative land stewardship to MCWC. Known for his steady leadership and relationship-building skills, he has worked with nonprofits, public agencies and local communities across the Western Slope to advance habitat restoration, recreation management and wildfire resilience efforts. Before joining MCWC, Sam served in leadership roles with Wilderness Workshop and Colorado Mountain College, where he managed stewardship programs, restoration projects and outdoor education initiatives. His connection to wildfire resilience is deeply personal, having experienced evacuation from local fires and conducted mitigation work on his own property in Glenwood Springs. Outside of work, Sam is an avid bow hunter, swimmer and outdoor enthusiast who enjoys spending time with his wife and son.
Stephanie Ayala
Grant Administration & Operations Support
Stephanie is the steady force behind the systems, details and follow-through that keep our work moving forward. Having an Agricultural Business background from Colorado State University, she’s connected operations and funding to real-world impacts, especially around water, sustainability and community development. She brings deep experience in operations, systems management and grants administration, and is known for building thoughtful, efficient processes that maximize organizational impact. Stephanie, being a long-time advocate for the Latino community and bilingual in English and Spanish, is passionate about making programs, communication and partnerships more accessible to Spanish-speaking community members.
Kailey Murphy
PR Intern
Colorado native Kailey Murphy earned her bachelor’s in Strategic Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from CU Boulder in the spring of 2026. With a passion for both words and water, she interns with the Middle Colorado Watershed Council, sharing stories that celebrate the beauty and importance of local rivers. When she’s not writing, you’ll often find her with a fly rod, skiing Colorado’s stunning mountains, or cracking down on a puzzle at home.