Andrea

Leadership is learned in a classroom. But it is developed through practice. That's the idea behind Roaring Fork Leadership's Civic Impact Projects; an essential part of the RFL Academy experience that moves leadership learning out of the classroom and into our community. Each year, Academy participants work in teams alongside local organizations and community partners on real challenges facing the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys. The challenges aren't hypothetical. The answers aren't predetermined. And success isn't measured by whether a team simply checks everything off a project plan. That's intentional. Why Civic Impact Projects? Many leadership skills make sense [...]

Introducing Erin Hutchings: Lead Facilitator for the RFL Facilitator Program Roaring Fork Leadership is excited to announce that Erin Hutchings will serve as Lead Facilitator for the RFL Facilitator Program, partnering with Andrea Palm-Porter, Executive Director/CEO,  to develop and grow the next generation of leadership facilitators across our region. An RFL Academy graduate (Class of 2014) and Mastermind alum (2018), Erin has volunteered with Roaring Fork Leadership for more than a decade as a leadership coach, facilitator, and mentor. Her passion for leadership development, combined with her extensive professional experience, makes her uniquely suited to help shape this new initiative. Professionally, [...]

Tanya Van Rickley, RFL Development Director Roaring Fork Leadership is excited to welcome Tanya Van Rickley as our new Development Director. Originally from San Diego, Tanya made Colorado home in 2016 when she relocated with her two teenage children. Today, she proudly calls the Roaring Fork Valley and surrounding region home and is excited to invest her experience, passion, and leadership in strengthening RFL's mission and community impact. Tanya brings more than 30 years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, and relationship management. Throughout her career, she has built lasting partnerships, developed new business opportunities, and connected organizations with [...]

Come Together: RFL Unite 2026 Celebrates Leadership, Belonging & Community On May 15, community leaders, alumni, graduates, supporters, and friends gathered at Aspen Camp for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for Roaring Fork Leadership’s annual Unite celebration, an evening rooted in one powerful idea: Come Together. This year’s event centered on the belief that stronger communities are built when people intentionally choose connection, trust, belonging, and leadership across differences. The evening brought together graduates from the RFL Academy and Mastermind programs alongside alumni, board members, facilitators, advisors, sponsors, and community partners from across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River [...]

Welcome Sandi Centofante, RFL's Program Coordinator. With more than 16 years of experience in Human Services, Sandi Centofante brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to her role as Program Coordinator at Roaring Fork Leadership. As an RFL Academy alum and volunteer Advisor, she deeply understands the power of leadership development, connection, and community impact. Throughout her career, Sandi has built a reputation for compassionate communication, strong organizational support, and the ability to navigate complex systems with care and clarity. She spent eight years serving as an Economic Assistance/Training Technician before stepping into a Lead Economic Assistance Technician role for an additional eight [...]

At Roaring Fork Leadership, we believe leadership is built through experience, connection, and a commitment to community. That’s why we’re excited to welcome Marcus Thackston to the RFL Board of Directors. Marcus is the Owner and Founder of Blend Web Marketing, where he brings a holistic approach to business strategy that blends website design, branding, marketing, and systems integration to help organizations thrive. As an entrepreneur for over a decade, Marcus has worked across industries, supporting both businesses and nonprofits in building strong, sustainable operations. Marcus is no stranger to RFL. A graduate of the Academy in 2018, he has continued [...]