Chairman

Jim is a third-generation career military veteran who served for 33 years in the Air Force, retiring in the grade of Colonel. He earned three master’s degrees and completed executive programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, and the University of North Carolina. Jim is a long-time advocate for improved veteran’s benefits and spouse services. He also supported the concept of Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center from the very beginning. He is married to Marta, and together they have four children: Kenneth, Jamie, Tyler and Mitchel.

Vice-Chairman

Chuck has owned and operated Murphy Constructors for over 50 years. He has served on numerous boards of directors and is Chairman of the Pioneer Museum Foundation and the Department Chair of the Colorado Springs Planning Department. He is presently a commissioner for the governor’s Budget Task Force. Chuck is a graduate of Regis University.

Secretary

Leslie, a native of northern California, has spent the last 32 years in Colorado, primarily as administrative support in the legal field. Leslie serves as the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director and Director of Operations of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

Member

Peter joined the US Army in 1997, serving for seven years as a Military Policeman 95BV5. Upon leaving the military, he began his career selling cars for Ford and Kia in Sierra Vista, AZ. Peter and his family moved to Colorado Springs in 2007 where he joined the Phil Long Dealerships Team. He worked his way up from sales to sales manager, and now he is currently General Manager/Partner of Phil Long Kia. During his journey in the car business, he and his wife, Christina, have also opened three pizza restaurants and the largest bagel shop in Colorado Springs. The two met in culinary school as they both love to cook. He thinks that’s why they have always had a love for food and business. They have been married for 23 years and have three boys, Kyle, Brandon and Ryan.

Member

Longinos Gonzalez, Jr. serves District 4 on the Board of County Commissioners. He took the oath of office for his first four-year term on January 11, 2017. His background includes graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1992 and continuing on to a 20-year career as an Air Force Intelligence officer, retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 2012. He has a Master’s in science education and he was a teacher with Harrison School District 2 prior to his election as County Commissioner. Longinos is the county representative on the Board of Health, Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, Pikes Peak Workforce Consortium Executive Committee, and the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control District. He serves as liaison on numerous other boards and committees — including the City/County Drainage Board and El Paso County Board of Retirement. Longinos’ community involvement includes serving on the State Board of Veterans Affairs, Colorado Springs Public Safety Sales Tax Oversight Committee, and being a volunteer Sunday school teacher and lector at his church.

Member

Paulette serves on the FEMA board at United Way and the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center board. She chairs the Greenberg Center for Learning and Tolerance committee on fundraising to provide programs. She is also on the Community Outreach Committee for the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Member

Mark serves as an El Paso County Commissioner (District 2). Mark received his Bachelor’s in Political Science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He then studied at the University of North Dakota where he received his Master’s in Space Studies, followed by his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver, College of Law.

Member

Ross was born and raised in the Amarillo, TX area. He has spent most of his career working for local television stations in news, marketing and sales roles. That work took him around the country in various roles, most recently as Vice President and General Manager of KOAA TV. Ross and his family found a home in Colorado Springs. He has served on a number of nonprofit boards through the years, and appreciates the opportunity to give back to veterans in the area.

Member

Barb Winter recently retired from Ent Credit Union where she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Community Offi cer. She was responsible for executive oversight of human resources, payroll, training, and the real estate development and facilities divisions
of Ent. She also coordinated community outreach and philanthropy along the Front Range. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University. Barb has served and currently serves on numerous boards in the community. She is the 2002 recipient of the Athena Award from the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and is a 2004 CSBJ Woman of Infl uence, as well as a 2013 Girl Scout Woman of Distinction award winner. She was also named as the 2017 Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Accolades Business Executive of the Year. She also has recently received community leadership awards from the Pikes Peak YMCA, Leadership Pikes Peak, and Silver Key Senior Services. She is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership Community Leaders program.

Member

Donna is currently Spirit of the Springs Program Leader for the City of Colorado Springs. She is a dedicated, honest professional who serves her community in many ways. She started her professional career as a Medical NCO in the United States Army, serving nine years around the world to include a six-month tour in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm/Shield. Donna continues her service in Colorado Springs by serving on numerous
boards, often in a leadership capacity to help shape the future of our community. After transitioning from the military, she was a leader at a local credit union, then was appointed as the city’s first Economic Vitality Specialist. She continues in that role, with a title change, overseeing special programs for the Mayor.

Member

Michelle Ruehl is a flight instructor, English professor, veteran, and theater director. She spent 16 years on active duty in the Air Force, where she was a mission commander and instructor pilot. She fl ew 807 combat hours in Afghanistan, providing real-time airborne targeting data to air and ground forces during Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force raids. She also worked as a NATO/ISAF Intelligence and Surveillance aviation liaison in Kabul. From 2014 to 2019, she served as an English Instructor, Theater Director and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate for her alma mater the United States Air Force Academy. Additionally, she served as a volunteer teacher and humanitarian in Ghana, Tanzania and Nepal. She has presented papers on community violence prevention and is the creator/director of Social Impact Theater Project, an interactive bystander intervention program, which she facilitated for 2750 military members. Michelle is also a certified PATH therapeutic riding instructor and equine specialist in mental health. She earned two M.A. degrees, one in Psychology and one in English (University of Colorado, Denver). To honor fallen military colleagues, she founded Parwana LEADership Legacy, a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership camps to veterans and their families to enhance empathy, communication, and teamwork so youth can then use these concepts to lead others.

Member

Greg practices as a Senior Vice President/Investments for the Garcia Wealth Advisory Group at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. For more than 30 years, in Colorado Springs, Greg has helped businesses and individuals set and attain financial goals. Concurrently, he has spent community time in leadership positions with nonprofit organizations helping them achieve their financial and operational goals and objectives. Greg says, “My goal in life is to leave my corner of the world in better shape than I found it while helping my friends and family along the way.”

Member

Mike Cafasso serves as Chief Executive Officer at St. Mary-Corwin Hospital. He has been with Centura Health since 2011 when he first joined the organization as Vice President of Operations. Mike is a strong supporter of the Pueblo community, having been name the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2018 and inducted into Pueblo Hall of Fame 2023 class.

A Massachusetts native, Mike relocated to Colorado to attend Colorado State University-Pueblo where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. He later earned a Graduate degree in Banking from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

Prior to joining St. Mary-Corwin, Mike served as Colorado President for the American Bank of Commerce. He also led Pueblo Bank and Trust as President and CEO with their expansion into several Colorado markets.

He currently serves as a board member for the Association for Managers of Innovation and as an elected member of the Board of Water Works of Pueblo and was reappointed by Governor Jared Polis to Colorado State Fair Board of Authority. He is also a member of Action 22 and El Pomar Foundation Southeast Regional Council.