Leadership
Leadership Staff
Bud Taylor
Executive Director
Bud Taylor has been the Club's Executive Director since 2016. Prior to that, he was a Club Board Member. Bud has been part of the Black Canyons Boys & Girls Club since his youth being one of the first BCBGC's first members when it opened in 1999. In his tenure at Club, Bud was a Junior Staffer and Youth of the Year. Bud knows first hand the value of the Club in the Montrose Community and the importance of expanding its reach, ending the current waiting list.
Bud is also a Rotarian and a Director for the Greater Montrose Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2020, he was named Citizen of the Year by the Montrose Daily Press.
In his spare time, Bud likes to spend time with his wife, Amy, his daughter, Maggie, and dog, Betsy. He enjoys traveling, fly fishing, and, a Club kid favorite, building Legos.
Alayna Akins
Executive Assistant
Alayna joined the Club as the Executive Assistant in the Spring of 2022. Having two teachers for parents, child education has been a part of her life even past graduation. She was helping Sargent Elementary back in Monte Vista, Colorado, to set up Relay Recess, a school field day dedicated to Cancer survivors and awareness in partnership with Relay for Life. She participated in her local Relay for Life event for two years, once on a team and as the event DJ before COVID.
Alayna is jumping into the Montrose community by helping plan this year’s annual Wine and Food Festival and helping with our donor outreach. Outside of the Club, Alayna loves dipping into art hobbies such as dress and costume making and digital art. She is also a proud fur-parent to Reno, her cat that always makes for amusing office stories.
Tammie Mantz
Business Manager
Tammie started at the Club in 2020 as the Club's Business Manager. She has a passion for working for youth related non-profits; in addition to her role at the Club she also works for (and has since 2013) The Morgan Adams Foundation, a kid's cancer research organization based out of Denver.
Since starting at the Club, Tammie notes she has enjoyed learning about the Club and all it has to offer and getting to know the staff. The Club greatly appreciates all of Tammie's expert knowledge on non-profits particularly from the finance and accounting side. When not busy working, Tammie enjoys being in the outdoors hiking with her dog Annie Oakley (pictured above!).
Leah Braun
Site Director
Leah started with the club at the end of May in 2023 as the Site Director. Prior to that she worked as an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher for 6 years. She holds a BA in Bicultural Studies and a MA in Early Childhood Education. Working with children has always been a passion of Leah’s. She is passionate about giving kids the opportunities to grow in their self confidence to accomplish the goals that they set for themselves.
Becoming a mother at 18, she now has three children. Her daughter is 21 and sons who are 19 and 17. Leah and her children are Colorado natives and the kids her pride and joy.
Leah enjoys spending her free time with her kids and her two crazy dogs, Lucy and Mowgli. You never know what kind of crazy adventure they may be getting themselves into.
Christina Varanai
Program Manager
Christina grew up in Western Colorado, Delta and Garfield County. She spent her young adult years working in Restaurant Management, and later running an in-home daycare.
She and her husband have 6 kids together.
She wanted to find a career that was rewarding and fun, knowing that like anything, it is what you make it.
Christina always strives to do her best and help others around her. She looks forward to making memories with the Members and Staff @ Black Canyon Boys and Girls Club.
Board of Directors
Laura Sanders
Board President
Chief Awesome Person - The Marketing Department
Laura works at The Marketing Department as a Marketing and Communications Specialist. She has 11 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and graphic design. She is also an avid traveler having visited 20 countries and having lived in at least 12 states. She is excited to be settled in and living in Western Colorado as she loves the outdoors. She is thrilled to be working with the Club, after seeing how much joy it brings to the kiddos.
Brad Oberto
Board Treasurer
Vice President - Bank of Colorado, Montrose
Brad is Vice President at Bank of Colorado. He is a longtime supporter of the Club and proud board member who believes in the positive impact Club has on our community. Brad is a past President of the Club and past board member for the Colorado Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, cheering the Broncos and fly fishing. He and his wife Rebecca are expecting their first child in 2021, sure to be a future Club kid.
Bart Larmouth
Board Secretary
IT - Montrose Regional Health
Bart was born and raised in a small farm town near Buffalo, NY, where he grew up spending as much time as he could in the woods behind his home. After graduating from high school, he attended Colgate University, and promptly moved to Jackson, Wyoming. Travels chasing fish across the country eventually brought him to Montrose, CO as the Sales Manager for Ross Reels. He has been part of the Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors for the past four years and looks forward to the day when his two-year old daughter can be called a Club kid in our brand new building!
Nadin Souders
Past Board President
Financial Advisor - Edward Jones
Nadin was born and raised in Germany. As a young adult, she traveled to Australia to try her hand as a “Jillaroo” rounding up cattle for two years. She then made her way to Wales in the UK where she earned a HND in international travel and tourism management.
Her travels eventually drew her to the Rocky Mountains where she found her new home in Montrose, Colorado. After settling in Montrose, she went back to school and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration at Colorado Mesa University. Nadine notes how it is a gift to live in this incredible area, and enjoys doing outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, bike riding, snowboarding and boating with her 7-year-old son. In addition to her role on the Club Board, she also serves on the Youth Appreciation Day Board. She is also a Rotarian and Altrusa member.
Jennie Tidwell
Board Safety Chair
Retired Account Executive & Program Manager
Jennie was raised in Montrose and graduated from Montrose High School. She spent her career as an Account Executive & Project Manager working for software companies supporting the Media Industry. She and her husband, Don Tidwell raised their two children in Littleton, Colorado. In 2021 with the ability to work remotely, they quickly set to moving back to Montrose. Jennie was able to retire in late 2022 and is thoroughly enjoying her retirement.
Jennie's parents (Ted & Tricia Dickinson) were very active in the Montrose community. Jennie wants to continue their legacy by actively participating in the community and supporting outstanding non-profits such as the Black Canyon Boys and Girls Club.
Sue Frank
Board Member
CEO/President - TEI Rock Drills
Sue is the CEO/President of TEI Rock Drills and has been since 2006. She has worked in the drilling industry for 32 years. In 2020 TEI was awarded the Colorado Industrial/Equipment Manufacturer of the Year and Sue was awarded the Colorado Outstanding Woman in Manufacturing. Sue serves on several non-profit boards, in addition to the Club, including: The Dolphin House Child Advocacy Center, the Great Montrose Chamber of Commerce, and HopeWest Hospice. Sue and TEI are also a large supporter of many community events for other area non-profits.
Sue has stated the important role the Club plays in the community and how that impact can be seen in the lives of our community's youth.
Tom Kearney
Board Member
Retired Civil Engineer Del-Mont Consultants
Tom moved to Montrose in 1980 from Louisiana/Texas. He is a retired Civil Engineer and President of Del-Mont Consultants. He has also been a Rotarian for 35 years of which he was President from 1992-93 and has been the Shoes for Kids Chairman for 14 years. In addition to his role as Club Director and as a Rotarian, Tom also has served on: the Academic Booster Club Board (President in its third year); the Pavilion Advisory Committee (leading to its founding); the Chamber of Commerce Board (1999-2000), the Montrose Community Foundation Board (late 1990's); and the Montrose Economic Development Board (late 1990's). Tom has been married to his wife, Kathleen, for 59 years and has three children, 5 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. In his spare time, he likes to golf, hike, travel, play pickle-ball, and go snowshoeing.
Tom noted the importance of the Club in the community highlighting its ability to serve kids and families in need.
Sherry Kammerer
Board Member
Retired Teacher
Sherry is a retired teacher, grandmother, and the current Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club Board President. She has been part of the Club for the past 4 years. At the time she joined she notes "I did not know anything about the Club but I did know that I love working with children. I found out there was a two year waiting list for kids to join Club and wanted to find a way to fix that. This organization is working very hard to remove the waiting list by committing to build a new Club home in our community. I am proud to be a part of the Club, learning about what the Club has to offer in the way of programming for our kids and supporting my community with our Capital Campaign. It is challenging and exciting."
Sherry was also awarded Colorado Boys & Girls Club Board Member of the Year in 2020.
Justin Mashburn
Board Member
Facilities Manager - Montrose Recreation District
Justin grew up in Frederick, Colorado. After high school , he attended Cornell College in Iowa. While at Cornell, he majored in Sports Management and Economics, was captain of the baseball team and ran the school’s intramural department. He also met his wife Becky at Cornell. After graduation, he started as MRD’s Youth Recreation Coordinator, a position he still has today. Justin's passion for local youth development is part of why he joined the Club Board. Justin and Becky have two boys, Holden and Cy. They love Montrose and the countless opportunities it has to offer. In his spare time, Justin loves hiking, backpacking, and officiating high school & college basketball