OUR ADVISORY BOARD
The Advisory Board consists of volunteer community members working together to make life a little brighter in Lyons
Our Advisory Board
At the heart of the Lyons Community Foundation is a group of passionate community members who volunteer their time, talents, and vision to help Lyons thrive. Our Advisory Board is made up of individuals who care deeply about this town—its people, its future, and its sense of place. With diverse backgrounds in the arts, education, small business, public service, and nonprofit work, they work together to guide our mission, support local initiatives, and strengthen the fabric of our community.
Gil Sparks
Gil Sparks moved to Lyons with his wife, Kay in October 2020 so as to be closer to family. He grew up in Prescott, Az, attended the University of Arizona, took a break to join the Army and did a tour in Viet Nam.
In 1978, Gil moved to Butte, Montana where he worked for six years for one of the two magneto-hydrodynamic facilities in the US as a Human Services Manager.
In 1985, he moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he went to law school. Upon graduation he moved to Wenatchee,Washington where he practiced employment, labor and municipal law.
While in Wenatchee, he served on the Community Foundation of North Central Washington board for 14 years (Board Chair for 2 years). He also served on the boards of the Pybus Market Charitable Foundation, Pybus Public Market, Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, the Performing Arts Center, the Chamber of Commerce (President-2 years), the YMCA, Rotary (President-1 year) and co-founded the Apple Valley Human Resource Association (President-2 years).
Gil looks forward to serving on the LCF advisory board for the benefit of the Lyons area non-profit community.
Co-Chair
Fundraising Committee Chair
Board member since 2021
Kathy Hoyt
Co-Treasurer
Board member since 2023
Kathy moved to Lyons with her husband Michael in the summer of 2018 to be with 3 of her 4 children and her beloved granddaughter. She grew up in southern California and moved to Seattle in 1978, where she worked for a plumbing contractor doing books by hand until the computers made life a lot easier. In 1991, she started working with her husband for a marine engine company in downtown Seattle, serving the Alaska commercial fishing industry with standby generator sets to refrigerate their catch. She retired in 2009 with her husband to start traveling.
Her oldest son and daughter in law would bring her traveling back and forth from Seattle to Lyons in 2014, where she would spend winters, until 2018 when she would move to Lyons full time. She decided to start doing the books for the family business “Green Goo,” here in Lyons until 2019, when she retired again to spend more time with her granddaughters.
After volunteering for Planet Bluegrass for several years and meeting so many wonderful people in this beautiful community, she decided she would love to help the community by serving on the advisory board of LCF.
Gail Frankfort
Gail Frankfort has lived in the Lyons area since 2003. She retired from Keebler Company, located in a suburb of Chicago, as the Director of Finance for the Foodservice Division. She lived in the Chicago area most of my life but when her husband Rick and her decided to retire, they looked for a place that had natural beauty, better weather (lots of sunshine), and less congestion. They found these qualities in Lyons along with many wonderful people they now count as good friends.
Gail volunteers as a member of the Board of the Longmont Humane Society (2012-2018) and as a recreational activities assistant at Life Care Center of Longmont (on-going). She frequently take courses at CU through the Senior Auditors program, focusing on the social sciences which was her undergraduate major. She loves to travel internationally and spend lots of time outdoors playing golf, biking and hiking.
To her, Lyons is like no other town she has ever known. It has an extraordinary sense of community that she hopes to get to know even better through LCF and to make a contribution to its on-going success.
Co-Treasurer
Board member since 2018
Mary Reaume
I was raised on a family farm in mid Michigan. Following high school, I pursued degrees at several universities in Michigan. My husband and I settled in southwest Michigan to start our careers and raise our three children.
I taught at Mattawan Consolidated School and eventually took a position in School Finance yeah with the Administration. After my children finished their higher education, they dispersed to other areas of the country. Six years ago, my oldest daughter and her husband moved to Boulder with their two young children I was then retired and ready for sunny Colorado and to be near my two grandchildren.
Spending a vacation month in Lyons in July 2021, in a beautiful canyon along the St. Vrain River, I was hooked on this area. I chose Lyons, not just for its beauty, but for the great community vibe and the surprisingly good music and art scene.
To satiate my need to be involved and helpful, I joined the Lyons middle senior high school in a supportive teaching role with special education students. Also seeking to be involved in a supportive role of the Community, I joined the LCF advisory board in February 2023. When I am not teaching or engaged in LCF activities, I am hiking mountain trails or biking on back roads. My other hobby is creating and teaching the art of dried flower and Willow wreath making.
Board Member
David Hatchimonji
Board member since 2022
As a resident of Lyons, Dave is thrilled to contribute to the community as a member of the Lyons Community Foundation. A member and former chair of Lyons Sustainable Futures Commission, and a member of the Lyons Flood Recovery Housing Taskforce, Dave and his wife Kim feel blessed to live in Lyons surrounded by good friends, the sandstone ridgeline, and the waters of the St. Vrain.
Prior to retirement Dave worked for Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience supporting the residents and businesses of Lyons and throughout the county to address the changing climate in a manner that is equitable for all. He has an undergraduate degree (Environmental Studies) from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a graduate degree (Business Administration) from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Ella Levy
lla Levy has been a Boulder County resident for nearly 20 years, and is a native of Texas. She recently moved to Lyons at the beginning of 2020 in search of a tight-knit community, access to the outdoors and music. A month-long, leadership Outward Bound mountaineering course originally brought her to Colorado. Being outside daily and connected to nature is core to her value-set, and she shares in this love with her husband.
Though Ella specializes now as a sales professional in the start-up Technology sector, she is equally interested in serving her community and is a former non-profit fundraising professional. She supervised a $2 million Grant Program which supported engineering projects in developing countries globally and served as Development Manager & Grants Writer for a local, Contemporary art museum. Ella is also a working artist, focusing on painting, photography and multimedia methods. She excitedly looks forward to affecting change within Lyons, and garnering support for the many vibrant non-profits that we are lucky to have in our backyard.
Grants Committee Chair
Board member since 2021
Zach Tucker
Zach Tucker was born in Lyons and grew up attending both Lyons Elementary and Lyons Middle Senior High School. He headed north to Fort Collins to attend Colorado State University, obtaining a degree in Business Management and Computer Information Systems. Zach has spent most of his life working in events, working at Planet Bluegrass in the summer growing up, and as the Production Manager for the Lory Student Center at Colorado State University after graduating. He was drawn back to Lyons, however, and when the opportunity for a full time position at Planet Bluegrass came available, he couldn’t pass it up. Zach has been the Director of Operations at Planet Bluegrass since 2019 and now lives in Longmont with his wife Emily and his cats, Cat Stevens and Cat Benatar.
When Zach isn’t working, he enjoys mountain biking, skiing, running, camping, or pretty much anything outdoors. He is excited to be a part of the Lyons Community Foundation and give back to the community that gave him so much!
Board member since 2023
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Peter Hinzy
Board member since 2023
My wife, Kim, and I moved to Lyons in August 2022 from the Western suburbs of Chicago. Prior to escaping the Midwest we lived in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois before discovering the beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills and the wonderful town of Lyons. We have two adult sons, one in Colorado and the other in Ames, Iowa finishing up his degree.
Kim is a psychotherapist in private practice offering mental health counseling and nature-based wellness. My background is in manufacturing and I am the president of RCI Offroad based in Loveland.
After growing up on a small farm outside of Indianapolis, Indiana, I attended Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and received my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, and later completed my MBA. I have spent most of my career in manufacturing in various capacities and most enjoy leading teams and developing talent.
When not at work, I enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and off-roading as well as traveling, reading, walking the dogs (which in the summer often involves stopping for a beer at a local establishment! We’re thrilled to call Lyons home and I look forward to serving the community as a member of the LCF Advisory Board
Gerard Gloisten
LCF Board Member
Board Member for Lyons Community Foundation | Senior Partner at Core Wealth Partners
After more than 30 years in the financial services industry, I relocated to Lyons, Colorado in 2023, drawn by its small-town charm, laid-back vibe, and thriving music scene. I’m now proud to serve on the board of the Lyons Community Foundation, where I get to support local initiatives and connect with passionate community members.
My professional journey includes owning and managing a hybrid broker-dealer for nearly two decades, followed by co-founding Core Wealth Partners, a registered investment advisory firm headquartered in Santa Rosa, California. As Senior Partner, I continue to work part-time, focusing on the clients I’ve built long-standing relationships with.
Outside of work, you’ll find me cycling the scenic roads of the Front Range, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with my two daughters who live nearby. Giving back to the community I call home has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Lyons’ vibrant future.
Dr. Helena Yardley
LCF Board Member
Dr. Helena Yardley has called Boulder County home for 14 years and moved to Lyons with her husband in 2018. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Helena came to Colorado to pursue dual doctorates in Neuroscience and Integrative Physiology and a Certificate in Behavioral Genetics which she completed in 2016. Personally moved by the experience of philanthropy, Helena founded a company in 2019 dedicated to giving back and supporting those in need, which she exited in 2023.
In her professional life, Helena develops and leads clinical research studies and programs across academia and industry, focusing on the therapeutic applications of plant-based compounds. Beyond her scientific work, she enjoys running her small farm in Lyons, where she, her husband, and their spirited 3-year-old daughter care for alpacas, ponies, chickens, dogs, cats, and bee hives. They also grow vegetable and perennial starters for sale in the community and offer native flower seeds to promote pollinator-friendly habitats in the area.
Helena is excited to bring her experience and perspective to the LCF Board to help support local philanthropic initiatives in the Lyons community.
Grace Simonsen
LCF Board Member
Grace has long considered Lyons her favorite funky little town. Moving here with her family in
2011, she attended Lyons Elementary, Middle and Senior High School, graduating in 2017.
After some adventures abroad including a two month volunteer placement in Arusha, Tanzania,
a month volunteering on a rural agricultural site near Pokhara, Nepal, and a month in Costa
Rica where she received her yoga teacher certification, she moved to Fort Collins to set out on
a new adventure with her amazingly kind and creative partner, Ian & their two beloved cats.
While they both have a sweet spot for the Fort, Grace continued to feel a deep connection to
Lyons and knew if they could find a way to get there, Ian would grow to love the town Grace had
always called home. After losing its affordable housing in the 2013 flood, a new affordable
housing project was finally completed in Lyons in 2023 which opened the door for Grace & amp; Ian
to move back to town. Since then Grace has completed a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology and
began serving on the Lyons Historic Preservation Commission.
Both Grace and Ian work in town and relish the opportunity to walk or bike to work each day,
where they feel a deep and meaningful sense of community as they undoubtedly run into more
than a neighbor or two on their way. A resident of Lyons during the 2013 floods, Grace feels a
powerful connection to Lyons, the people and the land, which she witnessed be rebuilt by
countless caring individuals. She feels a great joy at having the opportunity to give back to the
community through the actions of the LCF and looks forward to cultivating ever deeper roots in
this one of a kind town.
Jon Gale
Jon Gale and his wife, Carrie, made Lyons their permanent home in July 2024, drawn by the community’s warmth, small-town feel, and the chance to spend more time with their children and grandchildren. Jon looks forward to contributing to the nonprofit community that makes Lyons so special.
Jon brings over three decades of experience supporting for-profit and nonprofit organizations through financial strategy, growth, governance and succession. Throughout his career as a CPA and principal at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), he has advised countless organizations on creating sustainable business models. navigating the complexities of tax law changes and executing on operational excellence initiatives.
Beyond his professional work, Jon has dedicated himself to hands-on community service for over 30 years. He has served as a board member for a homeless shelter, volunteered with United Way as a grant reviewer evaluating financial and program effectiveness, and organized service projects and fundraising campaigns through Rotary International. His approach to community involvement has always been rooted in paying it forward and helping organizations maximize their impact.
Jon earned his BS in Accountancy from Northern Arizona University and enjoys working in his garden, hiking, going to the gym, rekindling his ice hockey journey, and playing with his grandchildren.
LCF Board Member