Staff
Mackenzie Mullins
Manager of Visitor Services & Membership
General Inquiries
- Phone: (303) 697-3466 (Select 1 for the Main Visitor Center; Select 2 for the Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center)
- Fax: (303) 697-8911
- Gift Shop Phone: (303) 697-3466 x100
- Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center Gift Shop: (303) 697-3466 x110
- General E-mail: info@dinoridge.org
Problem with the website?
Kristen Kidd, Marketing Director at kristen.kidd@dinoridge.org.
Jeff Lamontagne
Executive Director
Jeff joined Dinosaur Ridge as Executive Director in January 2017. He has been Executive Director of three nonprofits, all of which have grown significantly under his tenure. In 2002, he co-founded and began serving as Executive Director of Second Wind Fund (SWF), a nonprofit providing professional counseling services to teens at-risk for suicide. He led SWF from its founding to provide therapy services to more than 4,500 youth from 400 schools around Colorado, reaching an overall organizational budget of more than $1,000,000 over nearly 10 years.
For the next five-plus years, he served as Executive Director of Bluff Lake Nature Center, an open space and environmental science center in east Denver, where he increased organizational funding and successfully completed a $2 million capital campaign to rebuild and refurbish Bluff Lake itself, the site’s centerpiece. In both organizations, he oversaw all aspects of programming, administration, and fundraising.
At Dinosaur Ridge, Jeff has led a restructuring and updating of internal organizational processes, the broadening of revenue streams, navigation through extreme pandemic impacts on the organization, and the initial phases of a 10-year Master Plan crafted in conjunction with Jefferson County Open Space.
Jeff has a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University and a J.D. from the College of William and Mary School of Law. He lives in Lakewood, Colorado and has two adult children.
Amy Atwater
Director of Development & Interim Director of Paleontology
Amy joined Dinosaur Ridge as Director of Development and Membership on October 1, 2023 and was later named Interim Director of Paleontology, a new position on staff. Originally from Oregon, Amy has also lived in Georgia, Montana, Utah, and Texas. She has a B.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Oregon and an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Before joining Dinosaur Ridge, Amy served as Curator for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) managing national databases, working with researchers, and providing tours of the Geological Materials Repository. Prior to this role she spent three years as Paleontology Collections Manager & Registar at Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT. Her passion lies in science communications and advocacy for the stewardship of natural resources.
Erin LaCount
Education Programs Director
Erin began visiting Dinosaur Ridge as a young child with her grandparents in the 1990s, had her high school senior portrait taken on the Ridge, and in April 2022 celebrated her 20th year on staff, currently as Director of Education Programs. You might say she lives and breathes Dino Ridge, and is certainly the person with more institutional knowledge than anyone on staff.
As a teenaged volunteer, Erin served as a tour guide while her grandfather drove the organization’s original tour bus (the van-o-saurus) over West Alameda Parkway, before the road was closed to public traffic. She was involved in early children’s camps and is credited with building them up to the award-winning program it has become. Erin is always excited to try a new program or retry an old one that may have been attempted before its time.
Erin’s education is ongoing and self-guided by her curiosity and the needs of the job. She loves getting in the field and getting dirty, but also enjoys professional conferences where she can attend workshops and lectures given by experts with groups like the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the Colorado Association of Science Teachers (CAST), and the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE).
Before joining Dinosaur Ridge full-time, Erin volunteered at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) learning how to set up exhibits in the education collections department. She continues to collaborate with the Morrison Natural History Museum on paleontology projects and in October 2024 will present her research on Arthur Lakes letters to O.C.Marsh at the annual Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists (SVP) meeting in Minneapolis.
Erin holds an AA in Museum Studies and in 2023 was named one of 40 Under 40 by the Denver Business Journal for her work inspiring and educating children about earth science.
As a game and music lover, Erin is passionate about bringing more interactive and technology-driven experiences for visitors to the Ridge.
Barbara Farley
Director of Volunteers
Barbara Farley has overseen volunteer efforts, educational program growth, and evaluation for Dinosaur Ridge since 2017. She has nearly 20 years of experience in experiential education, program development and management, and volunteer coordination. Prior to joining the staff at Dinosaur Ridge, Barbara managed programs for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys heading to the high country with family to ski, hike, camp and when at home she does a lot of gardening and cooking.
Will Bottoms
Director of Operations
Will joined Dinosaur Ridge as a Gift Shop Clerk in 2019, steadily working his way to the Manager of Guest Services and now Director of Operations. Will earned a B.S. in History and English with a focus on Creative Writing from the University of Colorado Boulder, and an M.S. in Museum Studies from the University of Washington. A Colorado native, Will enjoys exploring the mountains and spending time with family.
Kristen Kidd
Marketing & Communications Director
Kristen grew up a short distance away from Dinosaur Ridge, graduating from Bear Creek High School before going on to earn a B.S. in Journalism from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and an M.S. in Marketing from University of Denver. After spending years as a news writer and producer in radio and television, including CBS4 in Denver and KNBC Los Angeles, Kristen took time off to chase her two sons around and volunteer in their schools. She enjoyed a return to writing as a guest columnist for The Denver Post, and as a PR consultant for various Colorado companies and nonprofits. She joined the team at Dinosaur Ridge in June 2021 and is excited to help tell the stories of this unique natural historical site.
Kody Desch
Maintenance Lead
Kody Desch works to preserve and improve the physical integrity of Dinosaur Ridge and Triceratops Trail. Everything from repairing wind damage, pouring concrete, maintaining buses, cleaning, goundskeeping, and devising innovative solutions for facility needs, Kody enjoys the variety of work and challenges that put his mechanical engineering experience to good use. Kody has a background in landscaping, handyman, and mechanical work.
Ozan Young
Retail Sales Manager
Ozan Young joined Dinosaur Ridge as the Retail Manager in late 2023, following several years in a number of supervisory roles in customer service and stock control. His background also includes events coordination and creative development for small businesses. Originally from East Sussex in the United Kingdom, Ozan’s passion for paleontology, science communication, and his love for dinosaurs and pterosaurs of all kinds made joining the staff at Dino Ridge a dream come true. When not in the gift shop, Ozan also enjoys working in live music and events in Denver’s bustling nightlife scene.
Mackenzie Mullins
Visitor Services Manager
Amanda Rea
Camp & Collections Director
Amanda joined Dinosaur Ridge as a Summer Camp Leader in 2021, then led tours on the Ridge before moving into the Education and Camp Coordinator role. In October 2024 she was named Director of Camps and Collections. Amanda has a B.S. in Geology and minor in Biology from The University of Texas. Before moving to Colorado, Amanda worked at Campfire First Texas and with the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. She has a passion for fossil hunting, rock hounding, hiking and rock climbing.
Libby Prueher
Education Assistant & Outreach Coordinator
Dr. Libby Prueher is a volcanologist and a climate and sustainability specialist. She has a B.S. in Geology, an M.S. in Volcanology, and a PhD in climate science. Dr. Libby first worked at Dinosaur Ridge in 2001. She volunteered over the years and re-joined the staff in 2017. When not representing Dinosaur Ridge at community events, she teaches geology, environmental science, climate change, and sustainability at multiple colleges in the Denver area.
Annie Collins
Scheduling Coordinator
Annie Collins brings several years of administrative, customer service, and management experience to the vital role of Scheduling Coordinator at Dinosaur Ridge. Her work with the Irish Roots Collective, a nonprofit that educates people about Irish history and advocates for those being oppressed today, is something she is particularly proud of. Annie’s education includes studies in political science and biological anthropology. She has a keen interest in natural history.
Alyce Olson
Lead Tour Guide
Alyce Olson, or Allosaurus Alyce as she’s known at the Ridge, has been guiding tours all over Colorado since 2014, and is proud to be the Lead Tour Guide at Dinosaur Ridge, what she calls one of the coolest places in Colorado! Alyce brings her experience and enthusiasm to every bus tour, and works with all of our bus tour guides to do the same, with the goal of turning every ancient footprint and fossil into something wondrous for visitors. In March 2024 the Colorado Association of Science Teachers (CAST) awarded Alyce with its Friends of Science award.
Don Cadwallader
Supervisor/Tour Guide
Don Cadwallader started volunteering at Dinosaur Ridge in March 2021 as a docent in the exhibit hall, and joined the staff about a year later as a tour guide. He now also serves as a Supervisor in our Gift Shops, and as a valued member of our Education Committee and leader in our annual High School Science Quiz Bowl. Don is a retired high school science teacher who spent much of his career in Eaton, Colorado where he developed an interest in paleontology. He is highly involved in state Knowledge Bowl competitions as well. Don loves sharing about the scientific discoveries at Dinosaur Ridge with visitors of every age and background. In October 2024 the Colorado Association of Science Teachers (CAST) awarded Don with its “Friend of Science” award.
Luna Hernandez
Supervisor
Luna Hernandez joined Dinosaur Ridge as a clerk in February 2023 and in December was named a Shift Supervisor. She grew up in the Morrison/ Littleton, Colorado area and visited Dinosaur Ridge often as a child, so she says it was a no brainer to apply to work here! Luna is working on her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Metropolitan State University. She was a preschool teacher working with three-year olds prior to joining the staff at Dino Ridge. As a local, Luna enjoys sharing info about Dinosaur Ridge and the surrounding area with visitors. In her free time she likes to go hiking, reading, gardening, and spending time with friends and family, but admits most of the time when she’s not at work she’s at the library studying, doing homework ,or going to class.
Parker Boyce
Supervisor & Tour Guide
Charles Rasmussen
Accountant/Controller
Charles Rasmusseun joined Dinosaur Ridge in 2022.