If you are in need of furniture please contact your case manager for a referral to HomeAhead.
Meet The Team
Founder & President of the Board
Joe Pickett
Since moving to Boulder in the late 1990s, Joe Pickett has devoted much of his life to helping organizations that support people experiencing homelessness. This includes Boulder County Cares, Bridge House (Community Table and Path to Home), and BOHO (Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow). He is retired from IBM and lives in Boulder with his wife Barbara to whom he has been married for more than 50 years. Joe was a competitive triathlete and marathon runner. These days he loves running with his dog Riley and doing Murphys (a CrossFit workout).
Co-Founder
Lew Miller
After moving to Colorado in 2013, Lew Miller jumped right into community service work, driven by a passion to make a difference in people’s lives. Lew has been active with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Meals on Wheels, the YMCA/YWCA, Rotary, Erie Chamber of Commerce, and Marshalltown (Iowa) Community College Foundation. He’s a member of Congregation Har HaShem and chair of the men’s organization at JCC Boulder. A retired plumbing distributor, Lew founded the Iowa BBQ Society, a unique nonprofit that combines love of barbecue with random acts of kindness.
Vice President
Greg Kok
Greg Kok is a retired atmospheric scientist, who spent much of his career sampling air around the world. At HomeAhead he is the “fixer” working on repairable furniture as well as supporting the facilities, providing crucial support to keep the operations moving. He also helps move furniture. His hobbies are woodworking and vehicle maintenance. He lives in Boulder with his wife Barb who is also an active HomeAhead volunteer.
Treasurer
Loren Donaldson
Loren Donaldson spent many years in finance. During his early career Loren managed a number of college and high school food service programs. Later Loren managed one grocery store in a chain of six stores then moved into his own business selling, installing and maintaining cash registers and point of sale equipment for grocery stores and restaurants. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve HomeAhead as Treasurer.
Secretary
Carol Fries
Carol Fries helped launch the volunteer group that preceded HomeAhead and has been on the team ever since. She has more than a decade of experience volunteering with organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness, including Bridge House (Community Table and Path to Home), Mother House (The Lodge), and BOHO (Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow). A retired marketing communications professional, Carol loves reading, writing, running, and dark chocolate. She lives in Erie with her husband Tim.
Executive Director
Mary Gaylord
Mary Gaylord has worked in the nonprofit sector for close to 10 years, and with HomeAhead since early 2022. Her background includes working in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and program development. A chronic idealist, Mary has a strong passion for supporting individuals and organizations that endeavor to make our world a better place. Mary enjoys living near Boulder with her husband and two teenagers, hiking, skiing, mountain-biking, camping, and hanging out with friends and family.
Board Member at Large
Jennie Watson
Jennie Watson moved to Colorado to attend Fort Lewis college and loved it so much, she stayed after graduation and has lived around the Front Range ever since. Jennie has served in government and non-profit agencies for 20 years. Jennie currently works for Boulder County Housing and Human Services as a Housing Support Specialist, supporting families and individuals experiencing homelessness find and maintain housing. Jennie worked with Home Ahead as a referring partner before joining the board, and understands the critical service that the organization provides to the community from a unique perspective. Jennie lives with daughters, dogs and cats in Arvada. Jennie enjoys art, music, spending time with friends and family, camping and all things outdoors in Colorado.
Board Member at Large
Tricia Dessel
Tricia Dessel has lived in Boulder for more than 30 years, has raised her family here, and has volunteered in the community with various organizations. She is a graduate of CU with an MBA and worked in the medical device industry in a marketing capacity for two decades. She is currently a realtor in Boulder with Compass. In her free time Tricia enjoys hiking, skiing, mountain-biking, reading, and playing tennis.
Board Member at Large
Clair Minson
Clair Minson is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Sandra Grace LLC. Clair is a non-profit leader, racial equity consultant, and theologian who leverages her decade-plus experience in workforce development and mental health counseling to maximize the impact of forward-thinking institutions across the United States. Anchored in her faith in the human capacity for change and propelled by a critical analysis of systemic and institutional racism, Clair works with clients in the public and
private sectors to develop and implement sound strategies that address the root causes
of social inequity. Clair is currently in seminary and serves as the Pastoral Intern at Atonement Lutheran Church in Boulder. She is from the Bahamas and lives in Westminster with her two daughters.
Board Member at Large
Cheryl Bradfute
Cheryl and her husband John relocated to Colorado in 2019 and both began volunteering with
HomeAhead shortly thereafter. Cheryl’s background is in advertising and marketing, in addition
to having owned her own small business. She is passionate about keeping usable furniture out
of landfills and often repairs, refinishes, and/or updates pieces for HomeAhead. When not
working on furniture, Cheryl may be found on the ski slopes, in her sewing room, or travelling.
Baking and working on crafts with her grandchildren are another favorite pastime.
Board Member at Large
Jim Sible
Jim was born in Boulder, attended public schools in Boulder Valley and graduated from CU with a degree in Finance. He moved to the Seattle area, raised two sons, worked for a large nonprofit, then enjoyed a business and finance focused career with The Boeing Company. After retiring, Jim returned to Colorado where he volunteered and served on the board with Coal Creek Meals and local Rotary Clubs. Jim helped secure funding from Rotary for HomeAhead and also found himself on the opposite end of some furniture to be moved in assisting recently housed clients.
Jim is pleased to serve on the HomeAhead board and help grow the resources needed to meet the increasing demand for helping those recently housed with furniture.
Operations Coordinator
Eilene Spear
Eilene Spear joined the team in early 2023. Her background includes managing operations for an emerging business law website and working with at-risk youth through the Department of Labor's JobCorps program. Eilene has an unshakeable belief that smart, concerted action can make the world better and she is determined to use her experiences to be a part of that effort. Eilene spends her free time reading, running, and spending way too much time at the gym.