Carla Maniscalco
Director of Volunteer Services
"I Have A Dream" Foundation of Boulder County
A Denver native, Carla has worked professionally in volunteer management for nearly 30 years and is currently the Director of Volunteer Services for the "I Have A Dream" Foundation of Boulder County. She oversees the volunteer program, providing leadership, staff mentorship, and strategic input on volunteer management best practices to advance their mission to partner with youth and their families as they successfully navigate school, college, and career by providing a holistic academic, social, and emotional program from elementary school through college, along with post-secondary scholarship assistance.
She has a B.A. in Behavioral Science and Sociology from Metropolitan State University. Carla is certified in Volunteer Management and is a Certified Disability Mentor provider.
Emily Dobish
Director of Volunteer Engagement
History Colorado
Emily Dobish is the Director of Volunteer Engagement for History Colorado where she provides leadership and oversight of the volunteer engagement strategy. She has an M.A. in Museum Studies from Harvard University, and a B.A. in History from York College of Pennsylvania.
Kaitlin Gasper
Volunteer Coordinator
Downtown Aquarium Denver
Growing up a Colorado Native, Kaitlin has always found nature as a way to connect with others. Her interests have taken her across the globe from working with sharks in South Africa, to teaching high school summer camps in the Caribbean, and returning home to work with the Aquarium in Denver. Within any role, she values empowering people to find their connection with nature through education and shared experience. Today she works as the Aquarium's Volunteer Coordinator to support others looking to gain experience and knowledge within the animal care field. Kaitlin joined the CCOV committee at the end of 2024, and is looking forward to being surrounded by other volunteer professionals.
Cat Smith
Senior Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Colorado (formerly the Dumb Friends League)
A lifelong animal lover, Cat has been with Humane Colorado (formerly the Dumb Friends League) since 2016. As Senior Volunteer Coordinator, she supports one of the largest volunteer programs in the state with an approach that fosters advocacy and advanced organizational knowledge amongst the shelter’s 1,500 volunteers. Cat is dedicated to uplifting volunteer management professionals as well as her community and in her free time she volunteers in numerous capacities – including serving as co-chair of the Colorado Conference on Volunteerism committee and organizing a quarterly meetup group for Volgistics users across the front-range.
Lauren Rolfe
Community Programs Manager
Denver Animal Shelter
Lauren fell into animal welfare back in 2014 and has been there ever since. She found her passion at Denver Animal Shelter in building sustainable programs. She currently oversees the Volunteer Program, Foster Program, Community Engagement Program and the Shelter Social Worker. Outside of a busy work life, she has a busy home life with her husband, two young kids, two dogs, and a bearded dragon. Lauren joined DOVIA Colorado and the CCOV Committee in 2023 and is passionate about connecting volunteer engagement professionals and others to create supportive networks.
Kirsten Hoaby
Volunteer and Pro Bono Manager
Colorado Legal Services
Kirsten has been in the field of volunteer engagement for 7 years and is particularly passionate about social justice, systems building, and cultivating relationships. Kirsten is bilingual and volunteers with MAVA (Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement) and the Colorado Asylum Clinic, in addition to serving on the CCOV committee since 2024. When not working or volunteering, Kirsten enjoys exploring the Colorado outdoors on bike, skis, and by foot, reading fantasy novels, and dancing salsa and bachata.
Corryn Zylstra
Volunteer Engagement Specialist
Colorado State University Alumni Association
Corryn got her start in volunteer engagement while working in wildlife rehabilitation. She has worked professionally in zoos, wildlife centers, and giving tours at a safari park. Now, Corryn works with over a quarter million alumni at Colorado State University where she recently obtained her Professional Science Master’s in Zoo, Aquarium, and Animal Shelter Management. She loves spending time outdoors, reading, hammocking, or searching for the best breakfast burrito.
Brittany McGarry
Sr. Manager, Event Volunteer Engagement
National MS Society
Brittany has been a volunteer for as long as she can remember. She usually is looking for “the next best thing” but she’s found the best volunteer gig around with Minds Matter of Colorado, blending her passion for education and mentoring others. She currently serves as the Conference Assistant for CCOV because of her skills in event planning and general passion for leadership in the volunteer engagement space.
Kristin Richmann
Communications and Marketing Specialist
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Office of Emergency Response and Preparedness
Karina Carrillo-Escobedo
Karina Carrillo-Escobedo is currently the Volunteer Engagement Specialist at the I Have A Dream Foundation of Boulder County. Since graduating from CU Boulder in 2021, she has focused on volunteer management, fostering meaningful connections between volunteers and the communities they serve. For the past two and a half years, she has been with IHDF, where she supports and enhances volunteer engagement for after school programming for the youth they partner with.
