Planning Committee

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. 




Karina Carrillo-Escobedo

Karina Carrillo-Escobedo is currently the Program & Outreach Coordinator at the Latinx Therapist Project, working to increase the number of Spanish-speaking mental health clinicians. Previously the Volunteer Engagement Specialist at the I Have A Dream Foundation of Boulder County where she supported and enhanced volunteer engagement for afterschool programming for the youth they partner with. Karina is passionate about supporting her community and expanding her skill set through versatility in her work.










Kirsten Hoaby
Volunteer and Pro Bono Manager
Colorado Legal Services 

Kirsten has been in the field of volunteer engagement for 8 years and is particularly passionate about social justice, systems building, and cultivating relationships. Kirsten is bilingual and volunteers with Casa de Paz 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.





Kristin Richmann 
Communications and Marketing Specialist
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Office of Emergency Response and Preparedness