Photo: Dan Kenah

Board of Directors and Staff

We are volunteers & citizens of this great town of Lander, Wyoming.


  • Executive Director

    Since moving to Lander, Mary has devoted herself to community volunteering and board service for many local nonprofits and annual events including the Lander Art Center, Challenge for Charities, Good Samaritan Community Meal, Little Free Pantries, and more. Additionally, she co-founded Lander Womentum (2017), women in leadership nonprofit based in Lander, and Lander Presents (2020), bringing live music and events year-round to the broader community.

    Prior to joining the Lander Community Foundation, Mary worked for four years at the Wyoming Outdoor Council. Before that, she had an eleven-year career with NOLS, working as a senior field instructor, a program supervisor, and as the field staff recruitment coordinator.

    In her free time, she enjoys horse packing and hiking in the Wind River Mountains, cooking and baking for friends and family, and connecting with new and old friends on a deeper level. She and her husband, Ariel, have called Lander home since 2011. They have two daughters, Halle Wendell and Louise, both born in Lander.

    Mary shares, “as the executive director of the Lander Community Foundation, I will strive to continue growing the strength and spirit of this community that is so special to me. I will ask your opinion and listen to your ideas. I will work hard to continue to build a stronger, more vibrant community.”

    You can reach Mary at mj@landercommunityfoundation.org. She hopes to hear from you!

  • Treasurer

    Marilyn is a semi-retired CPA who moved to Lander in 2019 to be closer to family. With 28 years of experience owning a successful accounting practice in Torrington, Wyoming, Marilyn brings extensive expertise in nonprofit management, particularly in economic development, tourism, education, and assistance to the elderly. 

    Marilyn has a proven track record of leadership, having served as an officer on the Board of Trustees for Eastern Wyoming College and as treasurer for the Goshen Care Center Joint Powers Board, overseeing the construction of a 103-bed nursing home and memory care facility, and a 30 unit assisted living facility. Additionally, Marilyn served on the Goshen Economic Development executive committee, the Goshen County Chamber of Commerce, and, more recently, the Lander Investment for Tomorrow committee. 

    Outside of professional and volunteer commitments, Marilyn enjoys golfing, pickleball, camping, gardening, and taking long walks. Married to Jim for 44 years, Marilyn has embraced Lander’s welcoming community and the stunning beauty of the surrounding mountains.

  • Secretary

    Michelle landed in Lander in the early 90s to work with NOLS. Her outdoor education career as a field instructor and administrator for NOLS took her to Patagonia, Mexico, British Columbia, and Alaska—all life-changing experiences—but Lander was always home-base.

    As a nonprofit volunteer and consultant, Michelle's passion is local and regional nonprofit work, as she helps grassroots nonprofits reach their potential and serve our community. Michelle is the Lander Womentum Board Chair, League of Women Voters of Wyoming Board Member, and League of Women Voters of Fremont County Election and Education Committee Chair. Michelle has a BA in Economics and Art History and a MA in Nonprofit Management. Michelle was on the Lander Community Foundation during the transition from the Lander Rotary Foundation to the current foundation and was one of the early leaders of the Challenge for Charities.

    In her free time, Michelle hikes, bikes, and Nordic skis in the Mountain West with a handful of friends, her husband, Scott Kane, daughter Magdalena, and a crazy curly poodle named Bella.

  • Jerry is a retired newspaper reporter, lawyer and federal bankruptcy judge and is an active, 36-year Rotarian whose major passions now focus on volunteer work, philanthropy and helping others.

    Jerry grew up in northwest Arkansas and earned journalism and law degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia.  He was a reporter for eight years and a lawyer for more than 20 years in St. Louis and Jefferson City, MO before serving 14 years as a federal bankruptcy judge in Missouri. After retirement in 2013, he and his wife, Cassy, moved to Lander part-time in 2017 to be closer to family and fell in love with the mountains, the weather, and the people.  They divide their time between Lander and Kansas City, MO.

    In addition to golf, international travel, reading, and watching sports, Jerry's (and Cassy's) major passion is helping others through philanthropy and hands-on volunteer service, largely through Rotary.  Jerry led an exchange team to Australia in 2002 and served his Rotary district as District Governor in 2005-06, and in 2016 he received Rotary International’s most highly prized individual recognition, the Service Above Self Award.  He has served on numerous Rotary, community and law-related boards.  He and Cassy have two children and nine grandchildren in Colorado and Iowa.

Deb Reguera

  • Chair

    Deborah was born and raised in Wisconsin and fell in love with Wyoming in the 1960s when her family visited a dude ranch. After years of living east of the Mississippi and annually visiting her family’s cattle ranch outside Lander, she and her partner Bill decided to make Lander home.

    Deborah’s career started in New York City in the financial department of a Fortune 100 company. Since that time she has moved numerous times for business, worked for several nonprofits, and started a social enterprise business. She has also served on the boards of Challenger Center, Chicago Academy of Sciences, American Heart Association of Connecticut, The Nature Conservancy - Wyoming Chapter, and a family foundation. She and Bill have four grown daughters between them - all of whom have fallen in love with Wyoming.

  • Dave has enjoyed living in Lander, WY, for the past decade. He currently serves as the CFO of Atlantic City Federal Credit Union, where he develops and implements balance sheet and growth strategies to support the organization's long-term success.

    An outdoor enthusiast, Dave loves exploring Wyoming's beautiful landscapes. Whether climbing or running through the mountains, he’s often accompanied by his golden retriever, Bagel.

    Dave is excited to be a part of the Lander Community Foundation where he can make an impact in the Lander community that means so much to him.

  • Mark has over 35 years of experience in youth sports. He was the Chief Operating Officer for UK Elite Soccer, a company owned by Steel Sports. Before joining Steel Sports, Mark was the Executive Director of Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club for 15 years. The non-profit focused on developing “Great Athletes, Great Kids” including many Olympians, Paralympians and X-Games athletes. The club was the United States Ski and Snowboard Association’s National Club of the Year in 2011 and twice during his tenure was recognized as the Aspen area Non-Profit of the Year.

    Mark also spent 17 years with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), considered the gold standard in teaching wilderness skills and leadership. Over the years Mark taught backpacking, rock climbing, and winter courses. He oversaw the hiring and training of field staff and served on the director team for 8 years, as Finance Director and Alumni & Development Director.

    Mark holds a BS in Mathematics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an MA in Mathematics from the University of Washington.

Rick Fagnant, CPA

  • Board Member Emeritus

    Rick is originally from Kemmerer, WY and has been with Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda Certified Public Accountants since his graduation from the University of Wyoming in 1977. His areas of focus are tax planning strategies, succession planning, and tax planning strategies for buy/sell transactions.

    Rick is past president of the Lander Rotary Club, The Lander Chamber of Commerce, The Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt Club, and The Wyoming Society of CPAs. He served as a Council member representing WY on the American Institute of CPAs for six years and currently serves on the Wyoming State Board of CPAs and the Board of Directors for the Wyoming Community Foundation.

    He is extremely active in his church, has been married to his wife Babes since 1979, and together they have two grown children Ben and Annie.

  • Vice-Chair

    Mark grew up in Lander and graduated from Lander Valley High School in 1986. He has vocational/technical school certificates as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master’s Degree. Mark’s wife, Julie, is the school Librarian at Gannett Peak Elementary, and they have two grown sons, Zach and Jake.

    Mark worked for 18 years in a variety of capacities in a family-owned mechanical contracting business and has been a United Methodist pastor for 15 years. Mark’s widespread involvement in our community through various projects, organizations, and events demonstrates his commitment to the Lander Valley area.

John Larsen

  • John moved to Lander with his wife Debbie and two young daughters in January of 1980. They moved into the house that they currently live in. Not long after moving to Lander, John, his father, and his brother went into business together forming the industrial construction company, Triple L, Inc. which has been in business for over 40 years.

    John’s community service began with the Boy Scouts of America which he was involved with for many years. He has served on numerous boards over the years including the Lander Airport Board, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Safety Alliance, the Fremont County Solid Waste Board, and previously served two full terms on the Lander Community Foundation Board.

    John enjoys almost anything to do with aviation, including the numerous fly-ins at Lander’s Hunt Field, and has been an Angel Flight West Command Pilot since 2005. He and his wife especially enjoy visiting their 2 daughters, 2 granddaughters, and great-grandson.

  • Cyndy was born and grew up on the East Coast, where she attended college and graduate school. After doing medical research for three years at NIH, she transitioned to a teaching career.

    In 1976, she came to Lander, as many folks did, to take a NOLS course. She realized immediately that Lander was where she was meant to be. She married her NOLS course leader, Peter Simer, and they lived in Lander until 1983, when Peter finished his tenure as executive director of NOLS and decided to get an MBA.

    For the next 30 years, they raised three children, moved several times for different job opportunities, and Cyndy taught chemistry at both high school and college. In 2013, she retired, and they moved back to Lander, because they had always felt that it was their true home.

    While their kids were growing up, Cyndy's volunteerism was focused on their activities: coaching soccer, managing their youth hockey teams, PTA, Cub Scout leader, and classroom reading assistant.

    Since returning to Lander, she has been involved with First Stop Help Center, the Care and Share Food Bank, and the Lander Art Center, as well as an assistant leader for the C4C July 4th race. She looks forward to being more actively involved with LCF.

Want to join our board for a 3-year term?

Please complete the Board Prospect Form. 

We are always looking to add enthusiastic prospects to our list!

Board Prospect Form

Past Board Members

(C = Former Chair)

Susan Brame (C)

Leslie Calkins

Cale Case

Michael Cheek

Gina Colovich

Andrew Coulter

Michelle Escudero

Andy Gramlich (Cx6)

Sarah Hamlin

Justus Jacobs

Deborah Kaufman

Mike Kusiek (C)

John Larsen (C)

Liz Lightner (Cx2)

Sam Lightner

Mike Lilygren

Linda Lindsey (c)

Lisa Lowham

Pat McGavran

Bryan Neely

Rita Neill

Deborah Nunnink

Ernie Over

Sky Phifer

Don Reynolds (C)

Judd Rogers

Amanda Sempert

Cori Slingerland

Bill Sniffin

Trey Warren

Gary Wilmot

Heather Wisniewski