Board Bios

open boulder foundation 501(c)(3)

Jan Burton

Jan is an avid outdoor person and environmentalist and is a volunteer for the City of Boulder raptor monitor program. She served on the Boulder City Council for two years and is currently a columnist for the Boulder Daily Camera, often writing on relevant city governance topics. She co-founded Rhino Cubed, which makes tiny homes from shipping containers, and is increasingly vocal about the housing crisis. A dedicated music lover and CU College of Music Advisory Board member, her house is rumored to be a regular house concert venue. She is a member of Citizens Climate Lobby and believes fervently we need to do more to address climate change. She loves hiking and camping and is on a mission to visit all the National Parks in her 1961 Airstream.

brady robinson

Brady Robinson is the Executive Director of the Access Fund, a conservation and advocacy organization that helps to protect climbing areas throughout the United States. Despite being a relatively small non-profit, the Access Fund’s work has a broad ripple effect far beyond the climbing community and extends into areas of conservation, public lands policy, and general outdoor recreation, just to name a few. Under Brady’s leadership, the Access Fund has been incredibly effective, and as climbing becomes more popular, the its work will only become more important.

Brady also has a seriously impressive outdoor resume—he was an instructor for both Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and has done a number of large-scale expeditions throughout the Himalayas. He still finds time to push himself hard in climbing, mountain biking, and other adventures, while simultaneously leading the Access Fund and being a fully committed family man.

mark mcintyre

Mark McIntyre has a 43 year history of activism and involvement in the Boulder Community since moving here in 1977. Activities range from being the Community Relations Commissioner for the CU student government to currently serving on the city's Transportation Advisory Board. His business background comes from running a US based manufacturing sales company for 32 years and his customers include virtually all of the major manufacturers in the front range of Colorado. While rock climbing and mountaineering originally brought him to Boulder his main interests now are riding bikes of all types and backcountry skiing. Mark has 2 grown children that live in Boulder and two grandchildren here as well.

matt benjamin

Matt Benjamin has lived in Boulder for 20 years with his wife and 2 kids. He holds a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Colorado, and was the Education Programs Manager at Fiske Planetarium. His focus is Environmental and Community stewardship, and to that end is currently working on local Boulder issues, particularly the impact made on climate change through renewable energy and finding ways to build Boulder’s middle class with measured growth and developing affordable housing. Matt also ran for City Council in 2017 and then lead The Coalition in 2019. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Boulder Open Space Conservancy, Growe Foundation and the Idaho Conservation League. Matt’s professional experience includes working extensively with NASA and NCAR’s research and education programs. He also helped lead a team to create the nations first and only Dark Sky Reserve in Central Idaho. Matt loves nature and is driven to provide children experiences that inspire a sense of stewardship for their local environments and the planet as a whole. His passions are skiing, backpacking, gardening and photography.

open boulder 501(c)(4)

Buzz Burrell

Buzz moved to Boulder in 1969, then went to Colorado’s Western Slope to raise a family and own and operate an organic fruit farm, before moving back to Boulder in 1988. He has worked for numerous 501(c)3 organizations, from the Association of Brewers, the trade association that helped build the craft brewing industry, to Colorado Friends of Tibet, which re-settled Tibetan immigrants to Boulder and hosted the visit of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Since childhood he has spent a lot of time going outside to play, and continues to do so, running, hiking, biking, climbing, and paddling, and lives by the motto: “Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.”

matt benjamin

Matt Benjamin has lived in Boulder for 20 years with his wife and 2 kids. He holds a degree in Astrophysics from the University of Colorado, and was the Education Programs Manager at Fiske Planetarium. His focus is Environmental and Community stewardship, and to that end is currently working on local Boulder issues, particularly the impact made on climate change through renewable energy and finding ways to build Boulder’s middle class with measured growth and developing affordable housing. Matt also ran for City Council in 2017 and then lead The Coalition in 2019. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Boulder Open Space Conservancy, Growe Foundation and the Idaho Conservation League. Matt’s professional experience includes working extensively with NASA and NCAR’s research and education programs. He also helped lead a team to create the nations first and only Dark Sky Reserve in Central Idaho. Matt loves nature and is driven to provide children experiences that inspire a sense of stewardship for their local environments and the planet as a whole. His passions are skiing, backpacking, gardening and photography.

bill rigler

Bill has worked at the intersection of strategic communications and advocacy for more than 16 years. Bill is Vice President at MAPRagency, the oldest and largest PR firm in Boulder. He serves as the Chair of the Boulder Transportation Advisory Board and as a member of the Council-appointed Marijuana Advisory Panel, as well as the Boulder Chamber of Commerce’s Community Affairs Council. Previously, Bill served as the spokesman and director of communications for former Vice President Al Gore’s global climate change initiative and as senior manager for PR at Ball Aerospace. Previously, Bill held senior positions at the Rockefeller Foundation, the United Nations, and a global health and development nonprofit organization. A Montana native, Bill received his Master’s Degree in International Relations from Columbia University in NYC.

Shelley Dunbar

As former member of the Open Space Board of Trustees, Shelley has always sought to serve her community through public service. In 2017, her and her husband Andrew bought Neptune Mountaineering out of bankruptcy and transformed it into a community meeting and educational center. Prior to that, they owned Sea to Summit for 22 years. Shelley received her Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Affairs from University of California, Davis.

mark mcintyre

Mark McIntyre has a 43 year history of activism and involvement in the Boulder Community since moving here in 1977. Activities range from being the Community Relations Commissioner for the CU student government to currently serving on the city's Transportation Advisory Board. His business background comes from running a US based manufacturing sales company for 32 years and his customers include virtually all of the major manufacturers in the front range of Colorado. While rock climbing and mountaineering originally brought him to Boulder his main interests now are riding bikes of all types and backcountry skiing. Mark has 2 grown children that live in Boulder and two grandchildren here as well.