Board of Education Members

Katy Lee moved to Steamboat Springs in the summer of 2014 and is a happily settled resident of Old Town. She graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles with degrees in Chemical Engineering and East Asian Languages and Cultures. She and her husband have both worked in the oil refining industry for over twenty-five years and have lived across the world. They have two children in college and one in high school in the district. Katy deeply appreciates the dedication of the staff and community to the quality of life for our students and hopes that her experience will benefit the board.

• Originally elected: November 2017
• Re-elected: November 2021
• Term expires: November 2025

Chresta Brinkman is a Parent Guide for Colorado Hands & Voices working with families who have children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. She has an extensive background of working with children in a variety of roles which has equipped her with a unique understanding of the complexities of public education. She is a former teacher with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of Kansas and a master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Most
importantly, she is a devoted mom to four children across all levels of Steamboat Springs School District. Her commitment to our schools and community shows in the time she has devoted within our district by helping children and families with the school buildings and classrooms as well as school PICs, SACs, DACs and Challenge Fund. Community involvement is foundational to who she is and she currently serves on the boards of Junior Achievement of Colorado, BookTrails, Historic Hayden Granary, Holy Name Pastoral Council in addition to being a United Way Tocqueville Society Member. She is committed to understanding our students, staff, schools and community and strives to be an advocate for all children.

Originally elected: November 2019
Re-elected: November 2021
Term expires; November 2025

Lara Craig is a lifelong resident of Steamboat Springs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Baylor University and a Master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. Lara is an educator with 30 years of experience teaching a variety of subject areas including English language arts, social studies, French, and English as a second language. She retired in June 2019 with 24 years of experience teaching primarily 8th grade language arts and social studies to both general and gifted students at the Steamboat Springs Middle School. Lara has served in various capacities throughout our community and has a passion for youth education initiatives and programs
that promote healthy choices. She currently serves on the board of the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra specifically supporting youth music programming. Sharing a love of the mountains, Lara and her husband, Brad, have raised their two children in Steamboat Springs. Both of her children have attended Steamboat Springs public schools. Lara
has tremendous passion for the academic and social/emotional well-being of the youth in our community and hopes to continue to make a positive difference for students in Steamboat Springs.

Originally elected: November 2019
Term expires: November 2023

They came for a summer and stayed is essentially what happened to Alissa Merage and her family. Arriving in Steamboat the summer of 2015, they bought a house and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Alissa received her
undergraduate degree in Business and International Studies from the University of WI-Madison and her MBA from the University of Denver. She is a college consultant and works to help each student reach their potential and find great fit schools. Alissa lives in Old Town with her family of five, including her husband Jeff and three children.
After living in Denver and California, they embrace the mountain lifestyle and are thrilled to call Steamboat home. Alissa could not be more grateful for the quality of education available in our schools and the incredible teachers who are committed to our kids. She is excited to have the opportunity to support our schools and learn, share and grow with the Board.

Originally appointed: May 2022
Term expires: November 2023

Matthew moved with his family to Steamboat Springs in 2019 after retiring from the US Army. He enlisted as a medic in the Army Reserve, and transitioned to the Regular Army, completing ROTC at the University of California at Davis, earning an MD degree from the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, and an MBA degree from Pacific Lutheran University. He served in a variety of clinical, operational, teaching, and executive medicine roles throughout the world, including South Korea, Iraq, Italy, Germany, Washington, Kansas, North Carolina, and Georgia. After being promoted to the rank of Colonel, and having served as the Chief of the Medical Staff for two large organizations, he felt a strong yearning for direct patient care, and was fortunate enough to be selected for a
Hospitalist Fellowship at Womack Army Medical Center. He subsequently taught medical residents at Martin Army Community Hospital at Fort Benning. He has two children in the district, and a lovely and talented wife who has been the bedrock of the family. Matthew believes that the purpose of education is the expansion of knowledge and the formation of character, developing students into happy and productive citizens who will sustain
the Republic. To that end, teachers, in partnership with parents/guardians, have a profound leadership duty.

Originally appointed: February 2023
Term expires: November 2023