President Shaffer Appoints New Members to State Boards and Commissions

Tuesday, August 14 2012

DENVER— Today, Senate President Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) announced the appointment of three members to important state boards and commissions. He made appointments to the Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board (CCAB) which is responsible for ensuring that the condition of public schools is conducive to maximizing student achievement and for reviewing grant applications for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program; the Clean Energy Development Authority Board which is charged with increasing the use and transmission of clean energy; and the Tony Grampsas Youth Crime Services Board which provides funding to community organizations that work to reduce youth crime and to prevent child maltreatment.

Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board

Kathy Gebhardt is appointed to the Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board to replace Mary Wickersham. Gebhardt received her law degree from the University of Denver and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Lewis and Clark College. After practicing law in private firms for nearly 20 years, she co-founded Children’s Voices, Inc., a non-profit practice focused on advocacy to ensure equal access to public education.

About the Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board and the BEST Program:

The BEST program was established in 2008 and provides annual grants to school districts to fund construction of new facilities and to renovate existing school structures. The BEST Program has funded 147 grant applications in 94 different school districts since its inception. The program has impacted 237 school facilities, helped more than 92,900 students with facility improvements and helped create and support over 11,000 jobs.

The Clean Energy Development Authority Board

Sam Weaver is reappointed to the Clean Energy Development Authority Board of Directors. Weaver is president of Cool Energy, Inc., a Boulder-based solar energy technology development company. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering and applied science from the California Institute of Technology. Weaver is a former professional researcher in the electrical engineering department at the University of Colorado and holds six U.S. patents.

About The Clean Energy Development Authority Board:

This board was created in 2007 to expand Colorado’s energy portfolio by financing projects that involve the production, transportation, and storage of clean energy. Clean energy sources include biodiesel, biomass resources, ethanol, and renewable energy resources.

The Tony Grampsas Youth Crime Services Board

Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett is appointed to the Tony Grampsas Youth Crime Services Board. Garnett is a Boulder resident and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado . He served as a trial lawyer for 22 years, as a Deputy District Attorney in the Denver District Attorney’s Office, and served two terms on the Boulder Valley School Board.

About the Tony Grampsas Youth Crime Services Board:

This board was created in 1994 to focus on programs that provide positive outlets for at- risk youth and work to reduce crime rates in youth populations. Entities eligible for grants from the Tony Grampsas Board include non-profit organizations, local governments, schools, and faith-based organizations.