About Us

Founded in 1983 as one of the first home visiting agencies in Colorado, Great Expectations has grown to serve more than 10,000 families in Garfield, Pitkin, and western Eagle counties. Our core programs—Healthy Families America, Nurse-Family Partnership, Partners for a Healthy Baby—reflect decades of research and practice on child and maternal health.

A lot has changed since our early days. But our mission remains the same: to strengthen and empower families, foster the optimum development of children, and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Another constant: our services are confidential, available to all, and absolutely free.

Our Staff

Wendy Chenoweth

Program Manager, Healthy Families America
wendy@greatexpectations.co

Gabby Martinez

Family Support Specialist, Healthy Families America
gabriela@greatexpectations.co

Erica Funes

Lead Family Support Specialist, Healthy Families America
erica@greatexpectations.co

Fernanda Pelen

Family Support Specialist, Healthy Families America
fern@greatexpectations.co

Kassandra Perez

Family Support Specialist, Healthy Families America
kassandra@greatexpectations.co

Luci Martinez, RN

Supervisor, Nurse-Family Partnership
luci@greatexpectations.co

Lizzy Sexton, RN

Lead Nurse Visitor, Nurse-Family Partnership
lizzy@greatexpectations.co

Karen Courtney

Nurse Visitor, Nurse-Family Partnership
karenc@greatexpectations.co

Dani Mendoza-Turbin, RN

Nurse Visitor, Nurse-Family Partnership
dani@greatexpectations.co

Leigh Carlson-Hernandez

Executive Director
leigh@greatexpectations.co

Angie Vinnola

Operations Manager
angie@greatexpectations.co

Jenny Lindsay

Development Director
jenny@greatexpectations.co

Ana Lopez

Administrative Assistant
ana@greatexpectations.co

Our Board

Sara Gilbertson

President
General Manager, Gilco Sports Entertainment and Marketing

Wendy Gil

Vice President
Practice Manager, Mountain Family Health Centers

Deb Bair

Secretary
Former Child Care Consultant, Garfield County Department of Human Services

Anne Dakin

Former Early Childhood Educator

Tinker Duclo

Vice President and Dean, Rifle Campus, Colorado Mountain College

Tish Filiss

Former Home Visitor, Great Expectations

Maria Largaespada

Finance Specialist, Town of Snowmass

Heather Beattie

Garfield County Attorney

thank you donors!

Our Supporters

We're deeply grateful to the generous individuals and organizations that make our work possible. Join us!

Foundations and Organizations

  • Alpine Bank
  • Anschutz Family Foundation
  • Aspen Community Foundation
  • Aspen Community School
  • Aspen Rotary Club
  • Bright by Text
  • Buell Foundation
  • Caring for Colorado Foundation
  • Castaways Foundation
  • Cecil G. & Jessie L. Deardorff Memorial Trust
  • City of Aspen
  • City of Glenwood Springs
  • Colorado Department of Early Childhood
  • Colorado Department of Human Services
  • El Pomar Foundation
  • Ernst & Wilma Martens Foundation
  • Fred & Elli Iselin Foundation
  • Garfield County
  • Glenwood Springs Rotary Club
  • Grand River Health District
  • Grand Valley Kiwanis Club
  • Hotel Colorado  
  • Invest in Kids
  • Kaplan Family Foundation
  • Kroger
  • Lundin & Lundin CPAs
  • Mascotte Family Fund
  • Norman & Elaine Polsky Family Charitable Foundation
  • Pitkin County
  • Rifle Community Foundation
  • Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
  • Sam S. Bloom Foundation
  • St. Mary of the Crown Catholic Church
  • St. Vincent Catholic Church
  • The Property Shop
  • Town of Basalt
  • Town of Carbondale
  • Vroom

Individuals

  • Marianne Ackerman
  • Dave and Suzy Alcott
  • Sharon Andersen
  • Richard Arnold and Marshall Whiting
  • John Atwood
  • Bryan and Nettie Avery
  • Debra Bair
  • Emily Ball
  • Martha Behnfield
  • Jolita Blado
  • Betsy and Scott Bowie
  • Sally Brands
  • Annie and Bob Brooks
  • Leticia Burbano de Lara
  • April and Steve Carver
  • Frank and Kathleen Casalino
  • Susan Cashel and Patrick Seydel
  • Glenn and Kris Chadwick
  • Cheryl and Keith Chamberlain
  • Gabe and Wendy Chenoweth
  • Emily Conway
  • James Conway and Anne Dakin
  • Emily Corcoran
  • Deborah Dawson
  • Shelle de Beque
  • Jan Dean
  • Jacques and Katie Deyoe
  • Dennis and Terrie Drake
  • Donna and Ham DuBois
  • Tinker Jacobs Duclo
  • Rick and Victoria DuFon
  • Bob and Nancy Emerson
  • Kelly Esch
  • Greg and Kathy Feinsinger
  • Dean and Tish Filiss
  • Zabdi Fuentes
  • Walter Gallacher and Sara Hess
  • Cristina Gair
  • Holly and Richard Glasier
  • Robert Glickman
  • Brynne and Peter Gordon
  • Greg Greer
  • Norma Guzmán Durán
  • Jan and John Haines
  • Dena and Jerry Hammar
  • Alana Hanks
  • Bart Harvey
  • Katherine and Paul Harvey
  • Kathy Hegberg
  • Sonya Hemmen

  • Cathy Heyliger
  • Sue Horn
  • Gordon Howie and Wilma Reichard
  • Rob Jankovsky
  • Tess Jankovsky
  • Joy and Niels Jepsen
  • Laura and Michael Kaplan
  • Dale and Shelley Kaup
  • Scott and Trish Kramer
  • Mary Lafler
  • Marilyn Landrum
  • Steven and Sybil Levisohn
  • Denison Levy
  • Jenny Lindsay
  • Ned and Tracy Lucks
  • Sharon McLin
  • Dani Mendoza
  • Shelly Merriam
  • Corrine and Dave Merritt
  • Scott Messina
  • Paula Mischlich
  • Susan Monahan
  • Carrie Packard
  • Angie and Donald Parkison
  • Craig and Dee Parks
  • Linda and Steven Pawlak
  • Courtney Petre
  • Lisa and Steve Plymate
  • Carolyn Prinster
  • Rachel Richards
  • Andrew and Annette Roberts-Gray
  • Kenneth Robinson
  • Kaja Rumney
  • Cindy Ryman
  • Romaine Schott
  • Dave and Jennifer Smith
  • Marian Smith
  • Dave and Suzanne Stewart
  • Dave and Linda Sturges
  • Bill and Dieanna Swigert
  • Robin Tolan
  • Amy and Chris Treese
  • Jackie Wagner
  • Peter Wall
  • Joan Walls
  • Donna Ward
  • Rhonda and Tom Welch
  • Chip and Mike Wells
  • Julie and Ted Wernsman
  • Debra and Michael Wilde
  • Keiko Woodyard
  • Jennifer Zetah