Rob Bleiberg
Executive Director
Rob joined Mesa Land Trust in 1996 and has led the organization through a significant period of growth and transformation. He has been involved in hundreds of conservation transactions and has established strategic partnerships with local governments, the Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust and other private and public entities. Rob is a community volunteer, serving on the boards of local and statewide nonprofits. When not in the office, he can be found hiking or biking on the trails of western Colorado and southeast Utah, preferably with his wife, Sheri, daughter, and two dogs. In 2009, he was awarded a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Rob has an M.S. in Natural Resource Policy from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in American Studies from Wesleyan University.Alyssa Bentele
Land Steward
Alyssa is based out of her home in Paonia, CO. She monitors conservation easements, assists landowners in the stewardship of their properties, and has various other operational and outreach duties. She grew up in the Chicago suburbs, then received her B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. She left the saturated flatlands of Illinois for the high desert of Western Colorado in 2016 and set roots in the North Fork Valley. She came to CWLT from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, where she worked with Conservation Districts on the Western Slope. Alyssa enjoys biking, canoeing, gardening, DJing at her local radio station, and wandering through the woods.Libby Collins
Senior Regional Program Manager
As a project manager at Colorado West Land Trust, Libby works to preserve landscapes and develop trail based recreation along the Monument Corridor and around the six county service area. Through partnerships with local organizations and government, Libby fundraises, coordinates public processes and land acquisition that support trail based recreation and community stewardship of public and private lands. She received her M.A. from the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver where she studied international economic development with a focus on rural communities.Diana Cort
Senior Stewardship Program Manager
Diana started with Mesa Land Trust in 2000, working in conservation easement stewardship, fundraising and outreach. When a full-time development officer was hired Diana became the Stewardship Director. Diana is based out of the Grand Junction office and her work includes annual conservation easement monitoring, working with landowners on stewardship of their properties, as well as providing guidance on their agreements, legal issues ranging from conservation easement defense to oil & gas and water law, and continued outreach efforts. Diana has a B.S. in Business Administration/minor in Business Law from the University of Arizona and spent 15 years in account management and consulting in employee benefits. An Arizona native, she moved to western CO in 1995 for the wide range of outdoor activities available here; particularly whitewater rafting, mountain biking and skiing and also enjoys hiking, climbing, hunting, snowshoeing and photography.Julia Currier
Development and Communications Coordinator
Julia works to advance the mission of Colorado West Land Trust by aiding in external communications, fundraising, and special events. She understands the importance of land preservation and has a background in agriculture, growing up on a fourth-generation cattle ranch in Molina, CO. She received her B.A. from Colorado State University where she studied Journalism and Media Communications and Agricultural Literacy. Julia started her career as a Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Land Trust Fellow. She went on to work for Club 20, where she helped advocate for issues facing the Western Slope of Colorado. Julia spends her free time in the mountains backpacking, biking, and hiking.Breeana Gumpert
Development Director
Breeana is a passionate development professional who thrives on communicating the story of an organization to foster engagement and investment. A Southern California native who has made Mesa County her home with her husband Nick, their son Diego and two dogs. After having their son, they decided they wanted to move back to Nick’s hometown, Grand Junction, to have a better quality of life with a beautiful landscape. With 6 years of nonprofit experience as Director of Alumnae Relations and Special Events at Flintridge Sacred Heart and as the Associate Director of Development at The Pablove Foundation, Breeana brings a wide array of fundraising strategies, donor relations, community outreach, event management, and successful team leadership qualities to CWLT. A graduate of Northeastern University with a Master of Business Administration in Sports Leadership Development, Breeana’s career path has stemmed from her volunteerism and co-ops at various non-profits during her college time. Breeana is passionate about development and, like many of us, feels connected to our mission because we work to preserve the very things that make Western Colorado so unique.Julia Jacobson
Regional Program Manager
Based out of Montrose, Julia works to advance the mission of Colorado West Land Trust across the organization’s southern service area by building partnerships with other local organizations, government, and landowners. Although new to Montrose, Julia has deep roots in the Western Slope, having grown up in Gunnison. She is a recent graduate of the Yale School of the Environment where she earned a Master of Environmental Science. Julia’s graduate research explored the intersections of food cultivation, climate change, and community across the southwest quadrant of Colorado. Her graduate education and ties to the Western Slope were pivotal in identifying Julia’s strong belief in place-based, community-led conservation. In her free time, Julia enjoys skiing, rafting, hiking, gardening, and all things outside.Nick Jacobson
Conservation Specialist
Based out of the Montrose office, Nick supports staff and landowners on land conservation projects that seek to protect the distinctive natural and working landscapes of western Colorado. A recent graduate of Macalester College with B.A. in Environmental Studies and Geography, Nick understands the diverse range of issues involved in private land conservation in the American West. Although he is an Iowa native, Nick has completed environmental work and research around the West, South America, and southern Africa. In his free time, you’ll find him wandering via foot or bike in search of the perfect fishing hole.Ilana Moir
Conservation Director
Ilana is based out of the Grand Junction office and leads conservation work and planning for the organization. She works with everyone from fruit and row crop farmers, to cattle ranchers and hunters to complete conservation projects that meet the mission of the land trust while satisfying the goals of landowners and a myriad local, state, and national funders and partners. A native of Western Colorado, Ilana started with Mesa Land Trust in 2005 as a Colorado Conservation Trust Fellow after receiving her Master’s degree in Environmental Management at Duke University and a B.A. from Smith College. In the summer of 2017 Ilana was awarded the Kinship Conservation Fellowship. Ilana enjoys the great outdoors of western Colorado with her family.Allison Rehor
Finance and Operations Director
Allison is a Front Range transplant who moved to Grand Junction with her husband and son in 2012 after falling in love with Mesa County’s beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and backyard recreation. Allison is the organization’s jack-of-all-trades, handling finance, human resources, IT support, and general day to day operations. Her business background includes bookkeeping and accounting in higher education and healthcare. In her time away from work Allison enjoys birding, quilting, and road trips her husband, who is a long-haul trucker. She is also proud to be an Army Mom and sits on the board of Western Slope Blue Star MothersDavid Varner
Conservation Manager
David brings his experience protecting natural and working lands to Colorado West Land Trust’s inventory of conservation easements. With a background in river and upland ecological restoration, he works with landowners and other staff to design resource protection strategies that fit with existing practices and ensure their viability for future generations. David received a B.S. from Montana State University and worked as a seasonal field biologist before returning to school to study coastal stream restoration at Humboldt State University. Since then, he has worked on a variety of conservation projects throughout the American West, South Asia, and Mexico. David actively supports organizations that protect natural resources and the communities close to his heart, including Colorado Native Plant Society, One Riverfront, and Two Rivers Wildfire Council. A passionate family man and avid recreationist, David loves to join his family on explorations by bike, ski, boot, boat, or book.