Who We Are Staff

Email Ken

Ken Lloyd has been Executive Director of the Regional Air Quality Council since January 1990. As the first employee of the RAQC, Ken was responsible for working with the Board to establish the organization and its functions and procedures. Ken manages the staff of the Council and provides oversight and direction for the Council's work program to analyze air quality issues and develop strategies to improve the region's air quality.

Prior to joining the RAQC, Ken spent 16 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The first six years were spent as an economist with EPA's national air programs office in North Carolina, and the next 10 years were spent in EPA's regional office in Denver in several staff and management functions. Included were special assignments with the State of Utah and in the EPA Administrator's Office in Washington, D.C.

Ken has both undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics, with a minor in environmental planning, from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Email Jerry

Gerald Dilley is the Air Quality Engineer. Jerry's work focuses on the development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and associated technical and stratgy analyses.  He leads various technical subcommittees and/or workgroups, as necessary.   Jerry works with other agencies to prepare emission inventories, air quality modeling analyses and other technical work.   He also provides technical assistance to local governments, other agencies, and other RAQC programs. Jerry has been with the RAQC since June 1994.

Jerry graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in the states of Illinois and Colorado. Prior experience includes 17 years (five years as vice-president of a 70-person consulting firm) in planning and design of major public works (municipal wastewater and deep tunnel) projects; five years as the owner/operator of a conventional supermarket, self-service gas station and dry cleaners; five years as the Environmental (air, wastewater and solid waste) Program Manager for the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (1989-1993); and one year (1993-4) as an engineer with the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division Stationary Source Small Business Assistance Program.

Email Misty

Misty Howell is the Office Manager and Board Secretary.  As the Office Manager, she is responsible for handling personnel issues, payroll and accounting functions, and financial management. Misty manages the financial aspects of the RAQC’s local, state and federal grants. She oversees the daily operations of the office, assists with projects, coordinates the preparation of State Implementation Plan documents, provides computer support and maintains the RAQC's website. As the Board Secretary, she keeps Council meeting minutes and maintains the corporate records. Misty has been with the Regional Air Quality Council since 1995.

Prior to working at the Regional Air Quality Council, Misty's work experience includes employment with a software development company, an international medical supply company and a law firm.  Misty has a Bachelor's Degree in Management from Adams State College.

Misty prepares Board Meeting Minutes.

Email Steve

Steven McCannon is the Mobile Sources Program Manager.  He joined the RAQC in August of 2002.  His work at the RAQC focuses on strategies to reduce pollutants from smoking and high-emitting vehicles in addition to outreach activities for the RAQC’s diesel initiatives. Currently he manages the Repair Your Air Campaign, the RAQC's numerous diesel retrofit programs, and the RAQC's transportation-related initiatives.

Steve graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Political Science in 1992 and completed his M.P.A. at the University of Colorado – Denver in 1997.  This is Steve’s second tour at the RAQC.  From 1992 – 1995, he worked with the RAQC in an administrative and program coordination role.  Steve’s prior work experience includes project coordination and program management with Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Land Use Resource Center (LURC), The Office of the State Auditor (OSA), and Policy Studies, Inc. (PSI).

Email Sarah

Sarah Anderson is the Communications Manager.  Sarah manages the organization’s external communications and community relations, oversees development activities, serves as liaison to the public, local governments, businesses and media and manages the budget and day-to-day activities of the RAQC's comprehensive ozone education and outreach program.  Sarah also works with the rest of the staff to coordinate communication and outreach efforts for the RAQC’s numerous programs and efforts. She re-joined the RAQC in December of 2008.

Prior to joining the RAQC, Sarah worked for the Automotive Service Association of Colorado (ASA) where she served as the Director.  She managed the overall operations of ASA including internal and external communications for the organization.  Sarah previously worked at the RAQC in the role of Communications Coordinator from 2005 to January 2008.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Colorado at Denver.

Select presentations prepared by Sarah:

• OzoneAware: Air Quality Awareness, Outreach, and Education in the Denver area
  (Encana Lunch N Learn)        
• Ozone Outreach and Awareness: Utilizing Paid Media, Outreach, & Research to Change Behavior
  (EPA Community Involvement Conference)  
• Air Exchange (Motor Vehicle Advisory Council)      

Email Kate

Kate Riegle is the Program Coordinator.  Kate assists Steve McCannon with program implementation and outreach for the RAQC’s diesel initiatives and the Repair Your Air Campaign.   She also maintains the Clean Air Fleets website - CleanAirFleets.org.  Kate joined the RAQC in January of 2008.

Kate graduated from Baylor University in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, with a concentration in Ecology, and an Environmental Studies minor.  Prior to joining the RAQC, she had a wide range of internship experience, including a position as an Interpretation Intern at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Email Aneka

Aneka Patel is the Program Administrative Coordinator.  Working with Steve McCannon and Kate Riegle, Aneka handles program implementation responsibilities for the Repair Your Air Campaign. She joined the RAQC team in June of 2009.

Aneka graduated from the University of Texas in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Government and American Studies.  She moved to Denver, Colorado in 2006 to pursue a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Environmental Policy, Management and Law from the University of Colorado Denver.  During her time in Denver, Aneka interned for both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 office and the Governor’s Energy Office working on energy and transportation programs.

Email Kate

Kate Cooke joined the RAQC in June of 2011 and is the Transportation Program Manager.  Her work at the RAQC focuses on strategies to reduce pollutants associated with vehicle trips.  She works with agencies to identify and implement strategies to reduce regional vehicle miles traveled and to identify and implement land use strategies to support the reduction of vehicle miles traveled. 

Prior to joining the RAQC, Kate was a Senior Planner with the City of Lakewood for 10 years where she was responsible for the development and implementation of corridor and special area plans.  She is a member of the Jefferson County Community Development Advisory Board which is responsible for making recommendations regarding the allocation of the County’s Community Development Block Grant funds.  Kate graduated from the University of Nevada with a bachelor’s degree in political science and earned a master’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Washington in Seattle Washington.