Crestone Eagle Community Media purchased The Crestone Eagle in 2021 with a mission to produce un-biased, trustworthy local journalism in Crestone, the San Luis Valley, CO, and beyond, to promote community engagement, enhance economic development and connect residents throughout this low-income, isolated and underserved region. We celebrate our board members for providing a vision that we can be proud of.
Our CECM Board Members
Gussie Fauntleroy, Board President
You may recognize Gussie from her eloquent & touching monthly Who We Are column. Gussie has diligently served on The Eagle nonprofit board for more than 4 years now. She has worked as a writer, editor, and community-focused journalist for more than 30 years in New Mexico and Colorado. She is the author of four books on visual artists and served as editor on several others.
A Crestone/Baca resident since 2009, she has a deep appreciation for the gifts of community and place, having been raised in a US Air Force family and living in multiple states, Canada, France, and Japan. She currently also serves on the nonprofit board for Informed Final Choices, the educational outreach branch of the Crestone End of Life Project. She has been a contributing feature writer for The Eagle for 10+ years, combining her love of community with a passion for communication that is intelligent yet accessible, meaningful, and clear. gussiefauntleroy.com
Rick Hart, Board Treasurer
We can thank Rick for keeping our budgeted reserves in tact. Rick works as a Real Estate Broker in Crestone. He enjoys helping people move to and from this beautiful mountain community. Prior to arriving here with his wife in 2016, Rick lived and worked in Japan for a dozen years, and before that, all across Canada, where he was born.
In Japan, Rick found himself with little access to English-language media – a news desert for non-Japanese speakers. Eventually, he discovered a few English-language dailies which, despite limited budgets, persevered in delivering news to an underserved population. He appreciates and supports the independent non-profit Crestone Eagle as it strives to provide trusted news to Saguache County and the San Luis Valley beyond.
Rick also enjoys working on the boards of Crestone Peak Community Housing and the local water district.
Doug Beechwood, Board Member
Douglas Beechwood is a filmmaker with extensive experience in Commercial / Documentary and Live event production. He studied Fine Art and Photography at the University of Colorado and has immersed himself in the study of world religions for over three decades.
Doug works with his company TerraMedia to produce, document and live-stream conferences around the world. He also works as the media coordinator for Pundarika Foundation by facilitating many yearly live events and internet retreats with buddhist teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche from Nepal.
Doug is focused on promoting awareness for sustainable living with his efforts in the nonprofit world with mindfulness, seed saving and sustainable agriculture clientele around the world.
By serving on The Eagle Board Doug says that he hopes to increase the audience to a truly regional and national level. In Doug’s words “ the San Luis Valley is such a special place because the practices of farming, building, and rural/wildlife integrated living that we practice here are true examples for world sustainability. Living isn’t easy here, but if we can do it here, it can be done anywhere. We have a lot wisdom to offer the world!”
Leah Garcia, Board member
Leah works with the energy of the universe, gifting it as much as possible to the community in various forms, from volunteering for community events to personalized healing energy sessions. Leah worked for the POA for two years as campground host as well as with the Saguache Country Food Access Coalition. They have taught sound and energy-healing classes at the Baca Grande Library and love creative writing and expression of self through any artistic form.
Leah’s aspiration is to make a difference in the world through their own inner healing and through that of others, and they are currently working towards establishing a healing space where this aspiration can become a reality.
The Crestone Eagle Staff
How are 48 blank pages transformed into a tapestry of breaking news, community stories, photographs, ads, classifieds and more every month? The Crestone Eagle is brought to you by a team of dedicated staff members who write, edit, photograph, design and manage their way through the delightful madness of deadlines and collaboration, fueled by a shared commitment to keeping our community connected and informed.
Jennifer Eytcheson, Executive Director
Raised in Texas, Jenn quickly developed a curiosity about the world and a strong desire to explore beyond her roots. By the age of 22, she made her way to California, where she spent two decades working as a computer trainer for major companies like Warner Bros, Sony, Fox, Herbalife, and more. After years in the hustle and bustle of city life, Jenn eventually found herself in Crestone, seeking a deeper purpose. Today, at The Crestone Eagle, she’s discovered a meaningful path that brings together her experiences and a sense of fulfillment that goes beyond the fast-paced lifestyle she once knew.
Crestone is more than a town; it’s a hidden gem, and The Crestone Eagle is the platform through which we share its essence. As director, Jenn cherishes the familial bond shared at The Eagle. As a community member, she is continually awestruck by how The Eagle captures the enigmatic, enlightened, and forward-thinking spirit of our funky little unique mountain town.
Matt Lit, Managing Editor
Matt Lit comes to The Crestone Eagle with a background in community journalism, photography, graphic design, education and nonprofits. Matt began his career in journalism under the tutelage of Billie Blair at The Taos News in the mid 80s. In addition to his award-winning photography career as a photojournalist and commercial photographer, Matt has been a writer, magazine managing editor, graphic design business owner and creator of a nonprofit art center. He has lived in Summit County since 1988 and has called Crestone his home and community since 2022.
Zaylah Pearson-Good, Equity Outreach Regional Editor
Zaylah grew up in Crestone with a love for the outdoors and creativity. Her passion for writing and environmental advocacy led her to CU Boulder where she earned a degree in Geography. Upon return to the SLV, Zaylah served as content director and co-publisher for Crestone: A Sacred Earth Journal magazine and worked as a freelance blogger. She also supported the local public lands movement as communications manager for the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council for several years.
Since 2020, Zaylah has contributed articles to The Crestone Eagle and now serves as project manager for regional news and environmental topics. Protecting and preserving cultural heritage, community, and local ecology is at the heart of Zaylah’s work.
On her off days, Zaylah can be found weaving, watercoloring, cooking, gardening, and hiking with her daughter, partner, and pup.
Uma Jolicoeur, Advertising & Media Manager
For over 15 years, Uma Jolicoeur worked as a graphic designer, photo editor and art director for magazine and book publishers on the East Coast, including Disney’s FamilyFun Magazine, Taste for Life Magazine, Storey Publishing and Countryman Press.
Upon meeting Ayurvedic doctor Vasant Lad in 2010, Uma left both publishing and New England to study at his Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After completing the two year clinical program in 2014 she devoted the next seven years to working at the Institute, designing and managing seminars, teaching, and assisting Vasant Lad with all of his classes and public workshops. She was also a Senior Practitioner at the Institute’s on-campus clinic and maintained her own practice, Eight Directions Wellness, for over a decade.
Uma joined The Crestone Eagle as Advertising & Media Manager in May, 2023 and is excited to return to publishing and apply her communication, design and organizational skills to the promotion of nonprofit journalism – as well as the success of our advertiser’s reach in the San Luis Valley and beyond!
Shoshannah Asha, Accounts Manager
Shoshannah is responsible for much of what you can’t see on the surface. Subscriptions, classifieds, billing, deposits and many special projects are among the things we are thankful for that she handles with detail-oriented finesse.
Shoshannah has lived in Crestone for 11 years. In addition to her work at The Crestone Eagle, she is a fine artist, performing artist, and shop owner. Her store is called “Luminaries,” and is found at the Sangre De Cristo Inn.
Angie Naomi Geis, Bookkeeper & Office Manager
Angie joined The Crestone Eagle in spring of 2023. She serves as our bookkeeper and part time Office Manager. She also serves on the Baca Grande emergency services department and helps with administration for a local contractor. She has a background in business administration and technology development.
Angie is a Denver transplant who fled the city for Crestone during the COVID-19 pandemic. She owns a property with her life partner and they happily support a fur and feather family. In the 3 years since Angie has been in Crestone she has made closer, deeper friendships within the community than she did during a decade of residence in the big city. Her and her partner both work in the community and do their best to keep their meager dollars local.
In her free time Angie enjoys reading true crime and fantasy books, hiking & fly fishing, and gardening. She also contributes to a Colorado Burning Man camp and regularly attends the festival providing her organizational skills to the playa.