Jamie Van Houten

Board President

Jamie Van Houten has proudly served on the Treehouse board since 2020 and currently serves as Board President. A devoted wife and mom, Jamie is deeply rooted in the Southwest Colorado community and passionate about creating spaces where individuals and families feel supported, valued, and celebrated. Her professional work as Program Director at The Arc of Southwest Colorado fuels that passion daily, as she advocates for and walks alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Treehouse matters to Jamie because it represents connection, inclusion, and hope — a place where every child and family can belong. She believes strong communities are built when we intentionally care for one another, and she is honored to help lead that mission forward.

Courtney Schleizer

Board Secretary

I moved to the Bayfield area from Durango in 2021 and quickly fell in love with the strong sense of community here. In 2024, when my son was about 1.5 years old, we joined the Community Treehouse. I immediately connected with its mission to support and bring together families in our area. We also have a 9-year-old daughter who has loved being part of the Community Treehouse. Even though she has aged out of the programs, she still enjoys coming to help and staying involved in the community. Seeing both of my children benefit from this special place has made me realize the importance of having a space to build lifelong community connections. Serving on the board is meaningful to me because I believe in the power of play and community.

Eileen Wasserbach

Board Treasurer

I have been volunteering for the Treehouse for five years as a board member and grant writer. Prior to retirement in 2019, I was the Executive Director of Southern Ute Community Action Programs, a multi-department human services nonprofit organization working with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the residents of Ignacio and eastern La Plata County. At SUCAP I worked closely with our Head Start program and learned a lot about recent advances in early child development. Family stability is so important for young children, so I am really happy to be working with the Treehouse and its staff, getting needed resources to people in our community.

Christina Goy

Board Member

Christina Goy is a mom of 2 children. She lives in Bayfield and loves creating powerful community connections that build up families. Prior to their move to Colorado 5 years ago, she and her husband ran a 20 acre organic vegetable farm in the Chicago area.

Renni & Larry Hogue

Board Members

Renni and Larry have been treehouse board members for three years. Renni is a Rosebud Sioux tribe member from Southern Dakota and Larry is a Navajo Nation tribal member from New Mexico. Their small family have been a part of the community treehouse for 5 years and in Bayfield for 10 years. They both want the best for the children in our community and the children are our focus when we consider the community treehouse mission of building connection and growth.

Jessica Bearden

Board Member

Jessica Bearden has been a member of the Community Treehouse since December 2023, and it has become an incredibly important part of her family’s life. She works remotely from her home in Bayfield as the Marketing Director for a nonprofit organization and regularly uses the Treehouse’s parent worktime space during the week. Her two sons, Stevie (4) and Ollie (2), have considered the Treehouse their second home from the moment they first walked through the doors, and they especially enjoy the many programs it offers. Jessica is deeply passionate about the Treehouse’s mission and is committed to helping ensure that every family in the area knows about the welcoming and supportive community they can find there.

Ryan Conrad

Board Member

Ryan Conrad is a board-certified Physician Assistant who earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado and his Physician Assistant degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in 2009. He has worked in general pediatric medicine at Denver Health for more than 15 years, with additional specialty experience in pediatric fracture care and sports medicine. Grateful to be part of the wonderful Bayfield community, Ryan is passionate about building partnerships with patients and families and is dedicated to providing holistic care to both English and Spanish-speaking communities.