Deborah Olsen, President

Deborah is a 36-year resident of Steamboat Springs. She is the president of Ski Town Media Inc. and the publisher of its 15 on-line channels and six print publications, including Steamboat Magazine, now in its 42nd year, the Steamboat Springs Visitors’ Guide, and the Yampa Valley Arts & Culture Guide.

John Fawcett

Born in the Midwest, John was a practicing veterinarian in Pennsylvania for 20 years before selling his practice to paint full time in 1996, upon which he and his wife Elizabeth took up residence in Clark, Colorado from May through October. He shows his oils and watercolors in galleries throughout the west and several museum shows each year, including a Retrospective Show at the Steamboat Art Museum during the summer of 2015. John also sits on the Board of Directors of the Brandywine Art Museum, Pennsylvania.

Rod Hanna, Past President
A resident of Steamboat since 1975 with a background as a photo journalist and sports photography specialist, Rod was a marketing executive of the Steamboat Ski Resort for 25 years, retiring in 2000. During that time, he also spent 10 years as official photographer for the Denver Broncos. He is now President and CEO of Sidney Peak Ranch. A past president of many organizations including the local Rotary International Club, the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association and Steamboat Arts Council, he currently serves on the board of the Steamboat Springs Local Marketing District.

Johannah Hildebrand, Secretary

An artist and behavior therapist currently residing in Utah, Johannah grew up visiting Steamboat and lived there for five years after graduating with her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. Her connection with SAM comes from her passion for the history of all art, and a want to spread this love for preservation within the community of Steamboat Springs.

Frans Hijkoop

A resident since 2012, Frans is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of MetLife. He also served as a Director on the Board of the MetLife Foundation. In his earlier career, Frans held senior Human Resources leadership roles in several different industries in Europe and the United States. Frans serves on the Board of Trustees of Sesame Workshop, the global education and media organization which produces “Sesame Street.”

Sarah Leonard

Sarah, a native of Steamboat Springs, serves as CEO at the Steamboat Springs Chamber and previously served as the Director of Community Development for the Chamber. She is a past Director of Marketing for Shurz Communications, a Northern Michigan media conglomerate. Sarah is a past board member of the Steamboat Humane Society.

Karen Piassick

Karen is retired from Graphic Design and Advertising. Currently living in Birmingham, AL and Steamboat Springs, CO, she serves on the Boards of the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra (executive committee), the Grants Committee of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and the Endowment Board of Temple Emanuel.

Joel Piassick

Joel is retired as General Counsel of Harbert Management Corporation, an alternative asset investment firm in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition to serving on the Board of the Steamboat Art Museum, he is Finance Chair and a Board Member of the Birmingham Museum of Art and on the Boards of The Clarence E. Harris Foundation, Collat Jewish Family Services and the Grafman Endowment Fund. He and his wife, Karen, have been part-time residents of Steamboat Springs since 1985.

Charles W. Porter, Treasurer

Since 1989, Porter worked for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide as General Manager of the Sheraton Steamboat Resort, in Steamboat Springs Colorado until his retirement in December 2008. He is currently serving on the board of Stratus Properties, Inc., a real estate developer based in Austin, Texas, and Chief Operating Officer of a private asset management company based in New Orleans, LA. Community involvement includes 18 years on the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association Board of Directors, Chairman of the Steamboat Lodging Committee, over 15 years on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association, past member of the Urban Renewal Advisory Committee to the City of Steamboat, currently serving on the Local Marketing District. He is a past board member of Strings Music Festival, Routt County United Way, and the 10+2 Committee to successfully resurrect a failed bond initiative to build a new high school.

Melanie Timmons

An 18 year resident of Steamboat, Melanie has her own consulting business focusing on website development, marketing and search engine optimization. She works with national and international clients and is currently the Technical Program Manager for Genius Monkey out of Tempe AZ. Melanie began volunteering at SAM in 2007 on the marketing committee and joined the SAM board in 2015.

Eric Wilson

A full time resident of Steamboat since 2015, Eric is retired Vice President and General Counsel of Hensel Phelps Construction CO, Greeley CO. He is currently a board member of Strings Music Festival, Catamount Metro District, and Associated General Contractors Education and Research Foundation.

Betse Grassby, Executive Director

Betse has served in this position since 2015. A resident of Steamboat Springs since 1971, she has a long career in non-profit arts management, including co-founder and COO of Strings Music Festival for 26 years, and interim executive director of the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, CO. She is a 20 year Board Member of the Steamboat Springs Chamber, and formerly held board positions on Yampa Valley Electric Association Operation Round-Up, Steamboat Arts Council, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Steamboat Springs Board of Realtors, as well as numerous arts granting panels locally and nationally.

Staff

Betse Grassby, Executive Director

​Dottie Jones-Zabel, Director of Operations

Chris Gallion, Director of Communications and Events

Susie Pace, Museum Store Manager

Sarah Powers – Administrative Coordinator

Dancy St. John, Museum Assistant and Grants Manager

Dona Steele, Education Director