Shawn Thompson
Chairperson
Market President – BBVA Compass,
YMCA

Shawn J. Thompson has been the Vice Chair of the RMHCS Board of Directors since August 2020 and a member of the board since 2017. He became enamored with the splendor of the Rockies during family vacations as a child, and when he graduated from Michigan State University, he pursued that childhood infatuation and moved to Colorado to start a career in banking. Today, Mr. Thompson is the Market President in southern Colorado for BBVA Compass, a global financial conglomerate that operates in 30 countries. He channels his natural curiosity and passion for learning into all aspects of his career. For more than two decades, those foundational attributes have been intrinsic to the process of creating solutions for clients throughout a broad spectrum of the banking industry. Outside of his professional endeavors, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their three tireless daughters. Mr. Thompson is actively engaged with several community organizations and is fortunate to currently advocate for the health and wellness of the community by serving on the boards of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region and Rocky Mountain Health Care Services. During those few moments of unallocated time, Shawn and his trusty labrador, Oscar, can often be found exploring the great outdoors.

Dayton Romero
Vice Chair
Chair — Pikes Peak Elder Abuse Coalition,
Chair — Colorado Coalition for Elder Rights & Abuse Prevention,
Board Member — Innovations in Aging,
El Paso County Mental Health Task Force & Adult Protection Team,
Age-Friendly Colorado Springs,
Community Ethics Advisory Committee

Dayton Romero joined the Rocky Mountain Health Services Board of Directors in August of 2020. Dayton is a Colorado Native, born in Trinidad Colorado, and has lived in Colorado Springs for over 10 years. He is an alumnus of UCCS where he earned a degree in Psychology with a minor in Gerontology, and is currently a Master of Public Health candidate, concentrating on leadership and public practice at CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

Dayton has a passion for the field of aging and has gravitated toward interests of leadership, systems alignment, and strengthening the economic and social well-being of people across the lifespan. He strives to improve lives through the lens of equity, social justice, and ethics.

Dayton began his career path providing direct services to older adults and at-risk populations at Silver Key Senior Services. He is a strong advocate for the aging community and is involved in many initiatives locally, state-wide, and nationally. He sits as Chairman of the Pikes Peak Elder Abuse Coalition and the Colorado Coalition on Elder Rights and Abuse Prevention, in addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Innovations in Aging Collaborative.

Dayton has been featured in the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Colorado Springs Business Journal as a ‘mover and shaker’ and was spotlighted by the American Society of Aging as an alumnus of the American Society of Aging Leadership Institute.

Dayton enjoys spending his free time with family, his significant other Celeste, and his ‘big guy’ Dexter– a 12lb Morkie.

Dave Kast
Treasurer
Stockman, Kast, and Ryan CPA’s (Founding Partner)
AICPA, CSCPA, GGF, ComCor, CPCD, PPUW, PPMHF, CSEDC

Dave Kast has been a member of the RMHCS Board of Directors since October 2017. Dave has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado State University and has been in public accounting since 1975, which includes performing, planning and supervising audits of numerous companies in virtually all segments of the southern Colorado economy. He specializes in financial institutions, healthcare, real estate and high tech industries. Dave is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA), and has been an accredited Certified Valuation Analyst since 1998. He was appointed in 1999 by the Governor to the Board of the Colorado Education and Cultural Facilities Authority (a State of Colorado conduit debt issuer), currently serving as chairman. He serves as secretary of the Garden of the Gods Foundation. Dave is also involved with many local community organizations, including Pikes Peak Council Boy Scouts of America, ComCor, Inc., Community Partnership for Child Development (Head Start), Pikes Peak United Way, Pikes Peak Mental Health Center, Pikes Peak Foundation for Mental Health, Palmer Land Trust and the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation.

Shirley Martinez
Secretary
Colorado Springs Utilities,
HR Professional,
EEO/ER,
ADA Initiative/Procedural Planning,
Development,
Pikes Peak Diversity Council

Shirley Martinez joined the RMHCS Board of Directors in March of 2018. Shirley is a Retired Sergeant First Class in the United States Army. She is a Senior Compliance and Diversity/Inclusion Advisor for Colorado Springs Utilities. She holds a Master of Science in Psychology and License Professional Counseling, and is currently in a PhD program with University of Phoenix in Organizational Management (DM). Shirley is currently Co-Chair of Employer Support of Guard and Reserves (ESGR) for Colorado Springs, Co-Chair Pikes Peak Diversity Council, Lead member of MLK Jr. March and member of several non-profit groups. She was recently selected to the EEOC Veterans Task Force. Shirley loves to read and cook and helps to raise her twin grandsons.

James T. Flynn
Flynn & Wright, LLC (Attorneys at Law),
Commercial Law,
Mediation re Financial Services,
Real Estate,
Probate,
United States Navy,
CSFA,
Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region

James (Jim) T. Flynn joined the RMHCS Board of Directors in September of 2019. Jim’s background includes an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, awarded magna cum laude with departmental honors and membership in Phi Beta Kappa, and a law degree from Stanford Law School. Jim began practicing law in Colorado in 1974 and was a partner in the Colorado Springs office of Holme Roberts & Owen (now Bryan Cave) for many years, before going into practice in a smaller firm with Stanford Law School classmate, Bruce Wright. Jim is the author of three lawyer novels, and a column in the Colorado Springs Gazette. Jim is now mostly retired, but in an of counsel capacity, he continues to consult with the other lawyers in the firm and provide meditation services in connection with financial services, real estate, probate, and business-related disputes. Jim is married to Anne Marie; has a son, Ian; and enjoys fly fishing in the rivers and lakes of Colorado.

John Hoelscher
RTA Architects (Principal),
Healthcare and Educational Facility Projects,
American Institute of Architects (AIA),
NCARB,
Healthcare Architecture Certified Specialist

John Hoelscher became a member of the RMHCS Board of Directors in September 2019. John received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska. He has over 45 years of experience working on healthcare and educational facility projects. In the past 30 years, he has focused on providing planning and architectural services for healthcare clients and their projects. He excels in the early programming and planning phases of a project. John is particularly adept at working with large groups and committees and helping them sort through differing opinions and programmatic needs. John was one of the first Colorado architects to be board-certified by the American College of Healthcare Architects.

Rachel Sorenson, MSN, RN
Nurse Case Manager — CVS,
Chief of Case Management — Colorado Army National Guard

Rachel Sorenson has been a member of RMHCS Board of Directors since May 2021. Rachel grew up as an Army Brat, but has lived in Colorado longer than anywhere else, so it’s officially home.

Rachel has worked as a Registered Nurse since 2003. She has earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Portland and a Master of Science in Nursing in Veteran and Military Healthcare from the University of Colorado. Her past nursing experience includes Mother/Baby, Labor/Delivery, Medical/Surgical, Home Health, and various leadership roles from Head Nurse to Unit Commander. She currently works as a Nurse Case Manager for CVS and serves as the senior nurse for the Colorado Army National Guard. She is passionate about helping individuals achieve a better level of health so they can live life to the fullest.

Rachel and her husband Kevin have three children who keep them busy with their various activities. She loves spending her free time with her family and when possible, she likes to explore Colorado’s many trails.

Patricia Yates
Rocky Mountain PACE,
Participant Advisory Council

Patricia Yates became a member of the RMHCS Board of Directors in July 2018. Patricia was born in St. Louis, MO and moved to Colorado Springs in 1973. She was an HR Professional for 25+ years in the telecom, education and call center industries. She volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for 25 years and in 2002, Patricia was honored by the Colorado Springs Business Journal as one of Colorado Springs’ Most Dynamic Women. She currently serves on the Citizens Advisory Committee and Fountain/Chelton Partnership, both affiliated with CSPD’s Sand Creek Division. She has 2 children (one deceased), 3 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Patricia has been a Rocky Mountain PACE participant since 2016. She states, “It’s a pleasure to serve. I want to give back to an organization that has done so much for me.”

Gené Henderson, LAC, MAC, SAP
Business Owner — Drug Free Workplace Services

Gené Henderson has been a member of RMHCS Board of Directors since October 2020. She is a native of Kansas where she graduated High School in 1975. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Science in 1979, and a Master Degree of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the Emporia State University in 1980, followed by a Masters of Art in 2009 from North Central University. She is also a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), Masters Addiction Counselor (MAC), and a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). Her specialty is chemical dependency, rules and regulations regarding federal standards.

Gené Henderson began her career in 1979, as Director of Youth Services at Riverhill’s Treatment Ranch in Arkansas City, Kansas. She relocated to Colorado Springs in 1987, and became employed at Penrose Hospital, which is a part of Centura Health at Profile EAP. Gené dedicated nineteen years of hard work to Profile EAP, a full-service Employee Assistance Program. During this time, she developed and implemented drug free programs for numerous organizations, including Colorado Springs Utilities, Penrose Hospital, Academy School District twenty, Faricy Boys Dealerships, and other businesses, schools, and organizations. In 1999, she was awarded the State of Colorado Drug Testing contract and maintained it for a period over six years. In 2001, the Colorado Springs Business Journal voted her “Dynamic Woman of the Year.”

Finally, in 2006, Mrs. Henderson founded her very own business and opened the doors of this company in January 2007. Gené has a remarkable sum of 30 years’ experience in the substance abuse arena and mental health field. Mrs. Henderson participated, prepared, and supervised the development of drug and alcohol policies throughout the State of Colorado. Gené Henderson also implemented procedures, training, and testing for local businesses, including Penrose St. Francis Health Services, the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities, Academy School District Twenty, and Pepsi Lane Sales. A significant part of these responsibilities included performing Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) services in conjunction with professional counseling through respective EAP Programs.

Helen Cameron
Business Owner, Entrepreneur 

Helen Cameron has been a member of RMHCS Board of Directors since October 2021. Helen is originally from Scotland. She married Sam Cameron in 1981, and shortly after, they relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. While living in Atlanta, Helen managed several successful businesses, including property management, retail, and services. In January 2004, Helen Cameron helped Sam Cameron and Kevin Butcher form CameronButcher Company. In 2020, Helen and Sam moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they formed Thrive Commercial Partners, a successful real estate brokerage company.

Helen understands the importance of effective communication in every aspect of her life. The value of listening is not lost on her; she is a fierce advocate for her clients. Her friendly style makes everyone feel comfortable from the start. She’s a highly skilled business negotiator whose personal business experience, keen understanding of marketing, and many years in commercial real estate enable her to build confidence, form strong long-lasting relationships, and achieve results. Her generous spirit and can-do attitude make her a key member of our Board of Directors.

Jay Olson
Credit Union Executive, Institute of Internal Auditors Facilitator, Audit Committee Educator, Colorado Springs Rising Star, Chief Financial Officer Council, National Youth Involvement Board

Jay Olson joined the Rocky Mountain Board of Directors in July 2022. Jay leverages 30 years of credit union experience, contributes in a highly-collaborative manner, and models exceptional executive leadership. As a risk manager, his responsibilities include oversight of credit union risk programs in support of cultural transformation, corporate strategy, and department initiatives. He’s managed complex IT projects, host system conversions, and customer relationships for technology service providers. He’s consulted with credit unions on management strategy, process improvement, and technology planning and has been recognized by the Credit Union Association and local trades for his professional accomplishments.

Jay Olson specializes in Enterprise Risk Management; Policy Administration; Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning; Vendor & Contracts; Insurance Programs; Information & Physical Security; Fraud; Internal Audit; Mergers & Data Conversions; Information Technology (IT); Strategy & Project Management; Organizational Efficiency & Process Improvement.