Nadine Castillo:
My name is Nadine Castillo and I am an FLTI student.
I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah but was raised in
Leadville, Colorado. I am a Lake County High School
graduate. I also attended Plaza Beauty College
(cosmetology) and CMC (CNA).
I have been married for 19 years and I have a 3 year
old daughter. We like to camp, ride our ATV's, and
spend time playing and reading with our daughter. Spending time with my family is very
important to me, so I love having family dinners/gatherings.
I am a member of Helping Hands, Catholic Daughters, Salvation Army, Elks and have been
employed by Lake County Public Health Agency for 13 years.
I became an FLTI student because I want to be able to assist my community members with
whatever needs are in our community, especially getting our children active rather than
playing video games or watching TV.
Erika Lagunas-Mendoza: Hi, I am Erika. I am the head of my
family and also a student in the Family Leadership Training
Institute
I was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. I have two teenage
children and have been married for 17 years.
I arrived in Lake County in 2003 looking to lower my family
expenses, because life in Leadville is cheaper than other
nearby places. From that moment, I fell in love with the
mountains, city, and especially the people.
Family values are very important to me. Also, the relationship between parents and
children is also very important to me, which is why I have devoted myself 100% to the care
of my children until they started going to school.
What I like most is spending time with my children and my husband doing outdoor
activities such as: walking, biking, walking through the forest. We also do chores at home,
which has allowed us to enjoy the fruits of teamwork.
I became interested in the Family Leadership Training Institute because I want families to
have more access to outdoor recreation sites. I want our children and young people to
become more interested in healthy activities and interact with other people that have
similar interests.
Let us open the doors to the joy of having the opportunity to enjoy nature.
Cesar Hernandez-Gutierrez: Cesar HernandezGutierrez is the Bilingual Community Organizer for
Lake County Build a Generation. Cesar is currently a
student in the Family Leadership Training Institute.
Upon graduation, he will be working with the other
graduates of the Family Leadership Training Institute
to help them implement their projects, take on formal
leadership roles in the community, effect change in
Leadville and Lake County, and ensure health equity
for all residents. He is also spearheading initiatives to increase the number of trained
interpreters and translators in Lake County and to develop a local promotores (health
promoters) model.
Originally from El Salvador, Cesar and his wife Silvia have called Leadville home for several
years now. They are the proud parents of daughter Sophia Grace. Cesar is also an Episcopal
priest, and currently serves the congregation of St. George Episcopal Church in Leadville.
Alice Pugh: Alice Pugh is the founder and executive director of
Full Circle of Lake County. In her role as executive director, Alice
oversees the agency’s mentoring, out-of-school time, and family
programming. She also teaches parenting classes and is a
facilitator for the Family Leadership Training Institute. Alice has a
B.A. in Sociology from Fairfield University and is a Certified
Prevention Specialist. Prior to founding Full Circle in 1991, Alice
was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, a high school
employment counselor and a disability career coach. Alice has two daughters, Arianna and
Kimberly, who keep her and her husband Ken laughing and thoroughly enjoying life. Full
Circle is Alice’s “third child.” Alice also loves storytelling and the outdoors.