Our Mission
The PLAY Boulder Foundation supports and advocates for parks and recreation programs and services in the Boulder area.
By donating in support of your favorite program or facility, you can experience first hand the results of your giving while providing improvements for all to enjoy.
The opportunity and need for benefactors for our recreation programs and parks facilities has never been more acute. We hope you will join us in supporting community parks and recreation in Boulder.
Our History
The Boulder Parks and Recreation Foundation was established in 1976 as a non-profit organization, enabling tax-deductible gifts to ensure excellence in Boulder’s parks and recreation systems. In 2005, the Foundation adopted new bylaws and a new mission to keep pace with the changing face of public/private partnerships. In 2009, the Foundation changed its name to PLAY (Parks and Leisure for Adults and Youth) Boulder Foundation to better reflect its new mission. It remains dedicated to working with the City of Boulder and the private sector to create the best possible environment in which to live, work, and play.
Our Board of Directors
Don Mock, President is Executive Director of the Boulder Laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He has been on the Foundation Board since 2005 and is in his third year as President. He previously served seven years on the Boulder City Council (1996-2003), with two of those years as Deputy Mayor. After leaving City Council, he became President of the Boulder-Dushanbe Sister Cities non-profit, where he helped raise $1,000,000 to build Boulder’s reciprocal gift of a Cyber Café for the people of Dushanbe. Prior to City Council, he was Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Vice President of the Boulder Parks and Recreation Foundation. In the mid-1990’s, he served on the City’s Transition Committee for the Boulder Creek Festival, then on the Board of Directors of the resulting non-profit, Boulder Community Celebrations. When Team Fest (now Boulder Creek Events) subsequently assumed responsibility for producing the Festival, Don served on Team Fest’s community advisory group, helping the Festival earn its first of many BEST BOULDER COUNTY EVENT from the Daily Camera in 1999. He has also served on the Boards of the Dairy Center for the Arts, Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Boulder Downtown Business Improvement District.
Mary Casey is the President and Warrior Diva of Boulder Quest Center, a local martial arts and empowerment dojo. She has been serving on PLAY Boulder since 2005 with three years as Secretary and is on her third year as Vice-President. She holds a Masters Degree in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2002). She joined PLAY because of her interest in public-private partnerships in creating a dynamically accessible recreation community. She serves as the head of the Board’s marketing committee and helped transition the Boulder Parks and Recreation Foundation to its current brand as the PLAY Boulder Foundation. She is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in To-Shin Do and is a personal student of martial arts legend Stephen K. Hayes. As a local business owner, she is also active in the Boulder Chamber and nationally with the non-profit “Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence.” She and her husband love working and playing in Boulder and are dedicated to creating a vibrant, bright community.
Mike Conroy is a father of three active boys and practicing Certified Public Accountant in Boulder, Colorado. He earned an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA with an emphasis in Accounting and Tax from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He enjoys the outdoors, competing in triathlons and running events, and camping, hiking and backpacking with his family. In addition to the PLAY Boulder Foundation, Mike currently serves on the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB), and the Boards for Boulder Aquatics Masters and Friends of Colorado Triathlon – each focused on supporting and growing recreation opportunities in the Boulder area.
Chris Dropinski is Senior Principal at GreenPlay, LLC, a parks, recreation, open space, and trails, planning and management firm influencing the development and evolution of agencies serving this profession across the country. She has a long history with PLAY Boulder Foundation and is a current board member since 2009. As former Director of the Parks and Recreation Department for the City, Chris served as an ex-officio member of the Foundation from 1990-2001. From then, until becoming a board member, Chris volunteered her time to help assure viability of the Foundation throughout a transition period. In these various roles, at one time Chris held the responsibility for the production of the Boulder Creek Festival, and was engaged in the process of transitioning the Festival to non-profit management, intimately understanding the mission of the event, the complexity of its operation, and the importance of its contributions to the community. Chris is a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. She and her family reside in Boulder, enjoying its wonderful natural and created resources.
Becca Heaton is Editor in Chief of Women’s Adventure magazine, which focuses on promoting an active, healthy, outdoors lifestyle to women. She is a new member on the PLAY Boulder Foundation board, joining in June 2011. Becca has a long history in outdoors and recreation, having been the Executive Editor for Competitor magazine (formerly Rocky Mountain Sports) for 10 years in Colorado and, prior to that, content director of a cycling website and editor of a regional travel, sports and health publication in Washington, DC. Along with her writing and editing experience, Becca is savvy in social media, PR and marketing. She has been a resident of Boulder since 1999 and resides in Martin Acres with her husband and their dog.
Mark Licata is a member of the Boulder law firm of Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti. He joined the Board of the PLAY Boulder Foundation in 2009. His areas of law practice include real estate, business organizations, business transactions, mergers and acquisitions. He received a BBA in Accounting with highest honors and law degree with honors from the University of Texas in 1972 and 1976 respectively. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Texas and Colorado Bar Associations. He has previously served as President and CEO of Goldking Realty Corp., President and COO of Goldking Oil and Gas Corp., President and COO of Vista Host, Inc., President and COO of McFaddin Ventures, Inc., and Vice President, General Counsel and Director of Panaco, Inc. On the PLAY Boulder Foundation Board, Mark provides expert legal advice and assistance to help the Foundation achieve its many goals, such as creating an LLC to produce the Boulder Nites Classic.
Alan Quiller is co-owner of QS Classic Events, LLC and Event Director the Boulder Nites Classic. He has been a Board member for the PLAY Boulder Foundation since 2005. Formerly, Alan was a Recreation Administer for the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department, directing community outreach and special projects. During his career he also was the project manager for the design of an $11.5 million state-of-the-art renovation to the North Boulder Recreation Center (NBRC) and completed project oversight for the construction of the facility. He also spearheaded nationally recognized gymnastics, yoga, and employee wellness programs. Alan directed many large community events for the City of Boulder, including the NBRC 25-year celebration and renovation grand opening. Currently, his focus has been on a new Boulder tradition, the Boulder Nites Classic, a night bike ride which benefits PLAY Boulder and the City of Boulder recreation programs for people with disabilities and youth at risk.
Tim Shea is the President of Shea Properties and Investments, LLC and is, concurrently, a realtor at Pedal to Properties. He joined the Board of Directors of the PLAY Boulder Foundation in 2009. Previously, he was a founder and owner of a Boulder County-based tax consulting firm which now employs 125 people. As co-owner in QS Classic Events, LLC, Tim is the Event Director for the Boulder Nites Classic, a fundraising event which benefits the PLAY Boulder Foundation along with the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation EXPAND and YSI programs. He has also been the event director for an internationally recognized bicycle race, the Colorado Cross Classic which is held at the Boulder Reservoir. Tim worked on the steering committee as a volunteer fundraiser and is a major donor to the Valmont Bike Park. He has been a Colorado resident for 23 years and lives in Boulder with his wife and two children.
