Melissa LaMonica – Executive Director
Melissa LaMonica is Gunnison Valley Housing Authority’s Executive Director. She has over twenty years of experience in finance & accounting, people & culture, and organizational leadership & operations; with fifteen of those years at the executive level. She operated as the SVP of People & Culture and Chief of Staff to the CEO in the software space, and prior to that was the VP of Finance in the commercial real estate property management space. Melissa is a lifelong learner and has earned a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University, and a BBA in Finance, and a BBA in Real Estate from Florida Atlantic University.
Melissa first discovered the Gunnison Valley while camping here with her family in 2006, and it was her dream to figure out how to live and work in this beautiful place that we all love so much; finally realizing that dream in 2020. She has three children, two of whom are Western University graduates, and she and her husband own Alpine Landscapes and Construction. Having experienced the challenges of housing insecurity firsthand as a community member, parent, and employer, being a part of the solution to this challenging problem our community faces is near and dear to her. In her spare time, Melissa likes to hike, play golf, and create in her home pottery studio with her husband.
Gesa Michel – GV-HEAT Coordinator
Gesa Michel has been the Housing Authority’s GV-HEAT Coordinator since August 2020. She has lived in the Gunnison Valley for over 24 years and has enjoyed working for local non-profits most of that time devoting her professional career to supporting a more sustainable life for us humans. Gesa grew up in Hamburg, Germany. She received her Master’s in Business Administration from the Friedrich-Alexander Universität in Nuremberg, Germany and then a postgraduate degree in Environmental Management from the Erasmus Universiteit in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Gesa came to the United States on a scholarship to play Division I field-hockey for the University of Iowa and has now lived in the USA for more than half of her life. She enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and two grown sons when she is not playing ice-hockey or skiing in the winter or hiking, boating, or riding horses in the summer.
Lauren Woodyard – Ownership Program Manager
Lauren Woodyard started with GVRHA in 2020 as the administrative assistant. She has since moved into the position of Ownership Program Manager and is working on creating better systems, programs, and accessibility to help provide permanent housing solutions for locals. She has found her stride at GVRHA through her passion to see her community thrive and do better for the people around her. When she’s not at work she enjoys spending time outside skiing, biking, and hiking as well as indulging her creative appetite through painting and art. Lauren graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a degree in Music (clarinet and saxophone). She spent a few years in Washington after graduation to explore the state but couldn’t resist the calling of her home; Colorado. She loves working at GVRHA and hopes to influence a shift in mindset around local housing solutions.
Barb Carroll – Property Manager
Barb Carroll is Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority’s newest Property Manager as of March 2023. Barb moved to Gunnison in 1993 to attend Western Colorado University. After graduation she started Mochas Coffeehouse and ran it for 20 years until she sold it in 2017. Barb then started her career in Real Estate focusing on sales and property management as well as serving as President of Gunnison Crested Butte Association of Realtors. She has two children, Ruby and Davis and a granddaughter, Evalynn. When Barb is not working, she enjoys biking, hiking, boating, and skiing all around the valley. Barb is excited to be joining the team at GVRHA to protect and manage affordable housing and the many residents being served in the community she loves.
Alisha Ford – Clean Energy and Housing Community Liaison, GV-HEAT program
Alisha Ford is currently an AmeriCorps service member who is serving as the Clean Energy and Housing Community Liaison for the Gunnison Valley Home Energy Advancement Team (GV-HEAT) and the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority. She has spent most of her life in Southern California, as she was born and raised there. Her hobbies include skateboarding, hiking, and practicing her faith. She is a veteran of the United States Army, therefore serving others outside herself has been a passion of hers for quite some time. With the help of the team, she will accomplish spreading awareness of the services that we at GV-HEAT have to offer and helping the community with their homes.