Who we are

Staff

Steve Wood, Founder, Director
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Steve received a BA from Colorado College in 1984 and subsequently apprenticed with master muralist Eric Bransby. In his tenure as Director of Public Art Associates, LLC, Steve received numurous awards including the “Service Learning Award” (1996), the “Community Weaver Award” (1998), from KRCC and the CS Independent, the “Public Art Empowering Youth Award” (1999) from the Pikes Peak Arts Council, the “Continuing Support for Arts Education Award” (2003) from the Arts, Business, and Education Consoritum, the “Service Outside the Field Award” (2008) from the Colorado Art Educators Assoc., the “Bee an Arts Leader Award” (2012) from the Bee Vradenburg Foundation, and the “Starr Kempf Imagination Award” (2015) from the What If Festival of Innovation and Imagination. In 2017, Steve received the “Charles Rockey Artistic Endeavors Award” from the Manitou Springs Collaborative. His mural and sculptural projects have also earned numerous design awards, including “Project of the Year Award” (2003) from the American Public Works Assoc. (with Mario Miguel Echevarria and others) and the “Compatible New Construction Award” from the Colorado Springs Historic Preservation Alliance.

Steve is a board member of the Community Built Assoc., a national nonprofit that support architects, artists, builders, planners, teachers, and other who incorporate the community in their practice. 

​Steve is married to Laurie Wood and they have one son, Jake.

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Kendall Kultgen, Program Director. Kendall is a CC grad and Colorado Springsian who believes in pie, DIY, getting dirty, collage, tool sharing, and kid art. She first came to the Couch through CC's Public Interest Fellowship Program in 2016.

Ruthie Markwardt, Community Coordinator. Ruthie is a CC grad and a bike riding, child educating, chicken chasing, cat wrangling, goat milking, soup cooking, and community gardening lady.

Terry Marinez, Development Director. Terry worked for 31 years for D11, most recently as an elementary school principal where he collaborated with Concrete Couch. He joined Concrete Couch after retiring. He is also heavily involved in local politics.

Becky Pontz, Teacher. Becky gained a B.F.A. in painting before traveling, tree-sitting, and becoming a mother. Bringing people together of diverse ages and backgrounds to create art and community is her favorite activity!

Brian Elyo, Project Manager. Brian works in the field of architecture and is an artist, an active community member, and an Air Force Veteran. Brian served as the Chair of the Pikes Peak Arts Council before helping Concrete Couch design and build its new facility.

Craig Cantrell, Site Manager. Craig brings 20 years of business management experience to the Couch along with a passion for the arts and serving the public. Since joining the art community in 2001 by way of the BAC, Craig has gone on to serve on many boards in the region, studied Permaculture, and become an avid gardener and nature lover.

Joel Newmiller, Teacher. Joel is a local artist who enjoys exploring the intersection of science and art. As a teacher, Joel has found that Concrete Couch projects facilitate experiential learning, where people can bond with members of their community in a loving, supportive, and creative environment to explore imagination, invention, and understanding.

Katie Orr, Teacher. K8e is a skilled improviser, thinker, and explorer who has been teaching the community with Concrete Couch for 8 years. She hopes to reach people and their emotions through her individual artistic impressions, community projects, and a sharing of ideas.

Faith Stone, Assistant Teacher. Faith first joined the Couch in 2017 as an intern on the HH playground. She is an activist and community member in Hillside where she co-facilitates the Lead youth development group. She is a neighborhood liaison for the Couch and a rockstar teacher.

Chifumi Ito, Teacher. Chi works at the FAB LAB program on Wednesdays. She enjoys being surrounded by all sorts of creatives and learning to work with children, teachers, tools, and happenings at the MAC. She works at Manitou Springs Library, PPLD.

Judy Pastore, Outreach Coordinator. Judy joined CC in 2019 after volunteering for 2 years. She has a passion for helping people and connecting people with resources to better their lives. She is a Peer Navigator with Catholic Charities.

Forrest Alvarez, House Manager. Forrest joined CC in 2015. He loves community music making and recording, leads the Couch music jam, and takes significant inspiration from his lazy dog, Nailo.

Board of Directors

Aaron Pomis, President of the Board. Teacher, Atlas Prep School.

Eric Bolzheimer, Board treasurer. Accountant.

Jonny O'Lonnergan, Board member. Art teacher, Air Academy High School.

Natalie Johnson, Board member. Director, Manitou Art Center.

Leah Lowe, Board member. Art teacher, Skyway Park Elementary & Broadmoor Elementary

Vince Coleman, Board member. Assistant to the Director. Smokebrush Foundation.

Valdra Puffpaff, Creative Director, House of Face.

Staff and board at a board retreat, Turkey Rocks, 2016