Our Leadership Team

Committee Leaders

Tara Kiene, Co-President

Tara Kiene, MTS started at Community Connections in 2001, shortly after moving to Durango to live in her great-grandmother’s home. She served in the case management department and as the Director of Case Management before becoming the President/CEO in 2016. Over the past few years, she has been leading her organization through major transitions, including an organizational redesign that involves divesting programs into a new 501(c)(3). In her spare time, she writes, plays ukulele, and harasses her pet rabbits. Her goals in life are to publish a truly awful novel that no one reads during her lifetime but becomes a posthumous cult classic and to create a world where people with disabilities fully belong, contribute, and thrive.

Tara has been actively involved with the Leadership La Plata program since 2007 and is currently serving on the Diversity Committee for LLP. In addition to League of Women Voters, she also currently serves on the Board of Directors for Alliance Colorado, the Early Childhood Council of La Plata County, United Way of Southwest Colorado, and iAM MUSIC.

Liz Mora, Co-President

Liz Mora, The Executive Director The Arc of Colorado, and a local Durangoan since 1987, has worked in the non-profit sector in the five county region for over twenty years.  Before coming to The Arc of Southwest Colorado, Liz was the Executive Director for The Women’s Resource Center in Durango for seven years.  Liz is thrilled to be a co-President for the League of Women voters and excited for the opportunity.  

Adrea Bogle, Secretary

Adrea brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in collaborative leadership, strategic planning, inclusive facilitation, and project management.  Adrea is passionate about building empowering voices in and advocating for the needs in rural regions. Adrea feels privileged to serve in Southwest Colorado, where communities engage authentically in meaningful partnerships to create positive regional change. When not facilitating inclusive collaborations, she embraces rural living in southwest Colorado – exploring mountains and canyons, rock climbing, tending to her garden, volunteering and sharing adventures with her husband.

Madeline “Mady” Miraglia, Treasurer

Madeline Miraglia is excited to be a part of the LWV-La Plata County Board. She began volunteering with LWV as soon as she moved to Durango in Spring of ‘22 by tabling at the farmer’s market, participating in several Climate Group activities and assisting with the city council candidate forum in March, ‘23.

Her background is in political activism and teaching high school social studies, so it is a fun new challenge to be learning the role of treasurer.

Darlene Koontz

Currently, I have a Leadership Coaching Practice, Nature Lead LLC.  I have 10 years’ experience mentoring and coaching executives and immerging leaders. Worked for the Department of Interior, the National Park Service for 31 years, retiring at the end of 2015.  My adventures have taken me from a backcountry boat patrol ranger in Everglades National Park to working a year with Congress on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  I taught at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) for four years in the Behavioral Sciences Division.  From 2003- 2007 was a Presidential Appointed Board Trustee for the Valles Caldera National Preserve. A graduate of the Department of Interior Senior Executive Service, I was a Superintendent for 17 years in three different parks. Throughout my career I worked and developed a variety of partners in support of conservation, the National Park Service and gateway communities.

Eileen Maddox, Co-Chair Membership Committee

I joined the League of Women Voters 2 years ago looking for ways to become a more active participant in my community, wanting to make a difference at a local level.

I have a 30-year background in Occupational Therapy including Health Administration. I hope to bring my skill set for strategic thinking, community awareness and experience in working with people, to the League. I am an active volunteer for Donor Alliance, my grandson received a heart transplant 12 years ago.

My husband and I have lived in Durango for over fifteen years. We decided to move to Durango after our two children graduated from Fort Lewis College and never returned home! We are lucky enough to have our children, their spouses and four grandchildren to keep us busy in the area.

When I am not running after “the Grands” I enjoy tennis, hiking and biking.

Jan Phillips, Chair Healthcare Committee

Jan Phillips is a longtime resident of La Plata County, and mother of three adult children who grew up in beautiful Durango. She has over 40 years of experience as a health educator and is a retired small business owner. For the past decade she has continued to be involved in advocating for healthcare reform and improvements.

She is the chair of the LWV healthcare committee and vice chair of the LWV initiative, La Plata Healthcare Improvement Coalition (LPHIC), collaborating with local stakeholders working toward improving healthcare delivery in La Plata County.

Wendy Pollak, Chair Voter Services Committee

Wendy is a longtime resident of Durango, and a retired physical therapist. She’s involved with several environmental advocacy groups both locally and nationally, and serves on the League’s Voter Services Committee.