More About Elizabeth
In 2018, I moved to La Plata County to begin the greatest adventure of my life: starting a family. Originally living near Lemon Reservoir, today, I live in Hesperus with my husband (seen here) and my two children.
I can be found about town, in the mountains or splashing in our regional lakes and ponds. However, if you really want to get to know me… Spend time with me in the garden or in the kitchen: there you will find that I have been experimenting with growing heritage fruits and vegetables adapted to our unique climate, and preparing them for extraordinary meals.
​
My life motto: if you are more fortunate than others, it is better to build a longer table than a taller fence.
My Story
I was born at the foot of Mount Rainier in Washington State, to a family that valued both structure and imagination. Growing up with a military parent meant discipline mattered—but so did creativity, curiosity, and an appreciation for different cultures and perspectives. That combination shaped how I see the world to this day.
​
I moved quickly through school and earned my degree in Political Science from the University of Washington at just 19. Even then, I was deeply interested in how education shapes opportunity. After graduating, I headed across the country to intern with a national education non-profit, where my understanding of public education—and the people who make it work—expanded dramatically.
​
My professional path really took off in Washington, D.C. after a coffee with my home-state Senator, Patty Murray. At one of her weekly morning meet-and-greets, I asked a question about how a major policy—No Child Left Behind—had been developed. As I was leaving, her Chief of Staff caught up with me in the hallway and offered me a job on the spot. That moment launched nearly a decade of work in the U.S. Senate, where I served as a policy analyst, advisor, and correspondent. It gave me a deep respect for how government works—and a growing interest in how policy shows up in people’s everyday lives.
​
That curiosity eventually led me back to school for a Master’s in Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University, where I focused on systems design and community planning. I came to believe that sidewalks, parks, roads, and schools aren’t just infrastructure—they’re the quiet framework that holds communities together. While there, I met my husband, Jared, in a restoration ecology class. He was studying wildfire management, and we bonded over land stewardship, resilience, and long-term thinking.
​
In 2017, we moved to Southwest Colorado to put down roots and build something meaningful. Together, we started EsoTerra, a cider and wine business grounded in agriculture, conservation, and innovation. Two weeks after opening, the pandemic shut us down—but we kept going. With a lot of hard work (and more than a little creativity), EsoTerra grew into a regional success.
​
Today, we’re developing The Arboretum—a 70-acre estate just south of Durango where we preserve more than 250 heritage apple varieties and research over 50 experimental grape cultivars. It’s not just a winery; it’s a working landscape focused on stewardship, research, and community connection. We’ve partnered with Fort Lewis College, supported regional food systems through the Good Food Collective, donated time and product to dozens of local nonprofits, and earned international recognition for both quality and regenerative practices. EsoTerra has become a model for what agriculture, tourism, and rural economic development can look like in La Plata County.
​
In 2026, I’m ready to bring that same work ethic, creativity, and systems-level thinking back to public service—as a La Plata County Commissioner. I believe in collaboration, listening first, and doing the hard work required to build a community that lasts.