Gjep staff
Robin Brown
Executive Director
robin@gjep.org | 970.245.4332 x2
Robin joined GJEP in December 2017 and has been committed to the economic growth and vitality of Colorado’s Grand Valley for over a decade. Robin previously worked as the Event Management Director for the Grand Junction Business Improvement District and led a $9 million fundraising campaign for The Historic Avalon Theatre in downtown Grand Junction. She was the founder of Spoke+Blossom lifestyle magazine and owned a local public relations agency.
Robin writes a column for The Daily Sentinel and is a regular speaker at community events. She has also participated on numerous boards across the Valley, including the Western Colorado Community Foundation and the Grand Junction Regional Airport Alliance.
Robin is a U.S. Army veteran relocated to the Grand Valley from Oregon. She lives in Grand Junction with her husband and two children.
Steve Jozefczyk
Deputy Director
steve@gjep.org | 970.245.4332 x4
Steve’s chief responsibility is business development. Steve supports all programs aimed toward the creation of new primary jobs, assists businesses with expansions and relocations, and serves as the point person for all data.
In 2014, Steve relocated to Grand Junction from Boulder, Colorado, after working in the outdoor recreation industry for over 10 years. Before this, Steve spent his time in Denver working in commercial and builder real estate development. Steve began his professional career as an electro-mechanical drafter in an advanced manufacturing operation in Syracuse, New York. Steve currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Economic Development Council of Colorado, the Grand Valley Outdoor Rec Coalition and the Grand Valley Cleantech Business Coalition.
Steve is a native of upstate New York and received his B.S. in Industrial Technologies from Buffalo State College.
Mara hardy
Business Development Manager
mara@gjep.org | 970.245.4332 x3
At GJEP, Mara assists businesses looking to relocate to the Grand Valley. Her primary focus is on the tech, aerospace and healthcare industries. In addition, Mara supports our local digital economy and entrepreneurial ecosystem, including helping plan West Slope Startup Week. In 2020, Mara was awarded two Startup Champion awards for these efforts.
Mara’s professional experience includes running a physical therapy clinic with her husband, starting her own planning consulting company, working at the Colorado Water Conservation Board at the State of Colorado, and working at the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. She also serves on the Board of the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction. She received her Master of Urban and Regional Planning at CU Denver and her B.A. in Environmental Studies at CU Boulder.
Growing up in Colorado, Mara spent time exploring the outdoors and developing an appetite for adventure. That is why she decided to move to the Grand Valley in 2018 – it is the perfect place to call home with its unparalleled access to recreation.
nicole troester
Fundraising & Events Coordinator
nicole@gjep.org | 970.245.4332 x6
As the Fundraising & Events Coordinator, Nicole manages investor relations, benefits and fundraising at GJEP. She is responsible for organizing GJEP hosted events and the annual Western Colorado Economic Summit. In addition, Nicole coordinates internal office systems to support the GJEP team.
Nicole was born and raised in Grand Junction and has great passion for her community. She graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Human Resources. She serves on the United Way of Mesa County Board, the Blood Brothers Foundation Board, and Alpha Sigma Alpha’s National Alumnae Engagement Coaching Team. Nicole also coordinates Gate Check and Security for the annual Junior College World Series.
cilia kohn
Director of Marketing & Communications
cilia@gjep.org | 970.245.4332 x5
Cilia is responsible for all marketing and communications efforts for GJEP, as well as promoting the Grand Valley business community regionally and nationally. Cilia joined GJEP from Development Counsellors International in 2015, a place marketing agency where she worked with large metros like Houston, Texas, to smaller, rural places, like Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Cilia’s work experience spans fashion PR to public affairs at the American Water Works Association, lead generation marketing for Regis University and business development for UK Trade & Investment, as well as freelance marketing for various communities and economic development organizatons. She holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing communications, and a M.S. from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
A Swedish transplant, by way of New York City and Denver, Cilia enjoys hiking, camping and exploring Western Colorado with her husband and two children.
