Clean Air Champion
Recognition Program
About Clean Air Champions
As the lead air quality planning agency for the Metro Denver/North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area, the RAQC created the Clean Air Champions Recognition Program. The RAQC recognizes leaders and businesses that demonstrate a commitment to improving the region’s air quality. Each year, these champions are celebrated at the RAQC’s Clean Air Happy Hour. The RAQC has identified the following categories of champions:
Board Champion
Board Champions are members of the RAQC’s board that have demonstrated a particular dedication to the governance or promotion of the RAQC and its programs.
Business Champion
Business Champions go above and beyond to partner with nonprofits, donate to causes, or implement and promote programs to make a positive impact on air quality in the Denver Metro/North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Region.
Community Champion
Community Champions are residents in the ozone nonattainment region that exemplify individual commitment to improving air quality in their community.
Legislative Champion
Legislative Champions advocate for better air quality in the state legislature – ensuring a future in which the residents of the ozone nonattainment region can breathe easy.
Local Government Champion
Local Government Champions use their position of leadership to benefit their communities by prioritizing air quality improvement.
The 2024 Clean Air Champions
*2024 Clean Air Happy Hour sponsored by Ace Hardware*
Board Champions
Alicia Johnson
Alicia Johnson is the Vice Chair of the RAQC board. She also chairs the board’s operations committee. Johnson supports the RAQC in other ways, too. She appears in commercials for Simple Steps Better Air outreach program, sits on panels with RAQC staff to communicate the programs to local governments, and is generally engaged and enthusiastic beyond what is expected.
Brian Payer
Brian Payer is a Senior Principal of climate aligned industries at RMI, and a former RAQC board member. He served as Vice-Chair and was incredibly engaged – bringing copious energy and dedication to his role on the board. When his tenure on the RAQC board ended, Payer still went out of his way to support the launch of RAQC’s Clean Air Fund.
Mike Foote
Mike Foote was the Chair of RAQC’s board for 6 years, and remains an engaged board member. He also has been a state senator and an environmental lobbyist – continuously demonstrating his commitment to improving air quality for all of Colorado’s communities.
Community Champions
Amy Kenreich
Amy Kenreich dedicates much of her free time to advocating for urban design that makes Denver safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. She is organizing Denver Public Schools’ Celebrity Crossing Guard event, and partnered with the RAQC to organize Engines Off at Schools at Park Hill ementary School, where she works as a crossing guard.
Dr. Jana Milford
Dr. Jana Milford is a former member of the Air Quality Control Commission and former RAQC board member. As a faculty member of the University of Colorado Boulder envrionmental engineering program. Dr. Milford conducted research into air quality monitoring, atmospheric chemistry, and much more. Throughout her career, Dr. Milford has contributed to the region’s knowledge of air quality, and dedicated to its improvement.
Nicole McSpirit
Nicole McSpirit is a crossing guard at Lincoln Elementary School in the Denver Public School District. However, she goes above and beyond her duties, investing in cones and signs for her school, advocating for safe streets designed for bicycle and pedestrians in her community, and taking on additional volunteer projects – like partnering with the RAQC to bring the Engines Off at Schools program to Park Hill.
Business Champion
High Altitude Equipment
High Altitude Equipment is a retailer of lawn and garden equipment, batteries, and more. The business has been on the forefront of teaching local governments, local government staff, and community members how effective electric equipment can be. In the last year the RAQC and High Altitude Equipment met with hundreds of state and local government staff, elected officials and more to showcase electric lawn and garden equipment, partially by organizing demonstrations and educational events. The business is also supporting the new Engines Off for Food Trucks program.
Legislative Champions
Representative Jenny Willford
Representative Willford’s 2024 Clean Air Champion Award makes her a two-time winner, demonstrating her consistent and long-term dedication to improving air quality across the Front Range. Rep. Willford ensured that RAQC’s anti-idling bill (HB24 1341) made it all the way to the governor’s desk. Throughout Rep. Willford’s career as a public servant – serving as Mayor Pro Tem of Northglenn before becoming a representative – she has advocated on behalf of working families, clean water, and clean air.
Representative Julia Marvin
During her freshman term as a representative, Rep. Julia Marvin was an advocate for her constituents, sponsoring bills to benefit foster youth, students, and more. Rep. Marvin was also the prime sponsor of RAQC’s anti-idling bill (HB24 1341). Her dedication provided strong support for RAQC’s Engines Off program, helping the RAQC reduce air pollution for residents across the Front Range.
Senator Lisa Cutter
As the senate sponsor for RAQC’s anti-idling bill (HB24 1341), Senator Cutter continued her track record as an advocate for public health and the environment in Colorado. Senator Cutter makes air quality a priority, focusing many of her efforts on wildfire mitigation and prevention.
Local Government Champion
The City of Louisville
The City of Louisville has been at the forefront of environemntal progress – making changes to their city that will benefit air quality and public health. For example, Louisville trash haulers are 100% electric, making them the nation’s first fully electric collection fleet. In August 2019, City Council adopted the City’s first climate action goals. Five years ahead of schedule, all municipal facilities are running on 100% carbon free electricity as of 2020. Louisville also took advantage of a RAQC grant to help electrify their lawn and garden equipment.
