Meet the Ridgway School District

Board of Education

A woman outdoors with mountain landscape in the background

Aimee Quadri, President

Aimee grew up in the Ridgway area, and after exploring college and career opportunities elsewhere, she returned to her roots 12 years ago with her family. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Fort Lewis College and has dedicated the past two decades to working in the nonprofit sector. Currently, Aimee serves as a Grant Manager for Hilltop Community Resources, an organization that provides vital human services across Colorado's Western Slope. Deeply committed to her community, Aimee has served on the Ridgway Community Garden and Voyager Youth Program boards. Aimee has a passion for local service and feels deep gratitude to live in such a caring and connected community. Her daughter, Annabelle, attends Ridgway Secondary School, and together they embrace and enjoy the rich array of opportunities Ridgway offers.

Term expires November 2027

A man standing indoors with large windows showing a scenic outdoor view of trees and fields.

Brian Patton, Vice President

Brian grew up in Springfield, IL. After earning a BS in Sports Management from Bradley University in Peoria, IL, he spent time in Oregon and Arizona before moving to Denver, CO in 2001 to earn his Masters in Business at the University of Denver. Upon graduating, Brian owned and operated his own landscaping company for 10 years, then pursued a career as a Utility Locator for the next 12 years.  After being transferred to the Western Slope, Brian knew Ridgway School District was exactly where he wanted his children to gain their educational experience. Currently, Brian works for Snow Mountain Media and resides on Log Hill with his wife and two children. He feels honored to serve the school district as a member of the Board of Education. 

Term expires November 2025

A woman standing indoors with large windows showing a scenic outdoor view of trees and fields.

Jill Hepp, Secretary/Treasurer

Jill Hepp is a proud new resident of Ridgway. In 2020, she moved to Ridgway with her husband Drew and their two kids, Sadie and Tilda, to be closer to family after living abroad for several years. She’s a passionate environmental conservationist and has dedicated her professional career to protecting nature. Jill, a Peace Corps alumna, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of San Diego and a master’s degree in conservation biology and sustainable development from the University of Maryland. Since moving to Ridgway she has enjoyed coaching soccer, gardening at the Ridgway Community garden, and teaching outdoor education. She enjoys exploring all that the San Juan Mountains have to offer in terms of hiking, camping, and running. She is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of the school especially with the much-needed forthcoming upgrades to the schools. She is also interested in strengthening how the District supports outdoor learning, foreign language instruction and STEM-based learning.

Term expires:  November 2025

A man and a young child, both wearing caps, enjoy a scenic outdoor adventure with a forested landscape and rocky formations in the background.

Greg Zimmerman, Member At-Large

Greg Zimmerman was born in Illinois, moved to Colorado in 2002, and settled in Ridgway in 2017 with his wife, Avery, and kids, Chance and Hayes. He has a master’s in environmental management from the Yale School of the Environment and a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Colorado College. Professionally, Greg works for the Resources Legacy Fund, where he supports public land conservation campaigns around the western U.S. Like so many fellow Ridgway residents, Greg loves introducing his kiddos to the wonders of big mountains, remote wilderness, spring trips into the desert, and dark night skies. He is honored to serve the community as a member of the Board of Education.

Term expires:  November 2027

A man wearing cap and sunglasses

Doug Unfug, Member At-Large

Doug is a native Coloradan and spent many summers in Ouray and Ridgway in the 70’s and 80’s. In 2020 the family moved to Ridgway, where his younger son Garrison graduated in 2023. Doug graduated from University of Colorado with a degree in Environmental Design. Having promised himself to be a ski bum for one year after college, he worked for 15 years with a number of architectural firms throughout the Roaring Fork valley and serving on Pitkin County's Planning Commission, before meeting and marrying his lovely wife, Chantal. They lived in Spain for a year before returning to Denver and in 2002, he left architecture and pursued a career in teaching, completing a Masters in Educational Psychology from University of Colorado Denver in 2003 through the Stanley British Primary School program. He taught kindergarten in North Denver before returning to architecture to form his own company, Red Shed Architecture. He has always been active in his community, teaching kids skiing, coaching U-5 soccer and helping to build neighborhood community gardens with his latest interest being beekeeping. He is honored to be able to contribute to an incredible community of teachers, staff, parents and students.

Term expires:  November 2025