Our Boards

Kelli works as a real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Elevated Living in Evergreen. When not selling real estate, she enjoys an active mountain lifestyle biking, running and enjoying the outdoors. Kelli has also been active in the local real real estate board (Mountain Metro Association of Realtors) and local charter school board (Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen). Her family includes, a biological daughter and son-​in-​law, 2 grandsons and 3 adopted children from Korea. The family has attended Korean Heritage Camp for over 15 years. Kelli is beginning her 4th year as a Director for KHC and has traveled to Korea four times to visit birth families and foster mothers. KHC has provided her family with a lifeline to Korean culture, amazing friendships and support with adoption related issues.

 My family and I have been coming to CHC II for nine years (since our daughter, Abby, was 5).  I’ve served as director, silent-auction coordinator, adult -programming coordinator, elementary -programming coordinator, and registration coordinator for CHC II, and I’m interested in joining the HCAF Board so that CHC II is represented on the Board. Also, Heritage Camps has been an absolute gift to my family, and I want to give back to HCAF and help in any way I can to ensure that other families can experience Heritage Camps for years to come.

I am a recently-retired attorney who practiced in civil litigation with the California courts for more than 20 years before retiring. Before my career as an attorney, I worked in fundraising and event -planning for nonprofit organizations.

Denise curates online experiences for employees and partners at VIAVI Solutions. She and her husband Rick have two daughters and one son adopted from the United States, and one son adopted from Russia. The Chapman family became involved with Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families by attending Russian/Eastern European/Central Asian Heritage Camp (REECA), and now they attends Domestic Adoption Camp (DAC) as well. Denise says she is on the board because “camp has been such a gift for our family. Both REECA and DAC provide all of us with unique experiences and insight we can’t get anywhere else. Being on the board is an opportunity for me to give back to an organization that has given our family so much.”

Rupa grew up in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and was adopted by a single parent from India. She and her wife just moved to the Denver area in September 2022. Rupa has been involved with Indian Nepalese Heritage Camp for 9 years as a Counselor and Program Coordinator. Her favorite part about camp is the pre-planning that goes into it before camp starts and then connecting with children and families at camp-and food! When she’s not busy working and volunteering, she enjoys an active lifestyle which includes hiking and backpacking with her wife and swimming. Her yoga practice-both physically and philosophically-is very important to her, as well.

Aubree and her husband Zack have a son adopted from Kyrgyzstan and a daughter adopted from China. Her children were born just 5 days apart. A longtime middle school language arts teacher, Aubree now works at home for VIPKID, teaching English online to children in China. When she’s not teaching or chasing her “twins” around, Aubree enjoys camping, hiking, and snowboarding. Attending Russian/​Eastern European/​Central Asian and Chinese Heritage Camps each summer is a family priority, as Aubree and her kids love being surrounded by families who look like theirs and understand the challenges and beauty of adoption.

Brian is the father of a Chinese adoptee and has attended China I and China II camps. Brian has worked in the aerospace industry for over 30 years. Brian joined the HCAF board because his family has experienced the value of heritage camp and he would like to be a part of HCAF sustainment and growth.

Sanjiv is a Senior Project Manager at KDC Architects/​Engineers, PC in Denver. Sanjiv, his wife Namita, and their two daughters, have been instrumental in bringing authentic Indian culture to our Indian/Nepalese Heritage Camp for many years. Sanjiv joined the board because “after 12 years of being in awe of the generous parents nurturing these balanced and beautiful adopted children, and both surpassing differences and man-​made limitations to form a worldly family unit, I feel privileged to be on the board of this organization.”

Samuel is a Korean adoptee with a long history with Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families, as a camper, counselor, and member of adult adoptee panels at camp.  His parents helped found Latin American Heritage Camp for his adopted sister.  These camps helped shape his identity, bolster his self confidence, and facilitated meeting life-long friends; in joining the board he strives to ensure all 9 camps continue for others in a similarly meaningful way.  When he’s not volunteering for camp, he enjoys practicing architecture, designing/building furniture, or camping in the mountains.

Geeta Sharma and her husband, Sukumar, are parents of a teenage daughter adopted from India. They have been actively involved with Indian/Nepalese Heritage camp for over fifteen years. Geeta has been a coordinator for elementary school and high school programs for several years and is the co-​director of INHC. As an adoptive parent who grew up in India, she has a unique perspective on the role of both adoption and culture in individual identity. While she is passionate about bringing cultural values and customs to camp programs, her goal as a board member is to ensure that the support and friendship of the camp community, so crucial for her family, is available to all adoptive families for a long time to come.

Eric is President of the law firm Inman Flynn Biesterfeld & Brentlinger, P.C. based in Denver, Colorado. Eric and his wife Alison have a biological son, Mason, and an adopted daughter, Sophia, from Hanoi, Vietnam. Eric loves to travel, play tennis, ski and bike. Eric and Alison deeply appreciate the positive impact that Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Camp has on not only Sophia, but their entire family. They love the feeling of community and the confidence it gives their daughter. Eric is looking forward to helping continue HCAF’s great work for adoptive families.

Scot was an engineer for a decade but now directs data analytic and strategic projects at Charles Schwab. He and his wife, Becca, have three teenagers – two adopted domestically with Latin American heritage and the youngest adopted from South Korea. Scot enjoys travel hacking, eating (and cooking) adventurously, and playing piano, organ, tennis, and volleyball. The Wayes have been to Korean Heritage Camp (KHC) since 2016 and visited South Korea in 2017 to experience the culture firsthand and visit their child’s foster mother. At camp, they have found a community that has helped support them tackle challenges facing adoptees from mental health to racism to belonging while experiencing Korean culture and having fun with families that look like them. Scot hopes to give back to HCAF by supporting strategic planning and data-driven decisions so camps stay strong and grow for all families that participate.

Karen is a Registered Nurse and GI Lab Clinical Coordinator at Parker Adventist Hospital as well as a faculty member with the University of Phoenix. She is a single mom who has two adopted daughters from China. The Wilson family has been attending either Chinese Heritage Camp or Chinese ll Camp since 2001 and Karen served as a camp coordinator for 14+ years. Her most memorable moment from camp was when her youngest daughter was two and attended camp for the first time. At the end of the day she said “mom, I’m going to miss all my friends.” When not working or at camp, Karen is busy as a Girl Scout leader.

Scott is a financial consultant. He and his wife have two adopted children, a daughter born in China and a son born in Korea. They have been involved in both the Chinese and Korean Heritage Camps for over 15 years. Scott is currently Co-​Director of Korean Heritage camp and his wife, Dawn, is Co-​Director of Chinese Heritage Camp. Scott joined the Board of Directors to give back to HCAF families for all they have done for their children. This amazing group provided their son and daughter with a sense of family and community support needed to address adoption and or cultural issues.

Jessica is a graphic designer with her own freelance business, Planet X Design, based in Boulder, Jessica and her husband, Dana, have a son adopted from Ethiopia and a daughter adopted from China. They have attended African/Caribbean Heritage Camp since 2011 and Chinese Heritage Camp since 2014. Heritage Camp has played a big part in their family’s life, from the insights they gain in parenting to the relationships their kids are forming with peers and counselors. Jessica believes in the mission of HCAF and is excited to contribute to the overall direction and growth of Heritage Camps.