David Smith
Program Director
David Smith is the Program Director of Roaring Fork PreCollegiate. Dave is a graduate of Middlebury College and received his law degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dave got involved with PreCollegiate as a volunteer beginning in 2008, and joined the program as a full-time staff member in 2014. Dave believes in the idea that abilities are equally distributed, but opportunities are not. He loves partnering with students to help them see and reach their goals for after high school, whatever they may be. He lives in Glenwood Springs with his wife and two children.
Alexandra Braeger
Development & Outreach Coordinator
Alex Braeger is PreCollegiate’s Development and Outreach Coordinator. She received her B.A. in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and M.A. in Literature from Colorado State University before launching her career as a secondary and collegiate English teacher. Finding a passion for working with high school seniors as they prepared for their post-secondary endeavors, Alex transitioned to college/career counseling. Through that work, it became apparent that students do not face equal opportunity when it comes to accessing higher education. Alex is excited to be part of PreCollegiate’s mission to support the first-generation students in the Roaring Fork Valley. In her free time, you can find her on the tennis courts or skiing with her husband and three young children.
Karlie Colia
Program Coordinator
Karlie is the Program Coordinator for Basalt High School. Karlie is a Roaring Fork Valley native and a first generation student. She completed her undergraduate coursework from Fort Lewis College in Durango and received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver in 2015. Karlie has a deep passion for working with children and adolescents and has focused her career within supportive platforms, ranging from grief counseling to behavior therapy. She believes in the power to change the things we cannot accept and that vulnerability is at the center of human experiences (Brené Brown). In her free time, she enjoys adventuring with her husband, two children, and their fluffy pup.
Alejandro Flores Monge
Program Coordinator
Alejandro is the Program Coordinator for Glenwood Springs High School. Born and raised in the Roaring Fork Valley, Alejandro went on to complete his B.A. at Williams College. As a first-generation college graduate himself, he has a deep passion for building knowledge and community around education and college preparedness. He truly believes in the impact that a robust and active network of support can have on a person’s life trajectory, and is invested in building out those networks in his hometown valley. In his free time, you could find him dancing, cooking a new recipe, or trekking up a mountain.
Steven Garcia-Machuca
Alumni & Student Engagement Coordinator
Steven Garcia-Machuca is the Alumni and Student Engagement Coordinator for the Roaring Fork PreCollegiate Program, a role that feels especially meaningful as an alum of the program himself. A first-generation college graduate, Steven grew up in Basalt and earned his degree from Harvard University in 2024. Steven’s work in public health, community engagement, and education reflects his passion for advancing equity and creating opportunities for historically excluded communities. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors, playing tennis with his sister, and dancing.
Adrienne Nelson
Program Coordinator
Adrienne Nelson is the PreCollegiate Middle School Program Coordinator. Adrienne is a first-generation college graduate, earning a degree in Elementary Education from Michigan State University. Adrienne has taught students from Pre-Kindergarteners through adult learners, and is starting her fifth year with PreCollegiate. In her free time, Adrienne is an avid hiker, reader, and crocheter. She enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and two Bernese Mountain dogs.