Staff

Meet the Staff:

Markleigh Swanson, Executive Director: Markleigh grew up in Southern Arizona, where she spent her time volunteering with nonprofits and exploring the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and began her nonprofit career at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, quickly advancing from a membership intern to Director of Membership. Over five years, she gained invaluable experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, and community engagement.

With a deep passion for environmental stewardship and cultural preservation, Markleigh is dedicated to ensuring that more people can responsibly experience the wonders of nature. She spends her free time whitewater rafting, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and snowshoeing. Committed to protecting natural and cultural resources for future generations, she strives to foster meaningful connections between people and the landscapes that inspire them.

Mark Nelson, Cultural Site Stewardship Program Manager: Mark Nelson has been a member, supporter and volunteer of SCCA for twelve years. Mark began volunteering as an SCCA Cultural Site Steward in March 2011. His experiences as a Site Steward have given him a deep understanding of the policies and procedures of the Site Stewardship program and the intricacies of volunteers collaborating with the BLM. Mark is a member of the Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS) and has spent significant amounts of time learning about the history of CANM, the Ancestral Puebloans who made it their home, and the greater Four Corners area. He has extensive knowledge of CANM sites from Site Stewardship, reading, and attending CAS conference sessions and webinars put on by other groups in the area like the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. He is also enrolled in the Program for Avocational Archeological Certification (PAAC) and is working towards becoming a Certified Surveyor. These activities have given him a deep connection to Colorado archaeology.