Ken Riley, Mayor
Ken Riley is the Town of Keystone’s first Mayor. He is a retired executive from the Air Force and the aerospace industry. He and his wife Linda have owned in Keystone since 1998. He became actively involved in the Keystone Community in 2010, working on solutions to community issues with Summit County, Vail Resorts, and the Colorado Division of Transportation. He has served on the Snake River Water District Board of Directors and is a Past President of the Keystone Owners Association and Keystone Citizens League. In 2020, he became a leader of the Keystone Incorporation initiative.
As Mayor, his focus is on addressing solutions to US6 pedestrian and vehicle safety, the lack of coherent and maintained trails and open space, growth which has been approved without mitigating the impacts to pedestrian safety, traffic and parking, the lack of childcare for Keystone’s residents and workforce, and lack of housing for the seasonal and full-time workforce.
Ken and Linda love the Keystone Community and are avid Skiers and Hikers.
Dan Sullivan, Mayor Pro Tem
Greetings, Keystone! I’m Dan Sullivan.
As a recent retiree residing in the Alders with my wife Carol, I am eager to contribute to the next phase of our town’s development. In my professional journey, I’ve been a partner in respected accounting and organizational management consulting firms, bringing a wealth of experience in finance, strategy and organizational management.
Now in retirement, I am passionate about leveraging this experience to ensure Keystone’s next pivotal years are built on a solid foundation. I’ve had the honor of serving as the Vice Chair of both the Election Commission and the Charter Commission, demonstrating my commitment to fair governance and community involvement. These experiences have equipped me with a nuanced understanding of our town’s inner workings.
I believe that the next few years are pivotal for Keystone and I am eager to play a role in ensuring that our town’s foundation remains solid and poised for appropriate growth. In addition to my roles in commissions, I possess extensive experience in complex negotiations, a skill set crucial for navigating the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Keystone.
I am a firm believer in the power of community engagement. The collective wisdom of our residents is an invaluable resource and I am dedicated to ensuring that the decisions we make reflect the needs and aspirations of the people of Keystone.
Together, we can navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes that our future will present. As we embark on this journey together, I invite you to join me in building a Keystone that we are all proud to call home. Together, let’s take the next big step for our town’s future!
Gretchen Davis, Councilmember
Gretchen and her husband, Gene, have owned property in Keystone for many years. When Gene retired from his practice as a radiologist, they chose Keystone as their permanent home and have lived full-time in Keystone since 2013.
Gretchen graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia with a degree in Mathematics and Physics. She earned a Master of Education in Secondary Administration from University of Missouri, St. Louis. As an educator, she taught high school in Virginia and Missouri, and is a certified principal.
Since leaving the field of education Gretchen has focused her time on community service at the national, state, regional and local levels. Key leadership positions include Chair of Volunteers and Vice Chair of the Board for the American Red Cross, President of two school boards, The Foundation Board of Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Chair of the Leadership Council for the College of Education at University of Missouri – St. Louis, United Way Board, Vice Chair of the Bi-State Regional Blood Board for the American Red Cross and President of Junior League of St. Louis. Gretchen is a graduate of Leadership St. Louis.
In 2000, Gretchen was appointed by the Governor of Missouri to the Missouri Community Service Commission (MCSC) and served as Vice-Chair. As a result of her work with MCSC, Gretchen was elected to America’s Service Commission Board which provides training and advocacy for the state commissions throughout the country. In 2005 she received the Mel Carnahan Service Award for Exemplary Leadership & Service to the Citizens of Missouri.
Upon moving to Keystone, Gretchen became involved in the community fund raising effort for the 4 Corners project and was recognized with one of the first “1-Keystone Awards” for her work on the project. She became involved in the Keystone Owners Association (KOA) and served as Board President. Gretchen is currently the President of the Pines Home Owners Association (HOA) Board.
The issue of Keystone incorporation became a passion for Gretchen. She co-chaired the petition drive that allowed the incorporation effort to move forward to successful approval by the citizens of Keystone. In addition, Gretchen served on the Keystone Incorporation Committee, was then appointed to the Election Commission, and subsequently was elected to serve on the Charter Commission, assisting in the writing of the Town Charter. As a result of these experiences, Gretchen committed to run for Town Council in the hope of being able to assist in the building of Keystone into Colorado’s newest town. Gretchen is honored to have been elected to serve the citizens of Keystone for a 4-year term as a member of the first Town Council.
Gretchen’s many years of property ownership in Keystone offer the unique perspectives of owners who rent, are second homeowners, or are permanent residents. She has spent time in each of these roles and brings those experiences to her work on Town Council. Over her years in Keystone, Gretchen has watched the largely unplanned growth and changes in our community. She looks forward to helping to set the new Town of Keystone on a strategic course to meet its full potential
Sarah Keel, Councilmember
Sarah Keel was born and raised in Connecticut. She graduated with High Honors from Marlboro College in Vermont with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies. Sarah also holds an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business Management at Pepperdine University.
During her time in Colorado, she lived in Telluride and Vail before moving to Keystone. Sarah met her husband, Cyrus Keel, in Dillon and they welcomed a son, Cashius, in 2019. Sarah and Cyrus are the owners of Keystoner Mountain Coffee and Gluten-Free Bakery in Keystone. They have chosen to raise their family here in Keystone and would like to see the town develop into a true family-friendly resort.
Sarah served on the Keystone Charter Commission and has volunteered for the incorporation efforts for the past few years. She would like to continue to serve the Keystone community by representing residents on our first Town Council. This is a pivotal moment in our Town's history and Sarah wants to ensure that we are setting the right foundation for a long-term successful town that is representative and serves our unique populations and needs. She would like to see a balanced town vision that encourages an enjoyable, affordable, livable community for our residents, while also appealing to our visitors.
Sarah believes that this balance will be crucial for Keystone's success. As a business owner, full-time resident, wife, and mother in Keystone, Sarah is committed and excited to see the future of Keystone represented and built by its citizens.
Carol Kerr, Councilmember
Army veteran, communication professional and mom I’ve lived all over this country and the world, but Keystone is the first residence my husband and I were able to choose for ourselves.
I first fell in love with Keystone while stationed at Fort Carson in the ‘80s. Since then, Keystone vacations were treats for us and our three kids – and will be for our two granddaughters. To contribute to my new community, I volunteered for the Keystone election and communication committees. Energized by that work, I now ask for your vote for the first Town leadership team. Down-to-earth, with fresh perspective and no agenda, I will listen intently and work hard for Keystone.
I was initially wary of new government, so I did a deep dive on the Incorporation feasibility, Charter work sessions, and neighboring government decisions. I’ve listened to my Keystone neighbors at town halls, in the media, and when knocking on doors. There’s no doubt: local decisions for local concerns will be powerful if they are for and about our community. We know that changes are on the horizon – traffic, residential mix, ski industry, climate change and water use, etc. That’s why this is the time to be intentional in analyzing, planning, and creating frameworks to shape how we respond and preserve what we most value.
I think our priorities are clear -
- Retain Keystone’s unique character
- Improve family and workforce safety
- Enhance access to nature
- Prioritize lean, efficient government
- Create a government that responds to our diverse community.
I recently retired after 30 years of service as an Army officer, active and Reserve, overlapping more than 20 years on faculty/staff at the U.S. Army War College. I believe my background in leadership, analysis, and planning will serve the Town of Keystone. Talk with me on Facebook: Carol Kerr for Keystone.
Aaron Parmet, Councilmember
I LOVE Keystone. I learned to ski here. I moved here 21 years ago. Skis, bikes, and community service are my passions. Keystone is unique among local communities: a resort that also grew into a town.
My Keystone vision: • Peaceful, safe, and true to our mountain environment - I believe in traffic/pedestrian safety and low noise/light pollution • Livable, walkable, bikeable, bus-able, drive-able, park-able - Locals need places to live, and need to be able to get around town • Prosperous Responsibility
We can outcompete our neighbors without losing our soul, without taxing residents, and without irresponsible spending I believe representing you as a town councilor means inclusive leadership. I have the experience:
- 7 years on the board of directors of a nonprofit
Served both federal and local government agencies Current roles:
- Nurse Manager at our local hospital
- Lead Avalanche Faculty at Colorado Mountain College
- Team Leader with Summit County Rescue Group
- VP – Sonne HOA Board
Thank you for your consideration. We can do it! Keystone: Small but Mighty!
Valerie Thisted, Councilmember
I am a Colorado native who grew up in a similar, nearby mountain community, so I’ve seen the impact of
unchecked change and growth on the place I once loved and grew-up in. My husband and I have owned
in Keystone for 15 years and lived here for five. Keystone is home, and we have three kids who attend
elementary and high school in the Summit School District. My most recent professional background and
master’s degree is in social work, which is a service based and community focused profession. As a
social worker, I have experience in schools, nonprofit, and hospital psychiatric care. While in nonprofit, I
led the administration of national standards for Advocates for Children, which entailed assessing and
implementing our agency’s best practices, policies, and procedures. I also served on the Colorado
Alliance for Drug Endangered Children’s Ongoing Services Subcommittee, which was a multidisciplinary
committee charged with developing best practices, protocols and policy recommendations. Locally, I have
perspective as a second homeowner, short-term rental owner, and full time resident-owner. My
investment in this community led me to serve on the board of the Keystone Owners Association, and on
the boards of two different homeowners associations. Currently, I serve my neighborhood as the association
president.
I am very passionate, bordering on desperate, about the need to become an official town. I have been
supporting the effort and working behind the scenes in every way possible because I firmly believe that
everything we know and love is on the line. I am not a public person by nature. I have zero special
interests or agendas. I am weary of broken bureaucracies and overspending. My vision is to see our
special community preserved and to be able to pass that legacy on to my kids. I am running for the
Charter Commission because I see the need for local, well-intended, qualified people to step up and roll
up their sleeves, so we aren’t at the mercy of those who do have special interests or agendas. This is a
once in a lifetime opportunity, and we need to get it right!