Richard Werner | President & CEO
rwerner@upstatecolorado.org
Rich has 19 years of experience in all facets of economic development. He joined Upstate Colorado Economic Development in his current role as President & CEO in 2015. Upstate Colorado operates in Weld County in Northern Colorado where they have partnered with local communities to support the unprecedented growth making Northern Colorado one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. Prior to joining Upstate, Rich worked in Southern Colorado for six years. Rich has previously served as the Associate Director for the State of Colorado Small Business Development Centers for Former Governor Bill Owens and Bill Ritter. Prior to his appointment by the State, he acted as the Director of Marketing and Community Affairs for the Boulder Technology Incubator (CTEK).
Rich spent his early career in the private sector in Washington DC after receiving degrees in Political Science and Communications from The American University.
Audrey Herbison | Director of Economic Development
aherbison@upstatecolorado.org
Audrey is the Director of Economic Development for Upstate Colorado. Her daily activities include leveraging data and industry resources for prospect attraction and business expansion activities. Prior to joining Upstate, Audrey worked as the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Greeley, with a primary focus on site selection, assisting businesses to traverse the expansion process, and preparing City development incentives.
Audrey attended the University of Northern Colorado, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. As a long-time Northern Colorado resident, Audrey enjoys the sunshine and being active with her dog Wiley.
Alison Pegg | Regional Grants Navigator
apegg@upstatecolorado.org
Alison serves Region 2 as the Regional Grants Navigator. Her role is to assist local governments within Larimer and Weld Counties connect to and secure funding from federal grants to help support local infrastructure.
Alison moved to Colorado nine years ago and has lived in Northern Colorado for four years. She attended Loyola Marymount University for her undergraduate degree in Political Science and the University of Colorado for her Master’s in Business Administration. Outside of work, Alison and her husband are loving watching their toddler daughter grow and introducing her to the great Colorado outdoors through gardening, long walks, and bike rides.
Cassidy Stubblefield | Director of Industry Partnerships and Special Projects/Weld County Enterprise Zone Administrator
cstubblefield@upstatecolorado.org
Cassidy joined Upstate Colorado in 2020 and is responsible for industry partnerships, special projects and Enterprise Zone administration. Her role involves regional industry coordination, resource navigation, and the management of special initiatives. Cassidy also administers the Weld County Enterprise zone.
Cassidy graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. When she isn’t at work, you can find Cassidy spending time with her family and friends, and enjoying all Northern Colorado has to offer.
Ellie Downey | Economic Data Analyst
edowney@upstatecolorado.org
Ellie is the Economic Data Analyst at Upstate Colorado, where she collects, cleans, and analyzes regional data to support business growth, workforce development, and strategic decision-making. She prepares internal reports, monitors trends in employment and industry growth, and turns complex data into actionable insights that benefit Northern Colorado communities. Ellie graduated summa cum laude from the University of Northern Colorado with degrees in Economics and International Relations, and will be attending King’s College London September 2026 to pursue a graduate degree in International Political Economy. Her work focuses on making regional data practical, meaningful, and impactful for the communities and businesses that rely on it.
When she’s not knee-deep in Excel sheets, Ellie enjoys reading, keeping up on global affairs, and soaking up the Colorado sunshine, unless she’s heading north to Alaska to spend time with her family.
Steve Moos | K12 Work-Based Learning Business Liaison
smoos@upstatecolorado.org
Steve serves as the K12 Work-Based Learning Business Liaison at Upstate Colorado, where he supports Weld County school districts RE-3J, RE-4, and RE-5J in developing new work-based learning opportunities for students. Prior to joining Upstate, he was the CTE Director for the Thompson School District, where he led the design and programming for the Thompson Career Campus. Earlier in his career, he taught high school business and video production courses and coached basketball in the Yampa Valley.
Steve earned both his undergraduate degree in Marketing and his MBA from Colorado State University. Outside of work, you’ll most likely find him fly fishing or cheering at a high school or college basketball game.
