About Us

Commissioner 

Sandy is an elected County Commissioner, serving on the GROC Executive Committee, representing Gilpin County residents and county programs. Commissioners are responsible for making final decisions on adopting county policies, programs, and the annual budget while maintaining an awareness of staff capacity. With decades of experience as a Social Worker, their work has focused on housing and human services for youth, families, individuals with disabilities, older adults, and caregivers. This includes assisting those with limited resources by explaining and connecting them to community services.

Additionally, they have taught seminars on topics related to individuals with mental illness residing in public or assisted housing, hoarding, prescription drug use, caregiving, and navigating complex life challenges. A key aspect of their role has been identifying service gaps, organizing and promoting supportive services, and launching new programs to benefit the broader community. They have also supervised teams of caseworkers and interns in related fields.

For GROC, they play an important role in evaluating applications for innovative and resilient programming aimed at improving access to substance use recovery. As a representative, they advocate not only for the county but for people across all stages of life, championing the dignity of individuals. Their work includes promoting and expanding agency services to support recovery efforts for residents, visitors, the business community, and the jail population—enhancing overall community health. Through interagency and intra-county collaboration, they help strengthen public-private partnerships to better serve people. They are also committed to listening and learning from those with lived experiences different from their own and from others on the Council.

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GROC Chair & Jefferson County Commissioner

Lesley’s career has focused on what she loves most – helping people, solving complex problems, and giving back to our community. Her 30 years of experience includes serving as a senior-level executive in both the private and nonprofit sectors with a focus on strategic communications, community engagement, and public policy. She also founded a national award-winning communications firm. Her career began as a journalist for Colorado Public Radio where she contributed stories to NPR and the BBC and won national awards for investigative and documentary reporting. Lesley was re-elected to a second term as a Jefferson County Commissioner in 2022 and is the chair of the Board of County Commissioners as well as GROC. 

HIV & Harm Reduction Program Manager - Public Health

In his role on GROC, Michael serves as a subject matter expert in Harm Reduction, recovery support services, substance use treatment, and broader drug policy. Leveraging lived and living experience with drug use and a variety of intersecting issues, including chronic homelessness, HCV, opioid overdose, drug-related traumatic brain injury, and the criminalization of drug use including incarceration and compulsory treatment, Michael is deeply rooted in the mission of the Council. As a Public Health professional and Harm Reductionist working in Jefferson County for over 6 years, he also brings a unique perspective rooted in data, input from people who drugs (PWUD), first-hand experience, and helps facilitate access to the networks of community members most affected by drug use, overdose and our community's response to these issues.

In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time learning/discussing history, organizing in his community, and adventuring/exploring with his wife and dog.

Director, Jefferson County Human Services, Division of Children, Youth, Families and Adult Protection - Human Services

Barb Weinstein is Director of Jefferson County Division of Children, Youth, Families and Adult Protection where she has served the children and families of our community for over 23 years.  She is passionate about the safety and well being of children, families and vulnerable adults.  She believes strongly in a system of care where access to needed services are readily available and barriers are addressed for children to thrive in families and adults to thrive in communities. She firmly believes that children, families and adults hold the key to their own success and the duty is to help them find their path with support, empathy and respect.   She has been active at the local and state level providing leadership to enhance public/private relationships and fiscal issues related to service delivery.  

Mayor, City of Wheat Ridge - 

Rotating City (2024-2026)

Mayor Starker was elected Mayor of Wheat Ridge in 2017 after serving as a city councilman for four years. Starker is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the Mile High Flood District (MHFD), and serves as chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus Committee on Housing, Hunger and Homelessness. He serves on several community boards and is active on his church building committee.  He is a graduate of the University of Colorado (Boulder), is retired from a long career in the commercial construction industry and currently owns and manages a restaurant in Wheat Ridge.

At GROC, he serves as a voting member and on the Executive Committee, bringing a municipal, community and business perspective to an issue that is of primary concern to the residents of Jefferson County.

Director of Justice Services - 

Municipal or County Courts (2024-2026)

Kristin Heath has over 20 years of experience leading non-profit and local government justice system programs. As Program Director of an adult female residential program, she oversaw the successful implementation of numerous evidence-based practices and gender responsive programming. Specialized programs such as Intensive Residential Treatment and Residential Dual Diagnosis Treatment targeted substance use disorder and behavioral health needs to support rehabilitation and reintegration.  

In her current role as Director of Justice Services, Kristin oversees a range of programs and services are aimed at reducing recidivism, enhancing public safety, and supporting the functions of the local justice system. Kristin is experienced in building cross-system collaboration, program development, and implementation of data driven solutions. She has served on numerous system-wide committees to address key system challenges including sentencing reform and implementation of evidence-based practices in community corrections. She holds a Master of Criminal Justice degree from the University of Colorado Denver.