Get To Know Your Co-op Leaders
As a cooperative, United Power is governed by a member-elected board of directors. The board, which meets monthly, is responsible for helping to set guidelines for our operation, oversee the costs and spending at the cooperative, and to help plan our future direction.
Ursula J. Morgan
Director Morgan's Profile:
Ursula J. Morgan is a wife, mother of two, and a Colorado native. She has been a resident of Mead and a member of United Power since 1995, and has worked as a real estate appraiser as well as in e-commerce and senior healthcare/hospice.
Morgan is the current United Power Board Chair. While serving as a director, she has held numerous positions, including Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer. She attended the University of Northern Colorado, and has completed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Board Leadership Certificate program and the Credentialed Cooperative Director program courses. Morgan also maintains the Director Gold credential requirements for continuing education with the NRECA. Additionally, she has completed training and advanced training programs for elected officials through the Colorado Municipal League (CML). Morgan is a volunteer for The Children’s Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Children’s Miracle Network.
Director Morgan previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Town of Mead, including serving as Mayor Pro Tem; she also served as one of the Town of Mead’s Planning and Zoning Commissioners. Morgan served on the board of directors for the Denver Regional Council of Governments, as a Policy Setting Committee member with CML, and on the Transportation and Air Quality Planning Councils for the Upper Front Range and North Front Range of Colorado. Morgan has also served as a committee member for the Colorado Women in Government, and she is a past president of the Weld County Positive Partnerships.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Brian A. McCormick
Director McCormick's Profile:
Brian McCormick is self-employed. He previously worked as a programmer analyst for the City of Thornton, an IT specialist for the City of Greeley, and as wastewater and stormwater maintenance supervisor for the City of Boulder. McCormick received a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. McCormick served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, holding a number of leadership roles with the 25th Infantry Division. He later served as a Captain in the Colorado Army National Guard.
McCormick is the current United Power Board Vice-Chair. He has been a United Power member since 2001 and has served on the United Power Board since 2009, having previously held the positions Board President and Chairman (2015-17) as well as Board Vice President (2013-15). Additionally, he represented United Power on the Western United Electric Supply Corporation Board (2010-20) and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Board (2020-23).
McCormick is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society. He has completed all the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold Credential programs.
Director McCormick, his wife, Jill, and their children, Allison and James, live in Frederick.
Email Director Brian McCormick
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Keith Alquist
Director Alquist's Profile:
Keith Alquist II has been on the United Power Board since 2017 and is currently the Board Treasurer. He is honored to serve the member/owners of United Power at this time with all of the changes happening in the electric distribution industry and is proud of the emphasis United Power places on safety for its employees and members. Director Alquist is a member of the Board’s Audit Committee and has completed all three levels of the director education program offered by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), which includes the Credentialed Cooperative Director program, the Board Leadership program, and the Director Gold program. He is also a board member for Western United Electric Supply Corporation and serves on its Audit Committee.
Director Alquist has been a Brighton resident since 1992 and brings a rich background in cooperative business and an extensive knowledge of the United Power community to this position.
Alquist served as Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of American Pride Co-op (a local agricultural cooperative) for 20 years, retiring from that position after the co-op merged with AgLand to form Agfinity in 2012. In that role, he served cooperative members throughout the Brighton, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Firestone, and Mead areas. He is a long-term member of the National Association of Accountants for Cooperatives (NSAC) which also serves electric cooperatives. Previous career positions include Manager of Information Systems for Farmland Industries, where he developed and implemented accounting systems for agricultural cooperatives throughout the Midwest, and Senior Systems Engineer for Hesston Corporation. Alquist continues to be involved in farming and outdoor activities.
Director Alquist and his wife Julie raised four children in Brighton, and he is an active community member and member of the Rotary Club of Brighton. Some of his favorite Rotary projects include the dictionary project for third grade students and the distribution of U.S. Constitution booklets for fifth grade students in the Brighton and Henderson elementary schools.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Stephen Whiteside
Director Whiteside's Profile:
Stephen Whiteside currently serves the Mountain District as a United Power Director. Elected to the cooperative’s board in 2021, Whiteside is Board Secretary as well as a member of the Audit Committee; he previously served as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer. Whiteside has completed director education courses provided by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association – attaining the Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate, completing the Board Leadership Certificate program, and earning the Director Gold designation. Prior to joining the United Power Board, he served on the cooperative’s Election Credentials Committee and volunteered as a Director on the United Power Round Up Foundation Board for 16 years.
Whiteside is a native Coloradoan, a graduate of the University of Colorado, and is a self-employed entrepreneur and business owner for over 40 years.
Director Whiteside believes in the cooperative business model. United Power is a not-for-profit cooperative with one overarching goal – to serve its member/owners with reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. Whiteside supports an all-of-the-above approach as United Power navigates the challenges of an evolving regulatory environment and emerging energy technologies.
Director Whiteside is proud of United Power’s successful years long effort to become a completely independent distribution cooperative. This accomplishment will allow United Power to self-select a portfolio of power resources that best suits cooperative members’ needs.
“My wife Sara and I are longtime residents of Coal Creek Canyon and members of the Cooperative since 1985. We raised our family here. We have always been able to count on United Power to provide reliable electric power. As a member-owned utility, United Power is a great neighbor and a valued part of our mountain community.”
Email Director Stephen Whiteside
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Tamra Waltemath
Director Waltemath's Profile
Tamra Waltemath is an attorney who has had her own practice in Westminster since 1994. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, and she attained her law degree from Denver University Law School.
Waltemath has served as a United Power Director from the Mountain District since 2017. During this time, she served as Assistant Secretary/Treasurer as well as Secretary. She has also served on many committees, including the Bylaw Committee and Audit Committee.
Waltemath has volunteered in her community for many years, through the Colorado Bar Association as a member of the Elder Law Committee, at the Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association (CCCIA) near her home, and she serves her church in various roles. Waltemath has served on the CCCIA Board since 2005, holding the positions of President, Vice President, and chair for the 4th of July festival.
Director Waltemath is the mother of an amazing daughter, and she has been widowed since 2012. She enjoys skiing, hiking, and loves her two golden retrievers and most dogs.
Email Director Tamra Waltemath
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Ginny Buczek
Director Buczek's Profile:
Ginny Buczek has lived in Firestone for more than 30 years. Her work experience includes hardware store manager, head buyer and merchandiser for a chain of home centers, and as a key accounts manager for Chevron. Buczek attended Red Rocks Community College studying accounting, business management, and economics. She received the Colorado Municipal League’s Elected Officials Advanced Training certification.
During Buczek’s tenure on the United Power Board, she has served as President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, and currently chairs the Audit Committee. Buczek is United Power’s representative on the Colorado Rural Electric Association Board (CREA), where she is CREA Board President and serves on the Executive and Policy Committees. She previously served as CREA’s Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer as well as Budget and Finance Chair. Additionally, Buczek represents United Power on Tri-State Generation and Transmission’s Contract Committee.
Buczek served on the Weld County Council (2005-2012), where she was President in 2008 and Vice-President in 2007 and 2012. She served on the Technical Committee for the Southwest Weld Study, served as chair and co-chair for the Firestone Planning Commission, and served on the Firestone Park Commission. Buczek also served on the Firestone Board of Trustees and as a director for the Tri-Area Ambulance Service and the Tri-Area Planning Commission. She was a United Power Round Up Foundation Director from 2003-2008, and served on the United Power Consumer Resource Committee in 1998, 2001, and 2003.
Director Buczek has been active in many civic groups including 4-H, Girl Scouts, Relay for Life, Neighborhood Watch, and at Frederick High School. She is a member of the West Point Parents Club, has served on congressional and senatorial military academy boards, and is a member of Weld County’s Bright Futures Advisory Board.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Brad Case
Director Case's Profile:
Brad Case is the owner and operator of Case Powdercoating in Brighton. He previously worked at Majestic Metals, a precision manufacturing shop, for 34 years. His experience includes project management, shop manager, purchasing manager, and shipping manager. He managed million dollar projects from inception to completion for new and existing clients.
Case has lived in the United Power territory his entire life, and has served on the United Power Board since 2021, representing the South District. He attained the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director certificate in November 2021, and is the cooperative’s representative for Midwest Electric, Inc., Southeastern Data Cooperative, Inc., and Western United Electric.
Having grown up on the Case family farm off Bromley Road, Case is an active member in the Brighton community. He earned a computer science degree from the Denver Institute of Technology, and served his community for seven years as Reserve Lieutenant officer for the Brighton Police Department.
Director Case currently resides in Brighton with his wife of thirty years, who is a special education teacher at Southeast Elementary.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Steve Douglas
Director Douglas's Profile:
Steve Douglas has been a resident of Colorado for over 61 years. He is the Mayor of Commerce City, following his previous role as an At-Large Councilmember for the city from 2011 to 2019. In 2023, he became a board member for United Power, marking a historic moment as the first African American to hold this position, where he brings a unique perspective and set of experiences.
Douglas is a strong proponent of transitioning to an equitable, renewable energy economy through electrification, with a focus on battery storage, micro-grids, and electric vehicles to include trucking. In 2019, he was appointed to the Regional Air Quality Council by Governor Polis, reflecting his commitment to environmental causes. He has also spearheaded initiatives such as installing electric vehicle charging stations at the Commerce City Bison Recreation Center and launching the Mow Down Lawn Mower program, which encourages residents to switch to electric lawn care equipment.
In terms of governance and advocacy, Director Douglas has contributed to various committees and boards, including the National League of Cities’ Federal Advocacy Committees for Transportation and Infrastructure Services, as well as Energy, Environment, and Nature Resources. He has also been active in the Commerce City Legislative Committee, Northeast Transportation Connections, the Colorado Municipal League’s Policy Committee, and the E-470 Board.
Douglas recently retired from King Soopers after a 46-year career, during which he was an active member of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW). His leadership and dedication have been recognized with awards from LOGIC, King Soopers, and the PVHS School of Business.
Douglas has lived in Commerce City for 20 years, sharing his life with his wife, five children, and six grandchildren. He completed undergraduate studies in Accounting, Business Management, and Economics at Arapahoe Community College. Currently, Douglas has recently completed the Credentialed Cooperative Director program and the Board Leadership Certificate course. He’s now pursuing the Director Gold Credential through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's program – all within his first year of a three-year term.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Beth Martin
Director Martin's Profile:
Elizabeth “Beth” Martin has been honored to serve on the United Power Board since 2010. She owns Red Shoes Realty, and together with her husband David has owned the Pepper Pod Restaurant in Hudson since 1977.
Martin has previously held the positions of Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary, Vice Chair, and Board Chair. She has completed all the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director, Board Leadership, and Director Gold Credential programs. Additionally, Martin holds a BA from CU Boulder and has completed her CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), MCNE (Master Certified Negotiation Expert), GRI, and ePRO designations in real estate.
Martin served as Mayor Pro-Tem of Hudson as well as the Finance and Administration Officer. She is a past president of the Brighton Kiwanis Club, having served as a director for the organization since 2008. She served on the board of directors for Kidz Quiltz, and is a founding director for the Hudson Harvest Festival.
Director Martin volunteers or has volunteered at the Adams County Animal Shelter, Brighton Housing Justice, Special Olympics, Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Salvation Army. She’s active in her church and a member of America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC (formerly ACRE), Colorado Advocates for Rural Electrification, National Association of REALTORS®, Denver Regional Board of REALTORS®, and Colorado Association of REALTORS®.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
James Vigesaa
Director Vigesaa's Profile:
James Vigesaa has been a United Power Director since 2011, holding numerous Board offices, including Chairman, Vice-Chairman, President, Vice President, and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer.
Vigesaa has served as Board Chairman of the Brighton Economic Development Corporation. He also supports Boy Scouts as a technical advisor for Eagle Scout projects for Brighton Troop 315.
Director Vigesaa is the CEO and owner of BVB General Contractors located in Brighton. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and is a U.S. Army veteran of the Nebraska National Guard.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Paige Wagner-Maul
Director Wagner-Maul's Profile:
Paige Wagner-Maul is honored to be the newest member of the United Power Board of Directors after being elected in April 2024 to serve the cooperative’s Central District.
Director Wagner-Maul’s professional experience spans more than four decades in the utility industry, with a focus on customer service, customer growth, design, and install and maintenance for gas and electric distribution. Wagner-Maul worked for Xcel Energy for 42 years, having started as a file clerk at the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant, located in Platteville, CO. Over the span of her career, she held various positions, including Electric Meter Manger; Gas Operations Manager; Design Manager; and Director, Electric Distribution & Utility Services. Additionally, she served as a safety champion for 10 years, and was a member of her former employer’s Apprentice Oversight and Employee Engagement committees.
Previously, Wagner-Maul served on the United Power Round Up Foundation Board, where she held various officer positions including Vice President and Alternate Secretary. She is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (Elks Lodge #1586), attends Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Wattenburg, and volunteers at Weld Food Bank.
Director Wagner-Maul is a native of Colorado, raised in rural Fort Lupton on a dairy farm. She graduated from Fort Lupton High School, and currently lives in the Brighton area with her husband Larry; together, they have three adult children and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include gardening, home projects, camping, reading, golf, sewing, and spending time with family and friends.
When asked why she wanted to serve on the United Power Board, Wagner-Maul responded that “once you have the utility blood in your veins, it is hard to walk away from; with the knowledge I have, I felt it would be a great opportunity for me to serve the members of United Power.”
Email Director Paige Wagner-Maul
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this biography are those of this individual board member and do not represent the official position or policy of United Power or the cooperative’s board of directors.
Mark A. Gabriel
Mark A. Gabriel
Mark A. Gabriel joined United Power as the cooperative’s President and CEO in March 2021. Under Gabriel’s leadership, United Power has been recognized as the 31st cooperative to reach 100,000 meters served, interconnected its 10,000th rooftop solar system, and been named a Solar and Storage Champion by the Colorado Solar and Storage Association. Gabriel is instrumental in championing Our Cooperative Roadmap, United Power’s long-term action plan to ensure the cooperative’s future as an industry leader in an evolving utility landscape. He also works to advance grid modernization and resiliency across the country as the current chair of the GridWise Alliance Board of Directors.
Prior to joining United Power, Gabriel served as the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Western Area Power Administration for eight years. He managed the nonprofit federal organization, marketing and delivering low-cost federal hydropower from 57 hydroelectric plants to nearly 700 wholesale customers across 15 states.
Gabriel has served in numerous energy-related positions throughout his career, including executive roles at Black & Veatch Management Consulting, which develops energy solutions in the areas of electricity, water, oil and gas, and cybersecurity, as well as the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) where he served as acting president for EPRI Traditional and Client Relations and as the Global Marketing Officer. While at EPRI, he led the nationwide collaborative effort known as the Electricity Sector Framework for the Future.
Gabriel is a popular speaker and award-winning author. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Fordham University in New York and completed the coursework for a Master of Science in administration and management from St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont.
Jan Kulmann
Jan Kulmann
Jan Kulmann, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, joined United Power in December 2023. Kulmann is a licensed professional engineer who brings nearly 25 years of experience in the energy arena. Her background includes work in the utility industry and the oil and gas sector. She has provided direction and strategic leadership for the development of design and engineering standards and compliance programs for natural gas pipeline and electric infrastructure; the management of drilling, completion, and production facilities; and environmental, health, safety, and regulatory programs as well as strategic technical initiatives related to emissions reduction efforts, electrical power transitions, automation, process safety, and mechanical integrity.
Before coming to United Power, Kulmann served as Xcel Energy’s Senior Director of Standards & Compliance Program Development where she was responsible for the comprehensive design and engineering standards in order for the utility to achieve the clean energy transition while balancing risk, system reliability, resource adequacy, and safety.
Kulmann began her electric utility career at CenterPoint Energy in Texas, where she planned, organized, coordinated, and directed the utility’s relay and supervisory control and data acquisition design group, electrical and structural design group, and substation construction design standards and materials group in the design and construction of distribution substation projects across the Houston metro area.
Kulmann earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, along with a minor in music performance, from Louisiana State University and a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University. Additionally, she was re-elected to her second term as Mayor of Thornton, Colorado, in November 2023.
Robin Z. Meidhof
Robin Meidhof
Robin Z. Meidhof, United Power’s Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. She has extensive regulatory, policy, and in-house counsel experience in the electric utility sector.
After several years in private practice as a litigator, Meidhof began her utility industry career as an attorney in the Office of Enforcement, Division of Investigations, for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and later served as Legal and Policy Advisor to FERC Commissioner Tony Clark. She then served as Senior Attorney for Southern California Edison Company, leading a wide range of regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission.
Prior to arriving at United Power, Meidhof held the position of Deputy Attorney General of the Revenue and Utilities Section of the Colorado Office of the Attorney General, where she helped drive innovative leadership initiatives and led a team of legal professionals who represented the Department of Revenue, Trial Staff at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, the Property Tax Administrator, Division of Housing, and all statewide clients in bankruptcy matters.
Meidhof joined United Power in July 2023 to represent the interests of all cooperative members as our cooperative prepares for a May 1, 2024 exit from Tri-State Generation and Transmission. Her level of expertise with demand management programs, customer service initiatives, power procurement contracts, and compliance with regulatory requirements ensures United Power has the level of expertise needed to represent the interests of its members before both state and federal agencies.
Trista L. Fugate
Trista L. Fugate
Trista L. Fugate was named United Power’s Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer in January 2022. She is responsible for leading the member services team and key account management activities as well as directing all phases of the cooperative’s member marketing and energy program initiatives, including residential and commercial and industrial programs, products, and services.
Before joining United Power, Fugate served as Platte River Power Authority’s Director of Community and Government Affairs, where she led strategic outreach efforts to build and strengthen relationships with stakeholders, community partners, and organizations within the utility’s owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, CO. She also directed the communications and marketing team, responsible for developing all internal and external communications, including promotional materials for energy efficiency offerings, and oversaw the Efficiency WorksTM programs, providing technical and financial support to help customers use energy more wisely.
Fugate has more than 20 years of experience working across the spectrum of the electric utility industry, having held positions at a municipal electric utility, a distribution cooperative, and a generation and transmission utility. She worked for CPS Energy in San Antonio, the nation’s largest municipal utility, and held leadership roles with Pedernales Electric Cooperative, which serves more than 400,000 active accounts in central Texas. During her career, Fugate has focused on strategic communications and marketing, community and economic development, community engagement, conservation and energy efficiency, corporate social responsibility, local government relations, and public affairs.
A native Texan, Fugate graduated with honors from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and a Master of Public Administration.
Dean Hubbuck
Dean Hubbuck
Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Senior Vice President and Chief Energy Resource Officer, has over 30 years of experience working as a utility consultant and engineer.
Hubbuck began his utility career working for Public Service Company of Colorado (before it became Xcel Energy), where he worked with large commercial, industrial, and politically sensitive customers on issues related to distribution, transmission, generation, rates and regulatory. He provided guidance to customers and staff regarding the integration of key energy commodities, including electric, gas, thermal energy and chilled water. He then joined two different utility consulting firms where he focused on distribution and transmission assets, asset management, system analysis, and outage management, both domestically and internationally, before joining United Power in August 2003.
At United Power, Hubbuck has held technical and management positions with increasing responsibility. His roles have been related to distribution management, distributed energy resources, transmission, rates, tariffs, regulatory filings, and power supply. Currently, he manages all rate and power supply negotiations on behalf of United Power, and has played a key role in the cooperative’s discussions with Tri-State Generation and Transmission as it negotiates its May 1, 2024 exit in order to achieve a more renewable and sustainable energy supply while maintaining rate stability for members. In this capacity, he has provided testimony on issues before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Hubbuck is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.
Alie Beauchamp
Alie Beauchamp
Bio coming soon.
Erin Hane
Erin Hane
Erin Hane, United Power’s Chief Human Resources Officer, joined United Power in April 2018 with nearly two decades of experience in all aspects of Human Resources.
At United Power, Hane is responsible for developing and executing human resource strategy in support of the overall business plan and strategic direction of the organization, specifically in the areas of labor and employee relations, succession planning, talent management, process improvement, performance management, training and development, compensation, and facilities management.
Prior to United Power, Erin served in key HR roles at the City of Boulder, El Dorado County in California, and various educational institutions and financial organizations. Noteworthy accomplishments include managing multiple organization-wide classification and compensation studies, updating policies, negotiating union contracts, and implementing ERP systems. Hane’s contributions have been recognized through awards such as the Co-Op Rising Star Award from RE Magazine in September 2021 and being recognized as one of the Notable Women in Human Resources by BizWest in November 2021. These accolades reflect her outstanding contributions to the field, particularly in talent acquisition, employee engagement, and navigating organizational change.
Hane's diverse background in both the public and private sector, along with her commitment to strategic leadership, fostering employee engagement and labor relations, underscores her versatility and dedication to support organizational success.
Hane holds a PHR, Master of Business Administration from Regis University in Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Human Resource Management from California State University – Sacramento.