Carlos Ramos Luján is a native of the Roaring Fork Valley and a luxury real estate broker, known for his warm presence and well-informed approach. Committed to long-term community development and the local business landscape, Carlos offers a steady hand and a native’s perspective on the future of the Valley. He serves on the Sol del Valle Advisory Council because he believes the Spanish-speaking community needs the solutions and information the newspaper provides. Specifically, he feels there is a significant lack of access to accurate information in Spanish about the real estate sector overall and he wants to be part of a publication that helps bridge that gap. His favorite books are those that challenge his reality; in fact, he prefers readings that make him slightly uncomfortable.
Gladys Arango Marcon is a proud Colombian who has called the United States home for eight years. Here she has built a life with her husband, and although her son remains in Colombia, they are the driving force that motivates her to give her best every day. Although she is a certified public accountant by profession, her true calling has always been service. Today, she has the privilege of working as community liaison coordinator for the City of Glenwood Springs and as a member of the Sol del Valle Advisory Council. On the council, her motivation is to ensure that her community’s voice is heard and that information serves as a tool for unity and progress for all. For a long time, she did not identify with her name, Carmen (she actually didn’t like it); she was told it was a name of “strength,” but it was difficult for her to make it her own.
Klaus Kocher has lived in Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. He is a photojournalist and adjunct professor at the Isaacson School at Colorado Mountain College. He holds a master of fine arts in photography from Ohio University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business and another in food technology from Iowa State University. He has received numerous awards from the Denver Photographic Society, was a finalist in the Gordon Parks Photography Competition and earned an honorable mention in Rotary International’s photography contest. Klaus continues to work as a freelance photographer based in Glenwood Springs. He is always traveling the world with a camera in hand and loves teaching darkroom photography. What motivates him to be part of this council is his belief that information is power; the more we know, the smarter the decisions we can make. As a Swiss man with three brothers, their names are Fritz, Klaus, Walter and Hans.
Lorena Gallegos was born and raised in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. She has been part of this incredible community for more than two decades. Through her work, her children’s schools and the organizations where she participates and shares her mission, she has had the honor of meeting, working with and collaborating with remarkable people who have left a lasting mark on her life — and from whom great friendships have grown. She is the mother of four wonderful children and is proud of each of them; by her side is a husband who loves and supports her on both good days and difficult ones. She also has a grandson who has brought joy to their lives. She is a woman of faith and also believes in destiny. Like everyone, she has a story that continues to be written each day. She wants to keep supporting her community, as she firmly believes they can create positive change.She is very introverted, but her facial expressions say everything.
Martha Elena Márquez is or-
iginally from Mexico City. She worked as a professor and project coordinator at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) for 29 years. She holds a PhD in science and technology studies, as well as two master’s degrees in related fields completed in Spain and Mexico. She currently works as a librarian at the Pitkin County Library and also collaborates with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus on brain cancer research groups. She balances her professional life with personal interests such as jogging, hiking, reading and traveling. She feels privileged to be part of the Sol del Valle Advisory Council, as it gives her the opportunity to be close to the Roaring Fork Valley community, learn about its needs, recognize its strengths, and think about how to contribute solutions. As a native of Mexico City, she puts lime on every savory dish — but she doesn’t eat spicy food, nor does she dance “banda” or “tropical” music.
Raleigh Burleigh was born in Glenwood Springs and spent his youth in Carbondale and the surrounding area. At the age of 16, he went to live for a year with a family in Chile as a Rotary International exchange student. From that experience grew his love for Spanish and his passion for learning about other cultures. He returned to South America several times over the years. At 23, he landed back in his hometown and began working as news director at KDNK. In 2021, while serving as editor of the Sopris Sun, he created a new Spanish-language publication to serve the Roaring Fork Valley and called it “El Sol del Valle.” He is motivated to serve on the Sol del Valle council to do what he can to ensure it endures. A little-known fact about Raleigh is that he is an aspiring tattoo artist.
Rosa Santiago was born in the beautiful state of Jalisco, Mexico.
Her parents brought her to the United States when she was 2 years old. She has lived in Colorado for 30 years. She is the mother of three wonderful children and three wonderful grandchildren, who bring her great joy. She has the pleasure of volunteering with several organizations that are part of the community, one of them being Sol del Valle. She joined Sol del Valle because she was deeply interested in the importance of Spanish-speaking people having access to a newspaper in their own language. It brings her great joy to know that Sol del Valle has reached several towns in the community and is making a difference in each household. She feels very grateful to Sol del Valle for giving her the opportunity to be part of it. Rosa loves having a flower garden, growing vegetables and sharing her harvest with neighbors and friends.