Meet the Board
Steve Johnson, President
Raised in Colorado Springs by a pro rodeo cowboy and a school secretary, Steve graduated from William Mitchell High School and went on to get his BA at Colorado State University and his JD from the University of Idaho. Eschewing the practice of law and the Marine Corps JAG unit for the world of telephony and a better paying future, he joined AT&T when it was an evil monopoly and spent his career in high tech sales and marketing where the internet was born. Along the way, he found the love of his life, Barbara, and fathered two wonderful daughters who taught him patience, understanding, and hundreds of new ways to spend every dollar earned. Realizing the value of a dollar saved is greater than one spent, he became an investor, learned many of the ways one can be fleeced by Wall Street, and still managed to retire in 2015. Steve has lived in Bayfield and Durango since 2004, built his home in Durango, and has taught Know Your Dough classes for the past five years. Steve spearheads KYD's Young Adult Education. He enjoys gardening, travel, fishing, golf with other bad golfers, does volunteer work for CASA, and serves on several La Plata County Boards and Commissions.
Raised in Colorado Springs by a pro rodeo cowboy and a school secretary, Steve graduated from William Mitchell High School and went on to get his BA at Colorado State University and his JD from the University of Idaho. Eschewing the practice of law and the Marine Corps JAG unit for the world of telephony and a better paying future, he joined AT&T when it was an evil monopoly and spent his career in high tech sales and marketing where the internet was born. Along the way, he found the love of his life, Barbara, and fathered two wonderful daughters who taught him patience, understanding, and hundreds of new ways to spend every dollar earned. Realizing the value of a dollar saved is greater than one spent, he became an investor, learned many of the ways one can be fleeced by Wall Street, and still managed to retire in 2015. Steve has lived in Bayfield and Durango since 2004, built his home in Durango, and has taught Know Your Dough classes for the past five years. Steve spearheads KYD's Young Adult Education. He enjoys gardening, travel, fishing, golf with other bad golfers, does volunteer work for CASA, and serves on several La Plata County Boards and Commissions.
John Ogier, Vice-President
John contributes his energy and knowledge from a long career in finance, accounting and management to assist in spreading the mission of Know Your Dough in the Durango community. John has lived in the area for over 40 years, been involved in teaching at Fort Lewis and retired from Morgan Stanley. Staying involved with our youth by helping them gain valuable life skills is one of the many joys John is looking forward to as part of Know Your Dough.
John contributes his energy and knowledge from a long career in finance, accounting and management to assist in spreading the mission of Know Your Dough in the Durango community. John has lived in the area for over 40 years, been involved in teaching at Fort Lewis and retired from Morgan Stanley. Staying involved with our youth by helping them gain valuable life skills is one of the many joys John is looking forward to as part of Know Your Dough.
John Beekman, Treasurer
With a long career in tax, accounting and finance, John Beekmann, C.P.A is presently the owner of GoBlue, Inc. DBA Beekmann Financial Group in Durango. He looks forward to sharing with our youth as he brings his 27 years of experience to the educational arena with Know Your Dough.
With a long career in tax, accounting and finance, John Beekmann, C.P.A is presently the owner of GoBlue, Inc. DBA Beekmann Financial Group in Durango. He looks forward to sharing with our youth as he brings his 27 years of experience to the educational arena with Know Your Dough.
April Bates, Secretary
April is passionate about ensuring our younger generations are provided with a healthy financial knowledge base. There isn’t anything in life that doesn’t somehow involve money. She says, "I want our kids to know that they have choices, they don’t have to live according to how our media or world tells them, and there’s freedom in being the tortoise instead of the hare in life!" April's background is in Accounting and Finance Management and currently is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Distinctive Properties. She has been a volunteer with Know Your Dough in the classroom as well.
April is passionate about ensuring our younger generations are provided with a healthy financial knowledge base. There isn’t anything in life that doesn’t somehow involve money. She says, "I want our kids to know that they have choices, they don’t have to live according to how our media or world tells them, and there’s freedom in being the tortoise instead of the hare in life!" April's background is in Accounting and Finance Management and currently is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Distinctive Properties. She has been a volunteer with Know Your Dough in the classroom as well.
Laurel Waller, Member At-Large
As a 5th generation Durango native, Laurel has spent her life as an entrepreneur, which runs deep in her family. She is a graduate of University of Colorado, manages 3 family businesses with one of her brothers, takes care of her elderly parents and has been a Real Estate broker for 23 years. The past 21 years have been spent rearing two daughters and playing a heavy role in the schools in parent organizations, school based health, testing and an After Prom event aimed to keep prom goers safe on the most dangerous night of the year. Laurel has also served as a board member for the Volunteers of America and participates in Habitat for Humanity builds whenever possible. Laurel's passion for Know Your Dough stems from watching young adults struggle with money management, student loans and basic financial principles.
As a 5th generation Durango native, Laurel has spent her life as an entrepreneur, which runs deep in her family. She is a graduate of University of Colorado, manages 3 family businesses with one of her brothers, takes care of her elderly parents and has been a Real Estate broker for 23 years. The past 21 years have been spent rearing two daughters and playing a heavy role in the schools in parent organizations, school based health, testing and an After Prom event aimed to keep prom goers safe on the most dangerous night of the year. Laurel has also served as a board member for the Volunteers of America and participates in Habitat for Humanity builds whenever possible. Laurel's passion for Know Your Dough stems from watching young adults struggle with money management, student loans and basic financial principles.
Joe Kusar, Member At-Large
Joe is the newest member of the Board at Know Your Dough. Joe is a Certified Financial Planner with Raymond James. He is a graduate of Western State College of Colorado and earned his Masters of Business Administration at Georgia State University. Joe is very involved in the community. He was a founding member, past president and treasurer of The Arc of Southwest Colorado Board of Trustees; a board member and past president of United Way of Southwest Colorado; a board member of the Durango Arts Center; and Durango School District 9-R board member. In 2023, he was honored for his community service by the Durango Chamber of Commerce, which named him the Bill Mashaw Volunteer of the Year. Joe and his wife, Mika, have lived in Durango since 2009 and are raising two sons, Cole and Tatum. In their free time, the family enjoys alpine skiing, hiking and biking in the surrounding San Juan mountains. Joe is a Certified Alpine Level 3 Ski Instructor and has been teaching skiing for 27 years in Colorado and Australia.
Joe is the newest member of the Board at Know Your Dough. Joe is a Certified Financial Planner with Raymond James. He is a graduate of Western State College of Colorado and earned his Masters of Business Administration at Georgia State University. Joe is very involved in the community. He was a founding member, past president and treasurer of The Arc of Southwest Colorado Board of Trustees; a board member and past president of United Way of Southwest Colorado; a board member of the Durango Arts Center; and Durango School District 9-R board member. In 2023, he was honored for his community service by the Durango Chamber of Commerce, which named him the Bill Mashaw Volunteer of the Year. Joe and his wife, Mika, have lived in Durango since 2009 and are raising two sons, Cole and Tatum. In their free time, the family enjoys alpine skiing, hiking and biking in the surrounding San Juan mountains. Joe is a Certified Alpine Level 3 Ski Instructor and has been teaching skiing for 27 years in Colorado and Australia.
