Julie Garside
Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director
Julie has lived in the Aspen Community for 30+ years. During that time, she has owned and operated a Property Management Company, as well as taught skiing/snowboarding for the Aspen Ski Co. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Arts & Science Degree in Art and Sociology. Julie is passionate about music, animals, hiking, skiing, architecture, and interior design.
Her dreams came true when she purchased Mad Dog Ranch+Studios from Legendary singer/songwriter Glenn Frey in 2016. She has spent years rehabbing and preserving the legacy of the storied property(previous to Glenn it was Jimmy Buffett’s retreat). Mad Dog is now a creative sanctuary for artists and musicians to come and be inspired, create, and absorb the hallowed grounds.
Julie believes deeply in the transformative and healing properties of music. She Co-Founded Inspire Aspen to bridge the gap to connect resources to aspiring artists and support creative expression through education and innovation.
Tami Word
Co-Founder, Co-Executive Director
Tami has lived in Snowmass Village for over 25 years. She was born and grew up on a farm in Rifle, Co learning to ski at Highlands at 2 yrs old. Although her family moved to Texas, the mountains never left her heart….
She is a highly requested Ski Pro on Aspen Mountain and Global Luxury Broker at Coldwell Banker Mason Morse on The Bineau Team.
After graduating from Texas A&M University in Political Science, she spent several years working in DC in the US House of Representatives, US Senate, and as a grassroots lobbyist before returning to her roots in her favorite mountain town.
Tami has a passion for skiing, mountain biking, climbing, paddling, and any wild adventure and all animals. She’s a singer/songwriter and music lover. She is an active member of Crossroads Church, on the development committee of Lift UP(serving those in the Roaring Fork Valley who are food insecure), and has been involved with a number of nonprofits over the years.
She Co-Founded Inspire Aspen with the desire to connect creatives with tools and resources to further their musical journey and keep the music culture alive and vibrant in Aspen/Snowmass and our valley.
Doug Gelpi
Program Development
Doug is a pianist/vocalist and music educator in the Roaring Fork Valley. He studied Jazz Piano Performance and Music Business at Loyola University New Orleans. Doug has gigged with several groups in the New Orleans area in some of the city’s most famous venues before relocating to the Roaring Fork Valley where he is currently the keyboardist for the Derek Brown Band. He is an experienced music and choir teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and is the music director for his church. Doug has worked as a teaching artist with Theatre Aspen Summer programs and currently runs his studio of private lesson students. He has also served as the musical director for several high school theatre productions and continues to work with and inspire the next generation of musicians in the Aspen Valley.
Board Members
Lisa Hatem
Lisa was born and raised in the Garden State, surrounded by horses and dairy farms. She spent most of her early years living and working in New York City before moving to Aspen 30 years ago. She previously owned a boutique wine shop and wine bar in Aspen, an experience that deeply connected her with the community. Lisa was Director of Sales for five-star hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Aspen, Residences at The Little Nell in Aspen, and Montage Residences in Maui. A cowgirl at heart and mother to two amazing, active boys, Jeune (16) and Hudson (12), Lisa spends her free time surfing and skiing with her family, exploring the mountains on horseback, and living aloha.
Joshua N. Reider
Josh is a licensed Colorado attorney with significant experience in finance. He received a JD from the University of Iowa, and a BA in government from the University of Virginia. While at the University of Iowa, he was the recipient of a College Merit Scholarship. He is a musician and has a personal interest in music and music education, and is excited to serve on the Board of Inspire Aspen. In addition, he has long-standing ties to the Aspen area.
Amber Thomas
Amber competed as a classical pianist from the age of 5 until she was 18. She became a member of the Texas all-state choir at 18. She was awarded a vocal music scholarship to Texas Tech University, and later became a worship leader at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City. Amber is a prominent interior designer and co-owner of Providence Interiors in Nashville. Through her vision and innovative solutions, she co-founded Samplize Corp. She has a love for the mountains, art, music, and design. She now splits her time between Nashville and Aspen and can be found hiking, boating, and skiing in her free time.
Mary Tanguay
Volunteer/Ambassador
Patrick Dial
Patrick has a Bachelor of Arts in radio, television, and film and a minor in business administration from Texas Christian University. He’s an experienced pilot, avid skier, hiker, and cyclist. Dial lives in Aspen, Colorado, and is the founder of AspenJet.
Patrick was an early pioneer in creating interactive experiences for musicians, audiences, and brands alike, where he focused on combining live entertainment with the emerging online world. In 1989 he formed Estrellia Entertainment Group, specializing for nearly 30 years in large-scale concert tour planning and event management for entertainer Garth Brooks among other bands and brands in music. He also created the Phoenix 500 Air Races, a major aviation-oriented motorsports event that partnered with the legendary Reno Air Races. It was ultimately combined with Clear Channel Motor Sports, which is now LIVE Nation. Later, Dial formed Rock Island LIVE Interactive Networks, which combined his live entertainment properties, interactive experiences, product development, promotion, and sales capabilities all into one practice.