Staff

We’re proud of our rich heritage, and we keep it alive with our commitment to provide quality experiences, practice responsible management and foster collaboration.

Jeffco Open Space Management Team

Tom HobyTom Hoby, Director
Mr. Hoby was appointed as Director of the Parks and Open Space Division in March of 2010. As Director, Mr. Hoby works closely with the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager and Open Space Advisory Committee. He oversees the management and operations of the sales tax-funded program and the five sections that make up the Jeffco Open Space Division: Stewardship, Planning, Visitor Services, Community Connections, and Administration and Real Estate. He is a 30-year veteran of the parks and recreation industry, and is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation Administration. He is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional, and has been active as a member of many industry committees.  

                                

Hillary Merritt, Deputy Director  Hillary Merritt  
Ms. Merritt joined Jeffco Open Space in June 2019. She manages the Business & Finance teams, the Land Conservation and Landowner Relations programs, and provides strategic leadership by working with local, county, state, federal public land agencies, nonprofit conservation organizations, and other stakeholders to advance the mission of Jeffco Open Space. She spent 14 years protecting critical open space and lands important to people throughout Colorado as a project manager at The Trust for Public Land. A graduate of Skidmore College and the University of Colorado Law School, she is also a licensed attorney with the Colorado Bar Association. When she is not saving the places where people love to play, Ms. Merritt enjoys hiking and skiing in the mountains.  


Mary Ann BonnellMary Ann Bonnell, Visitor Services & Natural Resources Director
Ms. Bonnell joined Jeffco Open Space in 2014 and is the Visitor Services Manager. She supports the park ranger, park maintenance, park permits and education programs and is in uniform and on patrol in our parks at least one day a week. Ms. Bonnell’s first job with Jeffco Open Space was as a Seasonal Naturalist in 1994. After gathering nearly 20 years of park ranger and natural resource management experience working for four agencies and organizations including Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the City of Aurora, Plains Conservation Center and the Catalina Island Marine Institute, she returned to Jeffco Open Space. She has a degree in Biology from CU Boulder and is the co-lead investigator for the Denver Metro Area Coyote Study. 



Matt RobbinsMatt Robbins, Community Connections Director
Mr. Robbins joined Jeffco Open Space in 2016 as the Community Connections Team Manager. The Community Connections Team promote internal collaboration and seek and provide opportunities for public engagement on a variety of projects, programs and management practices while supporting the Communication and Volunteer Services teams. Additionally, the Community Connection Team manages various Heritage Facilities including the 100 acre Jeffco Fairgrounds and Boettcher Mansion as well as Land Stewardship Resources group that comprises the countywide Invasive Species Management and Wildfire Mitigation “SLASH” program in the foothills. With extensive state and local government experience, Robbins came to Jeffco Open Space having worked with each of the local governments within Jefferson County to preserve and protect its parks and natural resources. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation Administration.



Brian HardmanBrian Hardman, Park Infrastructure Director
Mr. Hardman, a Golden native, joined Jeffco Open Space in June of 1994. Hardman holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Organizational Management from CU-Denver, as well as a and minor in entrepreneurship. Mr. Hardman currently maintains a Contractor A license, a State Water System Operator license, and an asbestos certification. Oversight of the Park Infrastructure Team consists of the Projects, Park Construction, and Trails Teams, as well as management of the Region Coordinators and Operations Coordinator.




Smiling female in a black blouse standing in front of a blurred background of Golden in Autumn

Rachel Brenna, Strategy and Planning Director
Ms. Brenna joined Jeffco Open Space in 2021. The Strategy and Planning team provides capital improvements planning, data analysis, GIS services, and overall agency strategy. They also collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment with the JCOS mission now and in the future.  Rachel has over 25 years of experience in planning and designing public lands, parks, and places for federal, state, and local organizations. Her passion for creating connections between people and nature has led her to work at many scales in the public realm including park and trail planning, public art, and conservation. She has a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Environmental Studies from Iowa State University and is a Professional Landscape Architect.