ECMC is a state agency that regulates energy sectors and our team of 200+ staff members are devoted public servants. We strive to make your participation in our work as easy and as meaningful as possible for you. We live and work in Colorado like you. We take community engagement seriously and our work is rooted in environmental justice best practices.
View descriptions of the programs or industries that we regulate and the regulatory/enforcement methods we use to ensure compliance.
Meet our team of Community Liaisons
ECMC is devoted to making our work as accessible as possible for community members. We welcome and need your feedback.
Contact us directly! Our Community Liaisons are here to help you engage with our work as easily as possible. In fact, we are required by law to proactively provide additional opportunities for communities to engage in energy regulations and permitting processes, particularly Disproportionately Impacted communities. Our work is rooted in environmental justice.
Kristin Kemp, Denver, CO
Kristin has been a communications and community engagement professional since 2003. Prior to becoming a public servant at the Colorado Department of Natural Resources in 2016, she worked in higher education and arts/culture. Among other volunteer roles, Kristin is president-elect for a charter school in Littleton, CO. She holds a Masters of Science Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture from Colorado State University and an MBA from CU-Denver. “Civic engagement matters,” said Kemp. “I take seriously the responsibility of encouraging my fellow Coloradans to be active participants in the policies and rulemakings that shape our state’s energy and carbon future. I’m proud to be part of ECMC and support the mission.” Kristin is the dedicated liaison for members of the media and CORA requestors.
Steven Arauza, Rifle, CO
Arauza has 13+ years of Oil & Gas regulatory experience, including over 9 years at ECMC as an environmental specialist evaluating remediation efforts at oil and gas sites. As a vocal community advocate, Arauza volunteers with Voces Unidas de las Montañas, serves on the CDPHE Environmental Justice Advisory Board, and is an elected officer for Colorado Workers for Innovative and New Solutions (COWINS), the State employee union. He obtained his Master of Science in Geological Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara. “I am especially interested in assessment and mitigation of cumulative impacts of climate change, stewardship of environmental resources, and protection and authentic engagement of disproportionately impacted communities,” said Arauza.
Steve is the dedicated liaison for communities on the West Slope as well as Tribal Nations.
Yesica Chavez, Denver, CO
Chavez has been an environmental justice advocate for more than a decade, beginning as Student Coordinator at Environmental Learning for Kids — where she had previously attended outreach programs as a teenager in Denver — and subsequently at Keystone Policy Center and ClimateWorks Foundation. Among extensive volunteerism, Chavez served as the Board Chair of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Equity Grant Program for two years. She obtained her Master’s in Global Health Research from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and was a 2024 Environmental Justice Fellow at the Yale School of the Environment. “I’m extremely excited to join the team and begin collaborating within communities to ensure they have the knowledge and resources to voice their concerns, drive solutions, and engage in decisions that prioritize public health, environmental protection, and community well-being”.
Yesica is the dedicated liaison for communities on the Front Range as well as Hispanic communities.