Vestry

Chris Miller

Senior Warden

Chris, his wife, Alexis, and their children Lucy, Savannah, and Austin have attended Ascension since 2020. A native of Douglasville, GA, Chris served more than 25 years in the United States Navy and is currently the CEO of Guzman Energy, a regional wholesale electricity provider.  He enjoys Jimmy Buffett music, Atlanta Braves baseball, and SEC football. His favorite disciple is Thomas, and he likes the story of Old Testament Joseph. 

Lea Van Schaack

Junior Warden

A fourth generation Colorado native, Lea is a broker at LIV Sotheby’s International Realty and has over 15 years with experience in both residential and commercial real estate. Previously, Lea worked with TurnKey Development Management Group. Living, working, and raising her children in Denver has made Lea very familiar with the city she loves. In addition to real estate, Lea is a community volunteer with Cancer League of Colorado, raising money through Over The Edge events. Her love and appreciation for all things beautiful are nurtured in memberships at Denver Botanic Gardens and Denver Art Museum. Lea has served on the Vestry since 2020 and also serves on the Building Enhancement and Hospitality Committees.

Kim Conci

Clerk

A Wyoming native, Kim is a lifelong Episcopalian and former Vestry member and Senior Warden at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Craig, where she and her husband, Terry, met, married, and raised their four daughters.  After retiring from a career in education, Kim and Terry moved to Denver in 2013 and have been active at Ascension since they started attending in 2015. Among other things, Kim has most recently served on the Annual Giving Committee, Hospitality, and Outreach Committees. She enjoys hiking, golfing, biking, traveling, and spending time with her five grandchildren. 

Bill Howard

Treasurer

 A Colorado native, Bill, his wife Anne, and their children Andrew and Peter have attended Ascension since 2012. He is a Managing Director and Partner at Monticello Associates, an investment consulting firm serving endowments, foundations, and family offices. Bill earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Denver. In addition to serving as Treasurer at Ascension, Bill is a Trustee at St. Anne’s Episcopal School and Chairman of the Investment Committee. He enjoys tennis, golf, skiing, and traveling with his family.

Ellie Caulkins 

Born in Orange, New Jersey, Ellie Caulkins has spent most her life living in Colorado and loving it. Ellie is a 1977 Bachelor of Arts Phi Beta Kappa graduate of University of Colorado, which also bestowed on her an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2011. Married in 1962 at the English Church in Zermatt, Switzerland, Ellie and her beloved husband George raised five children and she is now the proud grandmother of seven grandkids! Ellie has been an active volunteer in the Denver and greater Colorado community for many years, serving with the Vail Homeowners Association and the Butterfly Pavilion. Currently, she serves the Graland Country Day School as a Life Trustee, Opera Colorado Life Honorary Board Chair, and the Metropolitan Opera.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Ellie previously had been a member at St. Barnabas Church and Saint John’s Cathedral in Denver and Christ Church in Dark Harbor, Maine before arriving at Ascension in 2003. Previously serving on the Vestry at Christ Church Dark Harbor, she has served on the Vestry at Ascension since 2020. Ellie is very excited to serve in a leadership role to help Ascension flourish.  

Stephanie Johnson

As the daughter of an exploration geologist, Stephanie Johnson grew up mostly in Texas. Relocating to Denver from Houston in 1981, she became a member of Church of the Ascension. Dave and Stephanie married at the church, and their daughter Morgan was baptized here. Naturally, the first ministry to which she committed her time was the children’s program. Over the years, other ministry involvement has included the neighborhood newsletter, hospitality, acolyte training, eucharistic minister, stewardship, prayer & study groups, rector search committees and vestry service. Stephanie retired from the State of Colorado’s Board of Land Commissioners (lease accounting staff) two years ago and currently enjoys seasonal road trips with Dave to Flagstaff, Arizona where Morgan now lives.

Chad Nichols

A fifth generation Coloradan, Chad has considered Denver home for over 30 years. Chad and his wife, Kari, have been members of Ascension since 2016, and their sons Foster (7) and Carter (4) were baptized at Ascension. Chad works for a global financial services firm, serves on the Board of St. Elizabeth’s School, and is involved with the National Western Stock Show. In addition to serving on the Vestry, Chad chairs the Endowment Committee. He and Kari are avid sports fans and love traveling and hiking and skiing with their boys.

Tim Shannon

Tim and his wife, Susanna, first attended Ascension upon moving to Denver in 2015, and, along with their children, Adair and George, became fully engaged members in 2020. Tim joined the finance committee of Ascension in 2021. Tim grew up in the Catholic Church during early childhood in Colorado and grade school in California and joined the Episcopal Church in 2012. Tim and his family love skiing and exploring the mountains and rivers of our beautiful state in addition to travel to experience different cultures. Tim works in health care supporting human and animal clinical providers to grow their organizations.  

Court Wold

Court is the father of Jack, Freddie, and Marilyn and devoted to Cullen, his wife of 16 years. Court and Cullen are active in the Ascension community through serving the Annual Giving Committee and Children’s and Youth Ministries. Court serves on the boards of several civic organizations and manages an oil and gas business. Court and Cullen are blessed with strong mentors, friends, and family. They love to hunt, fish, work hard, and give back to those who have helped them along the way.