Meet the Board

Malibu James

Executive Director

“Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today,” -James Dean

 Malibu James is a passionate advocate for foster care, with over 15 years of experience as a therapeutic foster parent. Together with his wife, Julie, he has raised seven children, including two adopted from foster care. Based in Fort Morgan, Colorado, they run Fosters Love Community Closet & Support, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and families households in rural Northeastern Colorado. Their work provides essential resources, emotional support, and a sense of community to those in need.

 

Julie Ellis-James

Co-Director

“Strong families build strong communities, and every act of kindness creates a ripple of hope.” – Julie Ellis-James 

 Julie Ellis-James is a compassionate leader and advocate for foster and kinship families. As a mother of seven, including two children adopted from foster care, she brings personal experience and dedication to her work. Julie co-founded Fosters Love Community Closet & Support, a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Fort Morgan, Colorado, providing vital resources and support to rural Northeastern Colorado families. Her commitment to community and empowerment is reflected in the organization’s efforts to create a sense of belonging for those they serve.  

Lauren Bontempo

President

It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”(Dieter Uchtdorf)

Hello, my name is Lauren. I have over 15 years of experience working with families, couples, and individuals. I work with trauma, special needs, and neurodivergence. She is a mother of three children and has personal experience supporting neurodivergence. She is skilled in a variety of therapy modalities including EMDR. She enjoys working with diversity and supports LGBT.

Lauren takes a compassion-first approach to meet clients where they are at and is dedicated to their growth and success.

Kelly Paris

Vice President

Kelly Paris serves as the Vice President of Foster Love Community Closet & Support, where she helps guide the organization’s mission to uplift foster, kinship, and low-income families across Northeastern Colorado. With a strong background in community service and family advocacy, Kelly plays an essential role in organizational planning, outreach coordination, and event support. Her compassionate leadership and dedication to building inclusive, supportive programs help ensure every family and youth served by Foster Love has access to the resources and encouragement they need to thrive.

Brandy Fries

Community Engagement

Brandy Fries serves as the Community Engagement Board Member for Foster Love Community Closet & Support. In this role, she helps strengthen relationships between the organization and the local community by coordinating outreach initiatives, promoting volunteer opportunities, and supporting events that bring families and partners together. Brandy is passionate about building inclusive connections and raising awareness for programs that empower foster, kinship, and low-income families throughout Northeastern Colorado.

Pheobe Baquera

Secretary

Phoebe Baquera is an accomplished behavioral health professional dedicated to fostering healing, resilience, and growth within the community. With a strong foundation in applied psychology focused on clinical counseling, she holds a degree emphasizing social science and equity. Phoebe is set to graduate in December with her Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from a CACREP-accredited program, concentrating on substance use disorders and offender-specific treatment. She is also approved as a Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) treatment provider. Her next steps include pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC) and completing the Master Addiction Counselor (MAC) exam to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC). Phoebe’s expertise and compassion make her an invaluable part of the Foster Love Community Closet & Support board.

 

 

Christopher Ellis-James

Oversight Support
Christopher Ellis-James serves as an Oversight Board Member for Foster Love Community Closet & Support. He plays a key role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and strong governance within the organization. Christopher provides guidance on policies, compliance, and operational integrity while supporting the mission to assist foster, kinship, and low-income families across Northeastern Colorado. His commitment to ethical leadership helps maintain the organization’s credibility and long-term sustainability.

 

Shaleena McKie

Treasurer

My favorite quote is,”Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children,” as stated by Walt Disney. 

 

Hi, my name is Shalenna Mckie , and
I love this quote for so many reasons and I think it sums up the reason for supporting Fosters Love Community Closet. Our greatest natural resource we have is the minds of our children then we should support those minds in whatever way we can.

 

 

 

 

Lovely Diane Reyes

Operations Support

Lovely Diane Reyes serves as the Operations Support Board Member for Foster Love Community Closet & Support. She assists in coordinating daily operations, organizing logistics for community programs, and ensuring that services run smoothly and efficiently. Lovely is dedicated to supporting the organization’s mission by helping deliver essential resources and maintaining effective communication among volunteers, staff, and partners to best serve families in need across Northeastern Colorado.