C Lazy U Team

David Craig brings more than 25 years of hospitality experience to C Lazy U. His diverse background includes resort, luxury hotel and membership club experience. His career began on Cape Cod, Massachusetts where he engaged in a variety of resort property management positions including both back of house (housekeeping and engineering leadership) as well as front of house (front desk leadership). David spent 11 years in Aspen and Snowmass Village with roles at the Hotel Jerome and Stonebridge Inn where he was the General Manager. He has worked at the Inverness Hotel Resort & Conference Center in south Denver and honed his 5 Star luxury product and service skills while spending 9 years at Denver’s boutique Hotel Teatro, ultimately as General Manager. During his tenure there he briefly oversaw C Lazy U ranch while the ranch consulted with DiNapoli Capital Partners. Most recently, David was Senior VP at the luxury membership travel club Inspirato, which has since grown to more than 10,000 members – many of whom have had the pleasure of enjoying C Lazy U.

David is the former Chairman of the Board of the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association (CHLA). In 2015, he won the CHLA Hotelier of the Year Award, an honorable distinction reserved for people who dedicate their careers to the Colorado lodging industry. David is married to Kristin and has two stepdaughters. He joined C Lazy U as general manager in 2013.

Paul Klees is the Assistant General Manager for the ranch. As he likes to stay busy, he also serves as Hunting Manager for our Luxury Hunt business in the fall and spring. Paul isn’t all business though; you will most likely see (and hear- he’s quite enthusiastic about this part of the job) him on a horse helping out in the barn, in the dining room making sure your dinner is 5-Star perfect, or branding by the campfire late at night. The poster child of a well-rounded cowboy, Paul often appears in photos of magazines writing about the C Lazy U, and as such has fondly been nicknamed the “face of the ranch” by his friends.

Director of Equestrian Operations, Ami Cullen, began her ranch story as a long-time guest of the Ranch. Prior to joining the ranch and beginning her career, Ami was an accomplished equestrian who competed in Hunter-Jumper horse shows along the East Coast. Ami spent several years practicing law as an attorney in Washington D.C. Her love of the ranch, the Colorado mountains and horses attracted Ami to C Lazy U in 2012. She is an integral piece of the ranch and oversees all equestrian operations, including our guest riding program, children’s program, member riding program and our herd of approximately 200 horses. Ami is often seen riding young horses and helping to prepare them for our guests, teaching horsemanship clinics and giving riding lessons.

Brady Johnson is Director of Sales and Marketing, making him responsible for all marketing and advertising efforts at the C Lazy U along with booking group events and retreats. But don’t be fooled by this job description because on top of these efforts you can always count on seeing him taking guests on guided mountain bike rides, or leading a ropes course session in the summer, and leading cross-country skiing tours as our guests’ mountain host in the winter. The C Lazy U is the perfect home for this avid outdoorsman because he gets to show guests the experience of a lifetime from the moment they find us online or through friends, to the day of their departure.

McKenzie Ammerman oversees C Lazy U Ranch’s Children’s Program. McKenzie manages a team of certified counselors to ensure every child is safe and secure in our kids and teens program. McKenzie is a graduate from the University of Colorado and has been a valued member of C Lazy U’s team since 2013. McKenzie has extensive horseback riding experience with a skill for perfectly matching the correct horses to riders. Her team of young enthusiastic counselors provide ideal environment for child development, supervision and most important – fun! C Lazy U Ranch is lucky to have McKenzie’s leadership and personalized care and oversight of our counselors and kids in our kid’s program.

Mackenzie Brenneman is the Director of Member Services at C Lazy U Ranch. Mackenzie has held various roles throughout the ranch and has done everything from being a kids counselor, taking on the role of Head Kids Counselor, to working in the barn, wait staff and working in the Outfitters Cabin. Our Members love her and she oversees a crucial piece of the ranch managing the Member Services Program.

Mike Cullen is C Lazy U Ranch’s Director of Activities. Mike is a graduate of the University of Colorado and has had various professional management and sales positions throughout his career. Mike is a true outdoorsman and passionate mountain biker so he naturally gravitated to C Lazy U Ranch. Mike has been integral in developing and enhancing C Lazy U’s activities department outside of horseback riding and he oversees the entire ranch hand and landscaping team, which is the central nervous system of the ranch. The ranch is lucky to have Mike on the team and his infections smile, love for the outdoors, amazing customer service and hard work ethic can be seen in everything he does.

Heather Peters is the Reservations Supervisor, and her voice will likely be the first friendly voice you hear when you call to find out more about the C Lazy U Ranch experience. Also the resident Wedding Sales Manager, Heather works alongside Kelly to create the perfect ranch wedding for each couple. Feel free to give her a call for information about rates and availability, or to start planning your special day, at 970-887-3344.

Scott Klees is working his way through every department on the Ranch! Scott started out working as a wrangler then transitioned to the Outfitters Cabin as a concierge, before being promoted to OC Cabin Supervisor and Groups Coordinator. Promoted yet again, Scott now serves as Rooms Division Manager. His vast knowledge of the ranch, its inner workings and professional background helps make Scott a great asset to all our guests and groups on ranch.

Kelly Fowler is originally from Southern Pines, North Carolina, and has been an integral part of the ranch since 2013. After graduating from High Point University, Kelly took a trip out West for a summer job as a kid’s counselor and decided she couldn’t get enough of the Colorado mountains. She can be found between the Outfitter’s Cabin, managing the C Lazy U Store ‘Old Louis’ Place’ and making sure your Lazy You Spa experience is magnificent. Also the resident Wedding Coordinator, Kelly loves working with each bride to make her visions for the perfect ranch wedding into a reality.

You will see Alex in the Outfitters Cabin as one of the first smiling faces of C Lazy U welcoming you with open arms. Alex Adams joined C Lazy U Ranch in 2018 as a bartender. Prior to this she was a recent college graduate from Georgia College and State University and found the ranch through friends who recommended that she experience the West. C Lazy U Ranch was a perfect fit and she fell in love with the guests and the Colorado lifestyle. Alex loved it so much she decided to pursue other facets of C Lazy U Ranch and has taken on the role of Ranch Concierge.

Rachel Merrill works in the Outfitters Cabin as a Ranch Concierge and will be one of the first smiling faces to greet you at C Lazy U.  A native New Yorker, Rachel packed up her car and made the drive out west following her graduation from the University of Vermont. Starting out with a summer contract to work in “Luis’ Old Place,” she fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and hasn’t looked back. Rachel has since found her home in the Outfitters Cabin working with guests before and throughout their stay to maximize their C Lazy U Ranch experience.

Emma Brigham is the Lodging Manager at the ranch and oversees our 13 guest cabins. She makes sure that your rooms are clean, cozy, and inviting when you check in and throughout your stay, whether you are an adult on a corporate retreat, or a family enjoying their first Western vacation. Originally from the East Coast, Emma started as a seasonal employee after she graduated from Boston University. After experiencing the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the numerous summer and winter activities that Colorado has to offer, she was inspired to make Granby her home. In fact, she and her husband met at the C Lazy U and were even able to get married at our ceremony site, Woodsie, with the gorgeous Rocky Mountains as a backdrop.

Xandy Keough is the Front Office Manager and Group Coordinator. Like many others, Xandy immediately fell in love with the Ranch and has made it her home. She found a passion in being able to be a part of making a vacation of a lifetime come to fruition. Alongside a team of top-tier service professionals, Xandy’s main role is delivering your dream vacation and being your steward so you can experience all that this Premier Colorado Dude Ranch has to offer.

Executive Chef Dennis Kaniger comes to the ranch from a career that started in California. He has worked at top restaurants like Ma Maison, Spago, and Trumps and has owned his own restaurant in Kansas City. Dennis’s unique ability to create gourmet fare that also tastes like down-home comfort food has guests raving about the dining at C Lazy U!

Sommelier Elise Blann has worked in the restaurant industry for over ten years now. She discovered a passion for wine when she first began working in the fine dining industry around five years ago and obtained her Level 1 certification from the Court of Master Sommelier’s in October 2015. In April 2016, she passed the Level 2 requirements becoming a Certified Sommelier. For the past two years she has worked as a corporate trainer for PB&J Restaurants, Inc., alternating between bartending, training, working caterings and events, and opening new concepts in multiple states. She is excited for the opportunity to delve back into the wine industry and couldn’t ask for a better establishment or team to do so with than C Lazy U.