From 1982-2022, Jeff Shoemaker served as the Executive Director of The Greenway Foundation (TGF).

Under the course of Jeff’s leadership, TGF partnered with countless public and private organizations to collectively create over $750 Million of environmental, recreational, water quality and flood control improvements along the South Platte River and its numerous tributaries throughout the Metro Denver Area and beyond. These priceless amenities include the watersheds of the C&C of Denver, along with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Douglas and Jefferson Counties, as well as a larger number of related municipalities. This collective investment over the last four decades involving the reclamation and preservation of these related communities’ greatest natural resources is directly connected to the creation of over $30 Billion of additional economic development and related benefit to the surrounding area. The Metro Denver Area’s waterways are now home to over 100 miles of multi-use recreational trails, over 100 acres of parks and natural areas and over 100,000 A.F. of improvements to these rivers, creeks and streams in terms of environmental, recreational, flood control and water quality/quantity enhancements.

TGF also created and oversees the most recognized award-winning Environmental Education Program in Colorado – SPREE (South Platte River Environmental Education). In addition, TGF has engaged in numerous cultural and community events, along with a variety of youth employment opportunities, all focused on engaging the Metro Denver community (and beyond) with their greatest natural resources – our urban and regional waterways.

Examples of water-based initiative milestones involving Jeff’s role as TGF’s E.D. during his 4+ decade tenure include:

• South Platte River Greenway Projects (trails, parks and river projects) (1982 – Present)
• Bear Creek and Sanderson Gulch Projects (1985-1990)
• Cherry Creek South Greenway Project (1986-2005)
• Venice on the Creek Project & Concession (1988-2012)
• Mayor Webb’s South Platte River Vision Initiative (1996-2000)
• River North Greenway Master Plan (RiNo) (1998)
• River South Greenway Master Plan (RiSo) (1999)
• River Vision Implementation Plan (RVIP) (2000)
• Chatfield Reallocation Project/Environmental Pool Initiative (2005-2020)
• Clear Creek Greenway Master Plan (2014-2018)
• Cherry Creek Area Master Plan/Implementation Plan – (2014-2020)
• Leadership role in the lead pipe removal initiative under the direction of Denver Water (2018 – Present)
• Numerous USACE Based Projects
• Numerous EPA Based initiatives
• Numerous CWCB/CPW/CDPHE Based initiatives

More recently, Jeff served on the Executive Committee of Denver’s successful 2018 Ballot Measure 2A which secured over $35 Million/year for Denver’s Parks and Waterways. He also served that same year as the Chair of the Mile High Flood Control District’s successful Ballot Measure 7G which also secured over $35 Million/year for the District.

Since 2000, Jeff has served as the Executive Director of the Colorado Parks Foundation (CPF) which, working with Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) as well as numerous county, municipal and non-profit organizations, provides funding, advocacy and community outreach for the benefit of Colorado’s numerous State Parks along with local and regional parks across the State of Colorado. To date, the CPF has provided over $1,300,000 of project and program based grants since its inception in 1985. In 2010, Jeff coordinated the procedural and legislative processes resulting in the creation of a Colorado State Parks License Plate under the oversight of the CPF, allowing supporters of State Parks across Colorado and beyond to promote and advocate that support through the purchase of a State Parks Plate. To date, over 7,500 Colorado residents are now proud owners of the Colorado State Parks Plate with related proceeds providing additional financial support to Colorado State Parks which, to has witnessed over $120,000 of grants to State Parks across Colorado.

Jeff is a proud graduate of Denver Public Schools and the University of Colorado Boulder. He served as a public school teacher from 1978-1982, served as Member of the Colorado State House Representatives from 1987-1992, served for to two terms on the CSU Board of Trustees from 1999-2008 and also served on the MSU Denver Board of Trustees from 2016-19.

Jeff and his wife Nancy (a recently retired R.N., now the owner of Care By Design, LLC – providing care and engagement for seniors throughout the Metro Denver area) are active runners and bicyclists and are the proud parents of four adult daughters and three exceedingly beautiful and extremely intelligent granddaughters. 😀