Interview
by Fred Hernandez

A native of the Sunshine State, Reggie was born, raised and received her early education in Tampa, Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Mercer University. Upon graduation, Reggie went to work in the newsroom of WAPW-FM, in Atlanta, Georgia. She was hired to cover the Gulf War and rose to be Station News Director . She was lured back to Tampa by a job offer from her hometown stations WTSP-TV and WUSA-FM. Destiny had other plans, however, when she met her future husband, Michael, who was assigned to the 3rd Ranger Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. They married and returned to Georgia where Reggie earned her Masters Degree in Education from Columbus State University.
In 2005, on one of the many trips Michael and Reggie made to Colorado to enjoy hiking, fishing and other outdoor activities, they discovered Custer County and purchased their future retirement property. Michael and Reggie built their retirement home and moved to Westcliffe full time in 2020.
These days Reggie is a member of the faculty of Colorado State University serving as the Custer County Extension Director. In her work Reggie is responsible for our county 4-H programs and for providing residents with Ag and natural resources assistance. Every Thursday Reggie connects with high school students during the 4-H Coffee Hour and on Wednesday evenings she is a parent leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
She has three daughters; a sophomore, an 8th grader and one is a graduate of CCHS and attending a Christian University,
If elected to the school board, Reggie will bring a unique set of skills. Reggie has more than a decade of experience clearly communicating from TV and Radio newsrooms to mass audiences. Pair that with her experience as an advisor for U.S. Army military families spread across Italy, Belgium and the U.S., where she built cohesive teams and effective communication systems. These skills are important for the success of any organization or program. She knows how to listen and can relate to teachers, parents, com-munity members and students as well, thanks to her weekly school volunteerism.
In Custer County, she has served as a substitute teacher and as a volunteer instructor for the gifted and talented program. She is the Chairperson of the Excellence in Education Committee, a group composed of five county residents, four of whom are parents. Their task is to raise money for classroom/learning needs for which the School District is short on funds, such as musical instruments, field trips, and curriculum. Reggie is the secretary of the Booster Club, a group of parents and community members who raise money specifically for athletic program needs, such as balls, nets, and uniforms. Reggie serves as an advisor to the Education Legacy Fund, a county-based committee of semi-retired professionals who have a deep interest in expanding the educational opportunities of our local youth.
For Reggie, it is possible for Custer County to achieve a higher standard of learning. In her own words: “ There is a ‘YES’ out there somewhere! Too often we take NO for an answer and stop trying to do what is in the best interest of our students.” Not Reggie; she recognizes there is tremendous room for improvement in academics, esprit de corps and teacher support. Reggie is willing to find the YES and make it so. For Reggie, the beauty of Custer County is its fine traditions, patriotism and family values and she will remain true to those things. Reggie sees a need to embrace the community’s desire to support our schools. As a person who is beholden to no one, Reggie will make decisions on the basis of facts and will be a good steward of the school’s resources. With her personal experience in school activities, along with having had three children in school, she is convinced she has a very good idea of the current functionality of our schools. Reggie encourages you to vote on November 7th. We wish Reggie all the best in her campaign for the Custer County School Board.