Our Team
Kelli Jackson, Founder/Executive Director
Kelli Jackson is not just a founder; she's a visionary, a mentor, and a beacon of empowerment for young girls everywhere. As the driving force behind Girls on the Fly, Kelli has dedicated much of her life to crafting transformative experiences that instill confidence, resilience, and a love for the great outdoors.
With an unwavering commitment to youth, mental health, and the power of nature, Kelli has tirelessly championed the idea that every girl deserves the opportunity to spread her wings and soar. Her passion for creating spaces where girls can thrive, where they can laugh, learn, and discover their own strength, is nothing short of inspiring. SEE MORE
Tracey Smith, Vice President
Tracey Smith is a Principal at FMI corporation, a Management Consulting and Investment Banking firm serving the built environment. Tracey leads the firm’s Organization Development discipline within the Leadership and Organizational Development practice. She partners with architecture, engineering and construction executives to build enduring companies through exceptional enterprise-level leadership. She approaches organizational challenges with a blend of up-front assessment and in-person collaboration to help clients solve their most pressing issues. SEE MORE
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Sonja Villalobos, Secretary
As a mother and grandmother, Sonja is passionate about creating opportunities for girls to discover their strengths, build meaningful connections, and believe in themselves. She joined the Board of Directors because she believes that leaving a positive impact on the world is one of life's greatest purposes. Sharing her love of the outdoors and teaching others to fly fish is deeply rewarding and continues to fuel her commitment to mentoring and empowering the next generation.
Through her board service, Sonja is honored to support the organization's mission of helping girls develop confidence, resilience, and leadership through transformative experiences on the water. She is committed to ensuring more young women have the opportunity to connect with nature, build lifelong skills, and realize their full potential.
Kayla Maathuis, Director of Community Engagement & Storytelling
Kayla Maathuis is a proud Colorado native who finds her greatest joy outdoors. Whether she’s fishing, hiking, or riding horses, nature is where she feels grounded, calm, and centered. For Kayla, the outdoors offer more than recreation—they offer healing, clarity, and connection. As she often says, a bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work.
She lives with her family on a 50-acre horse property in Pine, where time with her horses is her daily therapy. In 2022, Kayla began the journey of gentling a mustang, an experience that taught her profound lessons in patience, communication, and sensitivity to nonverbal cues—values that mirror the heart of Girls on the Fly.
Professionally, Kayla is a real estate agent who helps people find homes that align with the lifestyle they long for—especially those drawn to the grounding and restorative effects of mountain living. Beyond her work, she’s a passionate advocate for community, regularly spotlighting local businesses and organizations that make the 285 Corridor thrive.
Kayla is honored to support Girls on the Fly in empowering girls through resilience, confidence, and the calming, confidence-building power of nature.
Taylor Lanier, Director of Wellness & Digital Communications
Taylor is a Florida native and a Pine, Colorado local with a deep love for the outdoors. A former rafting, climbing, and hiking guide, she has spent countless days and nights moving through wild places, paddling rivers, searching for fish, and saying yes to the adventures in between. The outdoors is where she feels most alive and most at home. Taylor believes that the more deeply we connect with nature, the more connected we become to ourselves and the world around us.
Beyond her time outside, Taylor is a certified yoga and Pilates instructor, a full-time remote worker in Marketing, and an aspiring homesteader. Having spent her younger years as a nanny and volunteering with SOS Outreach to introduce kids to snowboarding and climbing, she is passionate about working with the next generation and sharing the guidance she once wished she had herself. She brings curiosity, care, playfulness, and a grounded sense of presence to everything she does, on the trail and beyond.Sonja is a Colorado native whose lifelong love of the outdoors has shaped both her personal and professional life. With experience as a fly fishing guide, she has witnessed firsthand how time on the water can build confidence, resilience, teamwork, and emotional well-being. She believes that fly fishing is about far more than catching fish—it teaches patience, perseverance, self-reliance, and a lasting appreciation for nature.
Maia Trumbull, Director of Property Partnerships
A little about me….I was named after my great-grandmother, the original Maia. I was born in Colorado and grew up in the suburbs of Denver. I went to the University of Alabama and finished up college at CSU receiving a double major in Biology and Chemistry. My first career was teaching third grade. I decided to switch things up and went to Regis for nursing school. I have been an RN for the past 20 years. I currently work at the VA in the Clinical Education department.
My mom taught me to fish in the Gulf of Mexico when I was old enough to walk! I bought my first fly/spin rod, a cool Eagle Claw combo, when I was 9. I started tying flies in 7th grade when my science teacher offered it as an after-school activity. I love spending time outdoors – camping, fishing and hiking. I try to go on one big fishing adventure a year – offshore trips in Florida, the Bahamas and Tahiti are my favorites so far. I have 2 cute dogs – Rougarou (Roux to her friends) and Moose.
Whitnea McDonnell
Whitnea was born and raised in Colorado and has been a Bailey resident for the last eight years. She has worked all over the state, but primarily works for the Department of the Interior as a Finance Specialist, helping support Fish and Wildlife Services, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Whitnea has also coached and choreographed multiple high school marching bands and color guards across the state and into New Mexico for 10 years. Working with students and staff at Littleton High School, The Classical Academy, Liberty High School, and Farmington High School to name a few.
She grew up in an avid fishing and hunting family, spending most summers and fall in Arrowhead, CO fishing the Blue Mesa Reservoir. To say fishing has become a loved hobby over the past 30+ years is an understatement, whether it is on a river or lake, she will be there.
Whitnea has enjoyed working with students and kids over the last 15 years and feels truly honored to see how each kid learns and grows. She is excited to start this next journey with Girls on the Fly to continue to work with the fishing community and helping young kids find a new passion.
Sydney Chaves Leach
Sydney Leach is a nonprofit professional with a background in evaluation, learning, and organizational capacity building. She lives in the mountains of Colorado, where she finds joy in spending time outdoors, whether fishing, hiking, camping, or simply exploring. Like many women, Sydney was introduced to fishing by her dad and continues to enjoy the hobby with her husband. She is passionate about creating opportunities for girls and women to build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging in the outdoors.